Posted on 07/13/2016 10:41:46 AM PDT by SamAdams76
Within the next 48-72 hours, we should know who Donald Trump has chosen for a running mate. Some think it will be Friday and others think it will be over the weekend. But chances are, we will know by this time on Saturday (just three days from now) as typically candidates want to maximize the convention news cycle and announcing a few days prior will help accomplish that and build some excitement leading into the convention itself.
I have no idea who Trump is going to pick but I do know this: Once the pick is made, there is sure to be much caterwauling, foot stamping and other displays of disappointment, rage and indignation.
I believe that there is no "perfect" running mate for Trump. No matter who he chooses, it is sure to be a letdown for many. I feel that many Trump supporters have built expectations so high for this running mate that there is little chance that Trump can meet them. Maybe Trump does have a surprise pick up his sleeve that has not yet been discussed but of the ones bandied about (Newt, Pence, Sessions, Christie, etc.), there is little WOW factor and will be a lot of BLAH for many.
I will support whoever Trump chooses and I will ride out the resultant storm that is sure to erupt here and elsewhere. Once the dust settles and we have the convention next week, I think we will all get on board and support this ticket as the stakes are too high.
Historically, it seems that the VP pick has always been sort of a letdown and I'm hard pressed to remember an election where the selection of VP made a material difference in the November outcome.
Sarah Palin was definitely the most exciting and "outside the box" choice of my generation. But she had the misfortune to run with McCain, already a grouchy old man with no fire in the belly to win. McCain essentially kept her bottled up and never let her find her own voice. Therefore, the media was able to define her as a lightweight right off the bat. She was to be a bright shining GOP star of the future but was never able to overcome all the media adversity. It also didn't help that unwed daughter Bristol was very much pregnant at convention time and was handled very poorly by the McCain campaign, allowing the media to have a feeding frenzy the weekend into the convention.
One piece of advice for a VP candidate: Know the title of a book you recently read and be prepared to discuss it!
In the end, I do not think Palin made a difference in the 2008 election. McCain lost it on his own. Here's a piece of advice for a presidential candidate: Never "suspend" your campaign in the final stage so that you can help solve a crisis that your party helped create.
My favorite vice president was Dick Cheney but basically they are forgettable footnotes in history. Even Cheney was butt of jokes with his "undisclosed location" meme.
Typically vice presidents that go on to be president don't go on to have successful presidencies. Harry Truman being a notable exception. But when Truman was selected in 1944 by FDR, there was definitely a major BLAH factor. For a Democrat, Truman was mostly OK in my book and is remembered today as one of our better presidents. So you never really know.
But consider this. Maybe Trump is not focused on choosing his potential successor for 2024 (or 2020) with his VP pick. Perhaps he is just looking to put some political experience on the ticket (like GWB did with Cheney) who has no desire to run for president his or herself. This will allow Trump's successor to emerge and be developed at a later time.
Feel free to chime in on who you think will get chosen but this thread isn't really about that. It's about tempering our expectations and making the best of the hand we are about to be dealt.
Here's hoping that Trump has a wild card up his sleeve for VP and really WOWS us like he did when he first announced his own candidacy in New York City just over a year ago. Who knew a year ago that we'd be where we are today! Even if Trump goes with a conventional VP, we will still have a real choice this November.
That’s why I put “almost everyone” in there.
Dewey or Wilkie would have.
Thanks, I’ll learn more about him.
Can I tell you just how much of an inspiration that picture is to me?
It’ll be Pence. For better or worse.
My money is on Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III. Although I would hate losing him as my Senator.
I don't know much about this Mike Pence so I'll keep an open mind. My first reaction is BLAH but maybe he'll grow on me. Definitely could be worse.
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