Coulter: Rubio Would be a Bad Choice for Veep Because Some People Who Like Him Also Like Rick Perry

Fridge, nuked.

While pundits, politicians and prognosticators have tapped Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as one of the most likely GOP vice presidential picks, conservative commentator Ann Coulter warned today that such a choice would be a “mistake.”

“I think that would be a mistake because the same people who loved Rubio loved [former presidential candidate and Texas Gov.]Rick Perry,” Coulter told me Sunday during the “This Week” roundtable discussion. “I want someone who’s been a bit more tested.”

That doesn’t even make sense. Perry’s presidential campaign did not go well at all, but to link that to Rubio on an argument of who has been “tested” just doesn’t hold up. Perry is the longest serving governor in Texas history, and Texas is not exactly a small state. Perry’s record is arguably the best in the nation. On the merits, he is far more “tested” in office than any of the remaining presidential candidates and the sitting president. Marco Rubio was speaker of the Florida House prior to defeating Charlie Crist for the Senate seat he now holds. He didn’t come from the party’s back bench and has not been a back bencher in the Senate. Marco Rubio is a genuine leader.And unlike Joe Biden, Rubio does not have a history of getting every major issue of the past 30 years dead wrong.

As for those people who love both Perry and Rubio — they’re called “Republicans.” Does Coulter not want such people to have a say in who the Republican Party has on the ticket?

You probably won’t be surprised to learn who Coulter does want on the ticket with Mitt Romney:

Coulter suggested Romney pick someone like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie or Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.

“He’s been tested, he’s steady, he’s not frightening,” Coulter said of Kyl. “He could certainly step into the job.”

Christie has been a fine governor, but he has not been vetted for a national run any more than Rubio has. Putting Christie on the ticket is unlikely to swing New Jersey toward the GOP, but Rubio on the ticket all but locks up Florida (and Florida comes with more electoral votes than New Jersey). Coulter seems to be making stuff up to get the outcome she wants.