With Mitt Romney’s nomination a fait accompli, the search is on for the Republican vice-presidential nominee.
Marco Rubio is looking awfully good from this end. I haven’t met the man, but people I know who have, came away from the meeting very much impressed with him. And he seems to be in the right place on issues of gun owners’ civil rights.
Who’s your choice for the position, and why?

1 COMMENT

  1. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. He would appeal to the Tea party wing of the Republican party, a segment that Romney has serious trouble with.

  2. I would rather see Rubio take Mitch McConnells place, senate republican leader. Let him fix the senate, lets get a few more of him in there and then he can be good to move over to the other branch.

  4. Fred Thompson is who I would love to see,

    He has the political insider knowledge and savvy as well as the common man (raised himself up from dirt poor by working two jobs while a father in school) that Romney lacks.

    Also much further on the conservative side so could bolster some GOP base support as well as the southerner vote.

    But he is also a rich white dude, so doesn’t bring any big blocks of votes.

  6. Well Mas, nobody from the Romney team has contacted me yet for suggestions. BUT, this just came across the wires, as they say, and it does scare the bejesus out of ME.

    http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/01/romney-quietly-meets-with-bloomberg/

    I did NOT vote for Mitt in my state primary. I don’t trust Mitt. I predict he will screw us gun owners. I am reading between the lines on this story. If Mayor Bloomberg is on the Mittsters short list for VEEP, I am gonna be really really really sad. In an UN-emotional moment I can understand why the two are talking. Bloomberg as the article states has a ton in common with the left liberal base of BHO. He could make them feel comfortable voting for Mitt. And I also acknowledge an extensive business career and 12 years as mayor of the largest city in the US. He can put up a very impressive resume. He has been thoroughly vetted, unlike a Palin (and I love her). He just is the polar opposite of what I want in Washington. I pray that Bloomie is not in the cards for VEEP.

  7. Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, what’s the difference? Why bother leaving the house on election day if those are the choices? Too bad there isn’t another choice. Oh, wait, there is… RON PAUL 2012!!

  8. He should pick Ron Paul as the VP, because that is probably the only way Ron Paul supporters (such as myself) would ever consider voting Romney.

  10. I’ll say this, and this only – this primary is far from over. I am not willing to declare this over until the convention.

    Mas, you’re way above this. Please don’t stoop to the level of declaring Romney the winner. I don’t think you’ve even run an article on Ron Paul, and if anyone’s pro-Second Amendment, it’s him. Romney’s VP choice will not make him *any* better. Picking a nice VP can’t cleanse his past sins. The man passed a freaking assault weapons ban, for Heaven’s sake. Shouldn’t you be rallying everyone to fight back and get a true gun rights president?

  11. WE WE VOTE RUBIO OUT OF OFFICE NEXT TIME HE IS A SMOOTH TALKER BUT SIDES WITH THE POLICE STATE MENTALITY…HIS MENTOR IS LIBERMAN…WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU…

  12. I don’t care if it’s Mikhail Gorbachev, for me, it’s Alpha Bravo Oscar in exactly twenty-seven weeks and whoever he picks as a running mate.

    I’ve had about all of the unconstitutional “Hope & Change” that I can stomach…

  13. Mas,
    My nomination for President is you. Just think you would be the first President of Arabian decent. There’s your ticket it worked for the present one. That way we know our gun rights are safe. For vice your running mate should be Clint Smith from Thunder Ranch. You never have to guess where he stands on any issue, he make his statements cystral clear. I believe you would have the NRA’s full support. Now you just have to come up with several million dollars and throw your hat in the ring. You would have my vote. Well you ask for my choice and I gave it.

  14. Drake, I ain’t Don Quixote. I think Romney is the only one with a chance of defeating the incumbent.

    To the Ron Paul fans: be reminded, Backwoods Home magazine itself pretty much came out for Ron Paul, strongly endorsed by founder Dave Duffy himself.

  17. I thought Marco Rubio was not eligible to be VP because he could not take over as President if the need arose? “Not a natural born citizen…” Am I mistaken?

  18. While his 2nd ammendment stance may be weak…Chris Christy is just the type of no-BS, tough-talking guy we need standing next to the president.

