The air just went out of Mitt's VP pick -- Amazing in the Obama campaign's planning and brilliance

[underpants]

Obama camp picks at possible Romney VP choices

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/even-before-romney-makes-vp-pick-obama-campaign-begins-effort-to-pick-apart-gop-ticket-mate/2012/08/09/42cfa058-e1ee-11e1-89f7-76e23a982d06_story.html

CINCINNATI — President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies aren’t waiting for Republican Mitt Romney to reveal his vice presidential choice. They’re already trying to scuff up those considered by political insiders to be most likely to join the GOP ticket.



Tim Pawlenty? The former Minnesota governor is a fee-raiser whose record “is painful for the middle-class families who lived under his leadership,” the Obama campaign argues.

Rob Portman? The Ohio senator is “one of the architects of the top-down Bush budget” that the Obama team blames for “crashing our economy.”

Marco Rubio? The rookie Florida senator has “led the way on almost every extreme position Mitt Romney has embraced,” according to the missive that seeks examples of “the good, the bad and ugly” of Rubio.

Chris Christie? There’s “no lack of material to work with” about the pugnacious New Jersey governor.

Bobby Jindal? The Louisiana governor and former congressman tried to harm Social Security and Medicare and “had the same issues with secrecy and lack of transparency as Mitt Romney.”

[sadbear]

1. The Super Pacs would have a lot of fun with any of these guys...

not that I encourage Super Pacs or anything.

[Gman]

2. Don't forget Jindals ill fated SOTU address rebuttal

Where he talked about government waste like studying volcanoes. Shortly afterward that volcano blew in Iceland and shut down Europe.

[sadbear]

3. Religion is supposed to be off-limits

but Piyush has exorcism experience, too.

[MNBrewer]

5. Why should religion be off limits, if the subject's religion is going to be the basis of policy?

It's like any other ideological position, except that it involves a "woo-woo" factor.

[sadbear]

6. Hey, I don't make the rules...

I agree with you 100%, but for some reason, Americans don't like it when you point out the absurdity of anyone's (Christian) religion. Or maybe it's because the MSM is scared to death of turning over that stone.

[A HERETIC I AM]

21. The ox that can't be gored. N/t

[MNBrewer]

36. Oh, you mean in polite company

or even "legally". yeah, religion comes into it ALL THE TIME. Check out any poll about who would vote for an Atheist. While it's perfectly legal, and doesn't constitute a "religious test", it is a de facto religious test.

[patrice]

54. Same issues can be approached more effectively in terms of rational : non-rational processes. Leave

religion out of it.

If we go after religion per se, it turns first into woo woo vs. woo woo, religion vs. religion (a bad fucking mix as history clearly shows), and the only resolution to that is to yield a privileged position to rationalism, which, while some of us value rationalism as much or more than other stuff, it is also possible to speculate that rationalism is ultimately, in the extreme, as cognitively dysfunctional as practically anything else can be, including woo woo, but, even if it weren't for that potential for dysfunctionality, we'd still be in the un-workable position of giving a PRIVILEGED position to rationalism, which is a problem even to rational supporters in that that privileged position puts the whole discourse into the area of violating BASIC RIGHTS, an un-tenable legal position even if you are a rationalist, instead of the rhetorical arena of rational : non-rational, which is what we REALLY need to talk about.

Just sketching some of the possible thoughts on the matter here.

I have a caveat about what I just said based upon the differences between religion, as organized "something," and what is generally referred to as "spirituality", which I would take to be the un-organized, more anarchic, forms of that same something.

And then also none of this touches on the matter of taxing at least some of the churches who ARE businesses, a thing that we will never get a chance to approach politically if we make the mistake of acting as though our position, the rational one, is PRIVILEGED over theirs and, thus, attack their RIGHTS as Americans to believe and say whatever they want, which is a losing battle for us. Our position may be better than theirs, but that does not entitle it to privilege and that fact actually is better not only for them, but for us too.

