Prediction: Mitt Romney is the guy.
My favorite for Vice-President was Bobby Jindal, but his time is not yet. Someday when he runs for president, assuming he finishes his term of office as governor of Louisiana as well as he has started it, I will happily support him.
If not Jindal, then Romney.
Why?
First, Romney is very smart. Biden is like the kid who thinks he is good at math, but isn’t . . . the perfect example of the American cult of academic self-esteem unconnected to performance. Romney would wonk him to death. This is the perfect thing for a vice-presidential candidate to do.
Second, Romney is a tested debater. There is a real advantage in having a person on the ticket who is used to high stakes debates and does not blow up in them. Romney will not fall victim to a Dan Quayle liine.
Third, Romney is qualified to be president if needed.
Fourth, Romney will increase Republican turnout in Colorado and Michigan. The Republican needs both states.
Fifth, Romney is vetted. He has no skeletons in his squeaky clean closet.
What about religion? Reasonable Republicans, the vast majority, will listen (again!) to Romeny’s wonderful speech on faith and politics and vote sensibly. Romney also did not appeal to many of my friends on reasonable grounds (his recent conversion to conservative ideas being a prime problem), but at the bottom of the ticket he brings all his advantages without being the center of attention.
I have to admit that during his run, I came to greatly admire Mitt Romney. He left the race before he had to do so with an eloquent defense of McCain and of conservative ideas. As a convert to full blooded conservatism, he has the zeal for new ideas I like to see.
Romney looks like he is the guy.