Let the Vice-Presidential choice circus begin

blacbird · Jun 8, 2016

Now that we know, beyond reasonable doubt, who the two major party Presidential nominees will be, the issue of their VP choices becomes important. I don't have an inkling right now who Clinton is considering, but for Trump, one name has surfaced and seems to have legs:

Newt Gingrich.

Yes, that Newt Gingrich, who has long coveted the Presidency itself, and been an unsuccessful primary candidate before. He's been cozying up to The Donald like a purring cat begging for a treat. So whaddaya think? A Trump-Gingrich ticket? Match made in Heaven, or the ticket from (and to) Hell.

caw

Opty · Jun 8, 2016

As far as temperament and archaic, horribly bigoted ideas go, he'd also be a good fit with Pat Buchanan.

StuToYou · Jun 8, 2016

blacbird said:
Now that we know, beyond reasonable doubt, who the two major party Presidential nominees will be, the issue of their VP choices becomes important. I don't have an inkling right now who Clinton is considering, but for Trump, one name has surfaced and seems to have legs:

Newt Gingrich.

Yes, that Newt Gingrich, who has long coveted the Presidency itself, and been an unsuccessful primary candidate before. He's been cozying up to The Donald like a purring cat begging for a treat. So whaddaya think? A Trump-Gingrich ticket? Match made in Heaven, or the ticket from (and to) Hell.

caw

Newt (or Pat) would be fabulous. No ambiguity there.

Reservoir Angel · Jun 8, 2016

Because that's what Trump's campaign needs as a boost; a fat philandering slug that hasn't been politically important since 1999.

As for Hillary's pick, I hope it's either Elizabeth Warren or Julian Castro. Mostly just because Donald Trump having to run against two women, or against a woman and someone of Mexican descent? He'd probably explode at some point.

Don · Jun 8, 2016

Let's see if either one of them come up with somebody better than Bill Weld.

James D. Macdonald · Jun 8, 2016

Don said:
Let's see if either one of them come up with somebody better than Bill Weld.

Elizabeth Warren and Julian Castro have already been mentioned.

rugcat · Jun 8, 2016

James D. Macdonald said:
Elizabeth Warren and Julian Castro have already been mentioned.

No, no, no.

Neither of them have been out of politics for the last 20 years, nor did they support Mitt Romney before suddenly deciding they were libertarians.

Opty · Jun 8, 2016

Reservoir Angel said:
Because that's what Trump's campaign needs as a boost; a fat philandering slug that hasn't been politically important since 1999.

As for Hillary's pick, I hope it's either Elizabeth Warren or Julian Castro. Mostly just because Donald Trump having to run against two women, or against a woman and someone of Mexican descent? He'd probably explode at some point.

Castro doesn't have much experience. He's still mostly a political newbie (on a national level), even though he does show a lot of potential.

If not Warren, I think Corey Booker would be a solid choice.

rugcat · Jun 8, 2016

Opty said:
Castro doesn't have much experience. He's still mostly a political newbie (on a national level), even though he does show a lot of potential.

If not Warren, I think Corey Booker would be a solid choice.

The problem is the choice of a VP has never been about who would do a good job or who is an intelligent and qualified choice.

It's about who's going to help the ticket, and that often means giving the perception at least of balance. The people who are going to vote for Hillary would consider Cory Booker a good choice. It would certainly help with the African-American vote – but that's not a vote that she really needs help with, not with Donald Trump as the opposition.

Elizabeth Warren will help with the progressives, but despite the recent tension between her and supporters of Bernie Sanders, progressives aren't going to vote for Trump either.

So I'm thinking she will go for a white male, progressive yet middle of the road, someone who is respected, considered highly ethical, and won't scare anyone.

If she does, it will disappoint her followers. But again where are they going to go? Desert her and vote for Donald Trump? And the choice will reassure people who are not anti-Hillary, but who aren't entirely comfortable with her either.

On the other hand, there's got to be a consideration for those who even though they won't support Trump, may well stay home and not vote all, or go third-party. If in her campaign's opinion that is the most dangerous issue, then she might well pick an Elizabeth Warren or Cory Booker or Julian Castro.

clintl · Jun 8, 2016

Gingrich is in Trump's doghouse now for scolding him over the judge.

Jeff Sessions has been consistently sycophantic. I'd put him in contention.

For Hillary, I think she could go a lot of different ways, but if I had to bet, I'd put my money on Elizabeth Warren or Tim Kaine.

You have to wonder if Trump is going to get some pressure from Republican leaders to nominate someone they could accept as president if they have to impeach him.

Opty · Jun 8, 2016

rugcat said:
The problem is the choice of a VP has never been about who would do a good job or who is an intelligent and qualified choice.

It's about who's going to help the ticket, and that often means giving the perception at least of balance. The people who are going to vote for Hillary would consider Cory Booker a good choice. It would certainly help with the African-American vote – but that's not a vote that she really needs help with, not with Donald Trump as the opposition.

Elizabeth Warren will help with the progressives, but despite the recent tension between her and supporters of Bernie Sanders, progressives aren't going to vote for Trump either.

So I'm thinking she will go for a white male, progressive yet middle of the road, someone who is respected, considered highly ethical, and won't scare anyone.

If she does, it will disappoint her followers. But again where are they going to go? Desert her and vote for Donald Trump? And the choice will reassure people who are not anti-Hillary, but who aren't entirely comfortable with her either.

