Our airwaves were aflutter last week with news of the rise of former Secretary of State Condi Rice as a possible running mate for Mitt Romney. The upsides of such a choice are obvious; she is black. She is a woman. She is accomplished and experienced in foreign policy (where Governor Romney is not). She is obviously competent. I have long supporter her as an option for the spot, as I believe she would go a long way toward attracting the muddled middle, those lost souls that we politically inclined people rely upon to choose our Presidents for us. There are two women very close to me who voted for Barack Obama last time--each of which have said, without reservation, that they would vote for Romney if he picked Rice. This is an intriguing development.
The anti-Rice forces are formidable, and they are not wrong.
Ramesh Ponnuru made a very tight case against Rice in National Review Online, though I think his prediction of "depressed" conservative turnout is off-base. My sense is that conservatives want to win, and they recognize that the only guy in the race who can spell "limited government" is Mitt.
All this said, my Spidey-Senses are tingling on this one. For some reason, I have become enamored with the line that Romney will choose someone steady, acceptable, conservative and safe. Many people think that is Rob Portman from Ohio. But with most Americans continuing to pin the blame for this economy on George Bush, I wonder about the wisdom of having his OMB Director and Trade Rep as a VP contestant.
Where am I going with this? I'm thinking Bobby Jindal. Clearly a conservative, one of the best. Steady as the day is long. Choir boy. In charge, smart as hell. The kind of guy you can hand the health care mess to and say--"fix this"--and get something done.
If not Jindal, I'm all in for Paul Ryan.
She's a diplomat, not a politician. A completely different skill set. They would eat her lunch.
ReplyDeleteI say Michelle Bachmann and hit the misogyny angle HARD! Have Bill Maher in commercials. Dig up every sexist thing the Dems have ever said and splash it on TV. Show Democrats like Illinois commie Rep Schakowsky refusing to condemn Maher. Show "The View" women with Maher, and other leftist chuckleheads. There is a gold mine of stuff out there, USE IT! Make sure women understand they are LEFTISTS FIRST! Paint them as manipulators, liars and cheats.
Romney doesn't have to carry the women's vote, but if he can cut into it by just a few percentage points Obama cannot win!
But Hammer, I don't think WOMEN like Bachman all that much.
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