Sanford Questions GOP's 'White-Bread Sandwich' Routine
With Rubio making headlines in S.C., former governor raises subject of diversity on the ticket.
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Former S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford appears anxious for something different on the GOP presidential ticket in 2012.
Speculation is growing about the names on Mitt Romney's vice presidential shortlist, including Republican Sen. Rob Portman in make-or-break Ohio.
Asked about Portman on Fox News on Monday morning, Sanford had a frank analysis.
"The question is: Do you have another white-bread sandwich and, you know, is it just going to be boring to voters out there? I think that that's the question with Portman," Sanford said.
GOP12.com at The Hill has the video.
The comment comes two days after Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) made headlines during a visit to South Carolina. The son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio has been lauded as a possible vice-presidential selection who could sway Latino voters in the general election.
Sen. Lindsey Graham introduced Rubio at Saturday's Silver Elephant fundraiser in Columbia, touting the young man's appeal to a diverse voting block, much like U.S. Rep. Tim Scott, an African-American Republican representing South Carolina's 1st District.
"Marco, you and Tim have a real challenge: selling who we are to a broader audience," Graham said. "On behalf of eveyone here, I can't thank you enough for taking on this challenge."
weirdpeter
4:15 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
How about looking for the most qualified candidate for the bottom half of the ticket? Admittedly, it won't be our former Governor who is advising the GOP to go down the slippery slope of quotas, no matter how hard he protests. This does not mean that the GOP couldn't choose a candidate from one of the "favored" groups, but the choice shouldn't be based on the color of the candidate's skin, but the content of his or her character.
Chris Winston
4:21 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
That brings up a great question, WeirdPeter? How should we determine the qualifications of a strong VP candidate? What are the last legacies of Biden, Cheney, Gore, Quayle and Bush Sr.?
rex kenney
5:43 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
Lindsey Graham needs to start a logcabin republican group to help diversify the GOP.
Greg Hambrick
8:54 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
weirdpeter, the best running mate is rarely, if ever, the person who is offered the job. Nor is it typically the person willing to accept the job. Most presidential campaigns are looking for a running mate who can fill something missing in the candidates biography, or someone who can reach out to a skeptical voting block (southern voters? union members? war hawks?) and provide assurance that the candidate has the right person standing beside him/her.
reg
10:23 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
In my opinion, it's the somewhat traditional use of demographic factors and even geographic factors that can completely stifle a campaign, as if the presidential candidate made that selection only to appeal to (or appease) particular voters. That rarely, rarely works. In fact, it seems to cement any public opinion that the candidate isn't faring well in the campaign.
Billy Buntswitch
11:03 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
Rubio is a good pick. Anyone that can win a swing state is a good pick. It may be that state that is the difference. Anybody in a medium to large electoral votes state is a good pick. The VP doesn't bring much to the ticket, in the end they vote for the President, but the VP usually carries his/her own state. Pick someone with some electoral votes to offer.
JoSCh
9:16 am on Tuesday, May 22, 2012
This cynical outlook, while absolutely true, makes me angry. BOOO! BOOO!!
To be clear, I'm not booing you, I'm booing the system. Implement a popular vote NOW!
Rusty Inman
9:23 am on Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Billy's comment references the issues raised by posts prior to his---with the notable exception of Rex's, uh, impressive contribution.
To a great degree, his line of reasoning as to the choosing of a vice-presidential candidate has, with a variant or so, been a major determinant per the choices made in my lifetime; i.e., the vice-presidential candidate needs to be someone who can bring some electoral votes to the table.
Indeed, South Carolina's Jimmy Byrnes was denied a place on FDR's last ticket because northern Democrats convinced the ailing president that a southerner would not bring electoral votes that he wasn't already assured of but would cost him electoral votes in the north of which he might have been assured.
While this perspective is understandable, it should be at least equally important that a vice-presidential candidate be someone who could inspire the confidence of the citizenry---and governments around the world---should he/she be elevated to the presidency due to the inability of the president to fulfill his/her term.
This side of the issue attained critical status in 2008, when John McCain chose Ms. Palin as his running mate. Though Ms. Palin's devout following vehemently disagrees with them, Mr. McCain's own campaign staff winced with anxiety at the thought of her ascending to the presidency. So did millions of Americans.
All of that to say that it might be important for a v.p. candidate to be wince-proof.
Sally Mims
11:50 am on Monday, July 16, 2012
Please pick the person that can really help you. We have to win this election.