The American Spectator

home
ADVERTISEMENT
Print Email
Text Size

Streetcar Line

Veep, Veep: The How and the Why

By on 5.9.12 @ 6:11AM

Finding the right mix of politics and principle — and doing rigorous prep work the McCain campaign wasn’t up to.

Having listed a group of long-shots for Mitt Romney to consider as his running mate, we hereby continue a multi-column analysis of who Romney should pick, and how, and why. This column will examine those last two questions — the “how” and the “why.”

First, let it be understood just how important it is that the vice-presidential candidate be qualified and prepared to be president on Day One of the administration. This isn’t just a pro forma, substance-less requirement; it’s crucial. Being president is an incredibly difficult job — or, at least, doing a reasonably decent job as president is very, very hard. It’s far more than mere instinct or mere belief in the right principles. High-level politics, like the top rungs in just about any other field, requires a highly developed skill set and a deep reservoir of knowledge of policy, history, personnel, and procedural rules, among other things. It is absurd to the point of stupidity to think that high-level experience doesn’t matter. It is absurd to the point of stupidity to think that familiarity with the ways of Washington is completely unimportant. And it shows a lack of understanding of both history and of human nature to think that just a year or two as a conservative reformer is an indicator that a potential candidate really will be a conservative reformer over the long haul.

If Mitt Romney is inaugurated on January 20 but, Lord forbid, dies of a heart attack on January 21, will his vice president be ready to assume the office?

Here’s my rule: Everybody without at least two full years in a relevant position should be ruled out. Period. The political graveyard is littered with the bodies of people who looked for two full years to be hugely successful reformers, only to lose either their political touch, their moral compass, or their commitment to political principle, once the bad-old-gang who had been temporarily vanquished by the would-be reformer has had a chance to regroup, re-plan, reload, and counter-attack. Former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer is a case in point: a good man and decent governor who bombed badly in his re-election campaign and in every subsequent run for office. Another was former Colorado Gov. Bill Owens, being touted as the nation’s best governor one year and effectively in oblivion the next.

Just about anybody with moderate political skills can look good during a honeymoon period in office; what really tests the mettle is how one behaves, and fares, once the honeymoon has worn off. (Christ Christie fans: Take note.)

Remember, too, that the two-year rule is a bare minimum, not an automatic qualifier. Nearly four years as governor of a homogenous state like Idaho might be far less relevant to the presidency than two full years as speaker of the state House in, say, Michigan — not that the latter would necessarily be a qualifier, either, but just that it might require better political skills and an admirably thicker political skin.

The question then becomes, what experience is indeed valuable? Other than my hard-and-fast two-year bare minimum, what are the criteria?

Alas, it’s a sliding scale, requiring a somewhat subjective analysis rather than arithmetical precision. But common sense, combined with experienced understanding of politics, should make this subjective task more clear than opaque.

One thing to reject is the current vogue that insists there is some sort of magic in executive experience, combined with a denigration of a legislative background. We should also reject the “Washington is bad, elsewhere is good” school of thought. Case in point for both: Jimmy Carter. Governor, business executive, Navy officer. Never in Washington. Yet utterly inept.

Was Bill Clinton any more adept at presidential leadership in his first few years because he had been governor for 12 years? No; in fact, the early years of his presidency were an utter amateur hour.

Harry Truman, on the other hand, assumed the presidency just a few months after leaving his perch in the Senate — the legislative arena where, by virtue of chairing a key committee that provided essential oversight of military procurement during World War II, he developed highly valuable knowledge and experience. Yet despite often moving in the wrong direction philosophically (according to conservative tastes), Truman quite clearly had a skill set that allowed him to assert vigorous leadership and to navigate the shoals of the lawmaking process.

Much of this, of course, is a measure not of experience but of personal characteristics — but that’s my point exactly: Once someone has inhabited the realm of high leadership for enough time, what matters is more the leadership than the forum: legislative leadership can be as valuable as executive leadership; Washington leadership as valuable as outside-the-Beltway bona fides. And vice versa.

In theory, I would take a 14-year House veteran who has led the Budget Committee just about any day over a 20-month governor of Wyoming, if the adherence to conservative principle had continued with only a few apostasies during those 14 years. It is the totality and quality of the experience, not just the title, that matters.

Which leaves us, in terms of the requirements of experience… where, exactly? Well, to use names sometimes mentioned, it would leave South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley somewhat beneath Florida’s U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio. Why? Haley has had a decidedly bumpy ride in less than two years as governor of a barely mid-sized state, before which she served just six years in the state legislature, including as a majority whip. Rubio too has served less than two years in his current post — but, as a U.S. Senator from a mega-state, his involvement with larger national issues is a bonus, plus he served eight full years in Florida’s legislature, including a full term as Speaker of the House. Being House Speaker in a large and diverse and intensely competitive state outpoints being whip in a smaller, much more overwhelmingly conservative state. Anybody who doesn’t understand that legislative leadership is a major proving ground of political skills, and who doesn’t understand that legislative chairmanships are often de facto executive positions, has no real sense of how republican (small ‘r’), American governments work.

Likewise, major business leadership or military leadership or civic leadership, if it required a relevant set of personal skills, could also serve as significant training.

Page: 1 2  

About the Author

Quin Hillyer is a senior editor of The American Spectator and a senior fellow at the Center for Individual Freedom. Follow him on Twitter @QuinHillyer.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (128) |

Clint| 5.9.12 @ 6:24AM

Obama Is A Tarpster, Where Romney Is A Tarpster.

Obama Orchestrated Obamacare, While Romney Orchestrated Romneycare.

Watch Out, Romney May Pick Joey Biden For His Veep.

Jack in Wi.| 5.9.12 @ 6:34AM

Quin: This a terrible list of losers. With this kind of leadership, it is no wonder that the Republican party is in the toilet and has been for a generation. The worst loser on the list is the guy at the top of the ticket. Man is this country in trouble.

Pecos Pete| 5.9.12 @ 6:46AM

JiW: You are correct, our country is in trouble. But not because of Romney. We can fix the USA's troubles with a combination of reduced regulation, income tax revision, recognition of the importance of lower cost energy (electricity and transportation fuels) and acceptance that a competitive free enterprise system does in fact float all boats.

Mac Jehoff| 5.9.12 @ 7:35AM

Yo fromage for brains, if the situation here in the USA is hopeless you may as well move across the Gitchigoomee and live in North Bay. (_!_)

TLP| 5.9.12 @ 7:45AM

IGNORE THEM.

Responding to these two, is like Looking in to the eyes of Medusa. The entire site, literally turns to stone.

Look away.

chuck| 5.9.12 @ 8:01AM

LOL!

Well put, TLP.

Clint| 5.9.12 @ 8:12AM

RINO-CINO Fop Frontman, Mittens & His Kitten, Pennell Got No Stones.

Dick Nome| 5.9.12 @ 8:50AM

TPINO-Paulbot crackpot, Ocular-anal inversion syndrome, Clinty got no tomes

TLP| 5.9.12 @ 9:16AM

You're not listening.

Clint| 5.9.12 @ 10:04AM

Obviously, Bibi Ball Boy, Little Dick, Got No Balls Of His Own.

Mickey| 5.9.12 @ 10:08AM

TLP
Good advice but so much fun to mock Klint/Jack and whatever other names they use.
Nobody takes them seriously.

TLP| 5.9.12 @ 10:18AM

It's not fun. It's a PAIN IN THE ASS!

By 2 O'Clock, there will be 100 Comments on this board, and 80 of them will be from these two Morons, and the rest of them will be from the other Morons, who are egging them on.

Capiche?

Mickey| 5.9.12 @ 10:29AM

Ok, boss. How about one insult per day? Give us something.

Clint| 5.9.12 @ 10:34AM

Mittens' Kittens Are RINO-CINO Flunkie Stooges.

