It occurs to me that the candidates for the Republican nomination all still think they have a chance to win it. I know, the primaries aren't over yet. But you know these guys are thinking about winning. And that leads to thinking about the Veep selection.
The spare, as it were.
The Republican convention is in August. Traditionally the announcement is just before the convention.
The potential candidates for the Republican Presidential nomination at this time are: Newt, Mitt, Paul, and Santorum.
Who would they choose, and what strategic reasons they might have for their choices?
And just to keep it light...who'd be a bad choice, and for what reasons?
Coming from a liberal perspective, I think all of these guys, with the exception of Rick Santorum* could use a woman as veep candidate, but that may not be necessary to please a republican crowd.
Many republicans would vote against a female candidate for president even if they thought she had the best ideas and standards. Many of us already know this because we have read perspectives like this from far right republican males towards Michelle Bachmann.
I'm going to take a look to see if any women in the field could be tapped as veep running mates.
I'd like to invite you to put forth your ideas as well, and your reasons for the picks.
*Santorum can't use a woman for Veep because he believes thats not what women are used for.
Newt seems to have a chance in this race, so he should be seriously vetting candidates for his veep spot, and we know that he is, because Newt is a man of big ideas, with an even bigger head.
He is definitely going to look for someone attractive, at least 20 years younger than him, and accomplished, with good legs, hair, and teeth. Someone who could be her own woman, but doesn't really want to. A woman who lives to stroke his ego, take down his ideas while he free-associates, and calls his wife to tell her he is working late again. Someone "pretty enough" to be Vice President.
I don't think that there is a single female republican representative or senator who could fill this role for Newt. All of them are used to having assistants, not being one, and I doubt any of them would want to sit on his lap. Each and every one of them would expect to be treated as an equal, and not a bauble from Tiffany's.
It would have to be someone relatively unknown to fit those requirements, and I know that wouldn't be enough for Newt. He is going to want someone capable of reflecting him in all his glorious new-tee-ness by having their accomplishments complement his.
It definitely could not be Sarah Palin. There is no way in hell Newt would pick Sarah. For one thing, she may be even more hated than him, and while Newt is not a brilliant man, he can count.
It is a quandary. Really. Intellectually Newt must know that to get the women's vote, the ones that aren't self-hating right wing Christians, anyways, Newt could benefit by presenting voters with a strong female presence for Veep on the podium.
It is clear that the bobble-headed Missus Newt is incapable of projecting a strong female presence. She clearly has been to the Stepford factory for an upgrade. Recently. Can you say Laura? I knew you could. Plus, she represents all of his foibles when it comes to serial adultery. She is introduced as "wife", but what people are thinking is "mistress he left wife #2 for".
Seriously though, there are a number of women representatives, and I looked at a few of them.
Accomplished women. Women who would EXPECT to be treated with respect.
And that is why, after careful consideration, I cannot see Newt choosing a woman for Veep.
Looking at the reasons why a female veep would benefit Newt have left me confused, more than satisfied. As the republican and user of women that he is, a strong female presence would simultaneously help and hurt Newt. It is an unknown ratio.
I can, though, pick a "fun" candidate. I pick Anne Coulter. Between the two of them they'd be the nastiest tongues in the race. Willing to say anything, and I mean anything, to win an argument. Way too much chum in the water.
So, since Anne Coulter clearly will not be the Veep choice, it will have to be a man.
I know there is lots of chatter about Rubio, who is a tea party guy, and also, he says he isn't interested.
I don't really see Newt picking anybody who is tea party associated. He likes to preen about how he is not the establishment, but that is just the "owie" from the Congressional heat he took round about the time he got slapped with over 300K in fines talking.
He is as inside, as "establishment" as you can get without actually being a Senator or Representative.
The RCC site is pushing Paul Ryan. Really? I know. It seems insane, judging by how much the guy is hated. But this is a strange season, and they are saying things like this about him:
If you’re looking for someone who appeals to middle class voters, Paul Ryan could talk nostalgically about how his hardworking great-grandfather started the Ryan Incorporated Central construction business. Or perhaps he’ll stump about his years of driving the Wienermobile for Oscar Meyer to put himself through college. Some of his other odd jobs during college included opening mail for Wisconsin Senator Bob Kasten as a lowly intern, waiting tables at the Tortilla Coast restaurant, and fitness training at the Washington Sport and Health Club, to name a few. He’s a pretty “real” guy, wouldn’t you say?
