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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.
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Mitt's choice for VP must have the ability to say nothing while saying everyting. He/she will be a perfect match for him.
Good to see Romney keeping a lid on these discussions. Romney is competing with a well organized, well funded professional politician whose cronies would like nothing better than to rev up "ye old attack machine" on something new.
Democrats lampoon Romney, but what he is doing is quite shrewd. The pick will be a safe one, and Obama will be forced continue to pretend like Romney is the only rich guy ever to run for public office, and continue to make up policies to appease every single minority voter he can find.
Romney and his brain trust aren't going to give Axlerod and Co. the opportunity to create more distraction from the actual issues. They will get the name of the pick out there, allow the Democrats to try and kick over a bunch of rocks and find nothing, and then actually have to argue Obama's record. That, mind you, is the very last thing Obama wants to do.
Romney will do what Democrat voters have prevented from happening in 2008, a woman in the White House. The Democrats had a golden opportunity to elect the first woman president, but gave the nomination to a lesser qualified person because they couldn't handle a strong woman. Then Obama could have chosen Hillary as his running mate, but again snubbed her and made her a secretary instead. Looks like it's up to the Republicans to break the gender barrier.
In the last presidential election Republican strategists figured that if John McCain nominated a woman VP every voter with a vagina would vote for their candidate. This year they are toying with nominating a right wing Cuban for Vice President with hopes that every voter with a Hispanic surname will vote for a right wing Mormon who believes that mainstream Christianity has got it all wrong and that Jesus --after he was crucified-- appeared before an Indian tribe in South America...and gave the Later Day Saints the REAL scoop. Let me give you Republicans some free advise: Please, Please, Please nominate Marco Rubio for VP. His last name -- in the largest of Hispanic circles in America (Mexicans)--is slang for "White".
Are you saying Hispanics are smarter than blacks and not vote simply for a person's ethnicity? After all, 98% of blacks voted for Obama because of his color.
Only and idiot would construe a question like this. You are really showing your ignorance of history. I think you have proven your qualifications to be a Republican.
the true ignorance are those that voted for Obama after seeing his resume.
I say there is at least a 50% chance Mitt Romney will have a mental breakdown before the November election.
I don't think this guy is even close to understanding whats coming his way in the way of pressure and he appears to be cracking already.
Stay Tuned Votes !!!!
He could pick Jesus Christ as his running mate. It wouldn't matter. He has a snowball's chance in Hell.
Jesus Christ is dead. He votes Democratic in the Chicago elections now.
Is it true that they have to test Biden to see if he is not brain dead before he is allowed to partner up with "elephant ears" again?
Mitt doesn't have one real Republican that wants to be on the ticket and the losers he has already name aren't worth it. Rubio is scared his lies will come out and others can't win their own State. Scott Walk is busy fighting his criminal charges now that the election is over. The only person left that Americans are in fear of is Dick Cheney who shown he isn't pass killing a person who dare speak out. So Mitt might have to go to Darth Cheney and Cheney can get those warrants lifted against him all over the World. Great ticket a Vietnam Draft Dodger as President and a prove War Criminal as Vice President as Romney/Cheney.
But really Jack - is Obama the most qualified candidate in the entire Dem party? Isn't there someone that has some experience and background in that entire party? He would not make the lost of the top fifty candidates on teh GOP side - and it is not because he is Black. Condi Rice or Herman Cain would make an incredibly better president than Obama and they are really Black. Blacks who are capable and who can thinks tend to vote Republicans. The others are on welfare in the Democrat fold!
WATERHOLE You must be kidding with the clown show we just had. your brains must be up your ass.
"I don't remember what I said...but what ever it was...I stand by it"
This guy is "Dorkier" than Dan Quayle was.
And Joe Biden makes Dan Quayle look loke a Rhodes Scholar. And I agree Dan Quayle was a weak vice-president, no doubt about it! Still, Joe Biden... ? There is not a single redeeming quality.
Who needs to crack up anything? Your looney tune candiate makes enough amuniation on his own: Reference: "I need to send my wife to Betty Ford Center for her horse... addiction."
He thinks he is SO witty. Sickening and fake.
Is everybody out there having as much fun as we are being a swing state? The nasty political commercials are every other one here in Colorado. Yea for the MUTE button!!!!!!
The turly negative ads that include outright lies are coming from Obama - even though he promised he would limit them. As you say, yea for the Mute button!!!
And what the hell is amuniation Investigator? Was fourth grade so tough that you had to quit?
Romney manned and registered for the draft in 1970. He drew #202. The highest number drawn was #195. Hardly a draft dodger.
That was the first round. There were many other rounds that he was able to get out of serving. Like all the other Repub Chicken Hawks, they love war as long as they are not the ones doing the fighting! Romney is nothing but a coward in an expensive suit.