Besides all of which, I don't understand how, if you don't think something is real, i.e. religion or woo woo, whatever, if you don't think something is real in the first place, how is it even possible to have anything else to say about it, beyond the fact that you don't think it is real. To me that seems too much like asking a man in the street about the properties of some moon permanently hidden by Jupiter or something like that. To him, it may or may not be there. He has only your reasons for thinking it could be and nothing more.

.........................

Hope you don't mind, just wanted to walk my own thinking through what you triggered with your question.

[nanabugg]

39. It wasn't for Obama last time around. And in the minds of the RWers it isn't this time either. nt

[kestrel91316]

43. When Obama is continually attacked for being a supposed muslim, or

for attending the wrong christian church, religion is no longer off limits. Rmoney's religion and that of his VP pick are legitimate targets for criticism.

[ozsea1]

61. A-freakin'-men

Can't post over at DK, it's blocked here at work.

DU? All good.

[George II]

17. Chris Matthews: "Oh God!"

[CTyankee]

66. Oh, now that was classic!

[LittleGirl]

19. IIRC - if I recall correctly

Wasn't it the volcano in Alaska? I do remember the Iceland volcano but I think the one right after the State of the Union rebuttal was the Alaska one.

[rickford66]

71. The volcano

Actually I seem to remember that the volcano was in Alaska. I remember thinking what can Palin say about Jindal's stupidity.

[kskiska]

4. Rubio and Jindal are considered ineligible

according to Birthers.

[Hamlette]

7. since the didn't dis Ryan, maybe they want Romney to pick Ryan?

[Bonhomme Richard]

11. Bingo. They want them to have to defend the Ryan budget.

The real one. Not the cowardly watered down version the republicans are showing before the election.

[spooky3]

37. They also omitted O'Donnell (VA)

Probably for the same reason.

[Patiod]

45. Oh Jesus Christ Almighty not another O'Donnell politician to embarrass the family name

[spooky3]

72. Go to 538.com and see why Nate Silver

Believes polls give Romney a good reason to choose O'Donnell.

I couldn't believe it.

[chknltl]

8. What about Huckabee?

Was he ever a consideration?

[sadbear]

9. You'd have to ask the Huckster.

I assume he's one of those fundamentalists who think Mormons are not Christian. Though I could be wrong.

[chknltl]

15. perhaps, but he is still a republican.

Last time I checked, republican politicians never let religion stop them from achieving more power. Romney could pick Huckabee in order to regain the Christian republican supporters who refuse to vote for a Morman. There are likely quite a few of these particular fundies out there. Huckabee comes with his own support base, has only a little dirt on him that I am aware of and has national name recognition from the 08 election as well as from fox noise.

[sadbear]

22. Oh, there is dirt on the Huckster.

Something to do with the furniture at the Arkansas Governor's Mansion. And I reckon the Obama team could find other stuff, too.

[JBoy]

24. Don't forget his (fashion) criminal record

[Canuckistanian]

29. And his animal-abusing progeny

http://www.snopes.com/politics/huckabee/dog.asp

[Hoyt]

30. Christ, that's awful. Dog is cool.

[Doctor_J]

35. Huckabee pardoned a rapist because the victim was Clinton's cousin

the pardoned sex felon then went on to rape someone else. I look forward to those ads.

[lastlib]

81. Can you say "Willie Horton" enough times???

ETA: That would be so delish!!

[YellaDog1950]

33. But politics trumps religion in this election.

I'm sure all the fundamentalists who think Mormonism is a cult will act just like the little ole Southern Baptist Texas megachurch pastor Robert Jeffress. They will ALL just "hold their noses" and support the Repugnant nominee, cult member or not. Knowing Huckabee, he'd be the very one to show others just how to do it.