  19. Consider John Bolton. U.S. ambassador to the U. N. under George Bush.
    Definitely pro 2A.

  20. I really like Alen West and think he would be a great running mate and future presidential candidate.

  21. You guys talking about not voting cause Paul is not on the ticket are basically handing the election to Obama. Mit is not the best choice, but he is our only shot, and he is the best on economic issues, which is everyone’s concern. The silent majority has been silent too long. Don’t be a goofball and refuse to support the only team that has our back because your boy is not on the ticket. Lame and weak mindset.

  22. Mas wrote, “… Backwoods Home magazine itself pretty much came out for Ron Paul, strongly endorsed by founder Dave Duffy himself.”

    That’s good to hear. I didn’t know that.

    I saw this on Economic Policy Journal, perhaps the same thing could happen again:

    “This election is going to be very much like 1920’s Warren Harding Republican Convention, … General Leonard Wood went in there with 30 percent of the delegates and thought he had it made. Warren Harding went in with six percent of the delegates. After ten ballots, Harding had 70 percent.”

    All I know is, every Ron Paul supporter I’ve met said they will not vote unless it’s for Ron Paul.
    I suspect that Romney cannot win without those voters – from both sides – Democrat and Republican.

    RE: Rubio, yeesh, he’s the “Father of SOPA/PIPA” – you know, the bill to let the government read your emails and basically control the internet. Nothing good can come from someone who wants to smash the modern day version of the Gutenberg Press.

  23. If Romney picks Bloomberg, as Micheal Bane postulated last night in his blog, I’m done. I’ll have to vote Libertarian, even if that means 4more of BHO. Then I’ll be buying beans and bullets as fast as I can….

  25. My dream team…..to name a few
    VP Marco Rubio
    Sen MAJORITY Leader Rand Paul
    Speaker of the House Allen West
    Sec of State John Bolton
    AG John Cornyn or Chris Christie
    Janitor 3rd Class Nancy Pelosi

  26. I’m liking both Rubio & West for VP. I also like Rand Paul but not sure this is his year since Ron is running for Pres. I think we do need a Tough, True Believer in the VP post and any of these qualify as far as I’m concerned.

  27. I understand the idea that we should vote for the most electable option that best represents us. Thing is, I’m tired of settling for the lesser of two evils. I’ll vote, but I’ll vote for the person who best represents my views, not the one who has the best chance of removing the person who least represents my views. I see the whole vote for Romney or vote for Obama as a straw argument. I should what, hate Obama enough to vote for Romney? No thanks.
    If the republican party wants my vote, they need to put up a candidate that is worth voting for, likewise the democrats. Paul isn’t my first choice, but he has a demonstrated track record that I can live with. Romney has a track record that is near impossible to figure out since he’s been on both sides of every issue. A vote for the lesser of two evils is a vote against the democratic system, and frankly I don’t appreciate being told that my duty is to vote for Romney.

  28. “I thought Marco Rubio was not eligible to be VP because he could not take over as President if the need arose? “Not a natural born citizen…” Am I mistaken?”

    You are not! And I agree. Born in ’71, his parents were not citizens of this country until ’75. According to everything I’ve read, he does NOT fulfill the natural born citizen requrement as we understand it at this time. ‘Course, having a usurper currently occupying the oval office helps to ameliorate the concequences of that judgement. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. Move along, nothing more to see here. I’ll just add this:

    “That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

  29. Rydak, there’s Nothing lame and weak about standing by one’s principles.

    When you say “Mit is not the best choice, but he is our only shot” I wonder, best shot at wHAt?

    From our perspective he’s just another flavor of the same ole same ole thing. ROmney and Obama are The Same,… especially in matters of economics.

    At any rate, the great Default is getting closer.
    Soon, here will be like Greece is now.
    Why?
    … Because economics is everything.

