Romney VP Nominee Will Be...

...Gov. Bob McDonnell of VA.

I'm not sure the information is reliable, but it is inside info.

Discus.

Who is he? Catch me up to speed please.

ksu_aviator said:

...Gov. Bob McDonnell of VA.

I'm not sure the information is reliable, but it is inside info.

Discus.

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Wouldn't surprise me.

Since Romney is a liberal/moderate from a northern state, he needs to pick a running mate who is a conservative from a southern state.

johnny_rebson said:

Wouldn't surprise me.

Since Romney is a liberal/moderate from a northern state, he needs to pick a running mate who is a conservative from a southern state.

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A swing southern state, like Virginia.

He'd be a very bad choice.

Sure he'd get the base all fired up on their issues.

As Gubenatorial candidate he ran in opposition to elective abortion and exceptions in cases of rape and incest. But he also had the whole debacle with the vaginal probing thing which he eventually withdrew support for minutes before it was to be discussed on the state floor.

Energy he wants to drill of the Viriginia coast line which will play well with the right, except he also wants to invest money in renewable sources such as wind and solar which we all know is communism folks.

He is pretty pro gun and recieved an A rating from the NRA as well as an endorsement in his 2009 run for office. However he did write a letter to all 50 governors asking them to "close the gap" (Gun show loophole) which allows mentally unstable people to purchase firearms. Obviously for his state it is a sore issue after the Virginia tech shootings. He wrote in his letter:

"I believe that we can all work together to help prevent these acts from occurring again anywhere in our Nation. I write to ask for your support in providing critical information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System."

On marriage he wants a state constitutional amendment (which would stand to reason in a national campaign he'd endorse a federal one) to define marriage between one man and one woman.

As governor he even signed an executive order removing anti discriminatory protection for gays and lesbians in his state.

Another plus for the right, he signed a bill seeking to nullify the insurance mandate from Obamacare.

So those are a few things that come to mind, but essentialy as much as Right Wingers might pounce on me for saying this, if Romney chooses this guy as his VP, you're gonna have two old white guys on the ticket... it simply will not work.

At the end of the day the reality of demographics must take presedence, he needs a woman on the ticket, I have believed that from the very beggining.

Jetboogieman, you seem to think McDonnell is a bad choice because he's a true conservative.

Romney needs a true conservative to balance the GOP ticket.

johnny_rebson said:

Jetboogieman, you seem to think McDonnell is a bad choice because he's a true conservative.

Romney needs a true conservative to balance the GOP ticket.

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My problem is demographically speaking he could doom Romney.

He needs a game changing pick, as McCain did in 2008, he needs something to excite the ticket.

While McCains run ultimately failed for various reasons Steve Schmidt would still agree they would have lost more had Palin not been on the ticket.

The fact, you are correct he needs someone more solidly Conservative on his ticket, but also someone with more charisma and charm because honestly Romney has the oratory skills of an On Star operator and the Charisma of Ian Duncan Smith.

Mcdonnell will not address these problems.

I believe he needs a woman on the ticket.

Jet may be right, but McDonnell sure seems to have the personality that Romney would gravitate towards.

If this is true: Good job Republicans. On one hand you had a relatively charismatic flip flopping Mormon who I really didn't see that much ideologically different from Obama. Then you padded his resume with a far right Christian fundamentalist who's only redeemable qualities are trying to restore voting rights for felons and sensible gun control legislation.

I for one would like to congratulate Barack Hussein Obama on winning a second term. He couldn't have done it without the silent mostly white male protestant majority and their incessant demands for political extremism.

Hatuey said:

He couldn't have done it without the silent mostly white male protestant majority and their incessant demands for political extremism.

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I agree with everything you have to say except this... I think it's a bit of an unfair statement.

Jetboogieman said:

I agree with everything you have to say except this... I think it's a bit of an unfair statement.

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You can disagree with it all you like. That's what debating is for. Unfair? Highly unlikely. The SMWM is responsible for this pick and handing the presidency to Obama. Again. Instead of picking a candidate with some semblance of moderation and reaching across the isle, they've picked a homophobic, Christian fundamentalist who supports the treason carried out by a pro-slavery entity. In essence, they picked one of their own. A relic of time that is destined to fade out as America becomes more multicultural, more open to sexuality and generally less conservative.

Obama really should thank his lucky stars for this pick.

If Romney is going to be elected he needs to win every swing state; nc, fl, oh and va. I understand his motive fie picking McDonnell if true. I'll leave it at that for now other than to say if it were me, I would have gone with somebody else.

I would have begged Jeb bush and secretly bribed him. Rock star in Florida. Respected conservative around the country, is embraced as an Hispanic because his wife is Mexican.

So he picks another old white man?

Face it, Romney is in a loose loose situation.

He cant pick a latino without people thinking is just trying to show he is a "friend" of the latino community.. much like the GOP picking a black man as their leader just after the country kicked them out and elected a black man.

