Reuters: Mitten's VP short list--three names...

[WI_DEM]

Mitt Romney "appears to be in the final stages of deciding who to pick as his vice presidential running mate, with speculation growing that he has narrowed his choice down to a short-list of three," Reuters reports.

The names given: Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R).

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2012/07/17/romney_narrows_veep_short_list.html

My feeling this is a leaked list and that the eventual nominee will be none of these--so that there will be an element of surprise.

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. What? No females?

Shocked, I tell you....shocked.

[bigtree]

4. Jindal's their go-to minority

[brooklynite]

36. Not acceptable to the Birthers...

His parents were immigrants from India and not US citizens when he was born. One of the Birther contingents insists that you need to have to US Citizen parents to be "Natural Born".

[bigtree]

47. he's just a (willing) prop

. . . not a serious consideration, I think.

Romney is most likely going to pick . . . http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002956434

[nxylas]

117. Watch those objections vanish when the immigrant has an (R) after his name

They'll contrive some reason for why this is completely different.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

61. won't the morans think he is a Muslim?

[daybranch]

93. guilt by association

Jindals ethnicity will remind everyone of Obama's charges that Mitt shipped jobs to India while governor- I hope it is Jindal but I doubt it.

[progressivebydesign]

96. With all of the anti-outsourcing stuff against India, I doubt it'll be Jindal. n/t

[Cracklin Charlie]

109. LDS probably recruit in India

Maybe the saints think Jindal would be good for recruiting. And there would be all those souls to re-baptize.

Just to add...I have no idea if any of that is true.

[jberryhill]

27. Pawlenty has made a sudden trip to Thailand

The rumor currently is that they were really torn between Pawlenty and wanting to nominate a woman.

So Pawlenty agreed to gender re-assignment surgery to accommodate the Romney campaign.

[BlueToTheBone]

31. lol

Funny because of the ring of truth of their morals and convictions!

[bigtree]

2. sticking with my prediction yesterday

Portman

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002956542#post6

[morningfog]

7. I'm thinking Mitch Daniels, Rick Scott or Bob McConnell.

He won't take a Senator. I'm leaning Daniels.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

14. Please let it be Rick Scott!

A guy with a 30% approval rating in Florida and an ethically challenged business past will help win Florida. Whoo-kay!

[RockaFowler]

18. 30%??

I thought it was more like 20% - LOL

[Tommy_Carcetti]

19. It was, but rose a little bit.

Still, I think the notion of Rick Scott being an attractive veep candidate for anyone is one of the most laughable ideas ever. Surely Mitt couldn't be that stupid, could he?

[Oilwellian]

24. Why yes, yes he could n/t

[WI_DEM]

15. Daniels just accepted the presidency of Purdue University

He pretty much closed the door on VP when he did that.

[morningfog]

26. Oh, I missed that! Or forgot.

Thanks.

[former9thward]

76. It won't be Daniels.

He was just named president of Purdue University. He would not make a commitment like that if he was being considered for VP.

[DefenseLawyer]

89. Mitch's wife ran off with the pool boy

left her husband and her kids, got a quickie divorce and remarried, then got another divorce and came back to Mitch and the kids. She doesn't want to talk about. Thus, Mitch is done.

[WI_DEM]

8. you could be right. Ohio hasn't been looking good for Mittens and he needs it

for sure to win and he might think Portman can help deliver it.

[morningfog]

23. Nate Silver recently debunked the "veep pick to win a home state" tactic.

Not that it isn't still attempted.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

87. It helped McCain win the librul state of I'llasker.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

52. Most people in his own state don't know who he is

Sad, really.

[daybranch]

92. no help here.

Portman is not popular in Ohio so all he can do is bring the same voters to Mitt that Mitt would have gotten anyway. Ohio is pretty fed up with republicans but they are going to hang on for a while as we reestablish competitive districts with the state constitutional amendment we will pass in November.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

16. I saw Portman on CNN today.

He struck me as incredibly boring and bland. Of course, if the thought is to go total opposite from Sarah Palin, then that might be what Mitt wants. But good luck trying to get enthusiasm for a Romney-Portman ticket.

[bigtree]

37. thing is, these candidates have incredibly large egos

. . . and usually pick someone they're sure won't upstage them or be a pain in their ass. I'm seeing Romney as really shallow and insecure. I don't think he wants to share the stage with someone who will draw attention away from his own challenged persona.

We'll certainly see, though.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

46. Of course, there is an exception to every rule. :)

How'd that work out for you, Senator McCain?

