2012 Vice President Candidates

[Soul Crusher]

THune would be a MUCH safer pick than an angry fat Christie, or a truth-stretching, DREAM-supporting Rubio.

He's about as conservative as you can get.  No military or huge foreign policy, VERY good on energy and will be a SAFE pick.  No flubs, no gotcha Qs... dude was bosn in 1961, won't embarass romney, won't be a wildcard.

thune was my pick for prez

[240 is Back]

thune was my pick for prez

i was high on him for a long time.  I think he knew early on he couldn't compete with the $ of Romney... 

[Dos Equis]

Still in it.  Definitely on the short list.

Romney Declares Marco Rubio Still in Consideration for VP
by Chris Laible | June 19, 2012

HOLLAND, MI - Marco Rubio is still on the list for Vice President.

In a hastily arranged news conference outside of Captain Sundaes, a local ice cream shop in Western Michigan, Mitt Romney announced the Florida senator is being "thoroughly vetted" for the job, calling an earlier report Rubio was out "entirely false."

"There was a story that originated today - apparently at ABC - based on reports of supposedly outside, unnamed advisors of mine," Romney told a group of reporters at an unplanned stop. "They know nothing about the Vice President selection or evaluation process." "There are only two people in this country who know who are being vetted and who are not, and that's Beth Myers and myself," he continued.

Romney took no questions following his statement.

Myers, a long-time trusted advisor and campaign manager during his presidential run in 2008, was picked by Romney to head the selection process in April shortly after he clinched the nomination. At that time, she promised to make the vetting process the most thorough ever.

Rubio has long been under speculation as a short-list candidate for Vice President. Young, charismatic and Cuban, he has quickly risen within the ranks of the Republican Party. Many view his moderate stance on immigration as a potential bridge to the Latino community - a group Romney desperately needs to win over in order to succeed in November.

Hard-line stances on immigration by prominent conservatives have driven many Hispanics to the Democratic Party over the years. Currently, President Obama is leading Romney among Hispanic voters by a 2-1 margin. And the report Tuesday could have angered or driven more Hispanics away.

Romney's statement was the second instance when the campaign hastily arranged a statement for the press on his current 5-day bus tour. The President's change of policy relating to young illegal immigrants dominated headlines on the first day, forcing Romney to address reporters following an event in Milford, NH.

The supposed leak to ABC News is uncharacteristic of a usually tight-lipped, fiercely loyal, and disciplined campaign. Campaign manager Matt Rhoades is known for his intolerance of non-public information finding its way into reporter's hands.

http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2012/06/19/romney-declares-marco-rubio-still-consideration-vp

[Dos Equis]

Pawlenty Mum About Potential VP Nod
Sunday, 24 Jun 2012
By Amy Woods

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, rumored to be on Mitt Romney’s potential running-mate list, said Sunday he would be “honored to be asked” but believes he can better serve the Republican presidential nominee as a volunteer.

Pawlenty appeared on CBS’ “Face the Nation” after attending a big weekend campaign retreat for Romney in Utah.

Pawlenty, a former presidential candidate himself, is now a Romney surrogate, appearing on the campaign trail and consistently on talk shows to promote the GOP nominee.

Pawlenty was considered at one point during the 2008 presidential campaign to be a sure bet to share the ticket with then-Republican nominee John McCain. But then the Arizona senator picked former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin instead.

“I think I can help him best in other ways,” Pawlenty said, mentioning serving as a surrogate speaker. He said he has been encouraging those inquiring about his reaction to a potential vice-presidential role “to look at other prospects.”

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Pawlenty-Romney-VP-pick/2012/06/24/id/443253

[Soul Crusher]

I really don't give a damn about the vp pick tbh.   Romney needs to just keep hammering gaybama on his record of failure.

[Dos Equis]

I really don't give a damn about the vp pick tbh.   Romney needs to just keep hammering gaybama on his record of failure.

I care, but it's likely not going to swing the election one way or the other.  What it will show me is what kind of judgment he has. 

[Soul Crusher]

I care, but it's likely not going to swing the election one way or the other.  What it will show me is what kind of judgment he has. 

susana Martinez , gov of NM is my top pick. 

[Dos Equis]

susana Martinez , gov of NM is my top pick. 

She looks good on paper.  I still haven't really looked into her yet. 

[240 is Back]

susana Martinez , gov of NM is my top pick. 

there are way safer picks out there.  you dont have to hispander.  she's a bit on the sandy side and was a piss-ant liberal until 1995.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susana_Martinez

way safer with a pawlenty or portman.  they are neutral choices that make romney remain the star on the ticket and deliver zero doubt of competence.   Nobody is going to say pawlenty isn't ready for the job. he's a little geeky, but he'd be a fine prez if needed.  Rubio?   Still a rookie lol.

