US politics - Veepstakes edition

[Tormund Ukrainesbane]

Bloomberg would kill Romney with base conservatives who hear "New York" and understand "Evul Librul Commie East Coast"

Bloomberg hates guns and micro-manages his constituents diets. I can think of no surer way to alienate Romney's base.

[Fez]

Bloomberg is pro-reproductive rights, pro-gun control, pro-gay marriage, pro-lots-of-societal-regulations, and pro-government spending (Just look at some of New York city's budgets the past few years; they're fantastic, at least if you're liberal). Basically the only things he's Republican on at all are anti-wall street regulation and anti-more progressive tax code.

He's more likely to replace Biden as Obama's VP then become Romney's.

ETA: He also says stuff like (paraphrasing) "As mayor of NYC, I control the 9th largest army [referring to the NYPD] in the world!". Referring to a PD as an army in a positive way is not a good way to get libertarians on your side.

[Sci-2]

I kinda wish he'd pick Olympia Snowe, but I don't see it happening. The only purpose of a VP is to garner a tiny percentage of votes in any state.

If he picks a definitive Tea Bagger, one of the new blood, we all know he can kiss the election goodbye.

[TrackerNeil]

On Rubio-it's unclear if a Cuban really appeals to most Latinos. It certainly couldn't hurt, but it might not make much of a difference. In addition, it would make immigration even more of a third rail for Romney given the difference between his stance and Rubio's.

This goes too often unexpressed. Rubio supports a more liberal immigration than some Republicans, but should he take the VP slot he'll be forced to defend the ogrish stance Romney has taken. (It's odd to think that on this issue Romney is to the right of Gingrich and Perry.) Does he really want to do this? Rubio's a fairly young man and can afford to wait 4-8 years and take his own shot at the Oval Office, instead of tying himself to a second-tier candidate who will force him to say things he'll have to disavow in 2016.

[Maithanet]

Um, no. This is actually fairly clear. It might not make much of a difference, but it certainly could hurt.

It's almost like some of you think that because they speak the same language Spanishish and (English btw) and come from the same background (500+ years ago, plus the mixing of indigenous peoples with European colonists and /or African slaves) and almost identical political concerns (except not at all because duh) they'll all be bro's because I don't even know what.

I'm not sure what point you're making here. Are you arguing that the differences between Cubans and Central Americans living in this country are so great that it would actually be a hinderance to a Republican candidate? I don't see how that would be possible. Any respect the Republicans could give to the Spanish-speaking community as a whole would be better than their current tactic of rhetorically vilifying Latinos as stealing the jobs of Real Americans.

And also, have you heard Portman talk? He's a better speaker than Romney, but in a very plainspoken, easygoing way, so I don't think overshadowing would be too much of a problem. The guy was completely without flourish.

[Lord O' Bones]

I'm not sure what point you're making here. Are you arguing that the differences between Cubans and Central Americans living in this country are so great that it would actually be a hinderance to a Republican candidate? I don't see how that would be possible. Any respect the Republicans could give to the Spanish-speaking community as a whole would be better than their current tactic of rhetorically vilifying Latinos as stealing the jobs of Real Americans.

I'm saying despite all of that you cannot remotely consider them to be a singular voting block.

Case in point: Neither can you consider Central Americans and Mexican Americans as a singular voting block either. Not even close.

And also, have you heard Portman talk? He's a better speaker than Romney, but in a very plainspoken, easygoing way, so I don't think overshadowing would be too much of a problem. The guy was completely without flourish.

I have not. At that point I was only speaking to a point made in this thread.

[WrathOfTinyKittens]

1. Rubio has two credentials that can help him (and theoretically Romney) in Florida. He is Cuban, which might not be significant anywhere else in the country but would be there. And it's his state, so he'd get a boost there just for being the hometown boy, so to speak.

2. Romney choosing anyone of any minority would probably help his campaign.

3. I'm not implying that all Latinos vote alike, but as a bloc they tend to favor immigration issues. Rubio has some track record. Also, although there are obviously divides among the various "Latino" nationalities, I think a Mexican-American would still connect better with Rubio than Romney.

I don't think it'd win him the Latino vote by any means. But I do think it'd help him win Florida, which he must do.

