Poll: Who should be Mitt Romney’s running mate?
Consider this either a bonus “2012 Tuesday” or an extra “Poll Position” this week: Who should be Mitt Romney’s running mate?
With almost six weeks to go before the Republican National Convention, this feels too early for the “veepstakes” to be winding down and shortened to three serious candidates. But that’s what Reuters reported yesterday, saying Romney’s short list comprises Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio.
That means no Chris Christie, Mike Huckabee, Marco Rubio or Paul Ryan — bona fide GOP rock stars who would charge up the base but also draw heavy Democratic fire for various reasons.
Loading ...Here’s a quick pro and con list for each of the three:
JINDAL — Pros: In his second term as governor and has extensive experience for someone so young (he just turned 41); particular knowledge and policy success in the important areas of health care, energy and education reform; strongly identified as a social conservative who could pump up enthusiasm in that part of the Republican base; could attract voters in the fast-growing Asian-American community. Cons: Much-publicized flop in delivering GOP response to President Obama’s 2009 address to Congress is still the No. 1 thing many people know about him; can veer off into the weeds or wonkishness in discussing policy; Louisiana is already a sure thing for Romney in November.
PAWLENTY — Pros: Served two terms as governor; already vetted somewhat by the media due to his own short-lived presidential campaign; personal story appeals strongly to blue-collar workers (credited with coining the phrase “Sam’s Club Republicans”) and critical Midwest swing states; probably the safest pick Romney could make. Cons: His campaign was short-lived in large part because he didn’t connect with GOP voters (we also now know from the way the primary went that he bailed out too soon, before he had a chance to be given the “second look” everyone else got); his record as governor didn’t help Minnesota Republicans build on his electoral success; it’s far from clear Romney could win Minnesota even with him on the ballot.
PORTMAN — Pros: For a first-term senator, he has extensive experience in Washington (12 years in the House, stints as U.S. trade representative and director of Management and Budget) and could be “Mr. Inside” to Romney’s “Mr. Outside”; makes Ohio more winnable for Romney; on a personal note, I dealt with Portman a good bit while he was the U.S. trade representative and always found him one of the more genuinely impressive people in public office. Cons: His experience at USTR and OMB came during the Bush administration and would make it easier for Obama to campaign against George W. Bush (not that he won’t try anyway); just as vanilla as Pawlenty.
Any of the three would be more believable than, say, Joe Biden as someone who could be elevated to the presidency in an emergency. Any of the three strike me as more likely to help Romney’s chances than to hurt them, which is pretty much the whole ballgame. Jindal and Pawlenty strike me as more comfortable than Portman in the “attack dog” role the running mate traditionally fills — although the advent of super PACs and the negative tone we’ve already seen from both sides makes me wonder whether that tradition still holds up very well here in 2012. If picking from this group, and maybe even from the entire veepstakes field, I’m fairly certain I would go with Bobby Jindal.
But what about y’all? What’s your take: Should it be Jindal, Pawlenty, Portman — or someone else? If it’s the latter choice, let us know in the comments thread. In any event, vote in the nearby poll as well.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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285 comments Add your comment
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
July 18th, 2012
10:52 am
Two things strike me from the comments, the “hypocrisy of the GOP on the Stimulus” and Romney’s “secretiveness”.
1. If you saw someone aimlessly throwing money from a window in the direction of his friends, wouldn’t you try and grab some for you and yours.
2. We have a person in the WH who was not vetted and for whom decades of his life are a total mystery, and whose autobiography is a compilation of facts, calling someone who refuses to release his tax records the “most secretive” person to ever run for President.
the cat
July 18th, 2012
10:54 am
What the heck is this?
IR/YW
You are the one that said a lot! I don’t think 6 is a lot myself but do carry on, you are amusing to watch fumble around.
Uh Oh
July 18th, 2012
10:54 am
“Mitt has to win Florida and the only demographic he really needs help with is Latinos”
Well Rubio would certainly help solidify FL for Romney imo.
With that said, you do know that Cubans are the only Latino group who regularly vote majority Republican. There are other examples of a few elected officials and voting patterns, but by and large Latinos outside of the Cuban community tend to vote Democrat. This notion that Rubio will have non Cuban Latinos running to him is a crap shoot at best.
