Why isn't Condoleezza Rice being considered as a VP in this thread? She's been considered a VP candidate by conservatives since 2004, especially since Clinton was considered the inevitable Democratic candidate.

I assume she gets along with McCain.

Keep in mind that McCain will run well with Hispanics. The same McCain-Kennedy bill that conservatives hate latinos like.

Also, where have you guys been getting all up in arms about Romney's "surrender to Al-Qaeda" attack? That has been a standard GOP line for at least the last year. I think even Bush has used it a few times.

That's nothing. The stuff that Huckabee says is much worse.

Daily Show just put it best: Romney is a douchebag and he couldn't even win the douchebag vote.

Won't McCain want to run away from Bush as much as possible?

That said, she's certainly a better choice than Huckleberry.

Dole wrote a letter to Rush Limbaugh in support of John McCain. Romney said Dole is “probably the last person I would have wanted to have write a letter for me.”

Rice has regularly has the highest approval ratings of anybody in the Bush Administration. So, I don't think she brings a lot of Bush-negatives.

Even if she did, I don't think it matters. On foreign policy, specifically the war in Iraq and against Al Qaeda, McCain and Bush are on the same page and McCain isn't trying to run away from that.

Hasn't Rice downplayed any thoughts of elected office? I was under the impression she didn't like the concept of running.

She definitely downplayed running for President which many people were talking about. However, running for Vice President is an 8-10 week job in which you're not the primary focus.

Rice would certainly be a solid counter to the Democrat's "first female/black" ticket. Also, having a McCain/Rice ticket would remind people of food, which is definitely a huge plus.

I think the problem with Rice is her domestic policy views. Quite frankly I don't even know what they are. She's a foreign policy hawk and very experienced but that doesn't add anything to Mccain. Rice would have made more sense as a VP for Romney or Huckabee since she could bridge their gap in foreign policy. Mccain needs someone to bridge his gap in more domestic conservative issues.

Tons of names are floating around and at this point it's impossible to have any guess. Huckabee maybe but I'm beggning to think that Mccain already told Huckabee no, which would explain somewhat why Huckabee is staying in the raise despite not chance to win. J.C. Watts has been mentioned, which would be interesting but that and others are just wild speculation.

Wait and see.

"She's a foreign policy hawk and very experienced but that doesn't add anything to Mccain. Rice would have made more sense as a VP for Romney or Huckabee since she could bridge their gap in foreign policy. Mccain needs someone to bridge his gap in more domestic conservative issues."

Exactly.

Gov. Mark Sanford of SC is being mentioned as a possibility for VP. He is probably the closest to a Libertarian that could be found for you RP guys. J.C. Watts would be awesome but probably not if Obama wins the dem nod.

As much as a flip-flopper as Romney is, I wonder if he would be willing to consider VP if McCain would accept him, with a McCain promise to be a one termer. That would take care of McCain's weakness on econ.

Republicans with a libertarian bent are probably going to have a tough time voting for McCain anyway. I think evangelicals are who he needs to bring in more than he can alone, which is a big part of why Huckabee makes a lot of sense to me.

Even though it won't happen because they clearly hate each other, Romney doesn't bring that 'he's like people I know' appeal that I really think McCain will need in some form to win.

The problem is that both McCain *and* Huckabee have taken positions contrary to what many conservatives would like economically. Huckabee is a social conservative and an economic liberal and unless large numbers of evangelicals truly are willing to sit this one out in protest against McCain, Huckabee probably doesn't add much since the south goes red anyway.

In fact Huckabee might turn off the important independents whom McCain appeals to. James Dobson has now endorsed Huck and said he will sit out rather than voting for McCain. Is someone like him going to change just because Huck is in the VP spot with no real input on policy post-election? I'm guessing not, which means there is no reason to cater to people like him.

All of them won't sit out just because James Dobson does... but that doesn't mean they would vote for McCain. Regardless, I have a feeling Dobson would suddenly have a change of heart if Huckabee was on the ticket.

Assuming this will be the Republicans biggest mistake if they lose in November.

The Wall Street Journal has an article today about potential McCain running mates.

McCain's Veep Options

Decent article. It takes a premise I wouldn't, but it's a good look. Gramm and Forbes seem so unlikely, though, and I'm a little surprised Crist was nowhere to be found. But then again I don't know a whole lot about him. He may not have the best "economically conservative" record. Sanford would be my choice out of those guys.

Also I suppose I should mention that when I talk about VP picks I don't think many specific issues are going to be important there. I'm one of those who assumes likability and the general sense of a candidate are bigger for voters than specifics.

Jeb?

I'd really like to see Sanford as VP. He's from SC, so I assumed that he sucked, but apparently not! Libertarianish, particularly on economic issues. Apparently voted with RP a lot against various spending bills. I'm not sure how popular he is in conservative circles, but certainly I think he would help convince the base that McCain isn't just a stealth Democrat.

I also think that Sanford could enhance McCain's moderate appeal. This is an editorial written by Sanford about Obama's candidacy. I think Sanford could help sell an approach of less partisanship that would be very popular these days. And if the Obama-Clinton fight continues to drag out, it might be harder for Obama (if he wins) to keep control of that message.

This just in: Daily Show stopped being funny or interresting 4 years ago

Since you are a fan, here is more of Stewart on Romney:

It was shocking that conservatives and talking heads were lining up behind this guy. He was just another Giuliani with far more money and far more willing to comprise his principles.

And Romney saying that he was quiting because he could not allow his campaign to "aid in the surrender to terror." Maybe he should host the Daily Show?

Of that group Pence seems to be the standout, unfortunately he is the "anti-McCain" in so many ways, I dont see how they would share a common platform.

Some of you were asking about GOP VP nominees. From what I've been hearing, the front runner is Thompson. He was always the candidate in the field with the most consistently conservative resume. Intrade seems to like Huckabee and some guy named Tim Pawlenty.

Anyone see the dailyshow clip about Romney? They called him a huge douche bag for his comments about the Democrats surrendering to terror and not wanting America to be the "France of the 21st century."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beQF-qav3qg

Tim Pawlenty is the Governor of Minnesota and has been backing McCain for a long time.

I think Pawlenty has one big problem. People around the country only know him for one reason- a bridge in his state collapsed and killed people.


I think it's interesting that a Governor hasn't been chosen as a Vice Presidential running mate since 1968 when Richard Nixon chose Maryland Governor Spiro Agnew. Every other VP candidate has had considerable Washington experience.

2004: Edwards (Senator)
2000: Cheney (various), Lieberman (Senator)
1996: Kemp (congressman, HUD secretary)
1992: Gore (Senator)
1988: Quayle (Senator), Bentsen (Senator)
1984: Ferraro (congresswoman)
1980: Bush (various)
1976: Mondale (Senator), Dole (Senator)
1972: Shriver (various), Eagleton (Senator)