[bigtree]

49. been there, done that

. . . and Romney is a different creature than McCain. He's insecure and mostly unconcerned with making like he's inclusive or supportive of diversity. I don't think that Obama voters are as much of a consideration in his strategy as are conservatives who make up the republicans' rabid base. His weakness is the distain that their base has held for Romney's pandering to 'moderates' and his challenge in being seen as a true conservative to keep their traditional voters in place and energized. I think he's looking to shore-up his right wing.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

85. I understand what you are getting at, but to play devil's advocate....

The weakness you identified for Romney was the same weakness that was cited in regards to John McCain: pandering to moderates, not a
"true conservative," unable to energize the base. In fact, it was so bad that in the 2008 primaries, some conservatives saw Romney as a more conservative option to McCain.

Hence, in the end you got Governor LaLa McMooseypants with nary a vet.

But I agree they wouldn't make the same mistake twice. Would they?

[Jackpine Radical]

65. That makes absolute sense.

He's a definite "Cluster B" personality disorder type, with psychopathic and narcissistic traits.

And yes I know that the current DSM doesn't acknowledge psychopathy as a personality disorder--the closest equivalent is Antisocial. However, there is a significant literature on psychopathy as a personality trait (e.g. Hare, or in the political arena, Robert Alterman), and Romney's rich-boy background pretty much precludes the Antisocial Dx because his family's money & position kept him out of legal trouble. Anyway, the conscienceless exploitation of others, the viewing of other people as objects that are not really human, etc. are consistent with psychopathy, and the demands that others bow to his whims rage we see when they don't, are very consistent with narcissism.

[morningfog]

3. It won't be a Senator or a woman or a person of color.

It will likely be a white male governor. I agree it won't be one of those listed in the OP.

[femmocrat]

5. I'm predicting Pawlenty.

Pawlenty couldn't jump out of the primaries fast enough to endorse Mitt.

Plus he knows that when they lose, he will be their #1 heir to the nomination next time.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

12. I don't know.....that didn't work out that well for Lieberman or Edwards.

And Palin...well, that's just a whole other story.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

13. Timmy's ambition is boundless.

He spent most of 2007-08 fellating John McCain, only to be thrown over for Sarah Palin. I'm sure he's been hanging around Romney's campaign ever since, looking like a party doll in an expensive suit, just waiting for Mittens to give it to him. Speaking of sucking, those two charisma-challenged department store mannequins, working together, could suck all the energy out of the Large Hadron Collider.

[beac]

40. LOL. Remember when that batty old GOP woman at the '08 convention

announced the VP as pick "Sarah Pawlenty"???

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

44. Oh, yeah, that was funny.

"Sarah Pawlenty." I bet that really burned Timmy's butt - talk about rubbing salt in a wound.

[jaysunb]

104. Best thing I've read all day !

" party doll".... no doubt we are in the same age group.

[Ganja Ninja]

17. The man who invented the word "Obamneycare".

Just let him start to attack the healthcare act and see if that doesn't come back to haunt him.

[SunSeeker]

67. Exactly. The ads would be too easy. Timmy ain't gonna get the nod. nt

[cbdo2007]

6. It's political suicide to be his running mate this year, unless they think when he steps down

they will get the chance to run in his place.

[Marrah_G]

9. Who the heck would want to sign onto that failing campaign.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

10. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

The first two are blander than bland, and Jindal strikes me as not being ready for prime time.

Good luck going places with that ticket.

[NRaleighLiberal]

11. oh let it be Jindal...that stellar response to the SOFTU address...priceless.

[Ikonoklast]

72. And he would get to debate Joe Biden.

For that comedic value alone, I hope Piyush gets the nod.

It would be Epic.

[earthside]

20. What about Toomey?

Pennsylvania seems a bit more doable for Rmoney than Ohio ... and Mitt would need PA to have any shot of getting 270 electoral votes.

The base would love it, and Toomey has been in the House and Senate and is an experienced campaigner.

[n2doc]

21. Not going to be Jindal

The Repub base would collectively explode. Bad enough they have a mormon! (sarcasm)

[amandabeech]

42. The Indian and the Mormon: heads would explode!

It would be better than the pumpkin chuckers on whichever cable network.

[KharmaTrain]

22. One Of The Few Cards He Has To Play...

Other than do the convention thing and try to suck up to teabaggers, there's not much else Mitten can do to generate any PR or "energize" his campaign. Now Willard can name his veep early and it's sure to be seen as a sign of weakness as it means Mittens alone is no longer a strong candidate and his handler feel they need to "juice" it up ala Mooselini style. In reality veep selections mean very little in swinging an election FOR a candidate. Some may say that McCain's selection of Caribou Barbie in '08 cost him Florida but there are few instances of where a veep selection was a strong "game changer" in the election.

