John Thune Rising: GOP senator on Romney's Veepstakes and his Future

thehill.com ^ | 07/16/12 | Alexander Bolton

[BarnacleCenturion]

Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) has reemerged as a viable vice presidential candidate who would check many of the boxes Mitt Romney is looking for in a running mate.

He’s an experienced legislator who has earned respect from both parties in Congress, and if he didn’t end up in a Romney cabinet many think he could one day become the Republican leader in the Senate.

In an interview with The Hill, Thune acknowledged he’s been to Boston to meet Romney’s senior advisers and has met Beth Myers, who is leading the search for the vice presidential nominee.

...

Thune also has a special ability to excite conservative pundits and grassroots activists, along with a plainspoken way of delivering a conservative message.

He was raised by devoutly Christian parents in an 800-square-foot home in Murdo, S.D. -— a town of fewer than 500 people — and can relate to the average American a lot better than most of his Senate colleagues.

[Timber Rattler]

The man who killed John Bolton's re-nomination at the U.N.

Yeah, that's a real winner.

[johniegrad]

If they switch positions on the ticket, I will take him.

[moovova]

Who HASN’T been on Romney’s VP radar?

[Miss Didi]

Drudge says it’s decided and then leads to a story about Pawlenty.

[nhwingut]

Pawlenty, Portman, Thune. Probably three of the most boring guys on our side.

But the Boston brain trust knows what it’s doing. Just look at the polls. They’re losing to Jimmy Carter 2.0.

[bigbob]

None of those brings Romney anything he needs...but then, neither did Jo(k)e Biden...

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Pawlenty, who sat on his hands while a senate seat was stolen.
Yeah, we need this dork like we need a hole in the head.

[Vigilanteman]

Other than having nice hair and being a big improvement on Tom Thumb Daschle, what has John Thune actually accomplished?

[nhwingut]

Other than having nice hair and being a big improvement on Tom Thumb Daschle, what has John Thune actually accomplished?

I don't know a lot about Thune. His bio and record is pretty conservative. But he's a frequent guest on Greta, and he comes off as non confrontational and weak.

[silverleaf]

Imagine John Thune getting the crowd fired up at the Convention and out in the dust bowl!

Imagine ... oh, never mind
Or as Willard would say “My Goodness..!”

[Cicero]

I just posted a comment in response to Drudge’s poll: None of the Above.

Every damn one of them is a fake conservative, a RINO in shabby disguise. And at least two of them are not Natural Born Citizens.

He knows that the conservative base wants a conservative, but he is completely unwilling to pick a real conservative—or to step aside and let a real conservative be candidate for POTUS. And the GOPe is entirely with him on this.

[Verginius Rufus]

South Dakota’s 3 electoral votes could be critical if it comes down to the wire, and Ford only carried the state by 4400 votes in 1976 so it can’t be taken for granted. The Republican candidate actually lost the state as recently as 1936.

[Vigilanteman]

But he's a frequent guest on Greta, and he comes off as non confrontational and weak.

IOW, too much like the guy at the top of the ticket.

[Perdogg]

All of this is a head fake, I think it will be Rubio (yes Rubio is NBC) although I prefer Martinez.

[BarnacleCenturion]

Drudge doesn’t know squat. He’s just guessing. His source in the Romney camp (Matt Rhoades) is not involved in the VP selection process. They are just playing with the news media.

[nhwingut]

LOL!

[SeekAndFind]

RE: I think it will be Rubio (yes Rubio is NBC) although I prefer Martinez.

You are going to have a whole host of FReepers who will disagree with you here regarding Rubio being Natural Born.

[Perdogg]

I know.

[The Great RJ]

I know John Thune and even went to high school with his cousins. However, Thune has been a shill for the ethanol lobby and even slipped in more ethanol subsidy money into the budget deal last fall. He was taken to task on this by Laura Ingraham. He is not my choice for VP and I think Condi Rice has more to offer.