Good question Bob! Katheryn, with the problems Romney has with his base, I still say he needs someone who will attract independents, Latinos and women. Have not a clue who.

phine -Personally, I would tell him to get a woman on the ticket, because I think the Republicans have got to counter this whole anti-women perception they've got going. Oh yeah - it's not just perception - it's a reality. ;~))

But I think the Republicans feel they can downplay the whole war on women debate without a woman on the ticket. And they may have lost that vote no matter what they do. What they do not want to happen, is to have the ultra conservative voters Santorum attracts just sit this one out.

Which does Romney try to reach out to? Does he reach out to the social conservatives and alienate the women and independents or does he say to the conservatives - who ya' gonna vote for suckers,I'm all ya' got and choose someone to help him with the women and independents? A very tough call.

Katheryn, I think the GOP has tried so hard to cobble together a party of fringe elements that they have alienated the majority of reasonable independents.

What Republican woman is there who would be interested in running as VP who would actually be an asset to the ticket?

I think the GOP is screwed.

Actually Kaybee - Bob in ma mentioned Susana Martinez - the Gov. of New Mexico as a possible VP choice. Looked her up. Things I like about her, things I don't like about her- isn't that with anyone though.

She was focused on public corruption and child abuse cases as a district attorney, she is very conservative on social issues. Liked her early career more than her later career.

On some articles I read, they said even though she had a balanced budget presented to her, she vetoed items that are important to senior citizens, women, Latinos and public education.Even though her paternal grandparents were illegal immigrants, she has signed into law some very strong laws concerning illegal immigrans.

She also vetoed a bill that would ensure that "big box" companies pay their fair share of state tax. The local small business owners of New Mexico feel they carry the unfair burden of taxes compared to the national "big box" companies.

From a Republican viewpoint, I think she's a winner.

If she's anything like Palin or Bachmann, the GOP ditto heads will love her.

From the way you've described her, she sounds like one of them.

Is there anything more disheartening than a misogynistic Hispanic woman who goes against her own people ?

kaybee - Few can match Palin or Bachmann! I think they broke the mold on that model (I hope).

Like I said,I read only a few articles about her. But on a preliminary look see, I didn't think she would be a "bad" VP. (and of course - my reporting has a liberal bias,eh?!)

I would not vote for her because she does not represent the majority of my views, but on just a quick read she is not a Palin or Bachmann, which are beyond the pale of anyone's standards.

I have a feeling we may see her in the future at any rate,so she is worth taking a look at, just for the knowledge.

Put a woman on the ticket? As a sop to females? Come on that didn't work in 2008 and it won't work in 2012. You can wrap it in a skirt but it is still the same regressive platform bent on destroying individual liberties, privacy, Medicare and Social Security - with women, children and the elderly as the first victims, followed quickly by Hispanics, homosexuals and even (gasp) men!

Katheryn - you forgot Christine O'Donnell "I am not a witch". See there are still more out there - and they're all Republican!

SeekingSanity - oh yes, good times with the not a witch O'Donnell - how could one forget the laughs she brought us for such a short time.

Good morning Amy. I have my last day off for the week so I am able to hear the question. Bob asked if Romney would now reconsider Santorum as a running mate considering his recent surge in the south.

Amy -

My shorthand isn't very good, but basically they seem to think it's at least some possibility if Romney looks like he's coming up short on delegates by convention time, but they think his short list of Rubio, McDonnell and Christie are still the favorites. They also said that Romney recently said something to the effect that no way would Santorum ever be on his ticket because he's too much of a liberal on economic stuff. Then they made a joking suggestion that Bob numbers actually IS Bob McDonnell and he's just here plugging himself. At least I think they were joking.

In any case, I don't see this ticket ever happening. Santorum has too much of a personal moral agenda he's trying to push, and traditionally VP's are supposed to be the loyal back-up and attack dog for the top of the ticket. Is Santorum really going to go out and actively campaign for Romney without gritting his teeth so hard he breaks his jaw?

Oh, and to re-cap: only in the world according to Mitt is Mitt Romney "severely conservative" and Rick Santorum a "liberal" on anything. You just can't make this stuff up. Well, you can't, but Mitt can.....

JoAnne

I can't believe they think McDonnell is still viable after the whole transvaginal probing issue of this spring.

I actually think Santorum would consider being VP. If he doesn't get the nomination himself, he'll look at the numbers and figure it will set him up for 2016.

Thank you nomoresameo, enjoy your last day off!

Thank you JoAnne, your transcription service is excellent. I agree, I can't see Santorum as Romney's VP choice, he doesn't bring in the Independents, and we all know that is what this race will hinge on.

I don't see McDonnell because he is a slicker version of Romney and would just make people wonder why he's number 2. Christie is out after he insulted the ex-Navy Seal - people are sick of that right-wing talk radio attitude. Rubio is Romney's only hope, I think.

Amy--Evangelicals will never vote for two Mormons on the same ticket--Portland good museum and great foodie town.

Don't forget they have a recording of a beautiful speech Rubio gave saying how he admired social security and medicare as it helped his parents live out their lives in dignity. At the time he thought the program should be expanded for all the good it did.

Now he is the republican darling (and probably his parents are now dead) he has changed his mind and now social security and medicare makes us the people and our country weak. Now he claims the whole system is a failure and is bad for us.

Like Romney, which is the real Rubio? Are two flip-floppers are better than one?

charles - and we need those tourist dollars! Thanks for the shout out, come up anytime.

"Follow up question...where is Gingrich as this ticket is running?"

My guess would be in the ICU recovering from a stroke.....

63% of Hispanics say they have an unfavorable view of Romney, and the gender gap is 20% nationally against him...even wider among independents who are women. If you're Romney wanting to try a "hail Mary" pass the way McCain did...what do you do that you think won't alienate the wealthy white men, and the 'anybody but Obama' crowd who you're counting on? Find a conservative, hispanic woman (or man) who doesn't look bat sh*t crazy and cross your fingers...again....

AP-1414066 - They all look bat sh*t crazy!

you can dream :)

Another way to look at it would be that Romney still can't even consistently draw over 50% of his own party, while Santorum would repel moderate Republicans (assuming there still are any), Independents, and pretty much every Democrat who ever lived.

But as Amy said....you can dream.

Bill, neither one of them will draw Hispanics (Romney does abysmally with hispanics, with Santorum the only one in the race besides Ron Paul who actually polls worse), and both of them have HUGE gender gaps, especially with independents and moderate Republicans. Face it, your best hope for capturing the White House is if you repel your extremists and become a real party before 2017...good luck with that.

It is good Governor McDonnell has raised his national profile so much, that he can be the butt of liberal jokes, lame they may be.

What if McDonnell mandated that every man had to have an anal probe before they could go to the dentist you wouldn't think being against him was so lame.

Well McDonnell's ultra-sound has as much to with getting an abortion as a mandated anal probe on men to get to go to the dentist.

You just keep pretending that this whole thing is not about making women into second class citizens with no say so over her own body.

For continued women's rights...VOTE STRAIGHT DEMOCRATIC...Obama/Biden 2012

Good one, Charles. There's a reason though that McDonnell begged his party not to send him these bills and is now trying desperately to change the subject after signing them (he rejected the vaginal probe after someone explained who got probed with what...but he kept the mandated ultrasound, of course as the party of "limited government"). His national career is dead in the water. The "vaginal probe party" just doesn't carry the kind of ring to it that Romney might like. There's no way he's going to go near McDonnell....but he's got to find a conservative somewhere who can vouch for him and who doesn't scare the children.