E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Mitt Romney’s search for a running mate appears to have narrowed, as clues to whom Romney might select as his No. 2 begin to pile up in the media.
A campaign that prides itself on discipline had, to date, exacted tight control over the process of vetting candidates to serve at the former Massachusetts governor’s No. 2, a fact that Romney bragged on Tuesday.
"I get a kick out of some of the speculation that goes on," Romney told Sean Hannity of Fox News in an interview to air this evening. "I'm not going to comment on the process of course, but I can tell you this: only Beth Myers and I know who is being vetted."
That comment came amid new reports on Tuesday that Marco Rubio, the popular Florida Republican senator, had not been asked – yet, at least – to submit the materials typically associated with vetting a vice presidential candidate.
Sen. Marco Rubio, (R-FL), discusses the housing market in Florida; how the US can profit from free trade agreements in Latin America and why the nation needs to update its immigration laws.
ABC News initially reported that Rubio wasn’t being vetted, and the Washington Post followed up with indications that Rubio hadn’t made it past an initial review by Romney’s high command.
Romney’s quip to Fox served as a knowing acknowledgement, though, of what members of the media have encountered in their search for details on the veepstakes: News is fleeting, largely because the Romney campaign’s high command keeps details on lockdown.
Even some of the most plugged in advisers to Romneyworld profess genuine ignorance of the vetting process.
Myers, Romney’s former chief of staff as governor, is leading the search for a prospective vice president. She might lack some of the skills of political figures previously tasked with her job – John McCain had power lawyer A.B. Culvahouse lead his vetting in 2008 – but Myers is described as a figure whom Romney holds in high esteem. She was selected precisely because it would mean no leaks, and because she understands Romney and his desire for an experienced vice presidential candidate who won’t overshadow the top of the ticket.
Other broad contours of the process have emerged, too. A New York Times story earlier this week floated the idea that Romney could introduce his choice in July, well before the Republican convention in August. Most presidential nominees traditionally reveal their choice of a running mate shortly before their nominating convention.
Larry Downing / Reuters
GOP candidate Mitt Romney speaks at a campaign event at the Bavarian Inn Lodge in Frankenmuth, Mich.
The Times also included a kicker paragraph that suggested that the Romney campaign might be wary of selecting Chris Christie, since the bombastic New Jersey governor might threaten to overshadow Romney.
One informal Romney adviser suggested that a candidate who’s seen his stock improve is former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, in part because Pawlenty would do anything but overshadow Romney. A runner-up in the 2008 veepstakes, Pawlenty is said to be especially appealing to Ann Romney, who’s built a rapport with Pawlenty’s wife, Mary.
Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan are also generally perceived as short-listers for Romney. Each of them, along with Pawlenty, joined Romney for portions of his swing-state bus tour over the last five days.
Officially, most of the Republicans thought to be candidates for the vice presidency have also declined to comment on the process.
"I won't discuss the vice presidential process, out of respect for Gov. Romney," Rubio said Tuesday on CNBC. "I know he is going to make a great choice."
That means that, until the pick is made known, observers are more likely to learn about the process through candidate attrition. Case in point: Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels agreed to become the next president of Purdue University, removing his name from the list of candidates, though he wasn’t ever seen as Romney’s likely running mate.
MSNBC's Alex Wagner and the NOW panel discuss the progress of the Romney bus tour and a new report that says that Marco Rubio has not been vetted for Mitt Romney's running mate.
The few-and-far-between details stand in contrast to the McCain campaign in 2008, which had basically broadcast publicly that the Arizona Republican wished to select his friend, the independent Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, as his running mate. With the exception of McCain’s ultimate selection of Sarah Palin as his vice presidential nominee, much about the Republican’s campaign wasn’t secret.
The Romney campaign seems determined to learn from McCain’s mistakes, maybe even to a fault. The process of vetting a vice presidential candidate can be political in its own right; look no further than a top Rubio advocate’s pushback to BuzzFeed about the Florida senator’s supposed exclusion from Romney’s short list.
