Assuming the GOP picks Romney, who do you see as his Veep?

[OmahaBlueDog]

Newt? Pro = conservative credentials, he's an attack dog, and it helps mollify the hard right Con= outside the GOP, he's not particularly well liked. He doesn't help much in swing states,

Cain? Pro = Another business leader; an African American; an outsider. Con = the baggage that drove him out of the campaign hasn't gone anywhere.

Pawlenty? Pro = could help Mitt pick off Minnesota. Con= Can you imagine a blander ticket?

Bachmann? Pro = could help Mitt pick off Minnesota and helps mollify the hard right. Con = not quite as divisive as Palin, but close.

Jeb? Pro = Helps solidify Florida, and could act as the éminence grise for the Bush family. Con = Not a lot of downside, but would he do it?

Santorum? Pro = Helps build credibility with social conservatives. Could help energize fundies. Could help ticket in PA. Con = not an exciting speaker, and he's put his foot in his mouth plenty of times.

Rubio? Pro = Young, Latino. Uber conservative, Floridian Con = From the GOP standpoint, not a lot

Christie? Pro = People like his bluntness. He could help win Jersey. Con = He says he's not interested.

Jindal? Pro= Indian heritage and relative youth make him appealing. SOTU debacle becoming a distant memory. Con = You never know with Louisiana politics what might pop up.

Daniels? Pro = Popular, young. Con = Has some interesting baggage. Says he's not interested at this time.

There's also McDonnell, Nookie Haley, John Thune, Rick Perry, and Sheriff Joe. Who do you think he'll pick? Will he make the pick, or will it be made by the convention?

[MindMover]

1. comb over is trying really hard to buy that position.....

[Boombaby]

37. I'd LOVE to see him pick Donald Trump!

Can you say "400 electoral votes for Obama"?

[Armin-A]

45. HAHAH so much more material for comedians

[Greg K]

2. well...

Jeb is a Bush. They don't want to remind anybody of Bush.
Jindal is an anchor baby. Can't see that happening.

I'm thinking somebody with ultra right cred who endorsed Romney anyway - like Christie or Haley.

[Honeycombe8]

3. Rubio or Santorum. First, after the Palin fiasco, I think Bachman can be scratched off list.

I don't think another Republican is going to go with an attractive, ultra-conservative female, after the Palin fiasco.

Rubio would be ideal, but he has said he's not interested in VP at this time. He's really pretty young and inexperienced for a national campaign, despite his popularity. Still, being a VP is a good way to learn the ropes of national campaigning. I'm betting Romney's choice would be Rubio, if he'd do it. They would probably win FL in the GE with that ticket.

Santorum seems to be running for the VP slot. And he gives conservative credentials to Romney & should help in some states. He's an experienced politician & does okay at debates. CON---he's also from the northeast, isn't he?

[subterranean]

4. I would guess Rubio or Daniels.

Usually the VP choice doesn't help a candidate much, but the wrong choice can hurt. For that reason, i don't think he'll pick Gingrich or Bachmann, who are likely to cause controversy or embarrassment. I also think it's too early for them to put another Bush on the ticket.

[Chipper Chat]

5. Rubio.

Mitt would win Florida. Then he can concentrate on bamboozling the voters in Ohio and waving the flag in Pennsylvania. One of those two could put him over the top in a squeaker.

[Boombaby]

38. PA will not go Red

Take my word on that.

[Summer Hathaway]

6. I think Romney's running mate

will be Mitt Romney.

It's a win/win orientation. When Mitt says something really, really stupid, Mitt can jump in and smooth things over - you know, "clarify things" for the media.

Sure, there is going to be a lot of discord between Mitt and Mitt - being as they tend to take different positions on things from one day to the next.

But in the end, Mitt will prevail - with Mitt at his side to back-peddle when necessary, at-the-ready to field those pesky questions from the 'press' when Mitt is under fire and can't come up with articulate answers to their queries.

Even the bumper-sticker - "MITT/MITT in 2012!" - has a certain symmetry, like a well-coiffed head, and is bound to appeal to those who find remembering TWO different names to be beyond their attention span.

[OmahaBlueDog]

25. If one says stupid things, and the other clarifies, shouldn't it be WILLARD/MITT 2012?

It's like Mitt and his idiot twin who doesn't care about the extremely poor.

[pnwest]

7. I'm betting Rubio or Santorum, too. n/t

[ellisonz]

9. Donald Trump.

[gopiscrap]

10. Brewer or perhaps Trump (one could only hope)

[OmahaBlueDog]

27. I'd buy tickets to that circus

That would be an extreme trainwreck.

