Should Cruz pick his VP this week? (Get Blown Out Tomorrow; ICarly Fiorina For VP)

Hot Air ^ | 2:01 pm on April 25, 2016 | Allahpundit

[Red Steel]

The idea was floated over the weekend by Jon Karl on ABC, as you’ll see below, and started some conservative tweeters chattering. I think there’s more upside to it than downside, but there are downsides.

Cruz needs media oxygen in the next week, a way to have the story not just be Trump's NE sweep. Not a lot of ways to get that.

— Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) April 25, 2016

Picking a running mate now could limit his dealmaking options at the convention. But first you gotta get to the convention.

— Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) April 25, 2016

Cruz is going to get blown out again tomorrow night, which raises the question of how he wants to spend the next week ahead of the big vote in Indiana. If he does nothing, he’ll spend most of his time fielding questions about collusion with John Kasich and whether his wipeout in the northeast proves that the party has come around to Trump. If he names a VP, he’ll spend most of his time talking about his veep pick and how it fits into his vision for America. That’s a move a would-be nominee makes, not an also-ran. Karl suggests, probably correctly, that Carly Fiorina is the frontrunner. Not only was Fiorina the first former candidate to endorse Cruz, she was the first big name to support him after various Washington Republicans had signed on with Rubio. If Cruz were to name her this week, he’d got a ton of buzz for putting a woman on the ticket and Fiorina would instantly be elevated to a super-surrogate who could barnstorm Indiana and other states as a draw in her own right to turn voters out for Cruz. Fiorina was also the most effective attack dog in the field against Trump during the debates. If you wanted someone on the trail on your behalf making the case for why a contested convention, with all the chaos it entails, is a better option than nominating Donald Trump, that’s who you’d pick. And don’t forget the regional play at stake: Fiorina graduated from Stanford and ran for Senate in 2010 in California, by far the most important state left on the board. If she can help Cruz hold Trump down there, that’s reason enough to pick her given its role in deciding the eventual nominee. And Fiorina helps in the general election too, of course, blunting Hillary’s pitch to women voters. There are lots of advantages in naming her.

So what not do it? The risk you run in naming a VP when you’re not the nominee yet is that voters will see it as a stunt, which is what it is, and stunts smell of desperation. That’s extra risky for Cruz given that he’s just pulled another stunt in colluding with Kasich in Indiana. Instead of seeing him as more presidential, some voters may view the veep pick as a gimmick by a fading candidate to try to revive his campaign. On top of that, it would limit Cruz’s strategic options later. Cruz’s chances at the convention may turn on his ability to horse-trade more effectively than Trump. If Trump offers Kasich the VP slot, what does Cruz counter with if that position’s already been filled by Fiorina? In fact, notes John McCormack, if you’re all about consolidating anti-Trumpers and winning California in June, wouldn’t it be smarter for Cruz to offer Kasich the VP slot now? No “alliance” will unite the two camps’ voters like that would. And if Kasich won’t accept the offer now, wouldn’t it be better to wait a few weeks and try again than to appoint someone now in case he becomes more amenable in mid-May? To paraphrase Rod Blagojevich, the vice presidency is a f***ing valuable thing.

I don’t think Cruz can wait for Kasich to figure out what he wants, though. Indiana is must-win. If picking someone this week would help win it, do it and worry about Cleveland the day after Indiana’s in the bag. Exit question: Is there any VP pick who might end up being blocked at the convention? Patrick Ruffini raised that possibility last night in contemplating the possibility of a Trump/Kasich ticket. What if, Ruffini wondered, Kasich made a deal with Trump to endorse him, all but handing him the nomination in exchange for the VP slot, and Cruz’s delegates responded by refusing to vote for Kasich for vice president? Remember, there’s no such thing as a bound delegate when it comes to the VP race; the delegates can vote for whoever they want. Ttypically the nominee’s choice is rubber-stamped, but since many (if not a majority) of delegates at the convention will be pro-Cruz, they’d be free to block Kasich even if Trump picked him. In reality, I doubt they’d have the nerve: Having been forced by the rules to nominate Trump on the first ballot, they’d support whoever Trump wanted for vice president before washing their hands of the general election. But they have the power to block if they choose to exercise it.

.@jonkarl says Ted Cruz may name a running mate soon to shake up the race—and he has a guess as to who that might be https://t.co/c7VhTPFe0V

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 25, 2016

[JediJones]

I saw a Cruz Facebook group had a poll 2 weeks ago and Carly won for the V.P. slot overwhelmingly. I don’t doubt Cruz is hearing from supporters that they would be enthusiastic about a Carly pick.

I think Carly would be a strong choice as Trump’s or Cruz’s V.P. in this race because as a female she softens up their harder-edged image, she fills the V.P. attack dog role against Hillary, she potentially pulls in some women voters who just wanted to vote for a woman in Hillary, and she was a strong pro-life advocate. Her weaknesses are what sunk her in California, namely her business record, but it would be hard to make that a prominent issue under Cruz. With Trump and Carly together, a Big Bad Business narrative could be weaved more easily.

[A CA Guy]

I agree, he has lots of cards missing from his deck.

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for the earlier zots!

http://www.freerepublic.com/~godgunsguts/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~pacificus/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~katwoman5779/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~flfreedom/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~unclericosfootball/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~traditionalmerica

http://www.freerepublic.com/~rwilson99/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~libertytreesurgeon/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~proudpapa/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~durbin/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~bigun/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~tallyhoe/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~jerseyrepub/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~debrawiest/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~libbylu/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~kik5150/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~nervoustick/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~rightlady/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~flintsilver7/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~leto/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~anymouse/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~thedoc/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~publana/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~xspurt/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~hoodat/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~Perdogg/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~dschapin/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~deathrattle/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~kidd/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~laserman/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~lmao/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~zajko/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~wistful/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~WilliamIII/

http://www.freerepublic.com/~kinsmanredeemer/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~responsibility2nd/

[A CA Guy]

So Cruz paid her $500,000 to run?