Once again, he would be a plus in terms of FL. CO, NM and NV could be hit or miss.
md
July 18th, 2012
10:54 am
“He’s been a public servant longer than either of us have been alive…”
Pretty telling of our system isn’t it…..
Hillbilly D
July 18th, 2012
10:54 am
It simply means the system is gamed so that people who make a lot of money are able to take advantage of options that are not available to those of us who work every day for a wage
That one applies to both sides of the aisle, too.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 18th, 2012
10:55 am
So let’s get this thing about seeing Mitt Romney’s tax returns netted out, shall we?
The liberals on this blog don’t want to see his tax returns because (as they specifically have stated) they believe that anything illegal has been done.
They just want them released so that they, and their candidate, can score more political points against Mitt Romney.
Given this inarguable conclusion, why would Mitt Romney voluntarily release more tax returns?
md
July 18th, 2012
10:57 am
“People who throw around the term “socialist” are highly unlikely to know what it means.”
I throw it around and I know exactly what it means…….that doesn’t mean we aren’t heading in that direction.
There are other points along a line, not just two points at each end.
the cat
July 18th, 2012
10:57 am
Mittens will have to release his tax returns if he wants to stay on the ballot. His own party will insist upon it. This implosion is fun to watch. Cons have serious trouble when Coulter throws them under the bus.
SBinF
July 18th, 2012
10:58 am
“That one applies to both sides of the aisle, too.”
It absolutely does. It’s a debate we need to be having. It’s why Mitt won’t release his taxes. Both sides of the aisle have rigged the tax code this way. Unfortunately for Mitt, he has made his economic past the centerpiece of his campaign. Now that people have questions about how he became successful, it’s suddenly off limits.
Common Sense isn't very Common
July 18th, 2012
11:00 am
Paul Babeu
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 18th, 2012
11:02 am
“What the heck is this?
IR/YW
You are the one that said a lot!”
Once again, cat, pay attention. IR/YW is the shorter version of “I Report / You Whine”, the original poster who used the term ” a lot”. I never did. I merely provided the link to your generic request for a list.
md
July 18th, 2012
11:03 am
“I want to know what his effective tax rate is….and how he manages to pay a smaller percentage of tax on income of 20 million than I do for my income which is far, far smaller.”
Because WE have tax rates on different types of income…..and those rates apply to EVERYBODY equally.
There is a rate for “ordinary” income which most pay, then there are many other taxes at rates that apply to various income types. “Capital gains” has a smaller rate, and applies to those making money off investments………which seems to apply to Romney, and more than likely will apply to you if you ever sell a house, or cash in your 401k somewhere down the road……
If you think it is special treatment, you are barking up the wrong tree……..
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
July 18th, 2012
11:05 am
Mitt is accused of using the tax laws to pay less than what is “right”, some nebullus standard the libs have.
Well is it right to donate your used underwear in order to claim a tax deduction like Clinton did, avoiding every dollar he could, just like Mitt. I believe he and Hillary wrote off some mysterious loses on Whitewater as well. Check Biden’s tax returns and see how much he pays. Has Buffet ever repaid all that money he owes to the IRS, while he stands there and says, the rich should pay more.
If the left thinks people should do what they think is “right” versus what we all know to be legal, then they should set an example; donate any extra couple of hundred, and mark on your check, “The right thing to do”. You might start a trend; you never know.
SBinF
July 18th, 2012
11:06 am
md,
This is the point. Wealthy folks get into office and enact tax rules which allow them to keep more of their money while the rest of us who work jobs shoulder the burden of funding the government.
To recap: I understand that capital gains are taxed as income. The question is WHY? Why is his method of making money given more deference than my method of making money? It’s an apt question, and one that he doesn’t want to answer. That’s why he is refusing to release more tax returns. He is exactly what’s wrong with our tax code.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 18th, 2012
11:06 am
“Now that people have questions about how he became successful, it’s suddenly off limits.”
His tax returns are now “how he became successful”, SBinF?
Really?
I believe they are a result of his success, but not how he became successful.
