I think that Paul Ryan is the best pick Mitt Romney could make for his running mate. A recent Fox News poll recently showed Condoleeza Rice as the Republican favorite for VP with 30% of the respondents choosing her vs. only 8% choosing Paul Ryan.
I used to think that Condoleeza Rice was a good pick, too, but I've changed my mind. Mitt's primary strength is the economy. He lacks foreign policy experience, which is why I liked Rice. I also like that she's a woman and that she's black, which sadly matter a lot to the media and the electorate. However, some of the talking heads on the radio pointed out that adding Condi to the ticket would add several new issues to those that Mitt Romney would have to either embrace and defend, or worse - "flip flop" on. Chief among those would be the wisdom of invading Afghanistan and Iraq, Guantanamo, and a host of other unpopular Bush legacies. It's best to just move on from Bush's unpopular tenure. One of the major deal breakers establishment Republicans have with Condoleeza Rice is that she's Pro-Choice. Dudes - abortion is not exactly a hot-button topic this year. Isn't there room in the Republican party for fiscally conservative, small-government people that are pro-choice and like to recycle? Keep your eye on the ball.
What I really like about Paul Ryan is that he is an embodiment of the Tea Party and Ron Paul libertarians. The Ron Paul crowd is an essential one to bring into the fold. They are highly motivated voters who are just as likely to throw their vote away on a "protest" third party candidate as they are to vote for Romney. Their defection could seal Obama's reelection. Paul Ryan would add credibility to the Tea Party in the GOP. The Tea Party isn't going to go away and their focus on balancing the budget and shrinking government should be wholeheartedly adopted by the Republican base if this country is going to be sustainable. The VP shouldn't only have the credentials to take over the presidency in a worst-case scenario, but should also have a sufficient stature to head the ticket in eight years. I think Paul Ryan is excellent in this regard. While not quite in the same league as Paul Ryan, I think Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has similar Tea Party appeal as demonstrated by his success over the past year in standing up to the unions and reining in public-sector pension and healthcare costs as a component of balancing the budget in his state.
Marco Rubio is certainly the favorite of many. In the Fox News poll, he got 19% of the vote. Rubio reminds me way too much of Barack, though. He is similarly a rising star who has just arrived in the Senate. Give him time to achieve something and earn his standing. Marco Rubio was also raised as a Mormon until he was about eight years old. Two Mormons on the ticket might be a bit much. Harry Reid gets a pass for being Mormon, but it's hardly tolerated if you're a Republican.
Besides Condoleeza Rice, other women candidates are Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire and New Mexico Governor, Susana Martinez. Again, Kelly Ayotte has only been in the Senate since 2010, so leave her alone for a while. Although a brand-new Governor herself, I would be more excited about Susana Martinez for her geographic and Hispanic background. Unfortunately, she has steadfastly refused any consideration of joining the ticket. She is the guardian of her developmentally disabled sister and her father has Alzheimer's, so she doesn't want to go to DC. As for Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin, neither of these Tea Partiers has managed to pass muster with the voters. (This doesn't mean they shouldn't be applauded for all of their passion and hard work at the GOP convention, though!)
Chris Christie and Allen West are two other candidates with particularly attractive conservative credentials. However, neither is shy about mouthing off, making them very prone to gaffes. Allen West is African American and was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army, but he made some missteps in Iraq that tarnish his military record. In addition to his reputation for offensive rants, Chris Christie also really needs to lose some weight first.
Finally, other VP candidates that I don't think bring any excitement or new votes to the table, but at least wouldn't do much to damage the ticket are Tim Pawlenty, Governor of Minnesota; Bobby Jindal, Governor of Louisiana; Rob Portman, Ohio Senator; and Bob McDonnell, Governor of Virginia. While they can probably hold their own against Joe Biden, they would be easily trumped by Hillary Clinton when President Obama finally announces her replacement of Biden as VP. That is Obama's ace in the hole.
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