ABC News is making news today for a claim that FL Sen. Marco Rubio isn’t even being vetted to join Mitt Romney on the GOP presidential ticket.
Even before the Republicans chose a presidential nominee it was widely assumed that Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., would be at the top of anybody’s list of vice presidential candidates. The reasons are obvious: Not only is he young, charismatic and wildly popular with conservatives, but he could also help Republicans win a key state (Florida) and make inroads with Hispanics.
But knowledgeable Republican sources tell me that Rubio is not being vetted by Mitt Romney’s vice presidential search team. He has not been asked to complete any questionnaires or been asked to turn over any financial documents typically required of potential vice presidential candidates.
Now who could these sources be? I’ll get to that in a second. First, here’s a preview of what Romney will say about all this when he appears on Hannity tonight.
Hannity: “What did you make of the ABC News report this morning that said Marco Rubio was not being vetted but Governor Tim Pawlenty was being vetted? Any comment on that story?”
Mitt Romney: “I get a kick out of some of the speculation that goes on. I’m not going to comment on the process of course. But I can tell you this: only Beth Myers and I know who is being vetted.”
Hannity: “Does that mean Ann Romney doesn’t know?”
Romney: “Even Ann doesn’t know. We talk about the possible people that I might select. But in terms of actually who is being vetted, that is something only two people know. And Beth Myers doesn’t talk.”
Hannity:“Is there a shortlist?”
Romney: “There are a number of people who are being vetted and that is obviously the group we are considering most seriously.”
According to Romney, only two people on the campaign know who is being vetted, he is one of them, and neither of them is talking. But.
If you’re being vetted, you know. And a few close to you will know too, your closest political adviser, your legal counsel, maybe your accountant, certainly your spouse. One of them might talk. It’s a safe bet that ABC talked to someone not on the Romney campaign, but someone close to Rubio.
Still, there’s no guarantee that whoever ABC talked to knows what they’re talking about. Politics attracts people who like to talk and sound like they’re insiders, even when they’re outsiders.
Update: Now the Washington Post reports that it has talked with two people on the Romney campaign, both of whom say that Rubio is not being seriously vetted.
Update: A source on the Romney campaign tells me that the Washington Post report is incorrect. Whoever it is talking to on the campaign is not involved in the veep search — see Romney’s comment above. Only two people on the campaign know anything, and they’re not talking. We await the Post’s correction.
Here’s what I think. Everyone is interested in Romney’s pick. As things stand now, that person is more likely than not to become vice president. That person will certainly become a target the nanosecond word breaks that Romney has made a choice. Everyone is talking, but very very few actually know what they’re talking about. ABC talked to people connected with Rubio and concluded that he is not in the running. The Post talked to people on the Romney campaign, but who are not involved in the search. There is no guarantee that either outlet talked to anyone who actually knows anything, and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that they both talked to people who in fact know nothing at all.
Update: Moments ago Romney addressed the press, knocked down both the ABC and WaPo story saying that Rubio is being vetted.
There’s still plenty of time to vet someone. Rubio could easily be vetted in August for all the important details and information. So it’s still very early here.
That said, I do believe that Romney and his people are still spooked by the Palin choice in 2008 and don’t want to do anything that will remotely be seen as being anywhere near that.
Taking a young(relatively inexperienced with no foreign policy background), charismatic guy to excite the base and check off the hispanic box may appear a bit too close to picking a young(relatively inexperienced with no foreing policy background), charismatic gal to excite the base and check off the woman box for their taste.
If he picks Rubio there will be tons of stories comparing him to Palin, showing her, noting the similarities, etc… I don’t think they want that. I also think they saw what happened when Palin overshadowed McCain and pretty much became the main story on the GOP side and they don’t want that, either. They don’t want a VP who will overshadow Romney on his own ticket. He wants to be seen unambiguously in charge and the lead dog.
That takes care of people like Rubio, Christie, Ryan, etc…
I think they want to play it rather safe and go with some Romney is comfortable with, who will clearly accept the #2 role and defer to Romney, and who won’t really make any waves and keep the focus on Romney, Obama, and the economy. Romney also needs someone with foreign policy/military/natl security exp and Congressional experience as he himself has none of either.
