General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWaPo: "It’s time to start speculating about Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick"
In this column, Chris Cillizza offers his thoughts about whom Trump might select as a running mate. Trump doesn't have the nomination locked up yet, but he's clearly the front-runner, so it's a question worth asking.
At one point, I thought a Trump/Cruz ticket was a good chance. Cillizza rules it out on the basis of the strong enmity that's developed between the two. It would certainly be a "team" with some teamwork problems, but picking a rival isn't unheard of. Reagan picked George H.W. Bush after the latter had (correctly) derided his "voodoo economics" proposals. Still, Trump/Cruz is looking unlikely.
The prospects Cillizza mentions ("in no particular order" are: Nikki Haley, Rick Scott, Sarah Palin, Carly Fiorina, and a businessman to be named later (someone like Carl Icahn or Jack Welch). On that last point, Cillizza comments:
From a conventional point of view, either Kasich or Rubio would address that experience issue, by bringing on board someone who'd served in elective office, and either would also help in a key swing state. Of course, to pick anyone who'd served in elective office might undercut Trump's outsider appeal. One of the commenters suggests that Trump pick a general; that might be a way of adding experience without resorting to a politician. Too bad for Petraeus he couldn't keep his pants zipped.
Another commenter suggests Susana Martinez. IMO that idea makes more sense than Haley -- if you're going to pick a youngish female governor, might as well try to appeal to Latinos rather than Indian-Americans, and might as well go for a swing state.
Here are a couple other ideas, trying to walk the line between adding experience and not looking like a conventional politician:
* Joe Scarborough -- practiced law, then served in Congress but that was a while back, has made a successful third career in media, good name recognition, accustomed to being on camera, Floridian, nobody but a few diehard leftists would worry about the "dead intern" story.
* Gary Johnson -- successful businessman, then won two terms as Governor of New Mexico to give him the experience to complement Trump, but not a conventional Republican politician because he ran as the Libertarian candidate in 2012 and got more than a million votes.
OK, I know no one wants to contemplate the prospect of President Trump, but he could well be the nominee and he'll have to pick someone to run with him. Go ahead and speculate.
OregonBlue
(7,754 posts)Can you imagine two loud mouthed bombasts? They do nothing but shout each other down.
onenote
(42,760 posts)Last edited Fri Feb 26, 2016, 04:07 PM - Edit history (1)
He wants to be the prosecutor in chief.
Plus, he adds no diversity, geographic or otherwise, to a Trump ticket.
Definitely not VP.
Jim Lane
(11,175 posts)Well, he might sway some New Jersey voters who'd see it as a way to get Christie out of the governorship a year early. But given Christie's low approval ratings, picking him wouldn't put New Jersey in play. He also wouldn't help reconcile the paleocons to the ticket, because they consider Christie a RINO.
Plus, as you say, Christie has no other electoral advantages and is the wrong temperament to be a VP.
randys1
(16,286 posts)would sign on to his hate agenda.
If the GOP steals the election (they cant actually win, they can only obtain the WH by stealing), and they will prevent millions of democrats from voting in that pursuit, I dont know which worry will be greater; how fast the middle class will disappear and the poor starve to death, or which foreign war will he start accidentally by shooting his ignorant mouth off.
Remember, Donald Trump is only important and rich because he was and is willing to harm people and cheat people to make money.
He is the epitome of capitalism.
bullwinkle428
(20,630 posts):trumpvoice: "SHE KNOWS WHEA THE BODIES AH BURIED!"
Jim Lane
(11,175 posts)I'd guess that either Haley or Martinez would take it if offered.
Haley has endorsed Rubio so picking her could be seen as a way of bridging the intra-party divisions. I don't know whether Martinez has made an endorsement.
exboyfil
(17,865 posts)Kasich definitely along with any other Republican governor/former governor. Given Kasich's legislative experience, he probably would also be useful in that regard.
I have been thinking all along that Kasich is running for the VP spot. He has tried to keep his hands clean during these debates.
He helps in the midwest especially Ohio.
Apparently Christie has thrown his hat into the ring for the VP. I don't think he would help as much as Kasich though.
If you stay with the outsider theme perhaps Fiorina.
I guess it won't be Jeb.
onenote
(42,760 posts)Kasich? Possibly.
Haley? Not out of the question.
Someone we haven't thought of? Wouldn't be a surprise if it was a surprise.
FSogol
(45,526 posts)Tommy_Carcetti
(43,198 posts)Who will look an awful like Donald Trump, except he wears a pair of dark rimmed glasses, a large nose and a fuzzy Groucho Marx style moustache.
The two will never be seen on stage together, ever.
0rganism
(23,970 posts)her weird loud party thing and yelling shit at the police would play well in opposition campaign ads...