" Santorum: Might As Well Have Obama Over Romney

Presidential candidate Rick Santorum on Thursday said Republicans should give President Barack Obama another term if Santorum isn't the GOP nominee and for a second day compared rival Mitt Romney to an Etch A Sketch toy.

Santorum reiterated an argument he has made before: The former Massachusetts governor is not conservative enough to offer voters a clear choice in the fall election and that only he can provide that contrast.

"You win by giving people a choice," Santorum said during a campaign stop in Texas. "You win by giving people the opportunity to see a different vision for our country, not someone who's just going to be a little different than the person in there."
Santorum added: "If they're going to be a little different, we might as well stay with what we have instead of taking a risk of what may be the Etch A Sketch candidate for the future."

Occam's Tool| 5.9.12 @ 11:42AM

TLP:

OK, let's be grownups.

What do you think about Pawlenty as VEEP. He was touted strongly as McRino's potential VEEP, so he's done this thing before, he was scandal-free in Minnesota, he knows how to talk to cameras, and he could pound Biden's (or Hillary's) ass to jelly in a debate.

He also is smooth as an egg; nothing for the media jackals to latch onto---and the big media in MN are all ultra lefty. He has plenty of executive experience of a diverse state.

The idea is to keep it between Obama and Romney.

loulou| 5.9.12 @ 1:25PM

Timid Timmy Tiptoes as VEEP? I don't think so. Timid Timmy twiddled his thumbs while Norm Coleman had his Senate seat stolen from him. Timmy was hands off while the fraud was going on.

TLP| 5.9.12 @ 1:53PM

C'mon Occam.

Do you really think that the 1st guy to drop out of the race, is the one?

I love ya, but Pawlenty is a bust.

Clint| 5.9.12 @ 10:28AM

That's A Lie. Bibi Cabana Boy, Little Micky.

But You Israel Firster Smear Bund Liars, Like To Lie.

" Gingrich: Conservatives Won't Let Wall St. And Romney "Buy Election"

"Look, the conservative movement is not going to sit by and let a Massachusetts liberal, who's pro-abortion, pro-gun control, pro-tax increase, pro-gay rights, whose Romneycare in two articles in the last 24 hours were described as the equivalent of Obamacare and who George Soros says is just fine. He'd be happy with either Obama or Romney [be]cause they are both the establishment -- that's just George Soros," Newt Gingrich told FOX News' Bret Baier on the campaign trail in Tampa, Florida.

"Now, the conservative movement isn't going to sit back and say 'Oh yes, let's let Wall Street, and Goldman Sachs and Mitt Romney buy the election. So you're going to see a real grass roots fight. It will be people power vs. Goldman Sachs and Mitt Romney," he added."

Frank Drackman| 5.9.12 @ 10:37AM

Clit, you Turd-Burglar, wait thats not accurate.
You Anti-Semitic Cum-Guzzler.
You eat your mother out with that mouth??
Oh thats right, you don't swish that way..
You suck your fathers dick with that mouth?

Frank

Clint| 5.9.12 @ 10:50AM

Obviously, Bibi's Ball Boy, Little Francis Is One Of Those Log Cabin Cabana Boys.

Alan Brooks| 5.9.12 @ 4:30PM

Clit, you Turd-Burglar, wait thats not accurate.
You Anti-Semitic Cum-Guzzler.
You eat your mother out with that mouth??
Oh thats right, you don't swish that way..
You suck your fathers dick with that mouth?"

With Frank Drackman, who needs Larry Flynt?

TLP| 5.10.12 @ 6:04AM

Are you Fcking kidding me?

I had my comment taken down, last week, because Frog Face said: "This is a CIVIL SITE", but Weiner Boy can write THIS?

Are you Fcking kidding me?

I guess it turns him on.

Oldefarte| 5.9.12 @ 1:50PM

Media Matters Excrement Frontman, Clint & His Kitten, Jack Got No Brains!!!!!!!!

Clint| 5.9.12 @ 6:34PM

We're Smart Enough Not To Be " Useful Dupes" For Your RINO-CINO Israel Firster McCain Redux, Fart.

Oldefarte| 5.10.12 @ 3:27PM

Yeah two Community Organizing, MM political operatives in burkas chasing after Father Ron so he'll squirt his holy water in your faces.....that's real smart!!!!!!

Donald Young's Revenge| 5.9.12 @ 10:23AM

Romney is boring on steroids so what he needs is someone with a quick wit and sense of humor and intelligent who can make any Democrat VP look foolish.

This column was written by a SENIOR Editor and he is still mentioning Marco Rubio as a possible choice. Please, you need to bone up on the "natural born Citizen" requirement, Rubio doesn't meet that requirement for nearly the same reason Barack Obama doesn't meet that requirement thus all the Obama ballot challenges that you fail to recognize here at American Spectator. If you were paying attention you would have realized that Obama is being challenged in most cases for not being a "natural born Citizen."

Why the hell would Mitt Romney choose a person who would never had survived the same vetting the Democrat birthers put John McCain through. As a matter of fact Barack Hussein Obama would have never survived that hearing process either.

Barack Hussein Obama is a dual citizen according to the British Nationality Act of 1948 which is still the law of the land in England. Obama's Daddy was a British Protected Person/British Citizen because of his Daddy's standing. Obama has another problem, he was adopted by an Indonesian named Soetoro (thus Barry Soetoro) and he became an Indonesian citizen in order to attend schools there. Obama is a dual citizen on two fronts.

So please Mr. Hillyer take Rubio off that VP list.

JayDick| 5.9.12 @ 10:50AM

I don't believe this citizenship crap, but I am willing to listen to real evidence. Do you have anything besides your opinion? Court cases would be helpful.

jstwndring| 5.9.12 @ 5:05PM

@JayDick:

Check out American Thinker's website. They have done several articles on the subject. One recently highlighted the irregularities of his long form birth certificate that is an obvious forgery. Actually, there are several related articles that do the same. The one I'm referring to is called, "Oblivious to the Obvious", by Nick Chase. Check it out. Decide for yourself.

9thID| 5.10.12 @ 10:14AM

http://www.art2superpac.com/issues.html

Bubba T. | 5.9.12 @ 10:56AM

While I tend to agree with some of Quin's analysis on selecting a "qualified candidate", we need to remember that Joe and Jamal Six Packs tends to (initially) buy into an image rather the actual product. Having come from a music industry background, I like to call it the Milli Vanilli syndrome. By the time buyers figure out the product was a fake, the "artists" have already left the building and are giggling all the way to the bank.

At the beginning, no one really knows who actually sang on the tracks, and don't really care. In the moment all they're buying is ... image. And in politics, it often works the same way. See, that's how we got stuck with Milli Obama.

It's still a Buyers Beware market!

Alan Brooks| 5.9.12 @ 4:28PM

Jack is correct concerning the list; yet this is a good, concise piece on what conservatism is.. unfortunately for you, the frugal days of the pre-war (the Big One) era are now truly ancient history: economic conservatism is gone; social conservatism is confusing, isn't compatible with libertarianism-- without libertarianism what allies have you got?

R Martin| 5.9.12 @ 6:57AM

As I read the piece I couldn't help wondering how a Joe Biden would emerge as the pick if subjected to such rigorous scrutiny. Biden has a very long political resume, uniquely void of serious achievement yet filled with gaffs, demagoguery and outright nastiness (see Bork, Thomas hearings). He is the quintessential cheap political hack. Did he help Obama in 2008? Will he do so in 2012?

Albert Constantine Jr.| 5.9.12 @ 8:31AM

In the case of Obama/Biden 2008, the selection of the VP had less to do with the issues of competency and qualification that Mr. Hillyer suggests should be considered now by Republicans, and more to do with the thought of who could balance the ticket without overshadowing the celebrity at the top of it. The choice needed to be someone who had the experience that O lacked, but more importantly could never be thought of as more qualified or desirable to serve in the top slot as the presidential candidate. When examining the above criteria, Biden emerges as a natural choice.

