Sean Hannity sounds beside himself. Reuters seems pretty sure. Same with NBC Nightly News.
All appear to believe that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio isn't at the top of the shortlist to be Mitt Romney's vice presidential. That is, Rubio isn't on the shorter list.
"Why do I keep hearing they're not going to pick Rubio?" Hannity asked with some sense of frustration last night on his Fox show. "I want Rubio... with everybody else."
Well, not quite.
Rubio hasn't really endeared himself to Mitt World. Sure, he helped scuttle Newt Gingrich's campaign, which Gingrich was busily scuttling anyway this January. And Rubio gave a pretty tepid and late endorsement of Romney on Hannity's show after the Florida primary.
Compare that with the full-throated endorsement and help of former Minn. Gov. Tim Pawlenty (so what if he never won a majority of the vote in his two statewide runs and briefly criticized RomneyCare last year).
No Rubio.
It follows ABC-Washington Post-New York Times reports last month that said Rubio didn't even make the original shortlist. Romney himself had to deny it after a day of getting knocked off message, but chances are some higher ups in the Romney campaign were floating trial balloons that the right shot down.
There's also a chance Romney, dissed repeatedly by the Republican right, might be inclined to pick Rubio in inverse proportion to the howls of the right.
"I love Rubio," conservative columnist Cal Thomas said last night on Hannity's show. "I think he's got everything."
That might just be the problem.
Beyond Rubio's potential baggage, there's a matter of chemistry. There doesn't seem to be a good connection between him and Romney. In McLuhan-esque terms, Rubio is hot and Romney is cool. Romney made his fortune in the private sector; Rubio got relatively rich while in office as a career politician (but not too wealthy, as he still has college debts, which'll likely be retired as a result of his top-selling political autobiography).
Romney, of course, might not care about any knocks on Rubio if the senator shows he can deliver Florida. But our latest poll suggests Romney could win the Sunshine State without Rubio. Romney is essentially tied with President Obama 45%-46%. With Rubio on the ticket, the numbers reverse with Romney garnering 46% and Obama 45%.
Either way, the theoretical lead of each candidate is well within the poll's 3.5% error margin.
Rubio seems to help -- especially with Hispanics, whose support flips 8 points in the Republicans' favor with Rubio on the ticket. Obama goes from winning Hispanics over Romney 49-42 to essentially losing them by a 43-44. However, because of the relatively small sample size, don't take these numbers to the bank.
Still, Rubio appears to do no harm in Florida, and it's really not clear how the other guys would be any better in the must-win state. And Democrats seem scared of Rubio, whom they appear to have bashed more than the other shortlisters.
"We need Florida. We can't win without Florida," conservative Noelle Nikpour chimed in agreement with Thomas and Hannity last night. "We've gotta have Florida. And that's Rubio."
Perhaps. Perhaps not. But if Rubio doesn't get picked and Romney subsequently loses Florida by a close margin, the I-told-you-sos will rain down on Mitt World.
"why do we keep hearing they're not going to pick Rubio"?
probably because he's been vetted and Mittens handlers have determined LITTLE MARCO is a CROOK with A LOT of BAGGAGE.
Besides wonder boy doesn't help with the Hispanic vote as most see him as an embellishing flip flopper.
poor Sean Hannity will have to tame his desires for wonderboy Marco with his late night wet dreams.
but Hey, Marco still needs a good backwaxing every so often. maybe Hannity can apply for that position!
Posted by: joe blow | July 17, 2012 at 10:12 AM
Marcocito appeals to a very narrow part of the voting public: extremely reactionary older people. His political talents are very suspect and his tenure in the Florida legislature still has a noxious stink to it. The only Hispanics that would rejoice his selection as the GOP VP nominee are the age 60+ Miami area Cubans. Meanwhile, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, and Central/South Americans (now the Hispanic majority in Florida) don't find him at all appealing. Willard and his advisors may get desperate but they probably will not get stupid enough to chose him for VP nominee.
Posted by: Can't Take Anymore | July 17, 2012 at 01:03 PM
people enough with the rubio. he is not a natural born citizen,just ask him. he cannot be the vp.
as far as I have read online,jindal is not a natural born citizen either. paul ryan is the best in my humble opinion.