[stephenjohnbanker]

NO

[SaveFerris]

Looks like

http://www.freerepublic.com/~unclericosfootball/

was a TDS’er, I think.

Were the others rabid Cruzers?

[Lakeshark]

I liked the way Carly took it to Hillary early on, and I think she's likely on Trump's short list as a result.

I doubt she would sign on with Ted if she's watching how the Cruz numbers are tanking, I think she'll wait to see if she can do a good audition for Trump.

Also, this article is nuts, there is no way in Hell this kind of maneuver helps Cruz in Indiana. Not one bit.

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks.

Yes to your last question.

http://www.freerepublic.com/~godgunsguts/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~pacificus/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~katwoman5779/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~flfreedom/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~unclericosfootball/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~traditionalmerica

http://www.freerepublic.com/~rwilson99/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~libertytreesurgeon/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~proudpapa/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~durbin/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~bigun/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~tallyhoe/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~jerseyrepub/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~debrawiest/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~libbylu/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~kik5150/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~nervoustick/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~rightlady/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~flintsilver7/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~leto/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~anymouse/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~thedoc/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~publana/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~xspurt/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~hoodat/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~Perdogg/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~dschapin/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~deathrattle/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~kidd/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~laserman/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~lmao/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~zajko/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~wistful/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~WilliamIII/

http://www.freerepublic.com/~kinsmanredeemer/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~responsibility2nd/
http://www.freerepublic.com/~unclericosfootball/

[Red Steel]

They can’t say that JR didn’t give them plenty of warning.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

Maybe Ted and Carly can have their own TV show like West Wing: an alternate reality where Ted Cruz actually gets to be president.

Meanwhile, back here in reality, we’ll be going with Trump Kthxbye.

[SaveFerris]

I think I saw one of the others - updated my list; saw another noted it.

Bizarre - all for Ted Cruz - who is showing himself to be sleazy in lots of ways. First the Chicago thing, then the GOPe thing and now he just wants to wreck the voters who are choosing Trump over him.

What a low-life jerk. Enjoy your 15% you’ll probably get tomorrow, Ted, you jerk.

[mkjessup]

They can’t say that JR didn’t give them plenty of warning.

What kind of fool ignores all the warnings and cautions issued by the website
owner? Apparently over 20 fools did and I predict the number will increase
before it's all over:

[sargon]

You needn’t try and prove you are a Trumphead as your name calling makes clear.

Yes, because self-righteous Ted Cruz fanboys never call anyone names, right?

Apparently, Ted Cruz plans on limping into the GOP convention with, at best, about 700 delegates or so.

And then what's he going to do somehow, magically? He's going to seize the nomination from Donald Trump, displacing the party's clear frontrunner.

Then what? This is the most ridiculous part: after swiping the nomination, he will:

• irreparably splinter the party
• destroy voter enthusiasm
• induce countless Trump voters to stay home
• lose to Hillary in a November landslide

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is Cruz's best case scenario.

It would be laughable if it wasn't so dangerous.

Ted Cruz appears fully willing to sacrifice his own party, and even the country, on the altar of his own blind personal ambition.

Ted Cruz's egotism and malignant narcissism make Donald Trump's ostensible character deficits pale in comparison.

Vote Trump

[DoughtyOne]

Oh drat. I hate when that happens!

< smirk >

[DoughtyOne]

Cruznoidia...

[DoughtyOne]

Honestly, I don’t trust Tead on the borders issues.

He was helping Bush thwart immigration enforcement clear back in 1999. Not only that, he was helping him develop his “for the children” stances, a Leftist’s vision of how to frame things so the public wouldn’t differ.

He’s always been in the tank on immigration.

[Grampa Dave]

"What a low-life jerk. Enjoy your 15% you’ll probably get tomorrow, Ted, you jerk."

His cohorts on FR even with low results will praise his ground game and intelligence.

[SaveFerris]

yep

[huldah1776]

Title:Study: Trump investments underperformed in 2015

“Trump also argued that several of his individual stock picks, like Apple and Goldman Sachs, have done very well for him.

“I hit the market exactly perfectly,” he said.”

http://thehill.com/policy/finance/274178-trump-investments-underperformed-in-2015

Title:Know Who Else Has Received Loans from Citibank and Goldman Sachs? Donald Trump.

http://www.redstate.com/leon_h_wolf/2016/01/21/know-else-received-loans-citibank-goldman-sachs-donald-trump/

“He’s made the nonsensical claim repeatedly that Ted Cruz can’t “protect people” from Citibank or Goldman Sachs or whoever, because he has taken out loans from them or
personally guaranteed loans to his campaign from them.”

“As for Goldman Sachs, Trump is himself a shareholder in Goldman Sachs, which means he has a direct financial interest in its success. One would think that would make Trump even less enthusiastic about protecting me from Goldman Sachs (whatever that means) than Cruz would.”

http://www.redstate.com/leon_h_wolf/2016/01/21/know-else-received-loans-citibank-goldman-sachs-donald-trump/

[Grampa Dave]

“They can’t say that JR didn’t give them plenty of warning.”

Then, they acted like loud mouth lawyer thugs and the house rules didn’t apply to them and totally disregarded his requests!