Of course, I could be wrong. But folks like Portman, Kyl, Condi Rice(long shot), Thune make more sense to me.
With all due respect to Senator Rubio, there are a number of reasons why he may not be being vetted or considered.
1) The reasons are obvious: Not only is he young, charismatic and wildly popular with conservatives, but he could also help Republicans win a key state (Florida) and make inroads with Hispanics.
Romney is not any of the first three characteristics listed, and to be honest there is not any evidence that he values any of them personally or politically. Mind you, being old, dull, but conservative; I will vote for him as an alternative to Buraq Hussein, but I am under no illusion that he is conservative or likes us.
2) Obama’s formal inauguration of rule by decree is purportedly based on Rubio’s DREAM act. Choosing him may blur issues rather than draw differences that need to be drawn.
3) Although there are differences in interpretations amongst Republicans, one of the strongest drivers among many is the belief that Buraq Hussein Obama is not Constitutionally qualified to be president. Like it or not, believe it or not; there are similar doubts about Senator Rubio. To be honest, if you draw on the only time the Supreme Court defined “Natural Born Citizen” [ MINOR v. HAPPERSETT, 88 U.S. 162 (1874) 88 U.S. 162 (Wall.), 23rd paragraph counting one sentence paragraphs]; the argument can be made. This, once again, blurs issues instead of drawing them. And risks micturating in the Wheaties of part of the base he is depending on.
YMMV
Subotai Bahadur
Maybe the Romney campaign is punking the legacy media by ‘leaking’ false information in an effort to get them to embarrass themselves.
Rubio has made it clear that he does not consider himself a good choice to b VP. Romney is a “moderate” Republican. Such do not like Conservatives, especially when they get outshined by said Conservative. McCain chose Palin out of desperation. She was not his first choice. Reagan chose Bush Sr. to be his VP “to unite the Party”. Moderates do not like to reciprocate.
I am reminded of the first primary debate (Jun, ’11). The questioner was a Terry Pfaff, a longtime active member of the Republican Party. He self-described as a mainstream (moderate) Republican. He wanted to know how a Conservative would win his vote in November ’12. I wanted to scream, “They don’t have to win your vote, jackass! The guy wins the nomination, and the Party Members support the nominee in the general election. That’s how the Party system works.”
This is why I cannot consider myself a member of the Republican Party. Conservatives are supposed to donate money, get out the vote, vote for the nominee, and otherwise shut up, because moderates do not want to otherwise deal with Conservatives. If a Conservative gets the nod, the moderate’s reaction is, “What’ll you pay me for my vote?” Nothing. You have already been paid many times by Conservatives having to hold their noses for you guys.
Romney is not going to choose a Conservative, unless, like McCain, he gets desperate and needs a game-changer. He is not going to choose Palin, either. He will not want to look like McCain, drawing crowds of 3k, while Palin draws 10k+. Rubio would similarly outshine him. Not on the list.
Romney is gonna choose another “moderate”, i.e., non-Conservative. I can only hope it is someone like Paul Ryan. Anybody But Romney was my cry, and it was shared by many, but in the end, people’s fear of Obama made them settle for Romney. Least risky. Back to “moderates” running the government. I’m sure it’ll be just swell. Right.
the real question is whether Romney’s goals for his veep pick are to win the presidency or satisfy his constituency; i.e., his fellow trough lickers in the republican hierarchy and the guys on “the other side” who they presume will share power every eight years or so.
And since the money window was wide open for Romney’s pals the last 3 1/2 years, there is no way they are going to take a chance at irritating the gravy dispensers on obama’s team, who they are sure are no different than they are.
There isn’t a scrap of evidence that Romney thinks the last 3 1/2 years are anything extraordinary, so why would he give Rubio a moment’s consideration? Marco hasn’t been through the rites of passage and would certainly raise some hackles with the musical chair players. Palin did as well, and we saw what happened to her.