Jimmie’s Talking Sense
I agree with Jimmie: Michael Steele would be a great running mate for Mitt Romney if he wins the nomination. Steele is a solid politician, with a good, conservative background, which will probably give many conservative voters the idea that Romney is truly one of them (I’m not saying I agree with his policies).
Aside from that, it would also send a clear signal to the African-American community: conservatives aren’t racists. If you’re black, but talented, you too will be taken seriously and you too can become their party’s leader. Aside from that, it’ll be difficult for Obama (or Clinton) to play, as Jimmie explains, identity politics with a black VP.
Most importantly though, Steele is simply a good politician. John McCain too should consider picking him as his running mate if he were to win the nomination, especially considering the fact that McCain is very old, whereas Steele is young enough to take over after him (same for Romney of course).
In the old days a VP was from another region or could guarantee his state to the ticket. I doubt that Maryland would go Republican, Steele couldn’t even win the Senate seat.
In a similar vein, the St Pete Times has a story about the Crist endorsement. Seems McCain likes the sound of VP Crist and his help in delivering Florida in the general election. The Romney and Guliaini camps also courted Crist.
I think that while you still could go by region but Kerry didn’t lose by too much and Edwards wasn’t even close to winning North Carolina. Also Gore, while not VP didn’t even win his home state in 2000.
I think that another way to go is getting a VP that has qualities the nominee is lacking and not going regions since lately the regions are pretty much set it’s now just a matter of fighting for 10-12 states. So for instance with the Democrats I think Obama should get a seasoned VP someone with lots of experience, foreign policy preferred. I think Biden isn’t a bad choice. Clinton could grab be the same but grab minority with Richardson. For the Republicans, I think McCain getting someone who knows the economy, has a record of being anti-immigration and youthful would do him well. Romney someone who is an actual social conservative would help. Steele does work for both though and I have been thinking he would be a great VP.
Steele? Really? The guy is one of the lightest of the lightweights out there. To explain…First, his resume as a leader is as a lieutenant governor for ONE term. Second, that election wasn’t exactly the hardest in the world for him because he was picked as a running mate by the gubernatorial candidate (i.e. a VP position) and faced a very easy contest due to the outgoing Dem governor’s personal peccadillos. Third, when he ran for the Senate on his own he proved he couldn’t win it. Last, he’s presently just a fundraiser and a pundit, which is what he was before his only term as an elected official. But just to be clear…THIS is the guy you want to be a heartbeat away from the top spot? And you have a problem with Obama’s experience?Also, let’s look at the national scene. If Romney gets the nod, he’ll need somebody to shore up his foreign policy resume. Steele ain’t it. If McCain gets the nods, he’ll need somebody to shore up his economic policy resume. Steele still ain’t it.Michael, you’re batting 0 for 2 today.
My apologies, but that comment was supposed to be broken up into four paragraphs.