But again, this is just more small-ball. The rich could be taxed at 100%, and the dent in our annual deficit would be minimal. It is all about SPENDING. It is all about the ECONOMY. If your candidate can’t focus on that, and has to rely on this, his record and his ideas must be pretty abysmal.
JDW
July 18th, 2012
11:07 am
@Tiberius…”why would Mitt Romney voluntarily release more tax returns?”
Thankfully your lack of political acumen guarantees that we will not have to endure you as an elected official even in the wingnuttiest of jurisdictions.
Romney will most likely lose anyway, but if he doesn’t release the taxes it’s a guarantee. If the election were held today he would lose to 332 EV’s to 206 EV’s. To win he must turn at least sixty five EV’s. He must turn Ohio, Florida and Virginia plus one more smaller state while holding everything he currently has that is close like NC and MO. He won’t be able to do that if people (correctly) think he is hiding something.
Thanks why REPUBLICAN pundits are screaming that he release the taxes…they know if he doesn’t it’s game over.
SBinF
July 18th, 2012
11:07 am
Of course, he could shut us all up by releasing his returns. Makes you wonder why he won’t. Folks on his own side are calling for him to release the returns. I’m calling it again, I bet that for several years Mitt payed no taxes.
Uh Oh
July 18th, 2012
11:07 am
While I have already stated that this tax return issue will get as much long term benefit as did the birther issue, I missed where Buffet is running for office.
Josh
July 18th, 2012
11:07 am
Maybe Romney should worry about winning the nomination first! unless of course your fine with the RNC completely ignoring its own rules, we do not have a nominee yet!
the cat
July 18th, 2012
11:08 am
And here I thought Tiberius and the Whiner were one and the same. They are certainly interchangeable and actually I think they are the same person with two handles. Crazy how they mimic each other and complement each other isn’t it. Kyle-can you confirm these are actually 2 different IP addresses?
SBinF
July 18th, 2012
11:08 am
His tax returns are now “how he became successful”, SBinF?
————————
His tax returns show how he made his money.
sirwinston
July 18th, 2012
11:08 am
Newt. Both are more like each other………….can’t seem to to be honest!
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 18th, 2012
11:10 am
“Why is his method of making money given more deference than my method of making money?”
Because the profit he already made and put into those investments was already taxed once, SBinF.
Because the investments he’s making are risking HIS money in order to create jobs without going into deficit spending, SBinF
That’s why that money gets taxed less than yours. Why you people just can’t internalize that is simply beyond comprehension.
SBinF
July 18th, 2012
11:10 am
My dad has a saying:
“Don’t start none, won’t be none.”
Mitt created this mess for himself. “Vote for me because of Bain, just don’t ask me about Bain.”
@@
July 18th, 2012
11:11 am
Joe Biden is a walking gaffe machine.
It’s what I love about Joe. It’s been said that a gaffe in Washington is a truth heard ’round the world.
It would be much more instructive to know who would be secretary of state for Romney
John Bolton would be my choice!
I dare anyone to name one thing Biden has “served” the public with in his long, sorry tenure in government. Just one thing that’s made a difference for the good.
As Senator of Delaware, has he actively sought to maintain Delaware’s corporate tax shelter status?
jeffrey
July 18th, 2012
11:12 am
Hillary or Nancy pelosi.
Uh Oh
July 18th, 2012
11:13 am
Kyle
Why not Bachman?
just kidding
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
July 18th, 2012
11:13 am
JDW
If “hiding” stuff equated to a sure electoral defeat, we wouldn’t be discussing Obama.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
July 18th, 2012
11:15 am
UH OH
Buffet is not running for office, he is just Obama’s Howdy Doody, a ventriloquist dummy.
Ray
July 18th, 2012
11:15 am
Reading Pawlenty’s face yesterday, if I were a gambler, I would put it all on him. He has never appeared more relaxed and happy.
Jindal is very impressive but he will be perceived as a “foreigner” by too many in the party. There is American, and then there is AMERICAN, apparently.
Middle of the Road
July 18th, 2012
11:15 am
“Does anybody really base their vote on who the VP is?
