The right running mate for Romney

Washington Post ^ | May 28, 2012 | Michael Gerson

[Cincinatus' Wife]

[SNIP]

Christie would not transform New Jersey into a presidential swing state — a persistent but hopeless Republican dream. But he could contribute to the repositioning of the Romney campaign in two important, seemingly contradictory ways. Christie would provide an infusion of blue-collar combativeness, which is foreign to Romney and pleasing to GOP conservatives. At the same time, Christie would represent a move to the ideological center. He is not a global warming skeptic. He supported an assault weapons ban in his state. He is an immigration moderate and has friendly relations with New Jersey’s Muslim community.

Christie, at his worst, is capable of nastiness and name-calling — tendencies he would need to keep in check on a national ticket. But who else in the Republican Party combines a tea party tone with a relatively moderate public record? What other choice would cause Republicans to pray for 10 vice presidential debates?

Everyone on Romney’s short list of prospective running mates is impressive. But Christie has the skills of a vice president.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

So.....A pleasing move to the MODERATE MIDDLE

along with.....

NASTINESS and NAME-CALLING associated with and "pleasing" to Tea Party voters on the "extreme Right."

There it is - folks - the GOP-e VP plans.

[biggredd1]

romney would have lost if the conservatives didn’t split the vote. If romney adds a moderate he loses to a kenyan commie usurper with 20% unemployment, $16T in debt etc. Yesterday romney and mccain appeared in san diego festival in front of 5K people. If Sarah Palin is the VP, that crowd would have been 20K.

[wiggen]

Pass on him. It won’t go over well here i know but we need someone to the right of Romney just not too far.

[kenmcg]

Christie is just a loud mouth, all one has to do is look at his top court nominees, some excessively lib.

[LS]

I have a totally different take. I would much rather Romney take the most RINOish person available from the Senate in a state where a conservative can appoint the replacement. Perhaps SC's laws are such that we could get Grahamnesty out of the Senate. That would be a "two-fer," then you have to hope that nothing happens to Romney.

Contrary to what conservatives think they want, the WORST thing would be to draw a strong conservative, like a Rubio, or a Paul or DeMint out of the Senate, where we desperately need them, and put him in a nothing job like Veep. Let Grahamnesty simmer in nowhere for four years.

[icwhatudo]

Romney does not need to “move to the middle” with his VP pick, he needs to move to the right with a strong conservative. Romney has already locked up the mushy middle and the GOP-e types...now he needs to make it easier for conservatives to hold their nose.

[Grams A]

You forgot the part about “Tea Party tone”. Such total B S.

[aposiopetic]

I suppose if Graham works that way, so does McCain?

[pistolpackinpapa]

NASTINESS and NAME-CALLING associated with and “pleasing” to Tea Party voters on the “extreme Right.”
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I’m not so sure this is the GOP-e VP plans. I think it is the Washington Post’s “hope”. Every ugly confrontation Christie has had would be replayed a thousand times; like the time he took the Navy Seal to task for asking a fair question.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

A pair of glib northeastern moderate Republicans.
Yeah, that’ll do it.

[Haiku Guy]

The only way Jersey goes Republican is if there is such a hugh wave, it gets carried along. I’m series about this. New Jersey wants to vote Democratic, and as long as there is a credible Democrat on the ballot, he will win.

If the Democrat is so hapless that he is not a credible candidate, New Jersey will vote for a Republican alternative. But that is a special case. Like Carter in 1980 or Torricelli in 2002, New Jersey voters have to be backed into a corner before they will support a Republican. And if that is the case, it does not really matter who the Republican is, because it is primarily a negative vote against the Democrat. So there is no advantage to centrism in New Jersey.

Because given the choice between a credible Democrat and a centrist Republican, they will pick the Democrat every single time. The GOP has to give up on this fantasy that they can peel centrist Democrats away in New Jersey. Not gonna happen.

It may be, by the time November comes around, Obama is a non-credible candidate on the order of Jimmy Carter, so New Jersey might actually be in play. But if the Democrats are that hapless, it will just be running up the score at that point. (Of course, if Obama is that far behind, look for the Torricelli Switch around about November 12. Another thing they learned in New Jersey...)

[Beagle8U]

A NE liberal gun grabber, that likes Muslims and believes in gorebull warming.

What kind of idiot thinks that would add to a GOP ticket?

You don't win by picking a liberal slob that will cause you to lose Red states.

[bill1952]

The WaPo would LOVE Cristie because it would guarantee a stunning loss.

Face it, Mitt needs a VP who will deliver a state in contention.
Anything else is useless.
Santorum is OK, to the right of Mitt & if he can deliver PA, then this is an entirely new election.

[thatjoeguy]

Exactly

[GBA]

The second weakest gopE candidate in history chooses one of the more obnoxious rino governors as veep and that equals a winning ticket in gopE math?