No Gonz - you are dead wrong. You only had the one pick in the year you were eligible. There was a lottery every year but each year had a different group eligible. I was #317 in the year I was eligible and that was it
You are spreading lies here - or maybe it is just ignorance. Now you know beteter and should stop!
And it was ROnald Reagn who said that it was immoral for the government to take a child from his mother in this involuntary way. By the way, Bill Clinton also managed to evade the draft and I don't think it was because of his lottery nukmber. Do you know how he managed it?
Not a dodger, just an evader.
Is there a Latino Howdy-Doody doll out there for Mutt?
Your racism stinks.
There is such a clown, but he is presently serving as Secretary of the Interior.
how to find someone who says less and means less than Mitt ?
What is really impossible is to find someone who knows less than Obama. It is said that he has never entered a room where he wasn't the least knowledgeable persoin at the table.
Did anyone see that tape of him sitting withh Putin. The Russian was looking at Obama with such disdain knowing that he could lead him by the nose.
Hey Mittens! It's OK to pick a woman just not a dingbat this time.
And yet Palin was infinitely more prepared to be president than Obama was and is.
Now that is a scary statement, considering what we know now. Palin is not fit to lick Obamas shoe.
What do we know now that proves such an ignorant and woman-hating statement? Palin was governor of a state and turned it around. Obama's previous community organizer background made him incapable of doing anything but play golf and do fundraisers. His only success came by following the Bush path - and he forgot to mentioin that he had inherited that mechanism which ultimately took OBL doiwn! A total fraud - a petulant and totally incompetent man-child.
He could pick a retarded turnip and have a better vice-president than the one we have now!
Or You. Do you want to be VP?
Good point James. Either you or I would be better than Biden. Hell, either of us could do a better job as president than Obama - and we would be pathetic!
If Romney picks the right running mate he may win.
lets hope he picks Ryan.
Yes Ryan, Ayn Rand and all that. The guy is a dick head.
Yoou liberals are really running scared aren't you? Come on - it won't be so bad that you could actually find a job and not have to live on welfare. Be adults and take account of your lives. You can do iit!
I equate Ryan with flaming a$$hole. And Watermoon, Liberals are wealthier and control more property than those who claim to be Conservatives. Unfortunately its the Conservatives who need to get off their collective a$$es and do something.
Gawd, would people please stop mentioning Trouble Pawlenty? at least if you use the name of that loser, also use "bridge" with it. his Indian name is "tim tim tumbling bridges," you know. just the kind of falling knife Romney needs to insure a McGovern-like loss in November.
You want my vote............How about adding Condeleeza Rice to the ticket?
I don't know Lefties, I think your guy has some problems. He needs something positive, something real and positive. Not the fuzzy bs his administration puts out. The American people want change in Washington. He promised change and that's what got him elected. You can talk about right, left, black and white all you want but the promise of change put him in the white-house but he delivered nothing. Actions talk...bull$hit walks.
ABO 2012
Well put..and I don't even like Romney.
Yea, Obama did not keep some promise so lets just let the Koch brothers try to buy the next president. Any of you little right winger think Romney cares about you? Yea, he will give you a minimun wage job with no benifits or retirement and you just better like it. Maybe your kid can pick strawberries after all the mexicans self deport.
Without a doubt, it will be Rubio. Why? Because he's (relatively) cute.
The way MSNBC edits Romney's comments, it's surprising that they didn't give the impression that Romney was vetting Mickey Mouse. Check out "NBC edits Romney rally Speech to portray Candidate as out of touch" on Fox News.
He is Mickey Mouse!
You can be sure that Romney won't make the same mistake that McCain made.
Anyone would be an improvement than Biden the clown.Oblame'O still won with Biden. No matter, Romney's going to win no matter who he picks.
The bigger story will be when desparate O'panderer in Chief dumps Biden for Hillary.
Bill willl never let that happen. He still hates Obama for using the race card against them back in 2008. It is so much fun to see him "slip" and say things that undermine Obama - like talking about Romney's sterling business record. Bill Clinton doesn't make such mistakes as he measures every word. Now we hear that the Democrat senators and governor from West virginia are not going to the convention. The rats are leaving the sinking ship!
This election is a choice between two visions for the future of America: One vision is for continuation of the progressive vision of a balance between equality and freedom as the moral foundation of justice, and a more recent conservative vision of an entitlement due the wealthy and the equivalence of corporations to the rights and protections of natural persons under the Constitution.
The free market is a myth: if it isn't regulated by government to prevent fraud, it is regulated by the corporate oligarchy to prevent competition. Free means not having to go to jail for fraud and theft.
A progressive future is one in which government is a custodian of the public trust and advocates for justice; where justice is a balance between equality and freedom. Government as a custodian of the public trust means that everyone plays by the same rules and that everyone is equal before the law. Public trust means the rights of the people to preserve and protect the common property of the United States is not severable to the interests of privatization. Public trust means that a corporation has no rights except those given to it by law and does not have equal standing with a natural born person under the Constitution.