He cant pick a woman, because that would piss off the base and the comparison to Sarah Palin would start.

He cant, but most likely, pick a white man, since people will just say "more of the same old crap".

He should say **** it all... and pick someone he can work with and likes... pure and simple. Romney needs to be on the same page as his VP.. else the GOP will get into another turf battle like the one that plagued the McCain-Palin bid.

PeteEU said:

So he picks another old white man?

He cant pick a woman, because that would piss off the base and the comparison to Sarah Palin would start.

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I disagree there. I think he can, and should, pick a woman. They just need to do a better job of vetting the candidates. There HAS to be an intelligent, well spoken, qualified female conservative out there.

What is the story on Kay Bailey Hutchison? She is the most senior female Republican in the Senate and I can't remember her ever being embroiled in any kind of controversy. I wonder why she never makes these lists?

Jetboogieman said:

So those are a few things that come to mind, but essentialy as much as Right Wingers might pounce on me for saying this, if Romney chooses this guy as his VP, you're gonna have two old white guys on the ticket... it simply will not work.

At the end of the day the reality of demographics must take presedence, he needs a woman on the ticket, I have believed that from the very beggining.

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How about someone that is qualified, over and above all else. You think race and or gender is all that matters to get elected.

The Governor of Vagina? I don't think so.

we'll probably see a few names like this floated by the Romney campaign to see which one trends better in discussions among the conservative base and independents. my guess is that no final decision has been made.

i frequented a large right wing discussion forum prior to the '08 election, and Palin's name was floated weeks before anyone knew who she was. the conservative reaction was very positive, and i don't expect that went unnoticed. considering that even a lot of conservatives had no idea who she was until they read up on her, i wouldn't be surprised if her name was floated to the blogs in the same way.

Palin's name was floated for future VP/Presidential nomination when she first was elected to Governor. Of course she was a far away and unknown quantity then.

The problem for Veep noms is that it's a career killer in this century. Even if you get it, and your ticket wins, unless the POTUS kicks it, you've got 4-8 years being second dog before you're done.

ksu_aviator said:

...Gov. Bob McDonnell of VA.

I'm not sure the information is reliable, but it is inside info.

Discus.

Click to expand...

Make sense. He was gonna choose Marco Rubio but after the SB 1070 fiasco, he didn't want to appear to GOP voters as though he was in bed w/Mexicans, so. . .

Rubio has likely already told him no - see my explanation above. Besides, if Obama wins, Rubio has a shot at 2016. Starting with presidential primaries, and then if he doesn't take that, as Veep nom for Jeb.

Romney needs to be smart about his VP choice.

The first thing he needs to understand, the thing that McCain failed to understand, is that there is no need to pander to the "base". The far right is already gung ho to vote Romney. Not because they like Romney, but because they are all fired up to vote against Obama. I'm pretty certain that they'd even consider voting for Al Gore just to vote against Obama. McCain's biggest **** up was pandering to the "base" because it alienates the people who actually decide elections (those who aren't extremist morons).

The next thing he needs to understand is that his best choice would be someone who appeals to moderates and right leaning dems. Ergo, I think Hunstman is his best option. He's solidly in the fiscal conservative department while also being fairly moderate socially. The biggest bonus? Hunstman is not an idiot. The biggest potential stumbling block I can see is that Hunstman is also a Mormon. This can be spun into a positive fairly easily, though. When the dems attack Mormonism, as they would almost certainly do with a double mormon ticket), they can (and should) be painted as bigots for it. This could take the dems biggest "plus" of being seen as tolerant of minority groups and destroy it.

Someone out of the spotlight until this weekend that started campaigning for Romney would be Rice. She has high approval ratings across the board, is ready for President if needed, she's black and a woman.

Only problem is, would she accept the job? I think if asked, she would. Why start campaigning now like she's has this past week? Romney/Rice would be a something different and tough for Obama

Wow, that's an excellent out of the box suggestion Tucker. I didn't get to vote the republican primary, but Huntsman would have been my pick. He just can't make it as POTUS in this political climate, but he would be an excellent pick.

You're absolutely correct about the anti-Obama base. Heck, I think the republ;iocans would even choose Hillary over Obama in a heartbeat.

However, I believe the swing state thing is going to be a great factor in the choice.

Oh, and Rice has already knocked down the possibility. She's not interested. Check googlenews.

305rob305 said:

Someone out of the spotlight until this weekend that started campaigning for Romney would be Rice. She has high approval ratings across the board, is ready for President if needed, she's black and a woman.

Only problem is, would she accept the job? I think if asked, she would. Why start campaigning now like she's has this past week? Romney/Rice would be a something different and tough for Obama

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condi would be his smart choice (assuming she would accept)
a smart, black lesbian whose solid reputation remained largely intact despite serving in the dicknbush regime
rice possesses the international gravitas that mitt is without
she would play to the independents who determine these election outcomes