[Dos Equis]

there are way safer picks out there.  you dont have to hispander.  she's a bit on the sandy side and was a piss-ant liberal until 1995.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susana_Martinez

All the link says is this:  "In 1995, Martinez changed her membership from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party."

Is there something else to support your claim that she was a "piss-ant liberal until 1995" or are you just making stuff up again? 

[avxo]

Nobody is going to say pawlenty isn't ready for the job.

Considering that only criterion that really matters when evaluating a VP candidate is: "is he or she ready to be President on day 1?" then it seems to me that GOP voters already said Pawlenty isn't ready for the job.

he's a little geeky, but he'd be a fine prez if needed.

If that's true, what does that say about the political process that left Pawlenty in a ditch, on the side of the road, months ago? Especially when you consider that Michelle Bachmann wasn't left in the ditch until about 300 miles later.

[Dos Equis]

Considering that only criterion that really matters when evaluating a VP candidate is: "is he or she ready to be President on day 1?" then it seems to me that GOP voters already said Pawlenty isn't ready for the job.

You can say the same thing about Biden, who Democrats repeatedly rejected.  Shows how insignificant the VP choice can be. 

[avxo]

You can say the same thing about Biden, who Democrats repeatedly rejected.  Shows how insignificant the VP choice can be.

Of course, the choice of Vice President isn't an insignificant choice - and shouldn't, because the Vice-President may, very well, actually become the President. And that's not an insignificant choice.

Now, as to Biden, of course I could say the same thing about him, and I would have too, if the issue had been raised. Frankly, I don't think that Biden was a great choice for a Vice-President, and I certainly wouldn't want him as President.

[Dos Equis]

Of course, the choice of Vice President isn't an insignificant choice - and shouldn't, because the Vice-President may, very well, actually become the President. And that's not an insignificant choice.

Now, as to Biden, of course I could say the same thing about him, and I would have too, if the issue had been raised. Frankly, I don't think that Biden was a great choice for a Vice-President, and I certainly wouldn't want him as President.

I said it can be insignificant.  It often is.  For the most part, people vote the top of the ticket, so the VP choice doesn't determine the outcome of presidential elections. 

I just raised it.  Biden ran for president more than once.  Never sniffed the nomination.  He would be a disaster as president.  Although we already have a disaster in the White House.

[avxo]

I just raised it.  Biden ran for president more than once.  Never sniffed the nomination.  He would be a disaster as president.  Although we already have a disaster in the White House.

That's not true, is it? I believe he was considered a very strong contender back in 1998, but an allegation that he plagiarized a speech he gave dealt his campaign a huge blow. I didn't pay attention to politics back then, but from what I understand, the plagiarism boiled down to a sentence or two - a bit he had used many times before and always with an attribution - but I haven't been bothered to look into it too much.

With all that said, yes... the guy is a walking, talking disaster. I shudder to think he's next in line to the Presidency.

[Dos Equis]

That's not true, is it? I believe he was considered a very strong contender back in 1998, but an allegation that he plagiarized a speech he gave dealt his campaign a huge blow. I didn't pay attention to politics back then, but from what I understand, the plagiarism boiled down to a sentence or two - a bit he had used many times before and always with an attribution - but I haven't been bothered to look into it too much.

With all that said, yes... the guy is a walking, talking disaster. I shudder to think he's next in line to the Presidency.

Yes, it is true.  He was never a legitimate threat to win the nomination.  There was no presidential election in 1998. 

And no, he wasn't going to win and was not a serious threat before his plagiarism was uncovered. 

Biden was trounced in 2008.  Soundly rejected by Democrats.

[avxo]

Yes, it is true.  He was never a legitimate threat to win the nomination.  There was no presidential election in 1998. 

And no, he wasn't going to win and was not a serious threat before his plagiarism was uncovered. 

Biden was trounced in 2008.  Soundly rejected by Democrats.

I meant 1988 - sorry for the typo - and from what I read, he was considered a serious candidate with a good chance at the time, until the plagiarism accusation threw him off track. Whether he could have won it is another issue.

[Dos Equis]

I meant 1988 - sorry for the typo - and from what I read, he was considered a serious candidate with a good chance at the time, until the plagiarism accusation threw him off track. Whether he could have won it is another issue.

