Both good men, and from important states, but why would Romney pick someone as unexciting as he is, when he could pick, say, Rubio, who is also from an important state?
The question is would Rubio accept? He surely has his own presidential ambitions, and those are probably not best served by accepting the vice presidential nomination, win or lose.
The answer hinges on whether Romney feels the greater need lies in bucking up his diversity cred, by selecting a woman or minority (like SC Gov. Haley) or in his blue collar, regular guy cred.
Romney needs help with: minorities (Asians and Hispanics, not blacks, who are all Obama), "regular" Christians (particularly Protestants), blue collar/Rust Belt voters, and perhaps women. His pick probably shouldn't be a Southerner (though a Virginian might be OK) - if a Republican is worried about holding the South then he's definitely not going to win the Midwest. Neither party seems to have gained a strong and permanent foothold with the Asian demo, so an Asian nominee might have long-lasting benefits for the GOP.
Prediction: I'm 100% certain that Romney's veep will be more qualified to lead the country than Barack Obama's veep.
When I read all the sophistry coming from the once empowering Conservative Side throughout this Primary, something is just too dysfunctional amongst us, and we are just going to enable the opposite again. I sense we have already given the Democratic Partisans a great deal of help.
Newt Gingrich is that dreadful of a political offering.
There so many sideline pundits who have enabled the worst, coddled what is decidedly not Conservatism, sold the shell game. I could reference the names, but what is the point, they simply have revealed they really aren't worthy of the attention. Perhaps this is why they are on the sidelines, and maybe why they desperately need to placate weak fashion. They simply are not very sound.
Tomorrow SC may just give a Primary to the worst possible Candidate, a tired Beltway Insider who blames everyone for his own failures, who even peddled influence with Fannie-Freddie, and lied about it. Newt is pure poison for all.
But Our community mindset has grown so small, so emotive, some can only see bombastic challenges to the Media as their definition of a "real" Conservative. They even talk about "losing with dignity".
There is no dignity with Newt Gingrich, and we cannot lose in 2012.
So when someone starts talking about VP Candidates, what is the point?
This is supposed to be the Conservative movement, which is inspiring all to Our side. But we just watched a failed Beltway Insider offer leftwing "looting" attacks just like Obama targeting Private Sector accomplishment. And this is going to be rewarded in SC?
The entire Conservative mantra has been reduced to a joke.
* In fact, my guess is, if Newt is empowered greatly in SC, Gingrich will rush to Florida to run on Amnesty, and all sorts of left wing placation to enable himself further. It will be even more embarrassing for the sound side.
I'm sorry you feel that way. I thought Newt rose to the occasion last night. I don't believe that the nomination is going to be determined by his direct hit on John King with his compelling response to that sordid opening to a presidential debate. I care more about his experience, expertise, and savvy to make changes in Washington D.C. I care more about the fact that he will not bow to a foreign leader or apologize for America to the international community. He does have personal flaws that I don't care for, but I do not think he lacks dignity.
So in Nov if Newt is the candidate are you going to put up or shut up ? Are you going to stamp you feet and stay home ? sounds like it the latter ... maybe the old fan has reached that second childhood ...
maybe just maybe if you tried to show why Romney is better and stop with the Newt is a liar, corrupt, etc you would get somewhere ... but all of you Romney fans (NRO staff included) refuse to do that ... I have to assume you have no material to work with in Romney ... actually I know you don't ...
You are ignorant enough about what Romney did at Bain to think that one businessman is the same as another when it comes to management experience and you think Romney's got the business leader checkbox filled in ... ok I'll grant you that ... So did Hermain Cain by the way ...
But what else does Romney offer ... 1-3 in elections ??? RomneyCare which he still defends ???
For all those who point at Mass. and say Romney had to govern as a weak moderate I will point out that NJ is as blue as Mass and Christy governs as a solid conservative.
McDonnel will have certainly earned it after excluding all Romney's opponents from the Primary ballot. If I were George Allen, Id be a little bothered that the Governor had alienated at least the margin of his defeat in 2006 in the rigging process. McDonnel is stiffer than Romney, too. He doesn't help very much.
