So let's assume Romney's campaign is a lost cause. (because it is)

[Mr.Bill]

Could he have made a better VP pick that would have signifigantly improved his chances? If you were Mitt, who would you have picked?

[Sedona]

1. Rubio

[Maximumnegro]

20. 2016 may be Bush/Rubio. Dear God I hope not.

I don't think even Hillary could beat that ticket.

[waddirum]

26. Pres and VP need to be from different states

That said, I truly believe that Hills would mop the floor against Bush/Rubio.

[Sedona]

28. That didn't stop Bush Cheney

Darth Vadar just carpetbagged his ass back to Wyoming in time to register as the running mate.

[Chan790]

27. Can't be.

The Presidential and Vice Presidential nominee of a party may not be from the same state.

That's why Dick Cheney had to move to Wyoming from Texas. That's not an option for either Bush or Rubio...Rubio can't move because he'd have to resign his Senate seat if he ceases to be a legal resident of FL. Bush can't because it would cost the GOP ticket Florida if he appears to be abandoning the state to run for President.

[grantcart]

35. Rubio would have been a terrible choice. Only people who think that adding a Cuban American

improves chances among Hispanic Americans (which it doesn't) think that this choice means anything.

That is why it never got any serious consideration.

There is actually a lot of antagonism between the Hispanic and Cuban communities over the issue of undocumented workers and immigration reform.

[skeewee08]

2. Condi...

[Butterbean]

4. Yep.

[blazeKing]

32. Nah

She has the stench of Bush.

[graham4anything]

3. would not have made a difference, President Obama will and would win anyhow

but watch for Rob Portman to be jeb's vp going against HIllary45 in 2016.

watch Jeb & everyone else blame Ryan and the rightwing extremist for the loss(as I said months and months ago).

the race for 2014 starts the Thursday after reelection(with one day for celebrating, then back to work electing democrats or those that caucus with them in every single position in 2014).

[oldhippydude]

12. exactly lets not have another 10 in 14..

with any kind of luck going forward, we will have both improving economic prospects, and demographic changes in our favor...with the wind at our back and hard work great things can happen..

[RedSpartan]

5. Rubio

[regnaD kciN]

6. No post-mortems...

...until the patient has been declared legally dead.



There will be plenty of time for such speculations on 11/7...if we win.

[Third Doctor]

22. That's what I've been thinking.

A little enthusiam is good but lets not over do it. The race has not been won yet and Mitt is still dangerous.

[tarheelsunc]

7. He would have done better with pretty much anyone

Ryan is the worst possible VP candidate... he's inexperienced and he has no likability. A lot of (extremely conservative) people liked Palin and that drew a lot of interest in the campaign for a while. Cheney was a complete ass but he had a lot of government experience. Having an experienced VP candidate when your experience is a question mark is extremely important, and Obama understood that when he selected Biden. Strangely, no one has questioned Romney's lack of experience, though if it was a Democrat with his record, that would be a focal point of the campaign.

[abumbyanyothername]

8. I think the party splits two or three ways.

The Paul wing takes off and includes socially progressive positions on abortion, drugs and gay marriage. Much to the chagrin of Paul.

The religious wackos find fidelity to God more important than political success and change nothing.

The national security wackos may or may not get in bed with the religious zealots.

[Kber]

9. Rubio - but he didn't want it, so maybe Susanna Martinez (Governor of New Mexico)

Solid Tea Party Credentials, Latina, and might have put New Mexico in play.

I understand her husband had (has?) some questionable business dealings, though.

[oldhippydude]

15. not unusual for new mexico

regrettably.. it's been stated that New Mexico's constitution invites corruption.. been that way at least since i came here in the mid 70's

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

10. Rubio

But that's why Mitt's campaign is a joke. That was a layup of a choice.

[krawhitham]

11. Portman might have got him Ohio

[tblue]

13. Jesus

He alone could save Mitr Romney.

[ncav53]

14. Portman or Rubio

He still would lose though.

[BlueDemKev]

16. Quayle

Ben Quayle, that is, the son of the former joke of a V.P. who lost his re-election primary for his own House seat.

[Jennicut]

17. Chris Christie.

I cannot stand him but as a more moderate Governor of a blue state he could have pealed off some middle of the road voters.
I know, Christie has a weight issue. But some may have found him more relatable then that cold eyed, dead inside Paul Ryan. Mittens went hard right on the VP pick but those people always end up voting for the Repub no matter what in the end. Now Romney is hiding Paul Ryan and pretending to be "moderate Mitt."

[RomneyLies]

18. I know the Veep choice that would have guaranteed him a win

No fucking way do I EVER disclose that information to ANYBODY.

Fuck the Republicans, let them fucking die as a party.

[aletier_v]

23. Will Smith? :)

[RomneyLies]

24. It rhymes with Don Junksman.

[aletier_v]

25. Oh, I don't think so.

One Mormon candidate says the White Horse Prophecy is questionable.

Two candidates guarantee a takeover is in progress.

[BlueStreak]

19. I don't think any of the 2016 candidates would have helped him

Portman might have helped n Ohio. I don't think McDonnell would have help in Virginia. probably would have hurt.

I am divided about Walker in Wisconsin. I tend to think he is toxic even though he beat the recall rap.

I don't think there are any people of national prominence that would have made a difference -- at least none who would be willing to be VP. Christie might have helped and Jeb Bush probably would have helped, but neither would ever consider being under Romney. basically the whole party thinks he is a prick.

I'd like to think that a more moderate person like Pawlenty or Huntsman would have helped, but I don't think that is true with today's Republican Party.

Colin Powell probably would have helped, but he's endorsing Obama.

Mitch Daniels probably would have helped.

[libdem4life]

21. The Short List was probably very, very short...after Republicans self-selecting to pass this round.

[NCLefty]

29. Sarah Palin would have made a better pick.

Kidding lol.

[Mr.Bill]

30. And a better post-election reality show.

And a better HBO movie.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

31. You're assuming that Ryan is what has hampered Mitt

Ryan was probably as good of a VP pick that he could have made. He certainly wasn't a Sarah Palin, so I don't think that harmed him. The problem really lies with Mitt IMHO.

[sofa king]

33. No chance.

Romney was simply too dishonest, and too many people were fucked by the last lying Republican who got close enough to steal it.

His only hope would have been a completely different coalition-style approach, with a Democratic running mate, probably with a side order of a far-left third party candidate financially propped by the GOP. I doubt that would have worked, either.

For the past twelve years the GOP has depended entirely upon less than one-quarter of the voting population to do virtually all of their heavy lifting, and it worked long enough for those voters to elect the people who would ensure that those voters would lose their jobs, their homes, their savings and their insurance.

Everyone else who had that happen to them learned a valuable lesson. They are not as indecisive as they were. They are not interested in third-way distractions designed to pare them from the emerging Democratic majority. Many of them understand that politics was never a beauty contest, but a life-or-death decision that can potentially tear apart families and break homes.

And never, not once in those twelve years (or, really, the decades going back to before the first Gilded Age), has a Republican actually defended their interests. Rather, they have gone out of their way to make our lives worse. The ruse has worn thin.

When enough Americans figure that out, it's going to be open season all year long on Republican politicians, and that will be the end of them for good. But for now, a simple defeat is the best we can expect. In four to eight years, we'll be worried about the same criminals, wearing a different sheep's hide.

[Bake]

34. Nah. He was fucked because of the TOP of his ticket!

Second banana couldn't help that.

Bake

[KurtNYC]

36. Ron Paul had the least overlap with Romney so arguably would have

brought the next biggest segment of Repubs with him.