[quakerboy]

11. A moderately crazy rich caucasian man.

Although a moderately crazy rich Hispanic man could also be a possibility.

The last round taught them that the cost of bringing a known wild kook on board is too high. No santorum, no newt, no crazy eye people. Plus the crazy right will come out to vote anyway, so its not like they actually need to bring them on for support. They lose more than they gain going that route.

Jeb is a Bush. I cant think of much that could catalyze the left and keep us in line quite like another Bush on the ticket.

Jindal and cain are out. Obama is not fully Caucasian, and that will keep the Tea party types in the pen. Bring someone who looks just as dark on board, and you risk that. Again, they lose more than they gain.

Rubio would be possible. They naturally pull the crazy vote, the hate vote, and the misinformed vote. They tried for the female vote with Palin. Maybe they will make a pull for the Hispanic vote. Not their worst possible move. They risk losing some of the hate vote, but they might feel the gamble is worth it.

If I had to pick, I would say Pawlenty. My gut tells me they want bland. They want to slip in on faux moderacy with the wind of hate pushing quietly from behind.

[OmahaBlueDog]

26. I think the logic with Rubio would be that the GOP has been hurt in the Latin community..

..by their stance on immigration reform. Rubio brings conservative credibility, but also may attract Latinos to the ticket.

OTOH if they want bland, Pawlenty would be the pick.

[quakerboy]

42. of the presented options

those two seem like the realistic possibilities.

Or maybe Romney has his own mind and his own plan. Huntsman, for instance. The double-mormon would put a little fright in some, but the pattern of having the money to be able to say "I'm no ones man but my own" could stand them in good stead. And judging by the reactions of people even here on DU, he was potentially the most appealing of the R candidates when it comes to moderates.

[Old and In the Way]

12. Santorum or Rubio

Edge to Rick because he's gotten plenty of exposure, has the Far Right conservative religious bona fides (neutralizes the Mormon problem), helps in PA (maybe) and doesn't have any skeletons that can be a problem with the Republican voter. But Rubio could also be on the ticket...he helps with Hispanics/Latinos and Florida.

[OmahaBlueDog]

23. I agree with your reasoning. Willard will need help with Latinos and with Evangelicals.

I'm leaning Rubio.

[Tx4obama]

13. I think it will be Senator John Thune (R-SD) n/t

[OmahaBlueDog]

22. Thune's name was thrown outt as a possible Presidential candidate early on.

He's well liked in the party, and could help in neighboring Minnesota (not likely, but maybe).

[denbot]

14. Santorum, Romney has to pull the snake handlers in to the fold.

His choice must be a fundie to pull in enough conservative in to a polling booth to have any chance at all. That is the same reason McShame chose Carabou Grafty.

[maximusveritas]

15. Huckabee

He will need a strong religious conservative (preferably a Southerner) to really get people excited about him. No one on your list fits the bill other than maybe Jeb Bush or Rick Perry, but they have too much baggage.

[OmahaBlueDog]

21. I thought about that, but hasn't he basically committed to work as a media personality to FAUX?

[grantcart]

16. McDonnell

[OmahaBlueDog]

24. It'd be a safe pick. Especially since VA has really fallen into the "swing state" column

McDonnell is popular and very conservative.

[grantcart]

35. He looks great and sounds reasonable, a unique feature among Republicans

[Broderick]

41. that is my pick

[DCBob]

17. Rubio

On the surface he seems the perfect candidate.. young, telegenic, Hispanic, sounds intelligent, teaparty con fav, and a Floridian. In reality he's too young and inexperienced; he's not really "Hispanic" (Cuban); his intelligence is more like a fast talking car salesman; and his background is suspect as he has lied about his family in the past. But to the GOP his superficial benefits are good enough and they might be right since the electorate is mostly uninformed and votes on superficial matters.

[dimbear]

18. I don't think it will be Rubio, constitutionally doubtful.

Born 1971 when his parents were not yet citizens.

At least as far as I understand it, not a natural born citizen. A citizen, not a natural born citizen.

I may be all wet here, but plenty of the rightwingers hold this theory.

Birthers are going to blanch.

[DCBob]

39. If this is the case then why all the speculation about him being VP choice?

You'd think he would have been vetted on this by now.

[dimbear]

46. I think Obama's been vetted pretty well too, doesn't stop the wackos.

Just my opinion. Rubio softens up that birther nonsense. Puts an avoid on his forehead.

[NWHarkness]

19. Mitch daniels is 62

Hardly "young".

[Tx4obama]

28. Joe Biden was born November 20, 1942, and will be 69 years old this year n/t

[no_hypocrisy]

20. Mixed messages by Christie

I've had reports that there's a PAC running pro-Christie spots on TV, both regular and cable, around the country, not just the NYC metropolitan market. Stuff that touts his record that exaggerates. Like how he alone (w/o the Legislature) brought in two balanced budgets, businesses moving into the State (after his people go after them in other states), "school reform" (more charter schools and his refusal to pay pensions for teachers), etc.

I've even heard about commercials that have "Christie/Romney" as their byline -- in California of all places.

[CanonRay]

29. It will be Christie

they will lose, and he knows it, but he will fight hard for Rmoney, and the move to the head of the line for 2016.

[WI_DEM]

30. NONE of his challengers in the GOP primaries

[WI_DEM]

31. P.S. Christie could not help win Jersey. Even with him on ticket Obama will win NJ

[Robbins]

32. Christie

I agree.I think Christie Is good possibilty.Many wanted him to run.

Rubio has problems.He was caught lying about his family history/When you have a flipflooper as presidential nominee not good Idea
to also have liar as VP.Romney moved to far right on Immigration.That would make It difficult for Rubio.Plus If Rubio runs with romney
that could hurt chances at running In 2016 after Romney loses to Obama.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

33. Not Santorum because he couldn't win his own state of PA. However, it's between Rubio

and McDonnell. Both represent swing states. Both candidates are incredibly conservative. Mitt needs someone young and who may be able to dip into the Hispanic vote. I think Rubio is top.

[Robbins]

34. McDonnell

I can see him being picked.He can't run for govenror again In 2013 so It would be appealling to him.He Is very far right Conservative.
Of course being picked means he doesn't have plans to run for president In 2016.

DOle has been only failed VP Candiate In recent memory to win nomination on Republican side.ANd he was Republican leader In
the senate when he won nomination finally on his third try.

[BillyV123]

36. Jeb won't take #2...

Sam Brownback is on the verge of being indicted...AND, Chris Chunky Monkey will just EAT anyone who stands in his way. So...my money is on Gov. Chunky Monkey.

He "Mispoke". Seriously. I'm Buyin' It. Thoughts at 3 A.M. http://thoughtsatthreeam.blogspot.com/?spref=tw

PS...Please click an ad. It costs you nothing...and I don't have to Blog in the dark.

[COLGATE4]

40. Rubio

[graham4anything]

43. Mitt and Christie, looks like a perfect 10 (only looks like)

Chris Christie.
but he won't actually run, just waddle

It would be like the old joke
Stand Mitt and Christie side by side and get what looks like a perfect 10
(one tall and thin...one short and ...)

I predict whomever Mitt takes, Obama wins the biggest landslide and it will be like 1964 election again.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

44. someone who will most certainly be a douchebag.

[AlinPA]

47. Rubio. I can't see anyone who could help him more.

[LiberalFighter]

48. Seamus

[link:|

[Kablooie]

49. Willie Horton.

[davidpdx]

50. Cain, Newt and Jeb all too much baggage

Pawlenty would be a safe pick. Christie and Jindel I believe would both say no as would Santorum. I think Rubio and Pawlenty would be at the top of the list.

[workinclasszero]

51. I hope he picks Rubio so I can start my own

Birther memes and spread them all over the internets along with the White Horse Prophesy about Mitt and his magic underwear!!

FUN!!

http://www.salon.com/2012/01/29/mitt_and_the_white_horse_prophecy/singleton/

“We were taught that America is the Promised Land,” he said in an interview.”The Mormons are the Chosen People. And the time is now for a Mormon leader to usher in the second coming of Christ and install the political Kingdom of God in Washington, D.C.”

In this scenario, Romney’s candidacy is part of the eternal plan and the candidate himself is fulfilling the destiny begun in what the church calls the “pre-existence.”

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/10/20/Birthers-Rubio-not-natural-born-citizen/UPI-81061319137508/

The birthers say Rubio, a Florida Republican some in the GOP hope joins the 2012 ticket, isn't eligible to be president under Article 2 of the U.S. Constitution, which states "no person except a natural born citizen … shall be eligible" to be president or vice president, The St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reported.

Rubio was born in Miami but birthers say he's not a "natural-born citizen," which the Constitution does not define, because he was not born to U.S. citizens.