[underpants]

44. He is busy selling chicken sandwiches

[KharmaTrain]

50. Hucklenutz Has A Nice Big Money Gig...

He's trying to be the new Rushbo. He has a hate radio show that soon will be rivaling Oxy boy for the ears of the great unhinged. This will give him a daily platform to pontificate how he, and only he, can save the world by eating mor chikn and buying gold and whatever scam comes his way. He's making big coin and playing second banana to what look more and more like a lost cause doesn't serve the Huckster's big ego and appetite. He wants to be the big Kahuna...and is hoping to use hate radio like Raygun to build up a big base and be a force in 2016 when there won't be an incumbent to face.

[louis-t]

58. Just saw his new 'I hate the muslin guy' ad on MSNBC this morning.

Filled with already debunked lies.

[Liberal_in_LA]

10. comment in the forums: The ugly side of Obama has been in plain view for months. Even his most loyal

The ugly side of Obama has been in plain view for months. Even his most loyal followers must be surprised at how negative he has been.

Repubs are surprised at how fast and hard Obama is hitting back. They expected Romney to cruise with his big pile of cash - running ads about birth certificates and such.

[Ikonoklast]

12. When Democrats fight back, Republicans get their delicate feelings hurt.

Fuck 'em, they ain't seen nothin' yet.

[LittleGirl]

20. That Statement is SO SPOT ON.

My sister is just like that. Die Hard Republican even when they are WRONG. They/She will get their pouty faces on and you have to snap back and tell them to "put their big Girl/Boy panties on and suck it up." Just like they tell you to do.

[Liberal_in_LA]

56. They coined that phrase "Loserman" when Gore contested the Florida count

They taunt and taunt and taunt without major pushback from the dems. never expected a candidate like Obama.

[tavalon]

60. What you said

I don't fully like the Obama governing style but he and his team are consummate campaigners. And it's nice to see that Citizen's United isn't just helping the other side - our side is also reaping the benefit (for the record, I fully don't support the Citizen's United decision - it's one of the worst ever to come out of the SC).

[Cha]

31. I would reply..

"No, not surprised the President is laying out the FACTS on willard mitt romney..it's willard's fault he's led such a robustly NEGATIVE life with his business dealings."

"Oh, btw, where are willard's tax returns?

"There is a legitimate reason to see Romney’s tax records, and anything else the nation feels is important about his character. He is essentially trying to get the highest security clearance and he needs to be put under the microscope."

The above quote in bold is from politicusUSA in the comment section by a SFC Ret USA..

"63% of Americans Demand That Mitt Romney Release His Tax Returns"

http://www.politicususa.com/63-americans-demand-mitt-romney-release-tax-returns.html

Edit: syntax

[tavalon]

62. Only 63%?!

If you add the usual 27% brain dead folks who were always for Bush, no matter what, we still come up 10% short. How odd.

[Cha]

78. Yeah, you know how polls go.. or maybe there's

10% more brain dead these days?

[FedUpWithIt All]

47. "Where are the tax returns?" "Top down got us into this mess in the first place"

I think it's so refreshing to see a dem candidate present reproachful soundbites that are easy to remember, repeat and are (because dems typically prefer claims backed by actual facts) impossible to refute.

[Liberal_in_LA]

57. exactly!

[yardwork]

49. As a loyal follower of Obama, I'm not surprised at how negative he's been, but I'm very pleased.

Obama fought back effectively against attempts to swift boat him in 2008 and I fully expect his team to do the same this time around.

[tavalon]

63. Yeah, Obama is the best campaigner our side has ever had

and since we are fully in the campaign season, I'm done for now with dogging him with what he hasn't done. It isn't even a contest between Obama and Mittens. But then, it wasn't going to be a contest between Obama and ______.

This campaign is much more fun than I expected. The only thing that could make it more fun would be if Mittens took Bachmann as his running mate. Oh, great goddess, that would be hilarious. She's like Palin, only with googly eyes and an in the closet, gay husband.

[get the red out]

52. Those Democrats are supposed to play nice!

How dare Democrats not just take every punch that Republicans throw their way, they aren't supposed to fight back!!! Mommy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[drm604]

16. So we shouldn't discuss this stuff?

If it doesn't interest you read a different thread, or a different board.

[tavalon]

64. I love this feature with the new DU,

where you can see banned trolls last comments. It's pretty funny.