On the other hand, there's got to be a consideration for those who even though they won't support Trump, may well stay home and not vote all, or go third-party. If in her campaign's opinion that is the most dangerous issue, then she might well pick an Elizabeth Warren or Cory Booker or Julian Castro.

Maybe Gavin Newsom?

dolores haze · Jun 8, 2016

I thought Chris Christie's epic arse kissing was in return for Trump's VP nod?

rugcat · Jun 8, 2016

Opty said:
Maybe Gavin Newsom?

I don't think he has enough of a national presence to be a viable VP at this time. He was on the political fast track for a while but when he got elected lieutenant governor, he vanished from political awareness as lieutenant governors are wont to do.

I think his plan is to run for governor of California after Jerry Brown steps down and after eight years in California he'll still be young and he'll be ready to make a run at the presidency.

poetinahat · Jun 8, 2016

Ted Nugent.

James D. Macdonald · Jun 8, 2016

clintl said:
You have to wonder if Trump is going to get some pressure from Republican leaders to nominate someone they could accept as president if they have to impeach him.

Given that, in Trump's case, just taking the Oath of Office would be an impeachable offense, I'd say that's the plan.

Gregg · Jun 8, 2016

dolores haze said:
I thought Chris Christie's epic arse kissing was in return for Trump's VP nod?

Nope. Attorney General for Christie.
I have no idea who Trump will pick, or who even might want to run with him. Suzanna Martinez would have been a good pick, but she's in Trump's doghouse right now.

As for Clinton, Warren is too old. And she doesn't need help with the African American vote. One of the Castro brothers might be a decent pick, but I think she'll go with a moderate-liberal white guy. Not sure who that would be.

TerzaRima · Jun 8, 2016

I have no idea who Trump will pick, or who would even want to run with him

human beer cozy Steve King.

Kjbartolotta · Jun 8, 2016

If Trump did pick Gingrich, it'd be a pretty pro move. NG's smart as hell, and can offer some reasonable, articulate sound bytes that will help mitigate Donald's, uh, mouth problems. Leaving my own politics out of it, it would make for an interesting ticket.

clintl · Jun 8, 2016

Eh, I'm not so sure. Newt's got his own mouth problem.

Michael Wolfe · Jun 8, 2016

rugcat said:
I don't think he has enough of a national presence to be a viable VP at this time. He was on the political fast track for a while but when he got elected lieutenant governor, he vanished from political awareness as lieutenant governors are wont to do.

I think his plan is to run for governor of California after Jerry Brown steps down and after eight years in California he'll still be young and he'll be ready to make a run at the presidency.

Yeah I agree. I have nothing against the guy, but going from lieutenant governor to VP is a bit of a strange jump; can't even think of a case where it's ever happened.

VeryBigBeard · Jun 8, 2016

blacbird said:
Yes, that Newt Gingrich, who has long coveted the Presidency itself, and been an unsuccessful primary candidate before. He's been cozying up to The Donald like a purring cat begging for a treat. So whaddaya think? A Trump-Gingrich ticket? Match made in Heaven, or the ticket from (and to) Hell.

caw

I'm going to go with the match being made in Heaven before descending into Hell in much the same way the angelic hosts were matched to Lucifer and the whole fiery fall-out was pretty unpleasant for most folks involved, and that's not even considering the lasting economic repercussions.

Kjbartolotta · Jun 8, 2016

@clintl- Yeah, I overstated it. If I can put it this way, Trump's toxicity is part of his charm, and the only person as radioactive as the orange one is Newt. Newt's 'intellectual' personality may potentially appeal to a wide swath of William F. Buckley type (if they potentially exist). Besides, everyone, Newt wrote a sci-fi novel about what would happen if Hitler won the war. Guys! That's a totally new concept that's never been done before!!!

Opty · Jun 8, 2016

I think this might finally be Louie Gohmert's time to shine as Trump's VP pick.

blacbird · Jun 8, 2016

Reservoir Angel said:
As for Hillary's pick, I hope it's either Elizabeth Warren or Julian Castro.

Won't be another woman, I'd pretty much guarantee. A Hispanic, maybe, but also not very likely. Neither, just by virtue of gender or ethnicity, would help her candidacy much. It will be a male, and certainly somebody 20 years or so her junior in age. Going forward, the Dems really need some new faces to emerge, and Clinton is politically astute enough to recognize that. I'd bet on somebody from a western or Midwestern state. Who that would be, I really can't opine right now.

caw

blacbird · Jun 8, 2016

Kjbartolotta said:
If Trump did pick Gingrich, it'd be a pretty pro move. NG's smart as hell, and can offer some reasonable, articulate sound bytes that will help mitigate Donald's, uh, mouth problems. Leaving my own politics out of it, it would make for an interesting ticket.

Newt also has a long history of being a simultaneously slimy and abrasive character, about as attractive to a national electorate as a skunk is to a trophy-hunter. He bailed after a rapid rise and fall as Speaker of the House, and was soundly rejected by his own party as a Presidential candidate. Yeah, he's smart and articulate. Much the same can be said of Elliott Spitzer, Bill Cosby and Ted Bundy.

Joe Biden is smart, but not particularly articulate, as we've all seen over the past several years. But if Biden had decided to make a Presidential run, I'd bet a few dimes that he'd now be the presumptive Dem nominee, and leading Donald Trump by 20% or more in the current opinion polls. Smart and articulate are useful qualities, but in U.S. politics, personality means a lot, as Trump has amply demonstrated.

caw

Let the Vice-Presidential choice circus begin

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