[Jack Black]

He has said he wants someone with government experience. I think this is key. Remember Trump will be facing the most horrific onslaught of media hate that we have ever seen. It will have several components, but one will be "it's too risky, he doesn't know anything about how the government works".

So, that argues first and foremost for a Governor.

The other key hate on Trump messages are "he's racist" and "he is anti-woman".

Thus your ideal running mate would defuse all these issues, or at least one or two.

So I think first consideration will be given to the three sitting GOP Governors. NIkki Haley, Susan Martinez and Mary Fallin (of Oklahoma).

I believe Martinez does not like Trump, though she would be good by being Latino. (She seems to speak Spanish easily, as one would expect in New Mexico).

Haley is the best known. She gets 1/2 credit for being Asian Indian, but has some controversy around her, and also may not be a Trump fan.

That leaves Mary Fallin. She said just today she is excited by the Trump candidacy and is honored that she has been mentioned as a possible running mate.

She needs to be vetted, but on first blush I would put her at the top of the list.

The Hannity poll is full of has-beens and wanna-bes. Top group are has-beens and I don't see Trump going backwards to them. Second group is at least fresh ,but none (except maybe Scott) are really compelling.

• Santorum is a loser and toxic. Trump doesn't want to spend the campaign arguing about contraception, scratch him.
• Ben Carson has no government experience, which Trump says he wants and needs, scratch him. I don't think you can pick
• Ted Cruz after you've called him "Lyin' Ted Cruz" for months. Scratch him.
• Huckabee, Christie and Perry - nothing wrong with them too much but nothing right either. Yesterday's news for all of them.
  • Perry might be the best of the three, less baggage, and
  • Christie the worst. He's not liked in Jersey anymore.
  • Huck is very old news, not dynamic
• Newt - I'm skeptical, but he seems more plausible than most of those named above. Still two white guys, two know-it-alls, doesn't add much. li>Palin - past her sell-by date, already ran and lost, and has done nothing in the public sector since then, copy-cat of McCain unflattering to Trump. - scratch her

• Jindal and Rubio the bright faces of the future, but both tarnished by poor showings in the campaign.
  • Jindal seems interested.
  • "Little Marco" not as bad as "Lyin' Ted", but still..
• Kasich - maybe. He never seemed to get under Trump's skin and could deliver Ohio. Best of the former candidates. The backup choice?
• Rick Scott - maybe. Florida is sure important to Trump,

Which is why I get back to a woman, for sure, and maybe the Gov. of Oklahoma.

Sean Hannity is just the fountain of conventional wisdom, isn't ne.

PS: I predicted Palin for McCain using the same process long before almost anyone else mentioned her in 2008, so either I was good or lucky. I guess we'll know in two months.

[Kit cat]

I REALLY like Walker however he is horrible on the campaign trail VERY little charisma!!!!

[AuntB]

Mary Fallin?

See http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3427463/posts

Sadly, many Oklahomans don’t seem to like her.

[ek_hornbeck]

"Little Marco" not as bad as "Lyin' Ted", but still..

The only reason to have Rubio on board is if Rubio could help deliver Florida. However, Rubio is despised in his home state (he's not running for re-election to the Senate because he wouldn't get re-elected) and therefore brings absolutely nothing to the table. The notion that Rubio represents the "Future of the GOP" is just a bunch of self-serving hype from the RNC.