The conservative future is one of a hostile corporate takeover with privatization of government functions. The corporate takeover means that having wealth is an effective barrier to others participating in the process of government. It means that government would no longer serve the interests of the community but collaborate with the wealthy corporate owners to establish a separate set of laws that entitle them to preferential treatment while creating barriers to competition by eliminating opportunities for others.
This election is a moral choice between affiliation or aggression, empathy or egotism, service or selfishness, cooperation or competitiveness.
The tale of two visions is the difference between a government of the people, by the people and for the people, and a government run by a plutocracy of corporate power.
So what do you call the failure we have now? A progressive socialist success? We don't have to wait for a progressive future because we are living a progressive failure now!! This government the custodian of my public trust?? What a joke. No thank you. Speak for yourself. This fool is heading us straight down the road to a socialist failure just like Greece, France and all the other failed socialist country's with nothing to sell to pay for all their failed social programs and give aways. Move to France. This guy is rich and for the rich himself being worth $10,000,000 himself, he doesn't speak for me. Where do you think he gets his campaign money, from food stamps????!!!!! He is in the %1 and gets his money from the rich %1 himself, like the Hollywood elite and rich corporations too. One doesn't have to look far to see socialism doesn't work, it's evident all over the world where it has failed over and over. We're living it now and it's a failure. Oblame'O has no experience in anything including socialism. He has no record of any kind. Romney may not have a perfect record but he HAS a record and experience far better and suited to do the job that Oblame'O can't and couldn't do.
180+ filibusters and counting. The highest number of filibusters in any one term of any President in the history of the Republic. Even the Dream Act passed Congress in 2010 but was filibustered.
On the eve of Obama's inauguration the RepoubliCON leadership meets to discuss a stretegy to make Obama a one term President. Feb 2009 Demint Tweets'we will break him" in referring to Obama.
So you blocked, delayed, denied, and stalled everything you can. So run on that- not that he isnt a leader, cant do anything. Have the guts to run on your convictions- you purposely blocked everything on your principles. Admit it- run on it.
But you know the American people will not approve so you lie, deny, cheat, and try and change history and reality. Come Nov 2012 the RepubliCON party will be defeated. Cant wait for the debates when Mittens wont be able to not say anything.
Hey Ryan- two years and waiting- what tax loopholes are you going to close to balance your budget- because the tax cuts INCREADES the deficit under your plan. Two years and you cant even state what your plan is.
So much for uniting the two parties to get things done.......amazing what can be done from the back of the bus.
160 fundraisers since April - and counting - more than the previous five presidents combined. All about schmoozing with millionaires and billionaires while Washington stagnates for want of a leader. And then add 100+ golf rounds since taking president - also a new presidential record. Hell, there are pros on the circuit that have played less than that - certainly that is more than I have played in my lifetime. And unlike the lie about the 180+ fillibusters, these numbers are accurate.
Hell Reid hasn't allowed the Senate to vote on anything near 180 bills since 2009, much less have that many fillibusters. And the first half of Obama's reign to date had a fillibuster-proof Senate. Making up lies when facts are embarrassing is a liberal thing, isn't it?
so stockpiling- how does one unite when one side is committed to a policy of non cooperation. It's now Obama's fault for the intransigence of the party of NO? But lets not call you unreasonable!!!!!!
Watermoon- in the age of a supreme court that shakes its head no(Alito at the state of the Union) when told they have created a monster- the first time a sitting President will be outspent in the history of this country. One man Sol Addelson, using money received from the Chinese, may donate 100 millon this cycle. Your only complaint is Obama having to fundraise to compete?
Republicans always favored unlimited donations but with full disclosure. Dems favored smaller donations(caps). RepubliCONS now want large donations and NO Disclosure.
Cant we agree on the obvious- get the money out of politics
watermoon- the 180 bills Reid hasnt voted on the so called jobs bills that Reid tells Boehner not to bother submitting because it wont pass. My favorite is HR2681 the cement regulatory relief act. We all know how the pent up demand for cement has laid off many construction workers and the epa demanding that the fine cement dust that if breathed in causes cancer and the Congress in its wisdom wants this regulation dropped(aliong with others). Are you for real- do you have any conception of what you write or just the same bs someone told you to say. As far as your inane golf comment do you realize just how many weeks of vacation DUBYA had taken at this time in his Presidency? Obviously not or you would not even mention the time off Obama has taken. What an idiot. Not one mention of the 180+ and counting filibusters or the determined action taken of denying the govt the ability to function.
Just more excuses for the Loser in chief. He couldn't do the job he said he would, PERIOD. Every president has to deal with the same issues this fool has to but they don't blame everyone else. He doesn't have the experience to deal with any of the BS a president has to put up with, where do you think a community organizer and a junior senator is going to get that kind of experience, from handing out pamplets on a street corner?