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WaPo's Michael Gersson's got a FEVER, and the only PRESCRIPTION is Chris Christie as Mitt's VP pick
The best VP for Romney
By Michael Gerson
So let me add my own empty conjecture. Romney has a particularly strong stable of prospects. Rob Portman would best fit Romney’s public style and be a major asset in governing. Tim Pawlenty possesses a genuine blue-collar appeal and would be a grateful, loyal and tireless selection. Paul Ryan is the intellectual leader of the GOP and the most passionate prosecutor of the case against President Obama’s fiscal recklessness.
But the trend of the last few weeks favors Chris Christie. The 2012 election has already proved to be a vicious, negative slugfest. In the last few weeks, Romney has been accused of committing a felony, avoiding taxes for a decade and contributing to the death of a woman with cancer. The squeals of various fact-checking outfits go ignored in Chicago. Romney, his family and staff are likely to feel offended and aggrieved. The question they are probably asking themselves is not: Who is the best vice presidential pick? Rather, it is: Who is the best wartime vice presidential pick?
Romney needs more than an appealing spokesman. He needs someone to engage aggressively on his behalf in the daily D-Day this campaign has become. All four leading vice presidential prospects might play this role. Christie would clearly play it best. He is the only one who seems to relish this sort of political conflict. And he has good reason to relish it. He is a natural, a prodigy, at the art of confrontation.
It is one thing to pit Ohio or Minnesota or Wisconsin against the Chicago way. I predict that Romney will want — and Republicans will welcome — Jersey vs. Chicago.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/post/the-best-vp-for-romney/2012/08/09/8f531236-e24b-11e1-98e7-89d659f9c106_blog.html
By Michael Gerson
So let me add my own empty conjecture. Romney has a particularly strong stable of prospects. Rob Portman would best fit Romney’s public style and be a major asset in governing. Tim Pawlenty possesses a genuine blue-collar appeal and would be a grateful, loyal and tireless selection. Paul Ryan is the intellectual leader of the GOP and the most passionate prosecutor of the case against President Obama’s fiscal recklessness.
But the trend of the last few weeks favors Chris Christie. The 2012 election has already proved to be a vicious, negative slugfest. In the last few weeks, Romney has been accused of committing a felony, avoiding taxes for a decade and contributing to the death of a woman with cancer. The squeals of various fact-checking outfits go ignored in Chicago. Romney, his family and staff are likely to feel offended and aggrieved. The question they are probably asking themselves is not: Who is the best vice presidential pick? Rather, it is: Who is the best wartime vice presidential pick?
Romney needs more than an appealing spokesman. He needs someone to engage aggressively on his behalf in the daily D-Day this campaign has become. All four leading vice presidential prospects might play this role. Christie would clearly play it best. He is the only one who seems to relish this sort of political conflict. And he has good reason to relish it. He is a natural, a prodigy, at the art of confrontation.
It is one thing to pit Ohio or Minnesota or Wisconsin against the Chicago way. I predict that Romney will want — and Republicans will welcome — Jersey vs. Chicago.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/post/the-best-vp-for-romney/2012/08/09/8f531236-e24b-11e1-98e7-89d659f9c106_blog.html
4 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
...the story of the day is Mitt being "pressured" to put Ryan on the ticket, and if enough people get behind Christie (Scarborough AND Mika were SWOONING over the possibility this morning), there may be some pressure in that direction as well.
In short...Mitt is John McCain and he's being told by his handlers that he's not popular enough and needs to "shake things up" by putting Sarah Palin on the ticket.
But you;re right...either way, Mitt loses.