Well, I’m already on record as having switched my vote four years ago when McCain picked Palin. That said, I think a candidate can do more harm than good with their pick. I also hope that part of the selection process is devoted to how well the individual would work out and get along if in fact they became Vice President.
md
July 18th, 2012
11:15 am
“This is the point. Wealthy folks get into office and enact tax rules which allow them to keep more of their money while the rest of us who work jobs shoulder the burden of funding the government. ”
I think you are caught up in the conspiracy theory that all the rich folks are out to get you…….
As I said, cap gains tax applies to everybody……..you really want to pay the normal tax rate on the money you may make when selling your house?
As for why is it lower…………because our economy runs on capital……without it, the economy stalls and people can’t find work (sound familiar?). Some corps are already sitting on their capital to the tune of 3 trillion or so……think that would help if it was running through our economy?
Investments are made with an eye on ROI……raise that cap gains tax, and folks then have to decide if there is a better place to make their money work for them…….thus the possible removal of even more money from the economy………
Why do you think Bernanke is printing so much money??
JDW
July 18th, 2012
11:16 am
@Rafe…”If “hiding” stuff equated to a sure electoral defeat, we wouldn’t be discussing Obama.”
Depends on what you hide…big difference between what you did as a collegian many years ago and how you gamed the system over the last 10.
Uh Oh
July 18th, 2012
11:16 am
Rafe
Ok. Nice spin.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 18th, 2012
11:17 am
“Thankfully your lack of political acumen guarantees that we will not have to endure you as an elected official even in the wingnuttiest of jurisdictions. ”
Given the fact that every poll shows the electorate doesn’t care about this issue, I’d say I’m on the right side and (as usual) you’re not, JDW.
the cat
July 18th, 2012
11:19 am
I would posit Romoney may be having trouble convincing someone, anyone to run with him. Why would anyone of stature and policital acumen align with a loser?
SBinF
July 18th, 2012
11:21 am
MD,
Explain it away as you like. But the argument is toxic. If that were true, Romney would’ve released his returns long ago. He won’t because they show that he receives far favorable treatment with the tax code than us wage workers.
Back to the topic, it’s a bit of a paradox. The Romney campaign is supposedly so disciplined. They have managed to keep under lock the name of his veep choice. So much discipline, yet in 20 years of running for public office, he still has found no artful way to explain how he made his millions. Which again, would not be nearly as much of an issue but that Mitt has chosen his business record as the sole reason to elect him.
I predict his veep choice will be a middle aged or old white man. He’s got to play to his base….and unfortunately, the bulk of the Republican voting bloc is built on this one demographic.
JDW
July 18th, 2012
11:21 am
@md…”you really want to pay the normal tax rate on the money you may make when selling your house?”
Big difference between capital gains on an investment and 15% on carried interest (where almost all of Romney’s 2010 income was derived), which is no different that sales commissions taxed at regular income rates on every salesperson in the country.
I agree with you on the capital bit and am on record stating that if you invest DIRECTLY in a company and hold that investment for at least 5 years it should be tax free. Gambling on the share price of Apple, no matter what the time frame should be taxed accordingly.
If you made that change you would create a very large stream of capital that flowed directed to growing companies…the ones that really drive jobs.
SBinF
July 18th, 2012
11:23 am
“Given the fact that every poll shows the electorate doesn’t care about this issue, I’d say I’m on the right side and (as usual) you’re not, JDW.”
Every poll? You jest. It speaks to Romney’s credibility. Fact is, people don’t trust him.
—————————————–
Seen as arrogant and aloof by his rivals, Romney is said to have few friends or ties among his former challengers or elsewhere in the GOP and conservative ranks. He has money and a tight and loyal cadre of operatives, but they find themselves without many allies as they try to argue that their boss should be allowed to keep his business dealings and taxes private.
“There are those of us who think that Romney is destined to lose, and they are behaving accordingly,” said the former manager of another campaign, who also declined to be quoted because his boss has endorsed Romney.
“Everybody’s looking ahead to the next round. They won’t say it, but they are.”
———————————————-
How’s that for a ringing endorsement? GOP is regrouping for 2016. The election is a long way out, but barring catastrophic developments, the chips are stacked against Mitt. His own folks don’t even like him that much.