More supporting evidence that demonrat controlled, union run government "schools" are working as advertised.

We are now ready for the fabled Dust Bin of History.

[Brookhaven]

A non-controversial person with a defense background would be a logical choice as VP. Graham would be a logical choice (other than the fact that SC isn’t a swing state), plus it would mean one less RINO in the senate.

Christie is an example of the worst choice. Loud, controversial, the press would play it as Christie vs Obama (just as they tried to make it Palin vs Obama in 2008).

This election should be a referendum on Obama and the progressive left.

[Vigilanteman]

Exactly.

Michael Savage, Sarah Palin and I (even before either of these two superstars) already have given him the best possible advice on a VP pick if he is willing to listen: Col. Allen West.

Plus, I can assure you that any of us three would rather see him dragged over the finish line even reluctantly in November rather than lose as is the desire of the Washington ComPost.

[ScottinVA]

best possible advice on a VP pick if he is willing to listen: Col. Allen West.

Romney's too risk-averse to throw the long ball with West, though it'd be a great move. He'll stay "safe" and bland, and choose someone like Sen. John Thune, SD.

[Georgia Girl 2]

“Christie would represent a move to the ideological center. He is not a global warming skeptic. He supported an assault weapons ban in his state. He is an immigration moderate and has friendly relations with New Jersey’s Muslim community”

Yes everything we want in a VP or a President. Not!!!

[iopscusa]

Christie is not likely for VP in my OP....Condi Rice would serve well in the role as she did serve as GWB’s beard and could do so for Romney too.

[Colonel_Flagg]

It seems like every day, Mutt tells me he neither needs nor wants my vote.

What busts my chops is so many people on this website telling me I have to give that vote to him anyway.

[SamAdams76]

Yesterday romney and mccain appeared in san diego festival in front of 5K people. If Sarah Palin is the VP, that crowd would have been 20K.

Probably so. But it's time to move on and accept the fact that Palin is apparently not interested in being on the ticket this go-around. Besides, knowing Romney as I do (being from Massachusetts), there's no way in hell Romney will tap her for VP as Palin will immediately outperform and outdraw him and too many people will begin to question the order of the ticket.

I'm thinking Mitt Romney will go for a woman as VP however for two reasons. One, for the historical angle and two, to counter any thoughts of Obama dumping Biden for Hillary.

I would not be surprised to see Romney select Kelly Ayotte, senator from New Hampshire. Now I know she's practically from Romney's backyard but the notion of "balancing the ticket" by selecting a running mate in a different region of the country is becoming an outdated one in these days of instant communication. Ayotte is well respected in New England and if she can help Romney deliver NH and a few other northeastern states, it's curtains for Obama.

Politically, she seems to be to the right of Romney on many issues but I realize that's not saying a whole lot.

[LS]

No, no former #1 would ever consider being a #2. GHWBush worked because he had never been the nominee.

[patriot08]

Chris Christie goes berserk when criticised about appointing a Muslim judge:

“Sharia Law has nothing to do with this at all, it’s crazy!” he cried. “The guy is an American citizen!” He concluded that the “Sharia Law business is just crap… and I’m tried of dealing with the crazies,” adding with disgust and frustration that “it’s just unnecessary to be accusing this guy of things just because of his religious background.”

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/chris-christie-lashes-out-at-crazies-after-appointing-muslim-judge-the-sharia-law-business-is-just-crap/

NO THANKS!

[9YearLurker]

Romney’s a bore and he’ll select a bore—I’m guessing Portman.

[altura]

No, he wouldn’t. You’re dreaming. Santorum and Gingrich together did not equal Romney’s votes in the last few states.

I doubt that Sarah Palin would agree to run for veep again, but she might. She needs to stay relevant to do what she wants to do.

But would Romney want her? Would that be too reminiscent of 2008?

there are several good candidates. After today, Romney will have the nomination sewed up and can be more open about his selection.

[ansel12]

Romney exists to block conservatism, he is unlikely to put a conservative in place to undo in the future what he and the GOP left accomplish.

A fake conservative would work for him, but not a Reagan like Palin.

[Clintonfatigued]

Chris Christie isnt’ perfect, but he’s not a RINO. He might put New Jersey within striking distrance and would help in some down-ballot races, notably the U.S. Senate race.

My expectation is that Rob Portman of Ohio will be chosen. Not a great choice, but a safe and acceptable one.

[JSDude1]

BARF!

[Georgia Girl 2]

I don’t see Christie getting the nod either. More like Rob Portman, Bob Mcdonnell or Jeb Bush.

[iopscusa]

I actually like the idea of a low key presidency and VP. I also think we have a need to remove some of the power of the Executive Branch.

[nascarnation]

I also think we have a need to remove some of the power of the Executive Branch.

We need to downsize the FedGov like "Chainsaw Al" Dunlap and "Neutron Jack" Welch did with private companies.