  30. Mas, I grew up waiting every month just to see your latest ‘files’. I can imagine you see that WE are facing a moral dilemma… we are being forced into a non-choice, rather than being able to freely vote who we desire to be president, we allow a SMALL selected group of people (who the present ‘life term’ politicians have a strong hand in appointing) to choose the representative for our political party. Does this group really represent us as a whole, or do most of them have a quiet responsibilty to the PARTY POLITICS that give them prowess in their local communities?? The answer we are afriad to say is we have no open choice, and all we are doing now is fantasy… Mitt will be the nominee… period. So now, our choice is him and take our chances, or give Obama the rope to hang us (our 2nd amenment rights) out to dry. Ron Paul would have been a delight… but now we gotta make that lesser of two evils choice. I am sad for my kids.. by their time to be able to choose , I fret their freedoms that I relish will be lost. BTW – Ayoob/Smith… hell yeah, if I could only dream

  31. @Cliff: I disagree with your assessment. I wouldn’t want Pelosi to be anything as classy as a janitor.

    Romney is going to run a classic campaign. He’s going to nominate a balancing element to his ticket. He knows he’s having trouble appealing to the right wing of the part and so he’s going to pick a veep that will solidify his base and hopefully deliver electoral votes.

    Top 5 possibilities (in terms of likelihood, not preference):

    Rob Portman: conservative, would help deliver Ohio; fault: Bush admin lackey, name recognition

    Marco Rubio: conservative, would help deliver Florida, Hispanic; fault: young, a bit unhinged

    Bobby Jindal: conservative, of East Indian descent, solid record as governor; fault: no additional electoral votes, bad public speaking record

    Pat Toomey: conservative, political insider, could help deliver; fault: may be too much of an insider

    Allen West: conservative, military leadership background, African-American, could help deliver Florida: fault: limited national exposure, possible issues with military record

    Dark horse candidates would include Luis Fortuño, who couldn’t deliver ANY electoral votes as governor of Puerto Rico, but could be a conservative minority balance on the ticket; and Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a farmer turned Congresswoman who’s almost to the right of Jim DeMint, but who couldn’t deliver her home state of Washington and would be at risk of the Palin factor (young, attractive family woman with solid political experience demonized by the media as an extremist twit).

  32. Rubio’s one of the better things to have happened to Florida lately. We’re gonna miss him.

  34. Ron Paul supporters that won’t vote if he isn’t on the ticket will be responsible for reelecting the Obamination.

  36. Here’s the thing: if Obama gets reelected, it will probably be better than Romney. Why? Because Romney’s going to pull the same idiotic stunts, and then all the problems will be blamed on “conservatives.” Seriously. In terms of actions taken in executive office, Romney has a WORSE gun rights record than Obama, his economics record is almost identical in terms of policies supported, and don’t get me started on his healthcare crap.

    Mas, Romney can’t beat Obama – ONLY Paul could pull that off. Why? Romney gets entire mainstream Republican party (anybody but Obama). Ron Paul, however, gets the entire mainstream (ANYBODY BUT OBAMA), Independents, and his own special chunk of the GOP – not to mention snatching young voters and civil liberties/peace Democrats right out from under Obama’s nose. Romney can’t pull that off.

  37. Ron Paul has no chance of winning any kind of national election anytime anywhere. He is simply too extreme of a libertarian to appeal to the middle.

    Anyone who believes otherwise is deluding themselves.

  39. Biggest question is “who is electable?” The NON VOTERS are failing to grasp that someone has to counteract the liberal college student vote…. Most people fail to grasp the concept that the Dems have a 25 yr plan for presidential administrations (fact: Clinton was declared in 1977 as POTUS 1996) and the REPubs are still wandering around like Chicken Little. The only hope the USA has is that even Yellow Dog Democrats recognize that the RE-election is the the end of life as we have known it…

  40. I should have added: The “conservatives” are so stubborn, they prefer another “perot outcome” rather than compromise and unite against the incumbent.

  41. Rydak said: “You guys talking about not voting cause Paul is not on the ticket are basically handing the election to Obama.”

    You know the difference between what you said and Stalin? Stalin gave you one choice to vote for (Stalin) and you only gave me two choices (Obama, Romney).

    The delegate counts are not finished yet. There’s evidence of potential voter fraud, too.

    And a person of conscience is not stuck between choosing “the lesser of two evils”. If we all realized that we could put whoever we wanted into office when the 2 party (illusion of choice) system didn’t give us moral options.

  42. The United States of America is dead. Liberalism killed it. Liberals don’t want to live by the Constitution, and I don’t want to live with liberals anymore. Here’s my solution; Let the liberals take CA, IL, MA, NY and NJ. Those of us who want to follow the Constitution will live in the other states. We could call it “The Constitutional States of America.” Ron Paul can be our first President and either Pat Buchanan or Walter E. Williams can be our Vice President.