SBinF
July 18th, 2012
11:24 am
Seen as arrogant and aloof by his rivals, Romney is said to have few friends or ties among his former challengers or elsewhere in the GOP and conservative ranks. He has money and a tight and loyal cadre of operatives, but they find themselves without many allies as they try to argue that their boss should be allowed to keep his business dealings and taxes private.
“There are those of us who think that Romney is destined to lose, and they are behaving accordingly,” said the former manager of another campaign, who also declined to be quoted because his boss has endorsed Romney.
“Everybody’s looking ahead to the next round. They won’t say it, but they are.”
————————————–
This is what’s being said about Romney, by people in his own party. Not exactly a ringing endorsement.
DebbieDoRight - A Do Right Woman
July 18th, 2012
11:24 am
Who should be Romney’s Running Mate?
H.R. Puffenstuff.
A Fictional character for another Fictional Character.
Dearie
July 18th, 2012
11:26 am
July 18th, 2012
10:39 am
“It’s obvious that what he’s doing is legal. That doesn’t make it right”
Your statement is comical, but telling…..
It IS right to use every law our country affords us in preserving our own wealth.
What IS NOT right is to have members of your staff not pay taxes at all.
JDW
July 18th, 2012
11:27 am
@Tiberius…”Given the fact that every poll shows the electorate doesn’t care about this issue, I’d say I’m on the right side and (as usual) you’re not, JDW.”
As usual your insight and knowledge extend to the end of your nose…
-56% of Americans think he should…34% think he should not
-61% of Independents think he should…27% think he should not.
Those number will continue to grow
http://www.businessinsider.com/mitt-romney-tax-return-release-rate-obama-election-poll-2012-7
Bruno
July 18th, 2012
11:27 am
Mitt’s problem is that he can’t pick a veep that is more exciting and electrifying than him.
SBinF–Probably a lot of truth in that statement. Have to give credit where credit is due, as painful as that truth is.
My personal choice for VP would be Chris Christie. I appreciate his intelligence and candor. My second choice would be Condi Rice for her experience.
Having said that, I need to emphasize that Mitt Romney isn’t my first choice for the Presidential candidate. Like Kyle, I favored Newt. (sucking up to Kyle in a big way
)
Dearie
July 18th, 2012
11:30 am
http://news.yahoo.com/report-36-obama-staffers-delinquent-federal-taxes-183054710.html
At least 36 members of President Obama’s executive staff owe back taxes to the federal government, Investor’s Business Daily reported on Thursday.
The Internal Revenue Service revealed that the three dozen Obama staffers owe a total of $833,970 in back taxes from 2010.
Nearly 1/3 of Obama’s aides make more than $100,000. Twenty-one of them are paid $172,200 per year, the top White House salary. In total, Obama’s staff of 457 aides made more than $37 million last year.
“It’s ironic,” Ryan Ellis, tax policy director of Americans for Tax Reform, told The Daily Caller. “The same week that President Obama says that people who paid their full obligation should pay more, it’s ironic that people who work for President Obama haven’t even paid their own taxes.”
SBinF
July 18th, 2012
11:30 am
Dearie,
The nuance has been explained several times. It’s a problem that the tax laws of this country favor people who least need any advantages. Middle class people (consumers) should be the folks that find the most benefit from the tax system. Contrary to the commonly uttered line about ‘job creators’. It’s regular folks going out and buying things that have allowed this country to become so prosperous over the last 70 or so years.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 18th, 2012
11:31 am
JDW, in your world “doesn’t care” and “should release” mean the same thing.
Alas, in the real world, they don’t.
JDW
July 18th, 2012
11:31 am
@Tiberius…
Just for more fun…
Obama Campaign Liked Better Than Romney’s 46% favorable to 38% favorable
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/18/obama-campaign-liked_n_1682188.html
Kind of the story of the election…neither are great but one is a far better choice than the other.
SBinF
July 18th, 2012
11:31 am
Great, the owe taxes. What’s that got to do with Romney? Are those 36 people running for president?
And the irony, none of us even knows how much Mitt payed in taxes. Perhaps it was 4%, perhaps it was 0?
Jefferson
July 18th, 2012
11:32 am
Why would it be so hard to make a decision ? No saints out there in GOP garb, eh ?