TLP| 5.9.12 @ 9:15AM

TLP| 5.9.12 @ 9:04AM

Hillyer is a Pompous @ss. He's sure that Romney will do "The rigorous prep work that the McCain Campaign failed to do."

Pompous @ss.

Tell us, Mr. establishment. Whom do you think that Senator Treat the Far Left Black Radical Marxist Street Agitator with kid gloves, should have picked?

Did you SEE the Polls? Did you see what 8 years of the Genius Plan of Karl Rove's, to Remain Above It All, as President Bush was unceasingly SAVAGED by the Left, and their allies in the Media?

Whom do you think was Drawingbthe Crowds? It certainly wasn't Senator Head in the Sand. It wasn't Senator Maverick, or Senator Go along to Get along.

It was HER!

And, maybe if your Boy had let her be herself, things might have turned out, differently. Maybe it was a BAD IDEA to put her in a Room with an Über Partisan Leftist, like that Democrat Hack SKANK - Katie Courick?

Maybe if her Attackers, at every Left Wing Television and Print outlet, had been held to Account, for the Libelous, Slanderous, Vile and Disgusting GARBAGE, they were putting out, on a Daily Basis, about Her, and HER CHILDREN?

You're an Idiot, if think that Nicky Haley is gonna give up that Sweet Ride she's got in S.C. for 6 months on the Campaign Trail being beaten about the head, and accused of having abortions, not wearing underwear, Turning Tricks at the local Bowling Alley, and being the Main Attraction at Lesbian Grope Night, when she's not out, putting Dog Urine in Black Babies' Formula Bottles, at the Hospital.

You need to get out, more. You need to leave your little Circle of like minded Pointy Heads, with Women's Hands.

We don't need any more Gerald Fords, Bob Doles, John McCains, or anyone named Bush. We're stuck with Candidate White Bread, who, I agree, can beat President Muslim Brotherhood at the White House. But we have to remember that the VOTER FRAUD that this Black Far Left Radical MArxist President, and his "By any means neccessary" Campaign, are gonna make it important that we get a BIg Win, and not a Little one.

So, we might wanna get someone who's gonna RALLY THE BASE. Cause nobody's gonna Rally round the guy at the top.

One more thing.

As far as Sarah Palin is concerned?

Guys like you, and your Play it Safe, Don't Rock the Boat, Why can't we all just get along, Pukes, in this Party, WISH you had of set of Nuts, half the size of what she has.

One of Her, is worth 100 of you limp wristed, panty waisted, Sissy Marys.

Every day of the week.

irish19| 5.9.12 @ 10:21AM

Amen!

W| 5.9.12 @ 10:24AM

TLP
I agree McCain made a mistake by not attacking Obama on his socialist economics, association with terrorrists like Ayers and racist anti-semites like Wright, and general incompetence of Obama. Palin should have been allowed to attack Obama.

As to George W Bush, from what I read, it seems he made the decision to not respond to his criticis. Big mistake. He thought it was beneath the dignity of the Office of Presidency to respond to attack dogs like Reid, Pelosi, etc. He should have allowed others to attack, especially using a press secretary. Dana Perino and Scott McClelland were not effective press secretaries, Ari Fleischer was ok.

Rove made a big mistake in 2000 when he did not disclose Bush's DUI. They should have disclosed it in the primary and it would have been no big deal. Instead it came out the Friday before the election and it hurt Bush. I read that many evangelicals did not vote in 2000 because of the DUI story, making it so close.

TLP| 5.9.12 @ 1:56PM

Rove made the call.

He said so, himself.

bill| 5.9.12 @ 10:59AM

Palin was sabotaged by Wallace, Schmidt et al and McCain himself due to his incompetence. McCain campaign insiders are responsible for the destruction of Sarah Palin. And by endorsing obama on national television, McCain proved he was a coward and not in it to win it. A disgraceful low point in an overall pathetic and destructive political career. But don't worry, Arizonans sent him back to the senate and he is doing just fine.
And when it comes to the vice president, I don't care if Romeny picks Jack in WI or Clint for his VP, I'm voting to send obama back to Connecticut (or wherever he's from).

Occam's Tool| 5.9.12 @ 11:45AM

So, should we go with Sarah again? I'd vote for the ticket, myself.

loulou| 5.9.12 @ 1:25PM

I like Sarah and I like Sarah's choice: Col. Allen West.

TLP| 5.9.12 @ 1:58PM

There's no way she's gonna put her Family through that Hell, again.

And who could blame her?

I like Rubio, for obvious reasons.

RCV| 5.9.12 @ 2:42PM

Romney is much too smart to go down that road. The image he is trying to project is solid, steady and competent. Palin on the ticket makes him look as erratic as she made McCain look.

Oldefarte| 5.10.12 @ 3:38PM

Nah lets just drink the community organizing holy water being sprinkled by the MM'er here, get on their homosexual marriage bandwagon, and watch this country swirl down the bowl and disappear. I mean what the hay, the biggest enemy is them thar RINOS and CINOS untrue conservatives that's the cause of all the evils in this world, right? We just have to continue being brainwashed by Hollywood/academia into our eventual EVOLVEMENT TOWARD THE HOMOSEXUAL MESSAGE OF EQUAL MARRIAGE RIGHTS FOR ALL, so that any two idiots [ie Clint & Jack] can get themselves hitched so that companies will become forced to provide employee benefits, pensions, etc to them fraudulent prostitutes. We must save the world from the un-conservatives like Mittens so that these evolutionary domestic terrorists can conplete their destruction of this nation. Happy days are here again.....the sky is blue......!!!!!

loulou| 5.9.12 @ 1:26PM

TLP: Amen!

TLP| 5.9.12 @ 2:00PM

Didn't you just tear me a new one, on another story?

loulou| 5.9.12 @ 7:12PM

NEVER!

TLP| 5.10.12 @ 6:09AM

You're right. You didn't.

You were talking about Pawlenty.

My apologies, Milady.

(You're a Chick, right?)

R Martin| 5.9.12 @ 10:35AM

AC:

If, after 36 years in the United States Senate (including Judiciary and Foreign Relations chairmanships), Biden “could never be thought of as more qualified” than Obama, what does that say about Biden? By comparison, Obama has little more than listened-in on a Senate session.

What it really means is that both guys are no more than skilled political hustlers. In fact, maybe most of the people who sit in congress are little more than political hustlers of one skill level or another. It would certainly explain why we are facing fiscal collapse, why unread and unreadable laws like Obamacare and Dodd-Frank get passed and why someone like the odious Elizabeth Warren is considered a viable Senate candidate.

Thinking about this stuff can certainly put one in a foul mood.

Albert Constantine Jr.| 5.9.12 @ 11:43AM

That is the point that I was trying to make about Biden, that he is what many call "assassination insurance". Even Osama Bin Laden believed that he was woefully unprepared to be president (and Biden is one of the few who reportedly didn't want him disturbed in his lair in Pakistan last year).

Biden has been on the wrong side of just about every foreign policy and judiciary issue since my dumbass fellow Delawareans began voting for him in 1972. That is why he was the perfect choice for O as a sort of reverse affirmative action pick; find the most poorly qualified Washington insider, and O will shine by comparison.

Fred| 5.10.12 @ 1:05PM

My own opinion is that Obama picked Biden as assassination insurance. Would you kill even Obama knowing that Biden would be president?

Crassus| 5.9.12 @ 5:29PM

Biden was chosen because he serves as both assassintation and impeachment insurance. Nobody will impeach Bambi as long as Biden is in line to take his place and even the most psychotic racist won't take a shot at Obamao if it means making Biden president.

nathan| 5.9.12 @ 7:23AM

Last year we were told that the generic republican candidate would rather easily beat BHO. Unfortunately he's not running. Look at Michael Barone's column today. Granted poll numbers don't matter until after the conventions but still the numbers don't look encouraging do they? BHO is one of the worst presidents in history and yet look at what Barone says. Romney is running EVEN in Florida, and LESS than five points behind in Iowa, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virgina, all within striking distance. That's without Colorado, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin which concievably be within Romney's reach. He goes on to say that at this point Obama doesn't have an Electoral College lock. Neither does Romney. The numbers tell us the election is up for grabs.