And Portman? Is shooting that down even necessary? Bush's budget director? Please.
No one excluded anyone from the ballot - poor planning and lack of attention to details and rules did. Two candidates managed to fill out the paperwork.
McDonnell might be stiff - but he's exactly what this country needs - solid conservative leadership, without any attempt at flash. But I would agree that he's too much like Romney in temperament if he becomes the nominee.
I rather think Mr Lowry is on the right track. Rubio is an outspoken conservative and would be at odds with many decisions of a President Romney. Unless Romney perceives a desperate need he won't choose Rubio or any other solid conservative. McDonnell started out as a strong conservative in his early career but has governed in VA as a rhetorical, and to a large extent, programmatic centrist. VPs with ideological differences are assigned to the wilderness rather quickly. BTW Romney is the first serious candidate in my memory who moved away from the base during the early primaries. Given that, there is no reason to think that he will veer to the right after nomination or election. Electorally Ohio is more critical than VA so of those two Portman is more likely although McDonnell is well liked among Repub governors. (If Romney is in trouble in VA the election is over.)
"Predictions are dangerous but I'm going to go ahead and make one right now: By November, the Obama campaign will have torn Mitt Romney into tiny little pieces, put those pieces into a wood chipper, and fed the dust that came out the other end to the worms. He'll end up the kind of failed nominee that no one wants to associate themselves with when it's over. Think Bob Dole after 1996, or Michael Dukakis after 1988."
Romney has been running for 6 years. Romney was the next in line. Romney had all the money. Romney had all the endorsements and establishment support. Romney "won" IA, and won big in NH. Romney was up by 20 pts nationally and by double digits in SC all of last week and up through Monday this week. Newt was finished. He was a joke. He got 13% in IA and 9% in NH finishing 4th in both states.
And yet, and yet in a span of 48 hrs, Romney's entire position collapsed.
You talk about all the pundits. All the pundits and media back Romney. They've spent the past 2 weeks talking about how inevitable he is and how this is over. FOX loves him.
His competition was weak. A fmr Speaker who's 70 yrs old, fat, with white hair, twice divorced, serial adulterer and all around morally bankrupt guy who resigned in disgrace after being kicked out by his own party and was the most unpopular figure in US politics. A guy who'd been out of office for 14 years and had never won an election outside of his district in GA. A guy who had no money.
A TX Gov who couldnt even put a sentence together and had the worst debate moment in history. A fmr PA Senator who lost his releection bid by 18 pts and is on record as being against contraception among othr extreme positions. A fmr PIzza chain CEO who had no knowledge about anything being 999 and was exposed as a womanizer. A congressman from TX who is 76 yrs old, has no exec exp, never passed any meaningful bills, has a record of assocaition with white supremacists and antisemties, and whose froeign policy is just way outside of the party.
Even with all that...Romney has never been able to pull away. He's never been able to close the deal. After 6 years. He's had all the chances in the world. After IA it was handed to him on a silver platter. A 20 pt lead natl and a 10-15 pt lead the week before the pivotal SC primary. And he couldn't close the deal.
Why do you always blame others? Why do you never ask "How come Romney can't close the deal?" "How come this guy has so much difficulty?"
I honestly doubt we'll see two white guys on a presidential ticket ever again. The only exception I could see on a Romney ticket is Chris Christie... who is also a problematic choice as he reinforces Romney's (northeastern moderate) weaknesses.
Both good men, and from important states, but why would Romney pick someone as unexciting as he is, when he could pick, say, Rubio, who is also from an important state?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAgreed, if Rubio is willing, it would be the biggest no brainer in the history of American politics.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAgreed, Marco Rubio has no brain.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe question is would Rubio accept? He surely has his own presidential ambitions, and those are probably not best served by accepting the vice presidential nomination, win or lose.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf so, then Romney really does want to lose...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAnd the vast majority of the country would reply, "who?"
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe answer hinges on whether Romney feels the greater need lies in bucking up his diversity cred, by selecting a woman or minority (like SC Gov. Haley) or in his blue collar, regular guy cred.