Nobody was a serious candidate in 1988.  Except for Mitt Romney, who has been running for president for like the last eight years, candidates generally don't become "serious" until about 12-18 months out.  I don't know what you read, but I remember 1988, 1990, 2000, and 2008.  I could be wrong, but I don't recall Biden ever being a serious threat.  Democrats didn't like him. 

Which gets back to the original point that you made about Pawlenty:  "it seems to me that GOP voters already said Pawlenty isn't ready for the job."  Democrat voters said Biden wasn't ready for the job, but Obama chose him anyway.   

[avxo]

Nobody was a serious candidate in 1988.  Except for Mitt Romney, who has been running for president for like the last eight years, candidates generally don't become "serious" until about 12-18 months out.  I don't know what you read, but I remember 1988, 1990, 2000, and 2008.  I could be wrong, but I don't recall Biden ever being a serious threat.  Democrats didn't like him.

I'm just going by what I read, as I was a kid back then.

Which gets back to the original point that you made about Pawlenty:  "it seems to me that GOP voters already said Pawlenty isn't ready for the job."  Democrat voters said Biden wasn't ready for the job, but Obama chose him anyway.

That's a fair point. Makes you wish we could choose for the President and the Vice-President separately, doesn't it?

[Dos Equis]

I'm just going by what I read, as I was a kid back then.


That's a fair point. Makes you wish we could choose for the President and the Vice-President separately, doesn't it?

Nah.  I like the idea of the presidential nominee being able to choose his running mate.  I think a leader should be given a lot of lattitude in picking his right hand man. 

[avxo]

Nah.  I like the idea of the presidential nominee being able to choose his running mate.  I think a leader should be given a lot of lattitude in picking his right hand man.

I don't - the Vice-President isn't really the "right hand man" - some are completely sidelined. The VP has no responsibilities (except his ex-officio role as President of the Senate and the caster of a tie-breaker vote) other than being eligible and ready to accede to the Presidency if something happens to the President.

I believe in healthy competition and choice: I may want to order a burger, but I don't want to be forced to get sweet potato fries just because the chef thinks that sweet potato fries go well with meat.

[Dos Equis]

I don't - the Vice-President isn't really the "right hand man" - some are completely sidelined. The VP has no responsibilities (except his ex-officio role as President of the Senate and the caster of a tie-breaker vote) other than being eligible and ready to accede to the Presidency if something happens to the President.

I believe in healthy competition and choice: I may want to order a burger, but I don't want to be forced to get sweet potato fries just because the chef thinks that sweet potato fries go well with meat.

It's true he has few responsibilities and authority, but he is in the president's ear as much or more than anyone in his cabinet. 

The healthy competition and choice comes during the primary. 

[avxo]

It's true he has few responsibilities and authority, but he is in the president's ear as much or more than anyone in his cabinet. 

Only as much as the President wants him to be in his ear.

The healthy competition and choice comes during the primary.

Right, if your idea of competition is choosing half a meal and rolling the dice on the other half. Do you frequently order: "filet mignon, medium, and just whatever the fuck the chef feels like dropping on my plate"?

[Dos Equis]

Only as much as the President wants him to be in his ear.


Right, if your idea of competition is choosing half a meal and rolling the dice on the other half. Do you frequently order: "filet mignon, medium, and just whatever the fuck the chef feels like dropping on my plate"?

No.  I'm a vegetarian.   

But I don't have a problem with the prez picking his right hand man.  I don't see a contested VP primary adding much, except much more money and making an already too long primary season that much longer.  Plus the presidential nominee shouldn't be saddled with someone he doesn't like or want. 

[Dos Equis]

Rice on being VP: 'No way'
Posted by
CNN's Ashley Killough

(CNN) – Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday shot down speculation that she could appear on the GOP presidential ticket with Mitt Romney.

"I didn't run for student council president. I don't see myself in any way in elected office. I love policy. I'm not particularly fond of politics," she said on CBS's "This Morning."

While the former Bush official had largely stayed out of the 2012 race this year, Rice made a speech at a retreat for Romney supporters and donors this weekend in Utah, a little less than a month after she endorsed the presumptive GOP nominee.

She also hosted her first Washington fund-raiser Monday night in support of ShePAC, a super PAC dedicated to helping women running for office.

But despite her recent political forays, Rice forcefully closed the door on a potential gig as Romney's vice presidential pick, saying she simply was not interested.

"I'm saying there is no way that I will do this, because it's really not me. I know my strengths, and Gov. Romney needs to find someone who wants to run with him," Rice said, adding she'll support his decision.

Pressed on whether she would turn down an offer, Rice argued it was a hypothetical situation unlikely to come true.

"It's not going to happen," she said.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/26/rice-on-being-vp-no-way/