[drm604]

75. I figured he wouldn't last long.

Don't know why I even bothered to respond to that post.

[tavalon]

76. You know how hard it is not to play with the troll mice

They can be so funny in their obstinate stupidity, but yeah, we shouldn't feed the trolls.

[matmar]

14. I like the "fat ass" inference regarding Christie..

..."no lack of material to work with"......you got that right.

[Patiod]

46. He has a horrible temper as well

and he's a lazy POS. Fat or thin, you don't get a CAR to drive you from your state helicopter 100 yards to your son's soccer game.

Bad temper and lazy POS isn't going to play with the American public. All anyone needs to do is circulate those videos of him strolling the boardwalk, eating ice cream, going apoplectic when someone shouts out the heresy that he should "take care of teachers". Not going to play well at all.

The only thing he has going for him, in my opinion, is that he thinks it's stupid to incarcerate people for marijuana possession related crimes. I don't partake myself, but at least someone is smart enough to realize that making marijuana possession criminal is just stupid.

[L0oniX]

18. Mitt is toast. Game over.

[tavalon]

65. The game was over when Mittens got the nomination

but then, with the contenders, there were none who had any chance, Mittens included. I didn't realize how easily he would be finished off, but I knew it was over way back. Now, if he gave us Michelle Bachmann (please,please,please,please), this would become a laugh riot.

[Beowulf]

23. I think the Obama campaign wants Ryan on the GOP ticket

It would hang the Ryan budget around Romney's neck and a clear victory in November would take the wind out of any notion that the Ryan budget has any significant public support. It would be a mandate to do the opposite.

[elzenmahn]

79. Well, they just got their wish...

...and MittWitt is too stupid to see the trap he just walked into by picking Boy Wonder Ryan.

[Warren DeMontague]

25. Oh yeah? Well.. ...Um.... Uh... What about

BATMAN?

[Kennah]

26. Did Sarah Palin's boob implant pop?

[47of74]

32. thanks for the mental image

[Kennah]

38. Ironically, she was McCain's boob implant

If she were added to Team Romney, she could be Romney's boob implant.

[ananda]

27. The thot plickens.

I think the problem for Roms right now is that nobody
decent really wants the job.

[sofa king]

34. I don't think he wants anyone decent.

A decent pick can't bail out the sinking SS Romney. He needs a "Hail Mary" pick, someone relatively unknown and with a record short enough that she doesn't have to stand tall before the press for doing what all Republicans do. He needs someone who can generate interest in the animal part of the brain, since that's the part Republican voters use for voting.

I'm still sticking with my girlfriend's pick of Pam Bondi. There are indications she is already working closely with the Romney campaign. She is inexperienced, which I argue is an asset to the GOP. She has a well-established two-year record of stealing homes, hating the poor, kissing asses of the wealthy and big business, and executing the agenda of the nation's most sociopathic governor, Rick Scott, all of which are horrible things to us but which somehow appeal to the future victims of Republican plans. She has a chance of winning back Florida, which may be Romney's only chance.

But most importantly, she's a blonde with big knockers who can provide a much-needed distraction and lower the political debate back down to the Real Housewives level Romney requires to sneak in.

Such a pick would also have severe liabilities, just like Sarah Palin did. But recall that most of the Republican VP picks since 1968 have been terrible. I remember being horrified at the thought of an idiot like Dan Quayle actually becoming President... and then Uncle Dick brought W to town, and we all saw exactly how bad it could be.

[yardwork]

51. I believe that Romney is too sexist and bigoted to choose anybody but a white male.

This has been my prediction from the very beginning. Some of his advisers may be encouraging him to consider a woman, but Romney himself won't agree, I believe. It's possible that there is a big fight going on behind the scenes.

[sofa king]

53. You have a point, and I'm sure you're also correct...

...about there being a big fight behind the scenes. There are many different entities which can lay claim to some input into Romney's decision:

* The billionaires who funded his campaign (and there is no reason why any of them should agree with each other);

* The Mormon Church;

* Romney's own political handlers (who also will surely disagree with one another);

* Frothing teabillies on whom all Republicans depend to win;

* Romney himself.

