Now that we know that Mitt Romney is on first, all of America wants to know who’s on second as his vice-presidential running mate. Every pundit worth his or her punditry ‘license’ has commented, wrote a column or created a list of possible running mates for the Republican nominee. The VP guessing game has become on of the most important exercises in the media.
Before we examine some of the hopefuls, we need to examine the most important parameter that Romney has set for his running mate. It’s just this: in event of his death or incapacity, the vice president must be able to step into the Oval Office and assume the Presidency. This is a clear and simple directive from a man who has functioned as a corporate CEO, head of the Salt Lake City Olympic Games and Governor of Massachusetts.
Romney is known as a thorough executive who is a demanding taskmaster and is capable of digesting mountains of information. He has tasked his former chief of staff, Beth Myers, to oversee the vetting process for the vice presidential pick. Romney has pointed out as recently as earlier this week that only he and Myers will know his choice.
With a boss like that, the vice presidential choice will need to have a similar capacity for work. Not all politicians fit this profile. For instance, Barack Obama is more of a big-picture guy while Jimmy Carter was a micro-manager. Some politicians prefer to lead by speaking while others get into the policy weeds. It’s anyone’s guess what type Romney is looking for: a clone or an opposite. READ MORE