But in leaking few details about their search, the Romney campaign also loses out on an opportunity to show they’ve at least made an effort to seek out various candidates whose mere consideration might be needed to placate certain corners of the party.
In particular, few women except for New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte – a freshman lawmaker from New England with only scant federal experience – are thought to be under consideration by Romney.
"I think, unfortunately, Palin poisoned the well on that," said one informal Romney adviser, fretting that any woman selected as VP would draw inevitable comparisons to the former Alaska governor. "I would guess if I were inside the Romney mind that they're worried that any woman chosen will be subjected to a higher level of scrutiny. "
But beyond Rubio, there are virtually no candidates for the vice presidential slot who would represent any diversity on the Republican ticket, a dicey proposition given Romney’s political deficits with women and Latino voters, as well as his opponent this fall: the nation’s first black president.
Leave a Comment:
I hope Andrea Mitchell of NBC GETS EFFING FIRED IMMEDIATELY along with all the other idiots there!!! That effing b i t c h. Once again, nbc completely changes the material of what was SUPPOSE TO REPORTED to run their sick, twisted, psycho, liberal, dimwitted, socialistic agenda with absolute disregard of the FACTUAL material.
Take a laxitive already. You just described Fox.
Exactly GoBigO. The re(pubes) have an epileptic seizure when MSNBC cuts short a Romney escapade, yet I never hear them complain when FUX news NEVER reports anything negative if a repugnican is involved and only hammers away at rev Wright stories and the taken out of context sentence: "the private sector is doing just fine" cutoff by FAUX news. Fair and balanced my fanny.
I've watched Mrs. Greenspan's edited interview and I have also watched the actual footage....The fact that she and her tape editors are allowed to "distort rather than report" is definately bordering on the criminal side...The fact that her superiors allow yhat kind of distortion and call it news is laughable! There is no truth in the media. You must go far and wide to find the truth. Any self respecting journalist would never do something like this,...but then, she is so rich she doesn't have to care about being truthful.
And romney will tell you that his direction is sooo different from the bushman. Whereas obama says it's exactly the same as the bushman. But romney never goes on any media other than fox news, just like the entire bushman's administration. No hard question were ever asked of him or them. Where are the people asking romney what is he looking for in a vp. They are not at foxnews.com.
For instance, look at the 911 testmony:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDfdOwt2v3Y
Had cheney appeared on any other network other than foxnews.com, some reporter would have asked him the question - what was the order to our armed forces on 911. All I know what that no ground-to-air missile was launched on 911 even though the military had radar lock on the plane that crashed into the pentagon for the last 50 miles.
There's a lot to be said for reporters asking the questions that inquiring minds want to know. Take when the top reporter from nbc, russert, asked the question to the bushman - was the war in iraq a war of choice or necessity. The russert dropped dead soon after, a day after getting a clean bill of health. After that, the bushman & his administration only appeared on foxnews.com.
But still people will wonder does it have to be this way in a democracy.
In August 2001 the daily briefing headline was Osama determined to attack in the US- but according to Condollezzi Rice this was not specific enough for Dubya to react,
Can you imagine what they would be saying if the same had happened to Obama?
Romney will choose a White Male to be his running mate - because anything else would be a slap in the face of the rabid, racist right-wing of his party...
He certainly can't pick a woman - after all she is just a slut or a prostitute... He can't pick Rubio because he looks like the typical illegal immigrant... sad state of affairs for the Republican party - hoist by their own Tea Party petard...
It does not matter, Romney is a joke. How in the world does this great country put up with these idiot right wingers.
By irritating leftwingers...
Rubio would be a lock if he hadn't been a Mormon for 2 years; there's no way they want to strengthen that narrative.
Here's a wild idea; pick John Roberts! Conservative credentials and bland as Mitt; if he wins, they can replace him with someone just like him on the Supreme Court...if they lose, it's another seat for Obama to replace!
