Why Bob McDonnell will be on anyone’s short list for Vice President
By Bearing Drift | Thursday, May 12th, 2011 | PoliticsBy Jason Miyares
I disagree with the recent post by Mr. Falkenstein downplaying McDonnell as a potential Vice-Presidential running mate in 2012. Bob McDonnell’s qualities, biographically, geographically, and legislatively, ensure that he will be on the short-list in the VP selection by whoever is the 2012 GOP nominee.
First rule of picking a VP running-mate? Do No Harm. [Exhibit A: Dan Quayle in 1988]
Second rule of picking a VP running-mate? Pick qualities that enhance the ticket on a regional or national basis.
Here are some of McDonnell’s qualities that make him an ideal 2012 running mate:
1) As Governor of Virginia, he is the chief executive of a state that the GOP must recapture if they are to regain the White House. It’s no secret that Virginia has gone from solid “red” to a true mid-Atlantic swing state in the last several years. Given that the Obama Re-election strategy considers Virginia one of their targeted states for re-election, this would place Virginia firmly in the GOP column on election night.
2) McDonnell is a telegenic candidate that possesses enormous message discipline. Few elected officials comes across as well on television, which cannot be discounted in an era dominated by wall-to-wall media coverage. He also demonstrated enormous message discipline in his 2009 race, which is vital in a presidential campaign.
3) Catholic and an Army Veteran. Two qualities that Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Donald Trump or most of the erstwhile GOP field do not possess. Not only does McDonnell help a running mate in swing-state Virginia, but also helps with the large Catholic voting-age populations in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ohio.
4) Unquestioned Conservative Credentials: Mitt Romney is extremely vulnerable over his own “health-care reform” in Massachusetts that possessed some parallels to Obamacare. What better way to assure the base than picking a running mate that signed legislation paving the way for Virginia to challenge the health care reform bill? The only reason Attorney General Cuccinelli had standing to bring the suit was Governor McDonnell signing legislation stating that Virginians would not be required to purchase government mandated health insurance.
5) Solid Record as Governor: In an era of $1.6 trillion federal budget deficits, Governor McDonnell was able to cut a multi-billion budget deficit without raising taxes. This is a powerful example of how Washington lacks the fiscal discipline demonstrated by many of our nation’s state governors. Furthermore, Virginia has a lower unemployment rate, higher economic growth and more economic investment than the national average. Our schools and quality of life is higher than the national average. By every measurable index, Virginia is an outstanding location to open a business and raise a family. There is a reason why he has over a 60% approval rating in the latest Washington Post Poll. McDonnell’s “Virginia success story” is one that the rest of the nation should hear.
These are just a few of the qualities that would make Bob McDonnell an outstanding running mate in 2012, and election that will be dominated by economic and domestic issues. He likely will be asked, the question remains whether he will say yes.
Jason Miyares is a Virginia Beach-based attorney, and political consultant, he was the Campaign Manager and architect of Congressman Scott Rigell’s double-digit electoral defeat of Democratic-incumbent Glenn Nye in 2010. A former prosecutor, he is the veteran of numerous campaign and courtroom battles. Most of all, he is a proud Virginian and thanks God everyday he lives in the greatest state of the greatest nation in the history of the world.
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Bearing Drift has been providing an online conservative voice in Virginia politics since 2004. The name describes relative motion at sea - without bearing drift, you need to move to the right to avoid a collision! If it looks like the ship-of-state is going to wreck, move right; you can't go wrong!!!
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14 Responses to "Why Bob McDonnell will be on anyone’s short list for Vice President"
Thank you Jason, I couldn’t agree more. And you are correct, what you wrote are just a few of the qualities that will make Bob McDonnell an excellent VP or President for that matter. He has a PROVEN track record and stays the course. I bet he says yes and we’ll all be glad he did.
I like McDonnell. I really do. However, I think a Regent degree and some of his social views keep him out of the race. That stuff might fly in Virginia, especially against a terrible Democrat candidates, but if I’m Mitch Daniels (or someone not crazy), and all I need to do is win some/all of Ohio, Florida, Colorado, Nevada, etc., I’m not picking someone on the far right.
Whose this Jason Miyares fellow?
I appreciate Jason’s thoughtful rebuttal of my original post, but it doesn’t actually rebut my main point.
I actually agree with Jason’s very good description of Bob McDonnell’s strengths. As I said in my original post, I am a big fan of McDonnell. The point of my article was not to say that McDonnell lacks the qualifications to serve as President or Vice President. I believe he clearly does.
My point was to say that when we consider who would be a good running mate, our first consideration should be to focus on who the presidential nominee is. In 2012, the Republican nominee is going to be a governor with no foreign policy or national defense experience or credentials (Daniels, Romney, Pawlenty, or Huckabee). He is going to need a running mate who brings those qualifications to the ticket. Bob McDonnell, for all of his many strengths, does not fill that specific requirement, and Jason’s article does not refute or even address this point.
BTW, geographical balance has not been a primary consideration for a running mate in several decades. In fact, none of the past 5 winning presidential candidates chose a running mate based on geographical diversity (Obama-Biden, Bush-Cheney, Clinton-Gore, Bush-Quayle, and Reagan-Bush).
Great job jason!
Why second fiddle? Bobs for Jobs in 2012!
Great Article! Bob McDonnell would make a great VP in 2012. Virginia is crucial to success in 2012. Very well put Jason!
Hey, I read the same kind of article on SWAC Girl’s blog!
Well put Jason. McD is the modest understated kind of governor that just seems right for the times. We need ‘presidential candidate’ like Bob and so far there are none in the race without heavy baggage. Romney and Newt overpacked their suitcases.
Turbo: You might have hit on something there. If McDonnell was on the 2012 ticket, it would make smore sense at the top of the ticket. The only reason that a GOP nominess might pick McDonnell is to carry Virginia. If it’s that close here, the GOP will lose. As a presidential candidate, Bob certainly has less baggage than anybody in the running now. It would make him less popular as governor though, Virginians don’t like their governors to seek higher office during their terms.
There is no question our Governor has done fantastic work in short time. I think he is on the short list of elite State Executives like Gov. Christie. It is blessing for VA that our Governor can achieve such high success without having to constantly battle organized entitlement machines like the Governors in New Jersey, Wisconsin, or Ohio. Bob handles opponents with class and grace. This can only help sell conservative policies in this ultra polarized politcal enviornment.
It will be interesting to see how the national stage shakes out in the coming months. Many great points are made here. I wonder how foreign policy issues will play versus domestic issues. How will the “independents” react? I think this will ultimately drive any decision to add Bob to the national ticket.
I for one wouldn’t mind giving up our Governor for the greater National good.
I don’t know what McDonnell’s political future holds, but if he wants one, it won’t be a VP candidate in 2012.
Since Bob McDonnell is getting national attention he’s the one to watch:
http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/local-opinion-zone/2011/05/welcome-age-bob-mcdonnell
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