By now we can probably guess that Mitt would not give a shit what those other named entities above think, except that he is beholden to all of them for something. Furthermore, all of those entities have a way to hit back if they don't get what they want.

* The billionaires can cut funding;

* The Church can leak Romney's tithing records and other indiscretions known to them, or even revoke their endorsement of him;

* Romney's handlers can defect, jump ship, leak, or switch to playing sudoku all day (though I think most of them are already doing that);

* Teabillies can break off and form their own party, align behind Libertarians or Constitutionalists, or sit this election out (and actually pay themselves by doing so).

* Romney-present may decide to screw over Romney-future in pursuit of some elusive short-term profit. Why not? He's done it to everyone else.

Whatever the case, the situation is already mapped out in such a way that just like Romney himself, his VP nominee will almost necessarily disappoint more people than it impresses.

That is because Romney runs at the head of a temporary pack of self-interested jackals who care not at all for the needs or desires of those they run with, or anyone else. They all want a bite out of the same corner of Romney's ass, and when they don't get it, they'll bite each other and anything else they can reach.

[sofa king]

82. You nailed it!

Didn't take long to prove you right, either. Rich white guy it is.

It looks to me like the Kochs got the pick.

[yardwork]

84. The Kochs made the pick and they're trying to buy the election.

Look out for a coup. Millions in superPAC ads. Voter suppression and fraud at the polls in swing states. The fix is in - we must fight it.

[sofa king]

85. At least we can see them coming.

[tavalon]

67. When you say Uncle Dick, you mean Darth Cheney, right?

Uncle Dick makes him sound so, I dunno, human.

[sofa king]

73. Yep.

And while the roles were reversed in that particular relationship, it was still a Mice and Men team of shifty guy and idiot man-child. It's just that the idiot was out in front that time, not unlike Reagan-Bush.

The list of Republican Vice Presidents and nominees reads like a comedian's wish list, each one a crook, a mook, an asshole, or some combination of the three: Spiro Agnew, Bob Dole, Bush the Smarter, Dan Quayle, Jack Kemp, Darth Cheney, Sarah Palin.

Another trend: The more criminal the running mate, the less likely the ticket was to lose.

So maybe Romney's only chance is Charles Manson.

[tavalon]

74. Charles Manson!

You almost made coffee come out my nose. You should send the suggestion the Mittens.

[sofa king]

83. Too late.

But I'll have to give Mitt credit for doubling down on the evil. History is on his side in that regard, but few others.

[tavalon]

86. Doubling down on evil

I guess he's as bad at poker as he is at governing and campaigning.

[Canuckistanian]

28. Rubio?

He shouldn't be on that list.

Especially after that "it works for the states, but not nationally" comment.

That's a message Rmoney wants to AVOID.

[Brother Buzz]

40. I drink your milkshake!

I drink it up!

[KurtNYC]

41. It's like introducing the pro wrestlers that get boo'ed

"Ladies and Gentlemen

Now entering the arena will you welcome...

Rob the Economy Crasher PORTMAN! ('boooooooooooooooooo')

Tim the Fee Raiser PAW-LENTY! ('boooooooooooooooooo')

Let's get ready to rumblllllllllllllle!

[tavalon]

68. DUZY!

Love it.

[Ruby the Liberal]

42. "One of the architects of the top-down Bush budget"

[Stinky The Clown]

48. My take(s) on the choices:

Tim Pawlenty? The former Minnesota governor is a fee-raiser whose record “is painful for the middle-class families who lived under his leadership,” the Obama campaign argues.

Show recent pictures of him with his mullet still in place. Then compare him to David Spade as Joe Dirt.

Rob Portman? The Ohio senator is “one of the architects of the top-down Bush budget” that the Obama team blames for “crashing our economy.”