Romney is biding his time. He has no need of helping the floundering Obama camp by giving them something to twist and villainize. He won't name his VP until it suits him. He will control the narrative as much as he can and just let Obama continue to swim in his lousy economy.
Rational American, you are talking about the economy that the republicans created right!
When Bush left office the republicans said we don't want to clean up this mess, lets let the democrats try to do it and if they don't we can say that it is their fault. So congress just sits on their hands and will not do what is needed to help the people that put them there.
Obama may not be the answer, but he is better than Romney by a long shot.
This political crap is not new, it started when Washington became president.
Good to hear a rational voice. I never expected Obama could save the world from what Bush let happen. We are now feeling that ripple back to us from Europe its all connected. I bet they hate bush as much as we do. And the right will just pretend its not true. Are americans that stupid?
The demo's need to get rid of Obama, because there is no way ANYONE should be thinking of re-electing Obama regardless of your policy beliefs.
That man will be the end of us if he gets another 4 years.
And yes, I would rather 4 years of an idiot like Romney over what damage Obama could do. Lesser of 2 evils. Until we break this 2 party system rut we are stuck in we are screwed.
The republicans are stuck 30 years ago in social policy, and need to grow up when dealing with social policy.
As far as fiscal policy, the democrats are by far the scariest.
(when I call people demos and repubs I am not referring to those that ride in the middle, most of America is fiscally conservative and socially liberal, unfortunately our leaders have not reflected that due to lack of choice and their puppeteers, which they both have)
I'll second that!
Then why don't you write in Ron Paul instead of complaining?
Already planned on voting for Ron :)
car56 a vote for ron paul is a vote for obama.
I wonder if Romney will be able to find a VP who is as out of touch with middle America as Romney is?
The only one out of touch is you pallie...
If you're broke, you shouldn't be spending you money on meth, shotguns, beer and hookers.
Isn't it funny how you liberal lunatics are so worried and coming out of the woodwork at this time who Romney will pick as his VP choice. But, hardly a whimper on the post about 300,000 less job openings reported this morning.
What I find funny is how you republicans worship messiah Romney.
The GOP/TP Congress isn't worried either about the jobs.
The congress is going to make sure no jobs are created, they do not care about the people.
bernie get your head out of your ass. Its the rightees in congress that wont pass a jobs bill.Cause they want to make OBAMA a1 term president.And the rightees will say they have jobs bills the senate wont vote on.But they wont tell you they all have more tax breaks for the rich and are paid for by taking money from social programs.THE difference between rich right and rich left is the left don't mind paying more but the greedy bastards on the right want to pay less.
Go to fact check so you can have an informed opinion. Our huge debt is the sum total of Bush 2 unjust wars, the Bush tax cuts and the perscription drug benefit. So start there. Facts are facts. The right is hoping you will believe what you already believe and its a lie. Stupid!
Connie Rice:)
both of them are terrible for what our country needs in a leader right now, unfortunately Condoleezza Rice won't run, and it is slim pickings out there.
Hmm, she follows orders to well.
She learned from and regrets her time with Bush.
Dr. Rice will be forever linked to the Bush II administration which would be the kiss of death to any political aspirations. And she is too smart to even want the job, so she is totally out of the running.
which is very unfortunate for our country, I truly believe she is the best possible candidate out there.
A choice which, if made, would have given him the presidency.
Not!
or Michelle Obama!!!
Really!
I think Romney should select Grover Norquist for his VP. Grover is going to be running the show anyway
if Romney is elected. Why not let Grover have Dick Cheney's spot as the real power broker in DC?
Remember when election season started way-back 8 months ago? Remember how everyone knew it was gonna be Willard? Remember how enough money to keep 20,000 teachers working for a year was spent? In the end (Suprise!) it was Willard.
It's Rubio. There's no other way he's gonna make this thing work (and it still probably won't make a difference; the President pretty much shut the door on the Latino vote this weekend.)