I tend to agree that these three names are being floated out there but that none will be on the ballot. TPaw brings nothing...not even his own state. His name on the ballot won't flip Minnesota...so what gain is there? Portman's also a push as he's still a newcomer in the Senate and his record in the booooosh regime could be a big liability and no guarantee he swings Ohio. Jindal would be a little better but the racists in the rushpublican party are barely tolerant of the Mormon...this would be a pick that says he can't consolidate his base.

Whatever the pick is we're assured that it will have little affect on the outcome in November and save Willard's sorry ass. It's more a corporate media circle jerk that gives the talking heads something to fill up airtime...

[magical thyme]

25. iow, Me, Myself and I

:yawn:

[demwing]

28. Is Romney the type to put up a fake list?

He's a liar, no doubt, but while he's an easy liar he's not an especially creative one. Would he think steps ahead and create a fake list?

If the answer is Yes, then this list is meant to obfuscate, not reveal. Look for a female senator instead of a male governor -Kay Bailey Hutchison? Someone who will help fade the memory of Sarah Palin.

If the answer is No, then the list IS the list. Which of the three, then? Portman and Pawlenty are budget wonks, Jindal and Pawlenty are Governors, Pawlenty is the only one who is both. Pawlenty also represents the "Great Lakes States" style Republican, and with GOP advances in Wisconsin and Michigan, (and changing dynamics in the southwest), Republicans have got to be looking for sources of new votes to tap. To make Obama have to fight for Minnesota would be appealing. Plus I think Pawlenty and Romney already decided this way back at the beginning of the primaries. If Romney is not the kind of candidate that has it in him to spring surprises, then Pawlenty is the pick.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

45. Pawlenty won't help Mittens get Minnesota.

He's about as popular here as a case of hemorrhoids.

[demwing]

50. Honestly, nothing will help Romney get Minnesota

Last edited Tue Jul 17, 2012, 03:06 PM - Edit history (1)

that's not the point. The point is making your opponent invest money in areas where he/she shouldn't have to.

[julian09]

103. Didn't Pawlenty only win in a three way race for Gov with 43% of vote?

Didn't do well in primary in his own state, even Bachman beat him.

[demwing]

106. We all know primary voters are not comparible

to general election voters

[demwing]

107. 43.8% to be exact - 0.8% more than Clinton's first WH win margin

and under similar circumstances

[Solomon]

29. He doesnt need Jindal. i say it's between Pawlenty, O'Donnell

and Portman. If he were smart he'd tab Huntsman, the only reasonable repug.

[rocktivity]

119. Scratch Huntsman -- that would put TWO Mormons on the ticket n/t

Last edited Fri Jul 20, 2012, 02:36 PM - Edit history (1)

rocktivity

[Scuba]

30. I still think it'll be Ken Lay.

[GeorgeGist]

34. Retroactively, no doubt.

[cbdo2007]

32. New guess - Fred Thompson??

He seems to fit all aspects of the role I can think of them wanting to hit, and he's the type of guy who would take a chance and go with Romney cause he knows it's his real last shot.

[amandabeech]

43. He's too busy huckstering reverse mortgages for seniors on cable TV. n/t

[DefenseLawyer]

88. Can I get a round of applause for Fred Thompson? n/t

[hay rick]

33. Sarah Palin, of course.

Probably the only thing he can do to draw attention away from Bain Capital.

My real picks: Marco Rubio or Condi Rice.

[tclambert]

35. Donald Trump.

Just 'cause I couldn't think of a stupider choice. Maybe one of the Koch brothers. But then the other one might get jealous.

[nc4bo]

38. Hotmess.com

All of them.

[Octafish]

39. Condescenda!

[woo me with science]

48. I still think they want Condi

because they hope she will make police state authoritarianism more exciting to their base.

[Nye Bevan]

53. Well if we have to have police state authoritarianism,

might as well have it with those boots.

[woo me with science]

54. No,

we really don't have to.

[humbled_opinion]

62. They do want Condi

She is going to be his pick, I have no doubt.... I talk to many teaheads at my job... The actually think Romney is luring Obama in with all the Bain coverage and they believe Romney will hold a Presser, state that he is releasing all his tax returns and financial documents and then call on the President in the same spirit of transparency to release all of this school records from Occidental, Columbia and Harvard as well as all financial records of who and how he paid for his education as well as his passport records, (they say he visited Pakistan when U.S. citizens were banned from entering in the 80's).... They hope he refuses so they can level the same transparency attacks against him, and they think even if he agrees to release it all that there must be something in there that they can pin the Socialist, Communist, Terrorist tag on him, then they say shortly after that he will drop his VP nominee as Condi..... It's Condi so he won't be accused of attacking Obama simply because he is black.

