With half a year left in the presidential election, the intrigue surrounding Mitt Romney’s eventual selection of a running mate has given political prognosticators an outlet for their energy that doesn’t require analyzing much polling data. It’s a human-interest story set against the background of the 2008 election, in which the GOP’s vice presidential nominee was a genuinely fascinating political personality and the Democratic nominee was an avuncular, gaffe-prone senator the president is constantly being encouraged to drop from the ticket this November.
But it is highly unlikely the public will be treated to such a spectacle this time around. Romney is pretty much defined by his aura of caution and his devotion to data and analysis, and has never shown a desire to make splashing headlines if he can avoid it. Even when he seems to be dipping his toes in the water of identity politics, there is an empirical approach to it. For example, if he were to select a woman for the ticket, the name that has come up the most has been that of Condoleezza Rice, and the most common Latino name suggested for the vice-presidential nod is that of Marco Rubio–a swing-state senator. But another distinct possibility is Ohio Senator Rob Portman, and the Washington Post profile of Portman calls attention to just how surprisingly under-the-radar Portman has flown throughout his career:
A young trade lawyer steeped in Republican politics, he honed policy ideas for the administration of George H.W. Bush as an associate White House counsel. Soon, he rose to become the president’s chief liaison to Congress, as director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs.
In no small part since, he has ascended on the strength of his connections to two different Bush administrations. During the 2000 presidential campaign, the staff for then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush asked him to play the part of Democratic vice presidential candidate Joseph I. Lieberman in mock debates that the Bush team had arranged for Richard B. Cheney, its desired running mate. Portman proved so formidable that, before the last of Bush’s three debates, he found himself in the dining room of the Texas governor’s mansion, playing Al Gore against Bush. He had prepared for the practice session by watching tapes of virtually every Gore debate he could find….
In 2008, Portman served as a sparring partner for John McCain during a presidential debate practice, playing the role of Barack Obama. A Portman friend recalls receiving a phone call from a glum McCain aide shortly after a mock debate ended. “Portman just annihilated our guy,” the aide said. Adds former McCain strategist Steve Schmidt, who also watched the practices: “Anybody who saw Rob Portman in the role of Barack Obama during debate preps has no doubt about his ability to compete, debate and campaign effectively at the highest levels.”
Portman comes across as intensely prepared, steady, and creative. He has been an ideas man for much of his career—though that may well be a double-edged sword as it calls attention to his ties to the Bush administration.
The full profile is worth a read, and is notable for the absence of what has become something of a staple for the Post’s profiles on up-and-coming Republicans: bizarre, unfounded accusations of bigotry or crude, obsessive investigations that turn up nothing but are published along with a headline claiming something the story never proves. It is, in other words, a piece of serious journalism about a serious public servant.
Common Seth, hardly under the radar: he's been prominently discussed as a "dark horse" for at least 3 months. And indeed, Senator Portman is an impressive, very experienced highly qualified public servant and in person a very appealing individual. Still AS A VEEP CANDIDATE HE WOULD BE VERY BOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRING!!!!!!!!!!!!
Portman, Ryan, Rubio. They're all excellent and qualified. No more stunt veeps, please.
Consider Luis Fortuno Gov of Puerto Rico. Charismatic, free market limited government agenda that works for Puerto Rico. very pro Israel. I have met him and he is well known in free market circles. Exceptionally attractive wife.
I loathe Romney, but I like the prospect of Fortuno as a VP regardless (much preferable to Rubio)…
I agree with Jack Crussol. Of all of the potential VPs I have heard bruited about, I am most impressed by Paul Ryan. He can strongly articulate the Republican case against all comers. His command of the facts and issues is absolute. He is attractive, articulate, and dynamic.
I won't vote for the ticket if she is on it. Period. n nAt first, when she was attacking RINO Colin Powell, she was looking good. She flip-flopped badly when she replaced him. n nI won't waste breath on debating it.
You will allow one more vote differential for Obama … over a VP choice? Not very responsible to tip the scales more in favor of another four disastrous years.
Point of vital importance – I'v e noticed a pattern with my voting. I don't influence anyone, however, the sorts of people who have to decide if one ticket is valuable enough to go to the polling station and vote includes enough millions of voters to make the election or break it. n nI've noticed that when my guts are screaming "NOT NO NO NO NO!!!!!" at me over the GOP Ticket, that those folks all stay home. And that candidate loses. Not because of me. nAnd those are folks that won't have political discussions at all, not even with GOP Voters, they don't come online and talk about their views, they won't talk with family or friends or anyone else. nAnd they are fed up. And they won't support someone because they are "the lesser of two…" nThey will stay home and they will have an opinion that idiots who vote for idiots who have a bad consequence were only asking for it. n nI'm not them, but somehow, I always have the same gut feeling about whether a ticket will be accepted by the GOP Base voters or not. nOnly ONCE did I vote for such a ticket anyway – ONLY ONCE – and he lost ANYWAY. And in the next few months, I found cause to be MORE THAN RELIEVED that he had LOST – he went to extremes to prove how unsuitable he would have been if he had won. n nSad to see a GOP who is worse than a Dim in office, even when you are talking about Carter, Clinton, or even Odrama Queen. But they do exist. n nI can vote for Romney, but he is the most LEFT candidate, save ONE ALONE, that I have ever voted for. But he better pick a RIGHTIE to balance the ticket, and most getting CALLED "RIGHTIE" these days are NOT – i.e., John McCain, Christie, Newt, Santorum,etc. n nSo if you are worried about ME not voting for Condi, I so guarantee you, millions of others won;t be voting for Condi who never heard a word that I said, and won't vote for her anyway – and THEY are the ones YOU have to worry about. n nRomney has no choice – the VEEP has to be RIGHT and HONESTLY a Conservative. Condi is a rather shrill and extremely nervous woman who was never comfortable in her own skin, anyway, so she won't bring anything to the table at best. And the few times she took the wrong tack with her Sec State office – out of the clear blue – n nMost of the issues are so settled with Conservatives now – we are tired of TALK and then the GOP politicians do not UNDO DAMAGE AT ALL. We are fed up with them ADDING TO THE PROBLEMS instead of FIXING them. n nWe are through talking. And I mean THROUGH! Condi had a chance IN OFFICE to show her stuff and it was too far LEFT. n nIt ain't open for discussion.
The VEEP bench is deep. With Daniels, Ryan, Portman, Jindal, Rice, Christie, Pawlenty, etc… Lots of experience out there.
No to Daniels, No to RYAN, Rice, Christie, Pawlenty – no! Period. n nThere are some GOOD SOLID Conservatives who have NEVER sided with DIMS on Major issues. n nDecide how badly you want this – half-way won't cut it.
I don't agree with Ryan,. I saw some of his financial bills charted out. When I overlaid them on Obama's bill, they were NOT going the opposite direction, THEY JUST TRAVELED UPWARDS at the SAME ANGLE, just 2-3 MONTHS or 3-4 YEARS behind OBAMA – THAT IS NOT CONSERVATIVE, and I won't tolerate the upswing from 500 Billion to 20 Trillion being bandied about by GOP as if a SLIGHT MODIFICATION of Obama spending is Conservative instead of equally as outrageous AS Odrama Queen! n nNO!