Put up an image of a still-wet painted wall. Use a video camera to take the image. Subtitle it so it is obvious this is an action picture. Place a video of Portman next to it.

Marco Rubio? The rookie Florida senator has “led the way on almost every extreme position Mitt Romney has embraced,” according to the missive that seeks examples of “the good, the bad and ugly” of Rubio.

Put up Rubio's high school yearbook picture and a picture of his mom from the same time frame. Point out how amazingly young he *still* looks.

Chris Christie? There’s “no lack of material to work with” about the pugnacious New Jersey governor.

Give this to Dave Letterman, who loves the guy. Why just last night on (a rerun of) the Letterman show they did a clip of Christie in action in New Jersey. No sound, just an accompaniment of "Fat Guy Music." Dave did his usual scathing snarks.

Bobby Jindal? The Louisiana governor and former congressman tried to harm Social Security and Medicare and “had the same issues with secrecy and lack of transparency as Mitt Romney.”

Play the clip of his State of the Union rebuttal where he was at the state house in Baton Rouge, trying to look like Obama at the White House. He looked like a little kid trying to play "Presidint". It was cute if he was a kid. It was pathetic for a governor.

[tavalon]

69. While I hadn't forgotten the Jindal debacle (who could - it was painful to watch),

I had completely forgotten the Letterman factor. Don't piss off the Letterman, whatever you do. To this day, I think he helped McCain lose. Not that McCain wasn't well on his way to losing anyway, but pissing off Letterman was a very bad thing.

[lastlib]

55. Paul Ryan, a leading advocate...

...of turning our Social Security over to the vultures who gave us the 2008 economic collapse....
"Paul Ryan, a leading advocate of turning our Social Security over to the vultures who gave us the 2008 economic collapse...."
"Paul Ryan, a leading advocate of turning our Social Security over to the vultures who gave us the 2008 economic collapse...."
"Paul Ryan, a leading advocate of turning our Social Security over to the vultures who gave us the 2008 economic collapse...."
"Paul Ryan, a leading advocate of turning our Social Security over to the vultures who gave us the 2008 economic collapse...."
"Paul Ryan, a leading advocate of turning our Social Security over to the vultures who gave us the 2008 economic collapse...."
"Paul Ryan, a leading advocate of turning our Social Security over to the vultures who gave us the 2008 economic collapse...."
"Paul Ryan, a leading advocate of turning our Social Security over to the vultures who gave us the 2008 economic collapse...."
"Paul Ryan, a leading advocate of turning our Social Security over to the vultures who gave us the 2008 economic collapse...."

[tavalon]

70. I don't think that was said quite enough

"Paul Ryan, a leading advocate of turning our Social Security over to the vultures who gave us the 2008 economic collapse...."
"Paul Ryan, a leading advocate of turning our Social Security over to the vultures who gave us the 2008 economic collapse...."
"Paul Ryan, a leading advocate of turning our Social Security over to the vultures who gave us the 2008 economic collapse...."
"Paul Ryan, a leading advocate of turning our Social Security over to the vultures who gave us the 2008 economic collapse...."
"Paul Ryan, a leading advocate of turning our Social Security over to the vultures who gave us the 2008 economic collapse...."
"Paul Ryan, a leading advocate of turning our Social Security over to the vultures who gave us the 2008 economic collapse...."
"Paul Ryan, a leading advocate of turning our Social Security over to the vultures who gave us the 2008 economic collapse...."

[tavalon]

59. Bobbie Jindal?

The same guy who made a laughingstock of himself when he did the Republican rebuttal of the President's SOTU? Not a chance in hell it will be him. His aspirations went down the tube that night, and rightly so.

[Hugabear]

77. They're all rethugs - of course there's plenty to ammo to pick them apart

Rethugs do a pretty damned good job providing us with the ammo we need to take them out.

[tomm2thumbs]

80. this could have been a brilliant way to nudge Ebalmney towards Ryan

Make it look like he was avoiding mentioning him entirely (ie. absent of flaws) only to make him the lowest fruit on the tree for the GOP to pick.