Posted by: Judy | July 17, 2012 at 01:26 PM
Rubio is not a Natural Born Citizen and it is well known among the ones who vett and research. Bobby Jindal is not either, but since Obama got away with it, why should the GOP bother about a little thing like second and third in line of succession? But Arnold Swarchnegger back on the list. Bring in some other naturalized or born off base instead of on military base...anyway, Bret Baier was very wrong when he firmly announced that Rubio was eligible, without even understanding the everyone who lives in America is an American citizen, if they are legal. However, not every citizen is Natural Born Citizen.Research would help if what I write is troublesome, and I did the research. I don't ask anyone to believe me, but you can trust and verify.
Posted by: Lou Ellen Brown | July 17, 2012 at 01:31 PM
I don't think Cuban descendents and Mexican descendents like each other. The Cubans who escaped were rich enough to buy a boat ride and the farmers stayed home. In Mexico the rich stayed home and the poor farmers walked across our southern border. Therefore you have a large class divide and a Latino candidate of either group will split the Latino electorate. I won't mention the Chicago connection.
Posted by: jim | July 17, 2012 at 01:32 PM
Around 2010-2011, I am loosing track of the time, Marco Rubio then a member of the Florida Legislature was pushing hard to get a Spanish contractor the lease on the Alligator Alley. About 75 marvelous miles stretch of highway one must use while paying one fee to either going south or north from Miami or Fort Lauderdale to Naples. At that time Charlie Chris the Governor, asks question on how will a private company finance that lease, which will barely if at all be covered by the amount motorists pay.
Rubio answer was the new leasee will have to increase the toll fees. Charlie Chris refused and the deal and Rubio expected profits vanished.
Is this why instead of running for Governor, Rubio decided to run against Charlie Christ for the US Senate seat. One will see that as retaliatory revenge.
Rubio as been accused of using some of the proceed of his election campaign funds for sustaining his personal financial needs.
Last election in order to bring on his side the Cuban vote he said "all my life I will be the son of a Cuban expatriate"
Sorry Marco Rubio is not exactly a Conservative.
Christian-Henri Barrain
Chancellor
American Conservative Institute LLC
Posted by: Christian Henri Barrain | July 17, 2012 at 01:53 PM
As the Constitution stands now B.Jindal is not eligible nor Ted Cruz or they never will be,olepileofsheet hasn't gotten away with anything we just cannot get the do nothing congress of both houses to do their duty and have this impostor arrested by the Sectary of Defence.The 1875 SCOTUS ruling has been tampered with by certain supporters of his,in an attempt to make him look more legit, but has not been recinded or repealed by both houses of congress.All I have gotten from my reps is a form letter and blank stare.
Posted by: T-Texas | July 17, 2012 at 02:09 PM
Seems like everyone forgets, he IS NOT a natural born citizen.
We shouldn't even be considering him.
This is the corruption we have to keep up to date on and forbid them from pushing something un-constitutional on us.
Think about it some German, Russian, or Muslim could marry some one in their own country, come here for the child to be born, and lo we have not got two parents born in America, thus making him unqualified to become v=pres or president. This like opening pandora's box (which we have already done) and taking the lid and burning it so anyone can manipulate to become president.
Posted by: Pat E | July 17, 2012 at 02:12 PM
Rubio -VP - what a joke
Would have been a good running mate for Romney - both can't keep a position for more than a week.
- used and spit out - Rubio such a amateur. His career is over. Yep.
Posted by: Rubio's Beard | July 17, 2012 at 04:01 PM
Rubio was not qualified because he was not a Natural Born Citizen. There are plenty of places on the Internet, including legal sites, that point out the requirements to be a Natural Born Citizen. Rubio knows it and this is probably the reason he does not publicly post his birth certificate.
But neither are Bobby Jindal and Nikki Haley Natural Born Citizens and for the same reasons.
Posted by: NoCrud | July 17, 2012 at 05:42 PM
I agree he is not a natural born citizen and Hannity and others ought to consider that. The reason not to ignore that is becaused it legitimizes Obama's lack of citizenship credentials. My preference is Allen West.
Posted by: Chuck Church | July 18, 2012 at 03:36 AM
Rubio is a natural born citizen. Anyone born in U.S. soil, is a natural born citizen.
Obama 2012
Posted by: Joe | July 18, 2012 at 07:56 AM
how dare you call Rubio
a crook , what a bunch of liars.does anyone know how to tell the truth,where were all of you in 2008
Posted by: DEE | July 20, 2012 at 10:43 AM