    Oh, it is so painful to be a dreamer! Seriously, the state governors need to stand up and nullify un-constitutional laws, and then we could remain one nation. Let the liberals move to the nation or Worker’s Paradise of their choice.

  43. @James: I didn’t say that. All I said was that Ron Paul cannot, under any circumstances, win because his values do not match most Americans.

    Romney, as much as I dislike him, has politics that match most Americans’ beliefs. Most Americans are middle-right… not far right, not libertarian. This is going to be Romney’s strength, if he’s able to run that angle and defeat the Obama smear campaign that’s already in full swing.

    @Old Fezzywig: I do not believe the US is dead. I believe we have a job ahead of us, but I refuse to surrender my long term national goals to short term fears.

  44. Fezzywig. That is a most excellent idea – Walter Williams as VP!

    You’re right, though, it’s time our state legislatures actually started doing their job and standing between their citizens and the Federal government. Thankfully, several states are currently nullifying the questionable parts of the NDAA, as well as ObamaCare and Federal gun regulations.

    To those who are so desperate to get moderate voters – let me tell you something. If you are so desperate to pander to those with no principles, you will never get a good government, and you sure as heck won’t deserve one. If you’re so willing to sell out in the name of “beating Obama,” you have no right to complain about your crappy socialist candidate when he starts screwing you over if he’s elected.

  45. Much as I wish it wasn’t so, I have to admit Old Fezzywig has a point. This hasn’t been one nation under God for a long time and is two different countries, much as it was in 1860. The West Coast is part of Mexico and New England is part of Canada.

  46. Is anyone getting really sick and tired of the defeatist mentality, or the perot mentality here? I am.

    Mitt was nowhere close to my first choice, but he’s the only choice if we’re going to get rid of BHO, and Romney (despite what the Ronulans say) is not at all BHO. Not even close. Romney actually got the companies he ran out of economic trouble. BHO simply mooched off of taxpayer dollars in positions that were essentially a combination of liberal bully boy & democratic cheerleader. Just b/c he’s a bit of a RINO, and you label him the same as BHO. How short-sighted and bigoted, honestly.

    Romney is our only shot at potentially digging ourselves out of the royal mess that BHO made of this country.

  47. And the South remains relatively distinct, somehow, as do two other states…

    God bless the South!
    God bless Texas!
    God bless New Hampshire!

    We know where we stand on gun rights!

  48. Anybody with an (R) beside their name doesn’t get my vote. He could have a goat for a VP, who cares??

  49. Until they change the way our POTUS is actually elected and reguire the Electoral College actually represent all their constituants in their voting. I feel my voting in the POTUS election is not really worth my participation here in CA since I won’t be represented.

    I will vote for all other offices that are elected by a populous vote as my vote may actually be the difference between liberty and further socialism

  50. I know this isn’t the present thread but I don’t know where else to put this:

    Reading back on old blogs I just realised you vet posts.
    Shouldn’t you be following your own advice and be careful about the company you keep Mr Ayoob? The entry I’ve copied below for one, sounds like it’s from someone one step away from bombing the white house.
    I’m all for people having the right to free speech, I’d just rather they didn’t do it on a site I use.
    I’d rather not hear “so you subscribe to a web site promoting insurrection against the government, but you expect us to believe you’d only use a weapon in self defense” being used against me in court.
    And frankly this kind of loony comment does gun owners no good. I’d never recommend this blog to persuade someone of the benefits of gun rights. It confirms peoples worse fears about gun owners.
    qjs

    ‘Tom606 Says:
    April 17th, 2012 at 10:50 pm
    “Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.”

    We have about six months to stock up on supplies for the latter – if our Dear Leader continues to occupy the White House and could then unleash his forces of evil to finish destroying our nation, and wreak havoc on the U.S. Constitution and our freedoms.

    Those of you who plan to vote for Ron Paul will feel good for awhile, until the Anointed One’s stormtroopers kick in your door in the middle of the night and invite you and your family to stay at one of their nice ‘re-education facilities’ as a reward for helping him get re-elected in 2012, possibly for life.

    Elvis, please come out of hiding and save us from Obama!’

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