Romney needs help with: minorities (Asians and Hispanics, not blacks, who are all Obama), "regular" Christians (particularly Protestants), blue collar/Rust Belt voters, and perhaps women. His pick probably shouldn't be a Southerner (though a Virginian might be OK) - if a Republican is worried about holding the South then he's definitely not going to win the Midwest. Neither party seems to have gained a strong and permanent foothold with the Asian demo, so an Asian nominee might have long-lasting benefits for the GOP.
Prediction: I'm 100% certain that Romney's veep will be more qualified to lead the country than Barack Obama's veep.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI don't believe it is going to matter. Seriously.
When I read all the sophistry coming from the once empowering Conservative Side throughout this Primary, something is just too dysfunctional amongst us, and we are just going to enable the opposite again. I sense we have already given the Democratic Partisans a great deal of help.
Newt Gingrich is that dreadful of a political offering.
There so many sideline pundits who have enabled the worst, coddled what is decidedly not Conservatism, sold the shell game. I could reference the names, but what is the point, they simply have revealed they really aren't worthy of the attention. Perhaps this is why they are on the sidelines, and maybe why they desperately need to placate weak fashion. They simply are not very sound.
Tomorrow SC may just give a Primary to the worst possible Candidate, a tired Beltway Insider who blames everyone for his own failures, who even peddled influence with Fannie-Freddie, and lied about it. Newt is pure poison for all.
But Our community mindset has grown so small, so emotive, some can only see bombastic challenges to the Media as their definition of a "real" Conservative. They even talk about "losing with dignity".
There is no dignity with Newt Gingrich, and we cannot lose in 2012.
So when someone starts talking about VP Candidates, what is the point?
This is supposed to be the Conservative movement, which is inspiring all to Our side. But we just watched a failed Beltway Insider offer leftwing "looting" attacks just like Obama targeting Private Sector accomplishment. And this is going to be rewarded in SC?
The entire Conservative mantra has been reduced to a joke.
* In fact, my guess is, if Newt is empowered greatly in SC, Gingrich will rush to Florida to run on Amnesty, and all sorts of left wing placation to enable himself further. It will be even more embarrassing for the sound side.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is the ugly reality:
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Gingrich’s unsurprising descent into sinister radicalism — intimidation of courts — is redundant evidence that he is not merely the least conservative candidate, he is thoroughly anti-conservative. He disdains the central conservative virtue, prudence, and exemplifies progressivism’s defining attribute — impatience with impediments to the political branches’ wielding of untrammeled power. He exalts the will of the majority of the moment, at least as he, tribune of the vox populi, interprets it. Atop the Republican ticket, Gingrich would guarantee Barack Obama’s reelection, would probably doom Republicans’ hopes of capturing the Senate and might cost them control of the House. If so, Gingrich would at last have achieved something — wreckage, but something — proportional to his swollen sense of himself. "
If SC can give us Lindsey Graham, they could easily give us Newt tomorrow.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm sorry you feel that way. I thought Newt rose to the occasion last night. I don't believe that the nomination is going to be determined by his direct hit on John King with his compelling response to that sordid opening to a presidential debate. I care more about his experience, expertise, and savvy to make changes in Washington D.C. I care more about the fact that he will not bow to a foreign leader or apologize for America to the international community. He does have personal flaws that I don't care for, but I do not think he lacks dignity.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo in Nov if Newt is the candidate are you going to put up or shut up ? Are you going to stamp you feet and stay home ? sounds like it the latter ... maybe the old fan has reached that second childhood ...
maybe just maybe if you tried to show why Romney is better and stop with the Newt is a liar, corrupt, etc you would get somewhere ... but all of you Romney fans (NRO staff included) refuse to do that ... I have to assume you have no material to work with in Romney ... actually I know you don't ...
You are ignorant enough about what Romney did at Bain to think that one businessman is the same as another when it comes to management experience and you think Romney's got the business leader checkbox filled in ... ok I'll grant you that ... So did Hermain Cain by the way ...
But what else does Romney offer ... 1-3 in elections ??? RomneyCare which he still defends ???