And you know, it has a certain symmetry. Picture Newt on the stage while Ryan talks about driving the Oscar Meyer truck while attending college.
I like it.
For Mitt I would suggest Kay Bailey Hutchinson. She is from Texas, she is a Senator, and she was passed over for GWB as a potential presidential veep candidate in favor of Dick. Cheney., who we all know as "the puppetmaster".
She brings huge numbers of voters from Texas, and the South, and takes the edge off of Mitt's Northern Wall Street Corporate raider persona. She is not nearly as rich as Mitt, being worth somewhere between 3 and 7 million. So they are both 1%ers, and they would be able to shore each other up in defense of keeping America united, because America is Right and the 99% are Wrong! Downside for Mitt: she is probably smarter than him.
For a fun pick I would suggest Delaware Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell. It would show him as tolerant of other religions. And she is poor. So she could represent the 99% for a united candidacy.
Don’t Expect A Long Shot VEEP…
The race is still in full-swing, but if we’re going to run with Romney here for a minute, it’s safe to say that he’s not going to make any wild, rash decisions. He’s run his campaign slow, steady and cautiously thus so far, so for him to pick a big “surprise” (as McCain did with Palin) seems unrealistic. So I’d say we can probably count out the women and Latinos on the list who have not been thoroughly vetted or who are not well-known already. These shining stars have plenty of years to work on their careers and make their own runs for the White House. I think the pains of the McCain selection are too fresh in the minds of Republicans to make the same mistake twice.
Look at the quote above. The writer is pretty definitively saying a woman will not be picked just because of the Sarah Palin debacle. The wound is that fresh.
The names they put forth with the most amount of enthusiasm are Chris Christie (good luck with that, guys), Rand Paul, Eric Cantor (cautiously, because the President has made him a controversial and divisive figure) Yes. Thats Right. Mr. Cantor and his smug smirk and devious doings had nothing to do with it. It was the President.
(Some people like to mention Eric Cantor, but President Obama has made him the face of Republican resistance lately and he’s widely viewed as a very polarizing figure in Washington)
OK. Santorum. Well, as already discussed, Mr. Santorum believes that women are not suited for executive positions, only horizontal ones. So it will be a man.
Someone with a really nice...backswing. And good pecs. It could be one of those C street thug-"Christians", except his good friend Senator Ensign. Remember him? Former Senator Ensign had to resign in disgrace rather than face charges. After Rick so kindly warned him of what was coming his way, so he could get his story straight. Rick had received a letter from the man who was married to Sen. Ensign's mistress, and he had hoped that Rick was an honest man who would help him. Sorry. Nope. He called Senator Ensign to warn him faster than you can say "every sperm is sacred".
Those C street guys are with Santorum on cleaning up teh gays. They even backed an Ethiopian law which allowed gay people to be executed.
Rewarding one of "The Family" with the Veep slot seems like a sound choice for Santorum. And when I say sound I mean fucking crazy.
So I am going to go whole hog and say he'll pick Jim DeMint. If that doesn't set your teeth on edge and make the hair on the back of your neck rise up, well, you haven't been paying attention.
But if I HAD to pick a woman, it would be Cindy Jacobs, the Evangelical nutbar preacher who thinks dead birds fell from the sky because of DADT. They would be like wine and water. Like fire and brimstone. Like...nuts and fruitcake.
Fun pick for Mr. Santorum's Veep slot: Orley Taitz. That is strictly for fun. I'm not even certain she is not an alien. From outer space. As far as I know that wouldn't be allowed.
Last but not least: Ron Paul.
A woman for Veep? I'm sorry, but I cannot think of a single public figure who is a libertarian and a woman. Maybe Ron will understand that to win the presidency he cannot have two libertarians on the ticket. I know, I know, he cannot win, just play along ok?
Ron is pretty old, for a presidential candidate. So he will want someone young enough to seem vibrant as a counter to his age. White. That really goes without saying.
Honestly. There is no one but his son. Oy. That won't work, will it. A father-son team for president. Too creepy.
That weird combination cannot possibly work, but I can see no alternative that would.
Can you?