Who Should Romney Pick to be his VP?

Who do you think? Also, Elephant Watcher released an interesting article today on how VP candidates are chosen. I'll sum it up. Basically, the VP candidate is usually used to get more votes and is sometimes opposite of the presidential candidate. In the case of John McCain (old) he picked Sarah Palin (young, female). Barack Obama (young, inexperienced, black) picked Joe Biden (old, experienced, white). Sometimes picking a VP can help score you some extra votes. In 2000, George W. Bush (inexperienced) picked Dick Cheney (experienced). In 1988, George H.W. Bush (old, southern) picked Dan Quayle (young, Midwestern). Conservative Ronald Reagan picked H.W. Bush (moderate). John F. Kennedy (young, northern) picked Lyndon B. Johnson (old, experienced, southern).

Basically, a candidate chooses a VP they would like to work with, but also to score them some votes. If you are southern, you might pick a northerner to balance the ticket. If you are an older experienced politician you might pick a younger energized one to be your running mate. Sometimes, a candidate will pick what can be called a double, but that may not be always good. Basically a double is the same as the presidential candidate and all it would do is add more strength to the base the presidential candidate is supported in. It would be like McCain picking a male similar to himself. The voters that supported McCain would like this the most, but it may not attract others. Yet that does not mean you may lose. In the case of Bill Clinton, he picked Al Gore, both were young and southern.

However, there are consequences. A candidate should not pick a VP who will undermine their message. In the case of McCain, his argument was that he was experienced while Obama was not, but he picked Sarah Palin, who was inexperienced. She did still get polls to rise for McCain until voters realized how inexperienced she really was and could never see her in a major position. Or maybe a scandal comes out. In 1972, Democrat Walter Mondale has to drop his VP Thomas Eagleton because he therapy for "suicidal tendencies".

I have picked several people and have pointed out their advantages.

http://www.elephantwatcher.com/2012/06/how-should-vp-nominee-be-chosen.html

How many Threads have done this already...

This is the best thread.

Who picked Rubio and why?

Hermain Cain aka Steven Colbert

Ugh

I did, I believe he can do better in unifying southern states and Hispanic voters.

I think that was just for South Carolina.

The reason I didn't vote for Cain in this one would be that, while black, I think African Americans would be more inclined to vote for him if he were running for president. Cain as the VP choice is not as strong, and I think African Americans would in that case still vote mostly for Obama. Hispanics is a better choice to look into. Christie attracts fat people and with a lot of them in the country right now he could get a lot of votes for Romney.

While he is Hispanic, Rubio is Cuban, now normally this wouldn't be a problem, but as far as sub-ethnicities go, most Cubans living in the United States tend to look down on other Hispanics, and Rubio is no exception. Rubio likes to pretend that he is no immigrant like any low Mexican or Guatemalan, and that he is a political prisoner, although there is evidence to the contrary. Rubio is popular in Florida because the majority of Hispanics are Cuban, but in states like Texas, where the majority of the states' 38% Hispanic population is Mexican, Rubio does not bode well. Rubio will not help win the Hispanic vote outside Florida, he will instead further alienate the largely liberal leaning Hispanic population of the south-southwest of the country from the republican base.

All cuban's should get back on there bannana boat and sail back to cuba.

One thing he is, he is young. That can help.

Daylight come an' I wan' go home.

Using such logic, I would choose an VP candidate that would best support Romney's message of fixing the economy. So obviously it would have to be someone who would have to be a governor of a state who has improved their states economy during the current economic climate. Someone able to reel in the independents as well. I feel they have already been alienated by the Republican Primary and the positions Romney was forced to take during it. Thus a moderate. He already has the Republican base in his pocket due to him "not being Obama". So he needs the independents.

We have a thread for this, but whatever.

Out of those up there Rick Perry is the best one, but he isn't the person who should be VP.

Romney needs Bobby Jindal if he wants to get anywhere. Otherwise his campaign will sink like a stone. If he puts business men who aren't politicians like Cain of Trump on the ticket it was just sink faster.

I heard a nasty rumor that Herman Cain is the only person willing to take the job.

Out of those up there he is the only one who hasn't said no at one point or another.

Which is exactly what I just said, Rick.

Hey I am just refereeing what you said. Now we got Pawlenty clawing his way to the position & Rubio is running around without one bit of sense.

So was adding there race really necessary? Is that the only way to combat obama? Anyways adding on to Jack, most people I know, 17 to be exact, hate Rubio, any Hispanic that actually looks past his skin and sees what he stands for wont vote for him.