Veepstakes
Update:
Paul Ryan wins out.
Ryan on Medicare.(Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's selection of Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan as his vice presidential running mate could dramatically shift the race for the White House into a debate between two sharply contrasting views of government spending and debt and its role in the daily lives of Americans.
In choosing Ryan - a budget hawk whose provocative plan to reduce government spending has won him fans in the conservative Tea Party movement and made him a target for Democrats - the typically cautious Romney on Saturday took the biggest gamble of his year-long candidacy.
Romney also essentially acknowledged that the core argument for his campaign - that Democratic President Barack Obama's stewardship of the economy has failed - may not be enough to push Romney to victory in the November 6 election.
So he has embarked on a high-risk, high-reward strategy of aligning himself with Ryan, whose budget plan would cut taxes and restructure Medicare, the popular government-backed health insurance program, and other safety-net social programs to try to inspire investment and rein in runaway government spending.
The old OP:
Sometime soon, probably after August 1st, but before the Republican Party convention starts on August 27th, Mitt Romney will choose a running mate. Who do you think is most likely to be chosen? Who do you think would do the most to help Romney win the presidency? Who would you choose if it were up to you?
I'll list up the contenders here, but feel free to suggest anyone I might have missed.
Bobby Jindal: Solid credentials as a social and fiscal conservative that would help to pull in voters on the right who have their doubts about Romney. Jindal also has plenty of executive experience.
Rob Portman: Might help in Ohio, which is an important swing state. Apparently a skilled political operator, and fundraiser, he's already working closely with the Romney campaign. He also has loads of experinece in the executive branch (served in cabinet twice) and the legislative (12 years in Congress, now in the Senate). On the downside he is really boring.
Pat Toomey: Solid credentials as a social and fiscal conservative and he might help to win Pennsylvania. Only two years in the Senate and six years in Congress before that.
Bob McDonnell: Successful governor of Virginia, would play well with conservatives, but has some history that might play badly on the campaign trail.
Chris Christie: Solid record on economic issues in New Jersey, and sure to perform well in debates and on the campaign trail. On the downside he is another east coast, blue state Republican like Romney who will do little to reassure conservatives, and there is little chance that he would swing New Jersey for Romney. Christie says he doesn't want the job, but looks like he is auditioning for it, and has suggested that he could be persuaded to change his mind.
Tim Pawlenty: Successful conservative in a generally liberal state, but he performed poorly on the national campaign trail.
Condoleezza Rice: Lots of foreign policy experince, would probably campaign well, and checks two boxes on the diversity form, but probably too closely associated with the Bush administration. Rice is very popular with Republicans but says she definitely doesn't want the job.
Marco Rubio: Looks good, sounds good, would probably bring Florida and a slice of the hispanic vote, but doesn't have much in the way of experience.
Paul Ryan: Knows budget issues inside out, and would be a draw for fiscal conservatives, but otherwise wouldn't add much to the ticket.
Kelly Ayotte: Solid social conservative credentials, she served as a prosecutor in New Hampshire for five years, and Attorney General for seven years, before being elected to the Senate in 2010.
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Originally Posted by Sphere