The election is up for grabs? Going up against one of easily the 10 worst presidents in history and the best writer like Barone can tell us right now is that the republican has a chance to win this when he should be telling us that Romney is going to blow this guy out by say 100 electoral votes?

Romney and by extension the country is in trouble if that's the best news we're getting, "the election is up for grabs." Gas prices are dropping and may reach $3.25 by November. The economic numbers may marginally improve. Folks this looks REALLY bad. You all better prepare for 4 more years because it could very well happen.

chuck| 5.9.12 @ 8:03AM

Polls at this time are next to useless, only good for seeing a trend. Look where Reagan was at this time vs. Jimmy Carter, who was then the worst Pres. ever.

Von Mises Jr| 5.9.12 @ 8:57AM

Nathan, the economic news is horse manure. The Dept. of Labor Statistics cites unemployment at 8.1%. Jimmy P. at Reuters calculates that the U-3 is 11% if you assume the same number of jobs as when Obomer took office. He has blown up about 2 million jobs.
Rick Santelli of CNBC reported a month ago that the total work force (number of jobs available) was decreased by 1.2M. Last report shed another 522K jobs per Peter Moici at University of Maryland. If they say there are no jobs, we will have 100% employment!
The inflation rate statistic was bastardized in 1975 adopting the "core" rate. It eliminated food and fuel. But that is what average people spend their money on. The real inflation rate is 12% http://us-debt-solutions-now.c.....n-in-2011/
With a real U-3 of 11% and real inflation rate of 12%, Obama is making Jimma Carter look good.

nathan| 5.9.12 @ 10:05AM

Sir the word I used was "marginally". Frankly I agree with you, shocking as that may seem. But it doesn't matter what you and I think. There is a proliferation of moron voters out there and come November what are they going to be thinking? Barring an attack on Iran which right now I think is growing less and less likely gas prices will be around 3 dollars a gallon. And the official numbers may be around 8 percent. You and I know the official numbers are nonsense, the real numbers are close to 15 or higher, but do the moron voters know that? Doubtful. And like it or not a lot of these states are going to be close even if you assume absolutely NO cheating. And who is the mayor of Chicago? We all remember 1960 right? All the dead who voted in THAT election when Daly was mayor. Are we in for a likely rerun? After all, the mayor's father was an Irgun member, and terrorists like the Irgun aren't exactly known for playing by the rules?

And also let's just be honest here. Romney doesn't exactly inspire a lot of enthusiasm. Not the kind of there's a blizzard out there but dammit I love the guy let's go vote for him anyway enthusiam. You see folks, Romney is the guy that should have been nominated four years ago. Four years ago he wins. Four years ago he was the better candidate. Four years ago he doesn't make ghastly mistakes like McCain did including horrible VP choices like Palin. (Yes she was horrible and has gone out of her way to prove it ever since and polls show she added nothing to the ticket and probably contributed to the debacle.) Four years ago Romney wins, narrowly but wins.

But now? This is the BEST we could come up with?

Our grandchildren are going to look back decades from now and ask us what the hell we were doing. And honestly we're not going to have good answers for them.

Von Mises Jr| 5.9.12 @ 10:36AM

nathan, no offense intended. I just think that the polls are nonsense, and that the American people are smarter than portrayed. When you go to a Communion or Birthday party and half the people do not have rewarding full-time employment, you must be a fool to assume the 8.1% U-3 is real. I like to cook, so the women that typically shop for groceries know a handful of items cost $20 without buying meat or fish. You can pee on their leg only so long until they stop believing it is raining.
You see, I do not believe that we are heading for a good second half of the year. Jobs reports suck, new business starts are about the lowest in history, home sales are still in a slump, and stock market is falling and volume pusillanimous. People who owned or managed businesses look one-year minimum ahead, and often up to five years. If you know taxmegeddon is coming in January if OSlumper is re-elected, you do not spend, hire or invest. There are a few trillion on the sidelines, and more investment will seek safe haven if OSumper's re-election even looks like a toss-up.
None of these "Intelligent Few" ever had a real job. They never made an investment that wasn't a Solyndra scam or inside trade. They never made a payroll or got paid for performance. They don't understand WHY the markets will crash, just as they told us the TEA Party was DEAD until it became apparent that Lugar was toast.
Lugar camp claimed they were up by 25% until it became clear he was a dead man walking. Then they said Lugar might lose by 10 points. He lost by 22 freaking points. It is almost impossible to find on the web. So Lugar's camp v. actual results was off by 47%!!!!!!!!

Bo Darville| 5.9.12 @ 1:07PM

I don't think we'll ever see another '84 Reagan type sweep for the GOP. There is probably 45% of the USA that won't vote against getting goodies from the Feds.

Von Mises Jr| 5.9.12 @ 3:29PM

Bo, that number includes seniors that will face ObamaCare IPAB "death pannels" if they do not stand up for their rights above an entitlement. There is nothing like a hanging to focus one's mind! ObamaCare is death row for people whom now enjoy the best health care and medical services in the world.

fiscal| 5.9.12 @ 1:51PM

Can we have some real facts here? It is the U-3 rate that is 8.1%. Changing the baseline, like Reuters did, makes no sense. I should be noted that the U-3 rate at the end of Bush's term was about 10% while being less than 4% when he started. I tend to look more at the U-6 rate but Bush blew up that as well. Both rates have consistently decreased during Obama's term.

Like I've said before, whoever the President is, they don't have much sway over the unemployment rate. Only the economics illiterate would believe otherwise. I wish people would stop using this measure because it will blow up in your faces when people actually look at the data.

Obama is not a good President for a number of reasons including lack of leadership and no plan that balances the budget (over which the President does have control).

From the Desk of Media Matters| 5.9.12 @ 7:00PM

Fecal Barney Fecal Paula PePe Le Pew Le Ass Pansy Pelosi,

MM staff will be delighted to provide some real facts here:

"tax increases will not stimulate the economy, but neither will tax cuts" - barney fiscal fecal

"it is very clear that tax cuts are not stimulative" 'fiscal fecal barney

"if we put more money in the pockets of the "jobs creators" it will create more jobs is clearly false" - fiscal barney fecal

You're welcome.

- MM staff

Indy| 5.9.12 @ 7:47AM

Someone please tell me why any energy states are in play? With the attacks on coal and other natural resources, why are states like OH, PA, IN, etc. in play? I don't think these consultants have a clue on election strategy, they run the same playbook over and over. Educate the voters, tell them what happens to their economy if coal is destroyed, power plants are taken offline, refineries shut down, explain how rise in energy costs impacts everyone - rising food prices, utilities, gas, everything goes up. Use Obama's own words, it isn't that hard, what am I missing?

W| 5.9.12 @ 10:28AM

The Pgh newspaper polls have Obama and Romney tied.
Yesterday, in the West Virginia Dem primary, Obama got 57% and some prisoner got 42%.
I think we will have a landslide with a Republican Congress and Romney. Then they must act within that two year window to repeal Obamacare, cut spending to reduce the deficity, and renew the Bush tax cuts without an expiration date.

Von Mises Jr| 5.9.12 @ 9:10AM

Good article, Quin. We MUST vet the Veep NOW.

Take Chris Christie as an example. He is a media star menacing teachers, so the country sees him as a great conservative. But if you live in the NYC area, you know he is "Nanny" Bloomberg bully big enough to be combative. Here is his record so far:

- Supported RGGI cap and trade
- Appointed and defended Sharia Judge
- Refused to join ObamaCare lawsuit
- Borrowed $107M to implement ObamaCare infrastructure that takes effect TOMORROW (See article on AT 5/8 by Mike Proto)
- Executive Order pending for Agenda21 (Draft Plan states planning to take place above state levels)
- Noncommittal on Foreclosure Plan that will set up $1B bond issue for a Freddie Mac to buy foreclosed homes and rent them as "affordable housing" to ex-cons, sex offenders and drug addicts

So the bully that gets kudos for intimidating teachers is also apparently a statist the likes of Obama. People need to know this NOW, not in an October Surprise!

Al Adab| 5.9.12 @ 11:36AM

Whichever way the VP pick might go, it needs to add the electoral votes of a state which is "in play" to the GOP total. The GOP needs to gain six of the eight that flipped from Bush 04 to Obama 08. VA and NC are likely to change. That leaves FL, Ohio, IA and IN along with CO or NM in the mix. Is there a potential leader, not just a name or face, who could bring some electoral votes to the table?

Von Mises Jr| 5.9.12 @ 11:54AM

Al, I think that a conservative candidate with a conservative message will tip all those states and more to facilitate the defeat the Manchurian candidate from Kenya.

Al Adab| 5.9.12 @ 1:19PM

I'd like to think you are right Jr.

Anthony| 5.9.12 @ 3:01PM

Von, you are so right.
MEMO TO ROMNEY
Tuesday's elections were your 3:00 am wake up call from the Tea Party, conservatives, and concerned Americans all over.
Now, wake the hell up and campaign like you really want the job; be a conservative leader and win !!!.

Von Mises Jr| 5.9.12 @ 3:35PM

Anthony, my friend. I recall you live in the Garden State. There is much organization and resistance to Trenton as we speak. Perhaps the "good old boys" are in for a rude awakening?

It is not just federal elected politicians that need to pay heed. If you have not gotten involved with your local TEA Party, you should. We are not just focused on the DC elite.

Crassus| 5.9.12 @ 5:32PM

I can see it now. A Romney-Christie ticket will be referred to as "The Snob and the Slob."

Anthony| 5.9.12 @ 10:17AM

Easy Tim, I think Quin, unlike most of the Washington" intelligencia", maybe because he left Dodge in the nick of time, was not dissing Gov. Palin with that reference.
I believe Quin was berating McLame and that fat fool, Steve (don't blame me) Schmidt for the way the McLame campaign squandered Sarah's positive attributes.
We all know how Palin gave the pathetic McLame campaign a fighting chance, that's why the whores in the LSM instinctively attacked her with a vengence. She was the threat to Obozo's election and had to be destroyed, not McLame.
Quin is right, a R V.P. candidate had damn well be prepared and prepped for the onslaught from the media whores. They better know the "Bush Doctrine", or at least be able to quip back to pompous lefty media asses, that they are talking through their asses.
Romney's V.P. candidate had damn well be quick on his/her feet and take no prisoners from the left.
And let's not forget, Sarah kicked Biden's ass in their one and only debate, a fact always overlooked by the D.C. crowd and the media whores.

Albert Constantine Jr.| 5.9.12 @ 10:23AM

I still look for the crowd outside Katie's Restaurant (which had been renamed since the mid 1980's) that then Sen. biden referenced in the debate.

W| 5.9.12 @ 10:44AM

Biden graduated 91 out of 96 from Syracuse Law. He plagiarized from law review articles to write his term paper and was caught. Should have been expelled, like Teddy Kennedy was expelled from Harvard for paying someone to take his Spanish test (another job Americans will not do?).. In the 1988 primaries Biden plagiarized Neil Kinnock's speeches about being a poor coal miner's son. Of course, Biden was not a poor coal miner's anything.

I defer to you on this question: Wouldn't Biden have been perfect for the Angel role in Rockford?

Albert Constantine Jr.| 5.9.12 @ 11:50AM

While it is hard to imagine anyone successfully playing Angel except Stuart Margolin, I think you're on to something here.

Angel was a double-dealing fraud whose mouth, schemes and overall dishonesty usually got himself and others in trouble, and had to count on others to bail him out. Even with the plugs, Biden has the hairline, the beady eyes, the melodramatic play acting voice and the whiny regular tone.

W, if you give up the law, you have a future in casting (that is, if Obama and Biden leave us any future at all).

Crassus| 5.9.12 @ 5:37PM

The difference between Angel and Joe Biden was that Angel, despite having almost no virtues whatsoever, was quite likable in his own way. You couldn't help but feel sorry for him and no matter how badly he would screw Jim Rockford over Jim always came to his aid. Biden isn't likable. All you want to do his spit in his face and leave him to his fate.

Albert Constantine Jr.| 5.9.12 @ 9:25PM

Crassus;

All valid points, and Angel helped save the day once or twice. It doesn't seem likely that Biden will ever have that said about him.

Vox Pop| 5.10.12 @ 8:31AM

Biden would make a good George in Seinfeld - just utterly disgusting.

W| 5.9.12 @ 7:38PM

Albert
You know trial work is a lot like putting on a show, the right lines, the right emotions, pick the right audience (judge or jury).
Obama and Biden will be history next year. The answer to a trivia question on the worst president and most stupid vice president. I predict a landslide with a Republican Congress.
I developed an intense dislike for Biden when he chaired the Judiciary Committee on the Bork hearings. Bork was one of the most qualified nominees. One of the witnesses for Bork was a nun, and Angel Biden, with his snarky smile, was trying to get this nun to admit she would not say anything bad about Biden even if she knew there was something bad. Bork's book on the hearings detailed his meeting with Biden, and how dumb he is.

Albert Constantine Jr.| 5.9.12 @ 9:22PM

As I've posted before, I met him the first time in 1970 when he was campaigning door to door for County Council President. I took an instant dislike to him, and it has never improved.

As he became more notorious after the 1987 Bork hearings, his abortive and embarrassing 1988 presidential bid, and the Clarence Thomas debacle, whenever I'd travel out of state and tell people where I was from, I'd frequently be asked "How do you people keep electing that jackass?".

The only consolation of 2008 was now America shares Delaware's shame.

W| 5.9.12 @ 9:46PM

Albert
We could do a remake of Rockford with politicians.
Harry Reid is Lt. Chapman.
Mitt Romney is the Tom Selleck detective "Lance."
Allan West is the Isaac Hayes character who calls Jim Rockfish.
Mike Huckabee maybe Rocky.
Sara Palin is Beth the attorney. Hot babe.

( . . . after the beep . . . )| 5.11.12 @ 11:35AM

Good day gentlemen. Today I'd like to announce my candidacy for the position of 'Rocky'. I've seen your terrible list with your wishy-washy maybe of the candidate at the top of the potential list for the role.

You have a terrible list of losers for the role. With this type of casting, it is no wonder that the syndication around the dial is in the toilet and has been for a generation. The worst loser on the list is the guy at the top of the casting list. Man is this production in trouble.

Now I know some people say we have a moral responsibility to spread our goodness around the dial and in syndication and it's our obligation to do this.

But let me tell you, you should look at this carefully. Now this is how we've been doing it a long time and you get periods of relative profitability , there was relative profitability when we were propping up the show, but it ended up with bad results, we ended up with bad ayatollah-type commercial sponsers and now we have a problem on our hands with syndication, especially in the Middle East, except in Iran.

I'll tell you what, if you learn about it study and know production values and fight for this, I can guarantee you will sleep better at night, you will enjoy your production and you will feel like you're doing something worthwhile.

And you'll have the Rocky-Bots in your corner. Rocky Paul stomps on the loser who you should've had the decency to be at the top of the casting list, before my candidacy, Rocky Perot. Think of the plots available. Rocky Revolution. Restore Rocky Now. I'll never stop. I'll never go away. Thank you.

9thID| 5.9.12 @ 10:28AM

Not even a resurrected Reagan as "Veep" could save "to the Left of McCain" Mitt RomneyCare from defeat. Surely, the defeat of RINO Lugar and the RINO from Utah will NOT resuscitate the brain-dead GOP Establishment. Short of something like Fast & Furious erupting into impeachment proceedings, or Obama croaking, the McCain Redux on steroids is in play. Only by Conservatives holding on to the House, and taking the Senate, can we hope to slow down Comrade Barry. We should all blame those who voted for Romney for 2008 history repeating itself...

Bo Darville| 5.9.12 @ 1:09PM

Right! Our only hope is if Sharron Angle replaces Mitt at the top of the ticket.

9thID| 5.9.12 @ 2:37PM

Funny you mention it, she would most likely do better against Comrade Barry than Mitt RomneyCare...

Stormy| 5.9.12 @ 10:34AM

Two comments.

One, using this article as a criteria for successful VP candidates, Barack Obama does not qualify for VP, much less President.

Two, Sarah Palin would not qualify using this list, but the problem on that ticket was not the VP, but rather the Presidential candidate. Sarah Palin had the ticket moving in the right direction, until the handlers undermined her, and she imploded, along with the ticket. John McCain was a flawed Presidential candidate for the GOP. He would have lost in worse, without Sarah Palin, and McCain knew that. His handlers did not. I question whether they wanted to win anyway.

Scorpio51| 5.9.12 @ 10:35AM

I don't think it matters anymore. We the people don't choose the President or Vice President. It's all a farce and the taxpayers are screwed.

I'm sick of the whole process. The only thing that happened is that Dick Lugar was sent to the retirement home. Thanks to the Tea Party and the voters of Indiana. The RINOS have got to go and at least we do have a say in this process.

Here We Go Again | 5.9.12 @ 10:39AM

Romney is McCain II. No matter whom e picks, with the possible exception of Ron Paul, he will lose to The One. Several reasons: (1) Conservatives do not like him and rather than vote for him will stay away from the polls. (2) He is the architect of the most hated legislation in recent times: Obamacare. He can not escape that and Obama will exploit that weakness. (3) Romney is a progressive. Conservatives and libertarians would rather cut off their hands than vote for him. They see him as Obama Lite and more similar than dissimilar. (4) Pro-lifers dislike his wishy washy stance on life. (5) The GOP is incompetent and unable to select a decent candidate from among the dozens who would have been more appealing. (6) The Obama campaign will lie, cheat, steal and engage in Alinsky tactics to win re-election of The One. Although Obama's record as president is horrible, Romney seems unable to grasp what's bad and capitalize on that. It is so easy to dislike Obama even knowing a fraction of the truth about him and his performance in office. The fact that Romney can not capitalize on that, and can not frame his own message in a way that resonates with the GOP electorate, indicates that Romney doesn't know how -- perhaps because he is just like Obama in so many ways.

CHRIS CHRISTIE FANS: Christie is a progressive in a GOP suit. We know. We have to put up with his consummate BS in NJ. You don't want him anywhere near the Oval Office. Like every other NJ pol, he is tainted -- by his Muslim B'hood connections, his carbon credit trading connection, his intolerable alliance with NJ Dem heavy hitter and state Senate president Sweeney. Shady stuff and we are not talking about leafy trees. Two words about Chris Christie: Stay Away!

Ron Paul seems to be gathering enough delegates to force a brokered convention and this conversation really is premature. "Presumptive" is right. Talking about Romney as the crowned GOP nominee is presumptuous and out of line with reality.

Al Adab| 5.9.12 @ 11:40AM

McCain was Dole II
Dole was Ford II
Ford was Dewey II

This is all we ever get from the GOP republicans. Only the Conservative Movement brings the GOP success. Nixon and Bush 41 (although we all knew better) ran as Conservatives but were not. Conservatives are tired of holding their noses or voting the lesser of two evils year after year. The GOP never gets the message because the leadership still thinks Conservatives are simply ignorant of "how the world works".

Bo Darville| 5.9.12 @ 1:09PM

Like Goldwater in 64?

Al Adab| 5.9.12 @ 1:23PM

Bo:
We all know there wasn't a republican on the planet who could have won in '64. One year after the assasination no way. What Goldwater did, to his everlasting credit, was sacrifice his reputation (later restored) to give birth to the Conservative Movement and make it a true force in American politics. How many today would maintain we should not have elected him in 64?

Don't forget, it was the old line accomodationist GOP headed by Rockefeller and G. Romney who opposed Goldwater every step of the way and we are about to reward the son. Shame, Shame.

W| 5.9.12 @ 7:44PM

Al
Rockefeller sabotaged the 1964 nominee just like he did to Nixon in 1960. Rocky was a spoiled rich brat who wanted to be president.
Romney opposed Goldwater because Goldwater voted against the 1964 Civil Rights Law.
As a result of the division in 1960 and 1964 in the Republican party we got Kennedy and LBJ.
I agree no Republican could have won in 1964. LBJ ran a dirty campaign with the little girl and the nuclear bomb.
In spite of Rockefeller Nixon had Kennedy beat but for the election fraud in Chicago by the Daley machine, and in Texas by LBJ.

loulou| 5.9.12 @ 1:28PM

Correct.

randyinrocklin| 5.9.12 @ 12:57PM

you are right about Romney. Karl Rove and his cohorts will be the one picking the VP.

Crassus| 5.9.12 @ 5:40PM

Ron Paul is Harold Stassen II.

Clint| 5.9.12 @ 10:45AM

Damn Straight.

Sarah Wasn't The Problem And No VP Is Gonna Solve Romney's Problem.

Which Is:

Romney Is McCain Redux.

Fred Farkel| 5.9.12 @ 12:01PM

Romney/ Paul that's the ticket! Get on board not, what a ride. Paulistinians for Mittt!!

Oldefarte| 5.9.12 @ 1:59PM

No dummie, it's not [nor will it ever be] either McCain or Romney that is the problem. The problem is the below linked and the STUPIDITY OF THE VOTERS OF THE USA. Don't critisize a war hero and an outstanding human being who is successful in life and who may not be as trailer-trashed conservative as you double-widers want them to be!!!!!!!!

Oldefarte| 5.10.12 @ 3:43PM

You's bees right theres, MM commrade! Nones of that RINOISM for usens here, right? Just don our MM burkas, sprinkle some of Father Ron's special holy water from his soletary fountain, say ten OUR FATHERS and head on back to the double wide, right????????????

sirbourbon| 5.9.12 @ 10:47AM

The "presumtive nominee" and his CFR connected influencers should not have the sole power to pick the veep. The office of the vice president must be returned to its rightful owner- the people far away from the hands of the jackals that control the major parties and the special interests.

The Founding Fathers gave us a republican system that allowed for the vice president to be independent of the presidential nominee and his party. This gave us a system true to the "seaparation of powers" doctrine the designers crafted for the new government.

The parties have thrown the republican form of government out of kilter into the zone of dictators who call the shots not the people for whom this system was designed.

H Abdullah Shabazz| 5.9.12 @ 10:57AM

How about the the top of the ticket?

We're stuck with a pro-abortion, pro homosexual, pro-global warming, elite liberal.

If Romeny wins we wont see anyone decent for 8 maybe 12 years.

bagittagit| 5.10.12 @ 11:13AM

Not even that good, Shabazz. We won't have the mere CHANCE of seeing someone decent for 8-12 years.

Tim| 5.9.12 @ 11:00AM

The reality here is that by all laws of rational political thinking Obama should loose by a huge landslide regardless of who the VP to Romney is.

Frankly Obama should loose by a landslide to a card board cut out.........

That said,

This is a strange time and I still believe it boils down to the June decision by the Supreme Court on Obama Care.

Tim| 5.9.12 @ 11:05AM

The other major June signal will be the Scott Walker recall in Wisconsin.

If he wins Romney wins Wisconsin if he looses Obama wins State.

JUne is shaping up to be the Month that shapes the November Election

EddieO| 5.9.12 @ 11:12AM

Great article, Quin. Very well written, as usual. I wish YOU were working for the Romney camp...he's going to need all the help he can get for this election.

JimH| 5.9.12 @ 11:32AM

What Romney needs is a VP candidate who has small government bona fides in order to reassure and encourage the Tea Party side of the GOP while not scaring middle America. This person ideally should also have some experience with dealing in international issues. Being female, ethnic or both could be a help. If only Condoleezza Rice had been more successful she might have made a good choice. I do wonder how much selecting someone from an undecided state matters anymore. Does such a person exist? Would anyone that good be willing to endure the crap that goes with being a candidate these days?

Gazinya| 5.9.12 @ 11:44AM

Maybe Hiller is ready to campain for the recently available Sen. Lugar. Lugar just lost his shot at being a 40yr Senator. And he was so worthy?

cicero| 5.9.12 @ 11:47AM

Good article, good analysis. I would suggest that the Rs pick a VP candidate who can follow the Dem presidential condidate around from stop to stop and give the lie to whatever he happens to say. The candidate for VP should be smart and experienced enough to wipe the floor with Biden in the debates (not too hard of a task), and give laugh lines about the Dem programs and proposals at every interview. This administration should be laughed out of Washington.
By the way, for those who wondered if the Teaparty would be a factor this year as it was in 2010, check the results of the Rep primary in Indiana. I do not think this election cycle will be any different than the last one (2010). However, if the Rs increase their lead in the House, take the Senate, andd the WH, and don't turn this country around, let me know where the convention for the New Constitutional Party will be held.

David| 5.9.12 @ 11:47AM

Some very good suggestions, Quinn.

Some observations about some of the comments.

Reagan was losing to Carter (at that time considered the worst prez in history) by double digits the week before the election - AND THEN won in a landslide.

The same shoud be true in this election, BUT:

Another 30 years have gone by while public education has moved steadily to the left. Those people are now voters. We have almost 2 more generations since the time of Reagan that have been fed socialist dogma. They have been taught the 3 R's alright - recycling, reproduction, and respect for even the most evil of people and acts.

Try to find someone under 30 who has anything bad to say about the homosexual lifestyle, for example.

At the time of Reagan the people who did not pay fed income tax did not total 47% as it does today. There were not record numbers receiving food stamps and all sorts of other government handouts.

People who received welfare tried to hide it while today the recepients brag about how much they get - and at the same time complain that they aren't getting more.

Thank you democrats - and thank you RINO's for the past 50 years.

George S| 5.9.12 @ 12:08PM

So what you are saying is that we have to get our water from the same poisoned well that has been making this country sick since FDR and LBJ?

If the Constitution was adhered to, the presidency would be one of the easiest jobs in the world and therefore insider experience wouldn't be an issue. But when we need that insider experience, then it doesn't matter who we elect because we are tacitly surrendering to the bureaucratic state.

Romney = McCain| 5.9.12 @ 12:37PM

A good column Mr. Hillyer & refreshing to read the comments & not find the usual sycophants telling conservatives to "vote for Romney! If you don't you're an Obama Supporter!". As for the VP choices you mentioned Quinn, a big NO to Christie. My folks live in NJ & can't stand him & they're not Democrat voters. Romney may be a left leaning RINO, but Christie is an arrogant blowhard as well as a left leaning RINO. He should marry The Coultergeist & ride off into the sunset. Rubio I don't trust either. Too soft on illegal immigration & a supporter of The DREAM Act I'm told. As for your suggestion of vetting whomever is chosen quietly before the choice is announced I agree whole-heartedly. McCain along with his pathetic campaign staff are responsible for the trashing of Sarah Palin more than anyone including the left. They made it possible. The fact that Schmidt & Wallace are involved with Romney doesn't sit too well either. My choice would be Palin, but if I were her & asked again I would tell the RINOP (this replaces the name GOP) to go take a flying leap. The perfect pairing with Romney would be Pawlenty. He doesn't seem to carry any outstanding baggage. Overall I don't have a good feeling about this election at all & if Romney loses I believe the implosion of The RINOP will come very shortly after.

randyinrocklin| 5.9.12 @ 1:00PM

do you have any evidence that Wallace and Schmidt are involved in Romney's campaign?

Controse| 5.9.12 @ 12:55PM

Well wonders never cease. An essay of VP speculation with nary a hint of Palin-trashing. Other than that about a boring as Spectator posts get.

SetOurChildrenFree | 5.9.12 @ 1:02PM

We need someone who's not afraid of the media and will stand up to them - period. I'm tired of seeing Republican candidates embarass themselves because they're afraid of the media. We need a candidate a la Newt Gingrich (but not Newt, please) who agressively counterattacks the media when they ask questions they would't ask of a Democrat, and point out their hypocrisy. If you cower to them, they smell blood in the water, and won't give up until they've destroyed you.

Oldefarte| 5.9.12 @ 2:14PM

Quin, respectfully I disagree in that longtime congressional experience is worthless as a qualification. Did Johnson's benefit this country after the more inept Kennedy was assinated? Not in my humbel opinion, and a sizable portion of our present defecit/debt is attritable to LBJ's worthless knowhow of legislative accorpolishments. Again, this BS about the power to politically influence a desired following is crap. What this country needs and has so for decades is the professional financial/economic/business acumen to manage/administer this country, and Romney seemingly has that in spades from his provate sector and educational background. Whether or not he can translate that into an economic turnaround for this country is yet to be determined, but he certainly has the goods on paper at least. Do we need some moron to stand before a camera with teleprompter nearby and mesmerize the public? Excrement no! What's needed in a VP choice is someone who can effectively carry on if a POTUS Romney becomes incasitated, and should be rightfully a carbon copy of Romney, and one who Romney has confidence in to continue his expressed policies and programs administratively. Was Jack Welsh dymanic and Jerry Falwell in carisma? I don't think so, but he sure as hades was a great corporate CEO for GE, wasn't he? Government is nothing less than a version of a private corporation, with only the profit element of the income statement missing. Oh, and to all those here expressing dismay over Romney etc as candidates for either POTUS or as VPOTUS, please read the following and learn the true nature of the essential problem within this country [and it's once again THE DEMOCRATS, STUPIDS]:

http://www.aim.org/special-rep.....y-exposed/

Oldefarte| 5.9.12 @ 2:40PM

Oh and when you are finaished reading the above, read this also [and then tell us about the VP selection being a huge problem in this country]:

'.......Miami Herald: Thousands of Foreigners May be Illegally Voting in Florida Tuesday, May 8, 2012 10:50 PM Thousands of foreign citizens might be registered to vote in Florida – a crucial presidential swing state -- and could have unlawfully cast ballots in previous elections, the Miami Herald reported Tuesday night.If true, the finding would be a remarkable validation of conservative fears that undocumented aliens and resident non-citizens could be swaying elections in large, battleground states like Florida and New York.The potential problem is largest in South Florida, especially in Florida’s largest county, Miami-Dade, where the elections supervisor is examining 2,000 potentially unlawful voters, Miami-based WFOR-CBS 4 News first reported Tuesday.....Neighboring Broward County is examining 260 suspected foreign voters. One suspected noncitizen voter has been registered for about 40 years, CBS 4 found.Over the past year, the Florida Division of Elections has begun identifying potential foreigners on the rolls in coordination with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Division of Elections spokesman Chris Cate told The Miami Herald.
He said the state has forwarded the names to county elections supervisors, who are in charge of the rolls. “There will be more names,” Cate said.
There are 1.2 million registered voters in Miami-Dade. Two thousand voters would be more than enough to swing a close election in a state like Florida, where the 2000 presidential election was decided in favor of George W. Bush by 537 votes.
“If we find out after the fact that you are actually a noncitizen, and you are registered to vote, then we would report you to the State Attorney’s Office,” said Christina White, Miami-Dade’s deputy supervisor of elections, according to CBS....“If you are not [a citizen] and you check the box on the registration form that says that you are [a citizen],” White said, “we are required to register you to vote, because you are taking that under oath.”..............'

Kingofthenet| 5.9.12 @ 3:27PM

Well i guess mittens can't pick Michelle Bachmann because she NOW is a Dua-Citizen and a TRAITOR to the USA.

Tim| 5.9.12 @ 3:41PM

News Flash

Obama just gave his support for Gay Marriage
The key swing states like virginia and BNorth Carolina and ohio and Indiana go to Romney.

Romney will win in a landslide
61-39%

Talk abot the luckiest man on earth to be Rich and at the right place and the right time following a total idiot.

Hey...Capitalism....is what drives Romney and so why not capitalize on Obama's crazy out of touch persona and the fact Rinos have the money right now.

Oldefarte| 5.10.12 @ 3:48PM

GAVE HIS SUPPORT FOR GAY MARRIAGE? Duh yeah, light bulbs exploding perhaps! His corrupt AG refusing to defend the DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT in court as legall required, and this then becomes a shocking suprise? I could have told you that in June of 2007!!!!!!!!

Joe D.| 5.9.12 @ 4:05PM

Quinn, I am sorry. But you are dead wrong on this one. It is more important to be a true conservative ideologicly than any amount of experience. We have a dog fight ahead of us. We do not need a moderate to liberal with experience on our side. Thanks but no Thanks.

POST American| 5.9.12 @ 11:34PM

--------D--POP Obama
----------------to face off with the very architecht
of ObamaCare ---'SUB--Mitt ROME----KNEEEE'.

-----DE POP ---meets--- the other CFR op,
R---CON----job 'ROME---KNEE'!

Hold your breath!
--------and START your OWN death!

------------------AND JUST ---KEEP ON GOIN'!

Harpagon | 5.10.12 @ 10:10AM

I agree with a large portion of this article... but not the entirety.

Firstly, as one person has pointed out above, Marco Rubio is not a natural born citizen and is therefore ineligible to be VP. (And he's no conservative, either.)

Secondly, executive experience is ALWAYS more valuable than legislative experience. A Governor is like a president of a small country and is singularly responsible for the entire state government. He gets the blame not only for everything he does wrong, but also for everything that goes wrong irrespectively of him while he's serving. Moreover, governors are responsible for much larger institutions (the exec branches of state governments) than House Speakers. Being the Speaker of the Florida House is like being a cashier at a corner store, while, by comparison, being the governor of SC or ID is like being the CEO of a medium-sized company.

You will certainly say, "wait a second. Why are you saying that the Governor of Idaho is more qualified than a former speaker of the FL House to be VP?"

Firstly, just look at the photos of the Governor of Idaho. In an ideal world, the GOP would field him as its presidential nominee, under the slogan "Butch Otter 2012: Don't Be Such A Sissy!" It would've won at least 40 states. Secondly, the Speaker of the FL House employs no more than 50 people. Know how many people work for the Governor of Idaho? 12,000.

I've always believed that Governors make better presidential and VP candidates, and better presidents and VPs, than legislators. Nothing that has happened to date, throughout America's entire history, has changed my opinion.

Byron Keith| 5.10.12 @ 10:19AM

Another requirement for the VP spot is a willingness to hitch one's star to Romney. That should thin the field somewhat.

Bill| 5.10.12 @ 1:41PM

To picks:
1. Southern strategy: Bob McDonald
2. Swing state: Pat Toomey
3. Sunshine plot: Jeb Bush
4. Women votes: Kelly Ayotte
5. Latino votes: Marco Rubio
.....now You decide.

Conserdude| 5.11.12 @ 2:53PM

Rubio is impressive, but looks 28 years old and is not ready to assume the presidency. I also don't like his McCain-style hawkishness of getting the U.S. into every foreign conflict. Sen. Ayotte is a first-term senator and also isn't ready, just as our current first-term senator, now president wasn't. Virginia is not a swing state - it's going to be red this year as Obama's victory in '08 was an aberration, so he's not needed. Jeb is the man, and also will help with the Latino vote since he's very articulate with that constiuency, and Mrs. Bush is Mexican; this will matter in New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada which Obama won in '08. As to the Bush name, that only turns off voters who will already vote for Obama regardless.

Buck Ofama| 5.10.12 @ 6:45PM

>It is absurd to the point of stupidity to think that high-level experience doesn't matter.

Unless you are either:
(a) a completely inexperienced niggerPolitician; (b) a completely ignorant slobbering sycophant voter.

Conserdude| 5.11.12 @ 2:48PM

Shame on you for using the N-word about anyone, including (and especially) our president. You're disgusting. You should stay off of reputable websites.

Conserdude| 5.11.12 @ 2:44PM

By process of elimination, the VP choice should be Jeb Bush who has only one (potentially big) negative: his last name. Otherwise, he delivers fundraising, Latino vote, Florida, media presence, sure-footed, every leg of the conservative movement (social, economic and defense) and, most of all: ability to assume the job instantly. Few of the others meet these criteria, particularly the one about ready for the presidency, including Christie, Rubio, Jindal, Martinez (N.M.) and other names.

David| 5.13.12 @ 1:12PM

No More Bushes - period. Jeb is only slightly better than George and they are both for amnesty for illegals. He will not close the border any more than George and Bam Bam have.

How about the governor of VA. He was quite impressive on the talk shows last weekend and has a long conservative record in government. He also signed the law that requires women to have an ultrasound before having an abortion.

And contrary to what many will say is an infringement on a woman's right, it is grounded in medical science and is known as "fully informed consent", which is absolutely required for any surgical procedure.

More Articles by Quin Hillyer

More Articles From Streetcar Line

Tea Partiers for Freedom

April 16, 2013 | Quin Hillyer

Make Room for a New Master

April 9, 2013 | Quin Hillyer

Closed to the Public

March 26, 2013 | Quin Hillyer

The Labor Nominee’s Other Lies

March 19, 2013 | Quin Hillyer

Thomas Perez Should Be Blocked

March 12, 2013 | Quin Hillyer

http://spectator.org/archives/2012/05/09/veep-veep-the-how-and-the-why

ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Headlines

Obama’s Assault on the First Amendment

George Neumayr|117 comments

Damage Control for Dummies

Matt Purple|70 comments

Time to Go for the Kill

Peter Ferrara|62 comments

Restrain the Abusive Administative State

Doug Bandow|18 comments

Disabling American Sovereignty

Iain Murray|11 comments

The Other Gosnells

Jordan Gonzalez|13 comments

Can He Unite Virginia’s GOP?

Carten Cordell|27 comments

Undoing the Brainwashing

Thomas Sowell|21 comments

The Spectacle Blog

Steven Crowder: Jesus vs. Muhammad

Ross Kaminsky | 3:58PM

Kaminsky’s Corollary to I, Pencil

Ross Kaminsky | 3:22PM

State Department: Iran Has Soldiers in Syria

Kaylin Bugos | 3:12PM

Former IRS Commissioner Refused to Say That Targeting Conservative Groups is Wrong

Benjamin Brophy | 2:27PM

Muslims Murder British Soldier in London

Ross Kaminsky | 2:00PM

Anthony Weiner’s Campaign Video

Patrick Ryan | 1:33PM

Congressional Democrat Outraged Over IRS Scandal

Kaylin Bugos | 12:57PM

Immigration Bill Clears Key Committee

Jordan Gonzalez | 11:56AM

SPONSORED LINKS

FLASHBACK TO: 1995

Clip of the Day

ADVERTISEMENT

Home |About |Contributors |Advertise |Donate |Privacy Policy |Contact

The American Spectator Foundation is the 501(c)(3) organization responsible for publishing The American Spectator magazine and training aspiring journalists who espouse traditional American values. Your contributions are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. Each donor receives a year-end summary of their giving for tax purposes.

Copyright 2013, The American Spectator. All rights reserved.