The only question is whether Rubio wants to be the John Edwards-VP-Kiss-Of-Death for the GOP, or does he wait for his party to put down the bath salts and make his own run later, when he might win AND make a difference.
You came in on the T-Party bus, Sen. Rubio. You keep talking this moderate immigration reform, and then take the VP slot on the ticket that gives Obama his second term, you'll be leaving under it.
RUBIOS claim to fame was a lie he told about his family saying they left Cuba to escape Castro.But they left in 1956 Castro came into power in 1959. More B.S. from the right.
There is only one VP candidate that will give Rmoney the win - but it'll cost the GOP a $100,000 consulting fee, call me if you're serious boys.
This wouldn't be an inside tip like your opinion of how the Scott Walker recall was going to turn out....would it?
It would not take much to better biden.... Heck any Drunk in the bowery with a IQ over 90 should be a vast improvement.
Where do you plan to locate a republican with an IQ over 90? They sure don't grow 'em like that
around these parts.
A dead rotten fish has more brains then biden... Do they got him locked in a closet again? The guys a complete embarrassment.
"Do they got him locked...?" At least the Vice President can write a correct sentence, something you obviously cannot. Three sentences, three errors.
GT - what are we supposed to take from your little donkey/elephant icon. Is it that you dislike repubs so much that you are saying screw them or is it that the repubs are always getting screwed by the dems and they are looking for a free ride on someone elses back?
Dems are floundering...so obvious.
Your broke because of the republican party, it not hard to figure out.
It is hard to figure out if you only watch FOX News.
If you are broke, you could do what liberals do when they need money. Get a job you worthless leach.
Cheney and Rove are the most dangerous men in America today. Then you have the Koch brothers and Addelson and all their cronies, they are trying to change our country for the sole purpose of making them more money? The Koch brothers father was best friends with John Birch. It was amazingly easy for the right to fool a multitude of right wing want to be richer, the bible thumpers, racist southerners.
Koch industries make all sorts of things find out what they are and do not buy them.
Willard is obviously the order Muppet, so he should choose a chaos Muppet--just for balance. Ryan sucks up to Ayn Rand, how much more chaotic could he get?
Rommey wants to keep his choice as secret as he kept his policies secret in Mass. where he even took the hard drives with him when he left office.He is a lot like Nixon he believies in keeping eveything secret and bugging eveyone he thinks are agaisnt him.
Hey john1256, change the name and you've hit it on the head. Let me show you. " Obama is keeping his illegal policy choices from the duly elected Congress, (who by the way are the ones who are supposed to make the laws, not the President). He is like Carter, believing in redistribution and trying to divide this country and those who disagree with his incredibly socialistic policies. Funny how all you liberals, progressives, democRATS or whatever you call yourselves now days think it's perfectly all right to smear those who disagree with this President's policies but you ALL have a little "hissy fit" when they fight back. Here's a thought "IF YOU CAN't STAND THE HEAT, STAY OUT OF THE KITCHEN!
Once again NBC creatively edits a Romney appearance to make the video show something that didn't happen. If NBC is lying to us about something so trivial and doing it more often then not, what else are they lying to us about.
Whoever Governor Romney selects as his vice president will be at least one thousand times more intelligent than the idiot sitting in the oval office right now and his "backup". We have a Commander in Chief, (and I use those words loosely), who doesn't even know how to pronounce the word Corpsman correctly, and he's supposed to be the head of our armed forces? Guess that's what happens when you elect nothing more than an inept community organizer to do a grown-up job. Obama has proven to me being President of the United States certainly is well above his pay grade.
You Bush worshipers are sure the one's to talk about how a president pronounces words.
Just think, if that Corpsman puts some air in his tires he wont need any foreign oil as he drives to all 57 states looking for job......the man's an idiot.
ABO 2012
I wonder if Romney thinks that the VP pick will be another Etch-a-Sketch? You know, when Romney finds
out that hie first choice isn't any smarter than Sarah Palin, will Romney get to shake that Etch-a-Sketch
and start over with Grover Norquist?