[awesome possum]

Oh Ann Romney, you might have known better if you weren't an entitled silver-spooner

We've given you people all you need to know (about our family expenses)

All we want is what Romney himself demanded back in 1994 when he demanded that Ted Kennedy release his tax returns to prove "he had nothing to hide"

With the tax-filing deadline looming, Republican Senate candidate Mitt Romney yesterday challenged Sen. Edward M. Kennedy to disclose his state and federal taxes to prove he has ‘nothing to hide,’

‘It’s time the biggest-taxing senator in Washington shows the people of Massachusetts how much he pays in taxes,” said Romney, a business consultant from Belmont. Romney said he would disclose his own state and federal taxes for the last three years ‘on the very day that Kennedy turns over his taxes for public scrutiny.’

Oh Mittens, you are so very lucky that the Republicans in congress have spent the last 4 years doing their best to fuck over our economy. Else you'd be so hosed right now.

[TrackerNeil]

1. Rubio has two credentials that can help him (and theoretically Romney) in Florida. He is Cuban, which might not be significant anywhere else in the country but would be there.

3. I'm not implying that all Latinos vote alike, but as a bloc they tend to favor immigration issues. Rubio has some track record. Also, although there are obviously divides among the various "Latino" nationalities, I think a Mexican-American would still connect better with Rubio than Romney.

1. Cubans already vote pretty strongly Republican, don't they?

3. As VP, Rubio will be forced to disavow much of that track record to adhere to Romney's position.

[WrathOfTinyKittens]

Right, I realize that being chosen as VP would have serious negative consequences for Rubio, but I think it'd still be advantageous for Romney.

To the first point, I'm not sure about that, but I don't think they'll be super-motivated to vote for a guy who is encouraging self-deportation and who opposes the DREAM act.

[Zocc Arris]

Rubio isn't stupid enough to attach himself to an unsure bet like Mitt Romney. He just has to sit still for one or two election cycles without tarnishing himself and he still has opportunities to go to the top. The bland guys, Pawlenty, Portman, et al have nothing much to lose by running with Romney since they're certainly not going places on their own and Bobby Jindal would jump at the chance to redefine himself from his fiasco response to the state of the union address. But Marco Rubio? There's just not enough in it for him, this election, even assuming that Romney would win. And since none of the actual Republicans are quite sure of that, he won't stick out his neck.

[Sci-2]

Bobby Jindal would jump at the chance to redefine himself from his fiasco response to the state of the union address.

I gotta ask - is this just a form of racial bias? I mean, Republican candidates made fools out of themselves in much bigger ways than Jindal has so it's weird to me the brown dude gets so much flak for this one thing.

[Kelli Fury]

Pawlenty said last week he will not accept if offered the veep slot. He pretty certainly couldn't swing MN and I think he's a holdout to run for himself.

[IheartTesla]

How many 'Asian' votes do you think Jindal would deliver? Hehehe.......

[TrackerNeil]

Right, I realize that being chosen as VP would have serious negative consequences for Rubio, but I think it'd still be advantageous for Romney.

Until reporters (and others) start asking why Rubio now favors an immigration policy significantly to the right of where he currently is.

[Sci-2]

How many 'Asian' votes do you think Jindal would deliver? Hehehe.......

Close to zero, to be honest.

[TerraPrime]

Close to zero, to be honest.

Never been quite convinced of any racial blocs, myself. I mean, yeah, tons of black people voted for Obama, but that's because he's a Democrat. If Michael Steele were running, he wouldn't get hardly any of the black votes, I'd imagine. The effect of the candidate's race/ethnicity in terms of bringing voters who share that race/ethnicity is, I suspect, very minimal.

[Jaxom 1974]

Biden has actually been kinda useful. He's been a great way for Obama to get kinda nasty without dirtying his own hands. Basically everything Biden does in campaigning is shots to Romney's groin these days.

A month or two ago, Biden was giving a speech in Ohio (I think). I heard some of the clips from it and I was ready to vote for him then and there in 2016... :P

I didn't think he had it in him.

[Kalbear]

1. Cubans already vote pretty strongly Republican, don't they?

They might have in the past, but not as much any more. The real issue here is that while Florida has a large hispanic population, it is trending away from Cuban and towards Puerto Rican as the primary source of those hispanics - and they as a group vote overwhelmingly towards Democrats. Florida is one of the main states that due to demographics is going closer and closer to a sure dem win.

[lokisnow]

A month or two ago, Biden was giving a speech in Ohio (I think). I heard some of the clips from it and I was ready to vote for him then and there in 2016... :P

I didn't think he had it in him.

Biden v Clinton primary in 2015/2016 will be tremendously fun.