For all those who point at Mass. and say Romney had to govern as a weak moderate I will point out that NJ is as blue as Mass and Christy governs as a solid conservative.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMcDonnel will have certainly earned it after excluding all Romney's opponents from the Primary ballot. If I were George Allen, Id be a little bothered that the Governor had alienated at least the margin of his defeat in 2006 in the rigging process. McDonnel is stiffer than Romney, too. He doesn't help very much.
And Portman? Is shooting that down even necessary? Bush's budget director? Please.
Rubio is the only choice.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNo one excluded anyone from the ballot - poor planning and lack of attention to details and rules did. Two candidates managed to fill out the paperwork.
McDonnell might be stiff - but he's exactly what this country needs - solid conservative leadership, without any attempt at flash. But I would agree that he's too much like Romney in temperament if he becomes the nominee.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI rather think Mr Lowry is on the right track. Rubio is an outspoken conservative and would be at odds with many decisions of a President Romney. Unless Romney perceives a desperate need he won't choose Rubio or any other solid conservative. McDonnell started out as a strong conservative in his early career but has governed in VA as a rhetorical, and to a large extent, programmatic centrist. VPs with ideological differences are assigned to the wilderness rather quickly. BTW Romney is the first serious candidate in my memory who moved away from the base during the early primaries. Given that, there is no reason to think that he will veer to the right after nomination or election. Electorally Ohio is more critical than VA so of those two Portman is more likely although McDonnell is well liked among Repub governors. (If Romney is in trouble in VA the election is over.)
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Predictions are dangerous but I'm going to go ahead and make one right now: By November, the Obama campaign will have torn Mitt Romney into tiny little pieces, put those pieces into a wood chipper, and fed the dust that came out the other end to the worms. He'll end up the kind of failed nominee that no one wants to associate themselves with when it's over. Think Bob Dole after 1996, or Michael Dukakis after 1988."
- Paul Waldman, The American Prospect.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOld Fan,
Why is nothing ever Romney's fault?
Romney has been running for 6 years. Romney was the next in line. Romney had all the money. Romney had all the endorsements and establishment support. Romney "won" IA, and won big in NH. Romney was up by 20 pts nationally and by double digits in SC all of last week and up through Monday this week. Newt was finished. He was a joke. He got 13% in IA and 9% in NH finishing 4th in both states.
And yet, and yet in a span of 48 hrs, Romney's entire position collapsed.
You talk about all the pundits. All the pundits and media back Romney. They've spent the past 2 weeks talking about how inevitable he is and how this is over. FOX loves him.
His competition was weak. A fmr Speaker who's 70 yrs old, fat, with white hair, twice divorced, serial adulterer and all around morally bankrupt guy who resigned in disgrace after being kicked out by his own party and was the most unpopular figure in US politics. A guy who'd been out of office for 14 years and had never won an election outside of his district in GA. A guy who had no money.
A TX Gov who couldnt even put a sentence together and had the worst debate moment in history. A fmr PA Senator who lost his releection bid by 18 pts and is on record as being against contraception among othr extreme positions. A fmr PIzza chain CEO who had no knowledge about anything being 999 and was exposed as a womanizer. A congressman from TX who is 76 yrs old, has no exec exp, never passed any meaningful bills, has a record of assocaition with white supremacists and antisemties, and whose froeign policy is just way outside of the party.
Even with all that...Romney has never been able to pull away. He's never been able to close the deal. After 6 years. He's had all the chances in the world. After IA it was handed to him on a silver platter. A 20 pt lead natl and a 10-15 pt lead the week before the pivotal SC primary. And he couldn't close the deal.
Why do you always blame others? Why do you never ask "How come Romney can't close the deal?" "How come this guy has so much difficulty?"
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI honestly doubt we'll see two white guys on a presidential ticket ever again. The only exception I could see on a Romney ticket is Chris Christie... who is also a problematic choice as he reinforces Romney's (northeastern moderate) weaknesses.
I think JC Watts would be a good choice.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGregory of Yardale is JC Watts. :)
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJC Watts is a good guy, and that's about it. Platitude is his first language.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse