This is a fascinating question. Although I am not sanguine about Romney’s chances no matter who he picks, his choice will help shape the future of the GOP, just as the choice of Sarah Palin has, for better or worse, helped shape the debate within the GOP since 2008.
With that in mind, I will say two things:
1. If Mitt picks another white guy, no matter his ideological or geographical advantages, he loses. Period. it is not tokenism, but simple recognition of the demographics of the electorate and the hole that the primary discussions have dug for the party that leads me to that conclusion.
2, He also needs to shore up his right. Even his worst enemy knows that. He could also use someone with a lot more zip to deliver attacks.
So, I do not make predictions , but I think Allen West should stay by the phone.
My pick for VP is South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.
Southern state, viewed as a bit anti-establishment, and a female running mate would be an effort to make up for the detrimental effect of the primary on Republican support amongst female voters.
I agree with Mark Nickolas that Mike Huckabee would be an extraordinary pick by Romney for Vice President.
Indeed, for all the reasons Mark mentions, if Huckabee were in the race today for President, I think he would have run away with the nomination several weeks ago.
And that’s the rub. Huckabee made a very deliberative decision several months ago not to run for President.
Whether it was family considerations, financial (he seems to be making bank on Fox and the lecture circuit), a political calculation that Obama couldn’t be beat in an improving economy and a divided GOP, or a sudden burst of sanity that led to a realization that being President is an excruciatingly awful job in this hyper-toxic political system, he decided not to run.
With those same calculations, I just can’t imagine he would accept the bottom half of what seems to be a careening ticket.
If Huckabee still has national ambitions, my assumption would be that he would just wait until 2016 (or 2020) to run for President. Being second banana doesn’t seem to be in his gene pool.
At the top of Romney’s problems is that he’s not viewed as a real conservative among his base (loss of enthusiasm) and he’s lost so much likability among the swing voters. If Marco Rubio wasn’t a freshman senator with his own family baggage, he’d be a shoe-in, but I say not this year.
First term New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez would have been my call but not for what Sarah Palin to destroy any chance that someone who fits her own political profile could get picked.
I think Jonathan’s choice of Portman is a good pick if Romney wanted to project a thoughtful, businesslike team, but Romney’s problems aren’t ones that Portman picks, and remember that Portman was Bush’s OMB director in 2006 and 2007 and that could bite them in a message that what America needs is not a return to Bush economic policies. Romney can’t just go safe and hope to win.
My pick…is Mike Huckabee. A seasoned governor. Likable. Conservatives love him. America never hated him. Principled.
I’m not saying that they could win. I actually don’t see a scenario where Romney wins the general unless he’s willing to infuriate his base by selecting a true moderate like Susan Collins or retiring Olympia Snowe. But if I have to predict who he picks, it’s Huckabee.
By Jonathan Miller, on Mon Mar 26, 2012 at 8:30 AM ET
The RP’s Provocation
Now that the Mitt Romney has won the GOP Presidential primary (OK, it’s not official, but it’s been pretty much declared by the GOP Establishment and the mainstream media), it’s time to start prognosticating about who will be his selection as the Vice Presidential nominee.
So today at The Recovering Politician, our contributors will make their best guesses over the course of the day in our irregular Monday feature, “The RPs Debate.”
Tune in every half hour or so for a new response, featuring our bi-partisan, multi-cultural, and sometimes, downright wacky former politicians and Friends of RP.
And of course, you are welcomed — prodded even — to contribute your thoughts in the comments section below. At the end of the day, I will post the best entries on the site.
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So I will get things started. (I can’t be any worse than with my NCAA bracket. Tied for 60th out of 77? Ouch.)
The 2012 Republican nominee for Vice President of the United States will be…U.S. Senator Rob Portman from Ohio.
Portman is the rare pol who’s both beloved by the GOP base and respected across the aisle. He has an extraordinary resume, with pretty much every box checked from elite education to congressional service to senior executive branch positions.
Good morning, and welcome to another offering of Prix Fixe Politics! I hope your brackets aren’t yet busted, and that you’ve enjoyed our first few weeks of spring. In the meantime, here is today’s meal…
Appetizer: I thought we could step away from politics for one meal and try something interactive. Here are five qualities of life that, frankly, all sound ideal. However, only one takes top billing with men, while one takes the top spot with women:
-More Choices
-More Time
-Fewer Hassles
-No Worries
-More Money
How well do you know American men and women? If you’d like, reply to this e-mail and send me your guesses — one for each gender. I’ll keep track of how everyone does, and in the next e-mail I’ll announce which two choices are truly what Americans want most in 2012. For one of the winners which I’ll select at random, a drink’s on me next time I’m in your city.
By John Y. Brown III, on Fri Mar 23, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET
At movies and ordered a medium Sprite and was asked “Would you like a large drink and popcorn?”
I then said, “No, I’ll take a cookie and no drink” To wich I was asked, “Would you like a large popcorn and drink?”
I chuckled, smiled empathetically and said, “Let me ask you something. If I ordered 10 of everyting, 10 large everythings, would you still have to ask me if I would like an extra popcorn and drink with that?”
The clerk smiled apologetically and answered. “Afraid so.”
By Zack Adams, RP Staff, on Fri Mar 23, 2012 at 9:15 AM ET
Politics and sports collide once again as Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)is setting up a Judiciary Committee to look into bounty programs in football and potentially other sports. This, of course, was spurred by the New Orleans Saints own bounty program that has just recently brought down heavy sanctions on the program. [ESPN]
Ron Granieri’s Response
2, He also needs to shore up his right. Even his worst enemy knows that. He could also use someone with a lot more zip to deliver attacks.