[klook]

120. "Mildly pro-choice"

is how she has described her stance on reproductive rights. That dog won't hunt for the Teabrain party.

She can always announce a "change of heart" on that subject, though, or say her position has "evolved" -- which, of course, always means "devolved" when a Republican says it. We shall see.

[Octafish]

81. Positively Darth Vadress!

Most incredible imagery and profound prose yours, woo me with science.



Oceania has always been at war with Hugo Boss, er, Ralph Lauren...

[Smilo]

41. And the winner is..............

damn the etch a sketch just wiped clean.

[JaneQPublic]

51. LOL! Good one. (nt)

[Bucky]

55. Do you mean "short" as in lacking character?

I agree.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

56. I've always thought it'd be Rubio. I still think it's his unless he doesn't

think Rmoney has a shot. But if this list is accurate it has to be Brady Bunch Jindal. I just don't see the 2 boring white guy ticket. A boring white and boring brown guy ticket? Now that's an awesome buddy movie right there .

[TBF]

58. Same here - I think it's Rubio unless he is dodging Romney's calls .. nt

[Arugula Latte]

57. A bucket o' suck

as expected.

[kimbutgar]

59. My guess is Rand Paul

It will bring the Ron Paul people in and unite the Republicans plus the youth who are fooled by Ron Paul's ideology will join in. The only problem is Ron Paul and his son have a lot o baggage that will undermine rmoney and with that and rmoney's problems it will be a great freak show.

[SunSeeker]

68. Romney's got too big an ego to share the stage with a glory hound like Paul.

I just don't see it happening. Though you are absolutely right, it would attract the (crazy) youth vote.

[Stuckinthebush]

60. Pawlenty is boring and Jindal is an idiot

Probably will be Portman.

[TheCowsCameHome]

64. ...and Mitt is both....

[Stuckinthebush]

77. Bada boom!

[DevonRex]

63. So these 3 would say yes if chosen? Pawlenty

would say yes? I'm surprised. He's not stupid. Or I didn't think so.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

66. You betcha Pawlenty would say yes.

He wants this so bad you can almost see the heat waves coming off his head. He'd blow Mittens on national TV if that's what it took to get the offer. Pawlenty has been running for VP since at least 2006, when he started fluffing McCain. And McCain dumping him at the last minute for Palin has just made him grovel harder before Mittens. It's kind of pathetic, really.

[DevonRex]

71. Sad. He can actually seem almost sane

when he gets away from the nutcases.

Edited because VO told me a lot about Paw. He's ruthless and ambitious. Not sane at all.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

74. Actually, it's the opposite.

Underneath the bland, seemingly normal surface of Timmy "The Tool" Pawlenty there is nothing but raw ambition. He's like Mittens in that he will do and say whatever he thinks will work to get him elected. When interviewed his demeanor seems pleasant and reasonable, but here in MN we discovered he can be as mean as a snake if that's what it takes to appease the teabaggers. It's a good thing he's not the governor any more because he was all for doing to us what Scott Walker did to Wisconsin. His suit is as empty as Mittens'; it just didn't cost as much.

[DevonRex]

78. Oh wow. Really??? So the interview I saw

was total BS? OMG. I think it was a Jon Stewart interview which was one reason I gave him a little more credibility.

And then I gave one of my sisters a little more respect (she's a Paw fan) because of it. I had a little more hope about her politics.

You just don't know how this revelation hits me. I thought I had a semi-sane sister. The others are completely batshit. Now I know they all are.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

79. He's good at seeming normal and reasonable. However:

http://www.truthabouttim.com/

[DevonRex]

83. Thank you. Now I have ammunition

if he's the pick. And even if he's not it explains why he's in Romney's campaign. Birds of a feather. Sickening.

Thank you so very much for setting me straight on him. Ima edit my post above now don't want anybody to read just that and be influenced by it.

[snooper2]

69. That's it, stretch it out as much as possible, try to distract ROFL,

Maybe Friday they will be down to TWO names

[SunSeeker]

70. Looks like Romney will choose Portman....zzzzzz

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

73. Mitt already puts people to sleep when he speaks

These three, especially Pawlenty and Portman would finish the job. Maybe Mitt plans to hypnotize America and put people in a trance.

[bongbong]

75. Key factor in choice

Have they released more than 1 year's worth of tax returns? Can't make the "boss" look bad.

[smokey nj]

80. Tim Pawlenty? Why not just pick a freshly painted wall, at least then you might get some color.

[Casandia]

82. Rick Snyder, governor of michigan

[matt819]

84. This could be premature

I know others have said no way, but I can't help but wonder if Romney will even make it to the convention. Sununu's comment today might be the proverbial straw. An ugly campaign is one thing, but harking back in spirit to the "not German enough" sentiment of 1930s Germany is a step too far. Retroactive retirement, no tax returns, un-American president. This isn't an election campaign, but I don't quite know what it is.

[glinda]

86. Timmie is as mean as Mitt so I am guessing him.

[catbyte]

90. Awesome! How will I ever get to sleep tonight thinking about the post-convention excitement

Romney and one of those people would generate?



Diane
Anishinaabe in MI & mom to Taz, Nigel, and new baby brother Sammy, members of Dogs Against Romney, Cat Division
"Dogs Aren’t Luggage--HISS!”

[bucolic_frolic]

91. Pawlenty or Rubio

Mitt needs Florida or Minnesota.

Pawlenty might bring along some other heartland states.

Mitt needs to do this soon to change the conversation about
hit taxes and wealth.

Jindal, nah. Portman? Well, Ohio is a prize.

I'm still counting on Newt.

Conservatism, from Knute Rockne to Romney-Newt.

[lobodons]

94. Thune, but my surprise pick is.....

I have always thought that Thune is the best of the bunch, but my surprise game change pick would be General Patraeus.

[DefenseLawyer]

95. If you pick Patraeus, you'll be bringing George W. along for the ride.

Not sure they want the company.

[progressivebydesign]

97. It'll be Portman. He is more desperate for Ohio than Minnesota. n/t

[Tennessee Gal]

98. I don't see why anyone would want to run with Romney.

He is a disaster.

[progressivebydesign]

99. Portman. That's my guess, here's why.

Just saw that he delivered the Republican Radio Address two days ago.

On his home page he was featured as going on "Fox and Friends" to deliver a scathing attack on the President's "Failed policies"

He's from Ohio, which Romney needs.. not like the guys is popular there.

Reading more on him.. He was also one of a few people at a mysterious gathering with Romney a few weeks ago.

Really? He was a LOBBYIST for Autocrats and Dictators? And his big law authoring had to do with repealing capital gains for home sales??

He's so white bread, it's not funny. But he's also considered a quiet person, so that would fit with Romney's egomaniacal personality.

They'd be the quintessential, white guy, country club, elitist, ticket. SO that is why they're pushing so hard to say "LOOK!! OBAMA HATES SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE!!! We are RICH!! And you should hate us because that would mean you're JEALOUS!!!"

http://www.thenation.com/blog/168583/meet-rob-portman-bush-republican# (rob Portman - Bush Republican from The Nation)

[DCBob]

101. You may be right but..

hes not a woman or an Hispanic.

[JPZenger]

108. Yep, Portman's the boring white guy that Romney wants

[Quixote1818]

111. In Trade is predicting it will be Portman too and they are usually pretty good.

http://www.intrade.com/v4/home/

[Reader Rabbit]

100. I was really hoping for Larry, Moe, and Curly.

Or possibly Huey, Duey, and Louie.

Manny, Moe, and Jack?

[Ian David]

102. You heard it HERE, first. Romney is going to pick Kirk Cameron.

[jaysunb]

105. It'll be Donald Rumsfeld

Thats right....just like Bush got Cheney as a reliable "minder" Mitt will have to get a strong neocon to seal the deal w/ the entire party.

[demwing]

114. RomRum 2012!

is fun to say

[JI7]

110. There is no way Jindal is in serious consideratoin

i think they just put his name in soo there isn't talk of "all white men".

[Zoeisright]

112. If he picks that weasel Pawlenty I'm following him around the country

with a collapsed 35 W bridge sign.

[Tx4obama]

113. At this point in time, with Romney in such a mess, I wonder if Mitt will have to PAY someone ...

to be on the ticket with him

I just can NOT imagine anyone that would want to still have a political future to jump on a ticket with Mitt.

If I were a Republican I'd be running away from Romney as fast as I could.

[jmowreader]

115. I'm going with Tom Luna

Tom Luna is the superintendent of public instruction in Idaho. He wrote (with the blessing of the online-education companies that paid for his campaign) an education reform program that is being copied by many of our teabaggier states. Almost no one outside of Idaho knows who he is, which is good because the guy is a fucking disaster. I've seen him in person and he makes Romney look charismatic. Basically, the ideal VP choice for Romney.

[rl6214]

116. If he picks one of them it's a sure fire loss

I think it will be either Rubio or Rice. He needs the hispanic or female vote to even have a chance.

[krispos42]

118. Pawlenty

He's the only one boring enough to not detract from Mitt.