
Washington (CNN) - Republican Sen. John Thune isn't ready to rule out the No. 2 spot on the GOP presidential ticket in 2012.
When asked Sunday if he would consider the vice presidency, the South Dakota senator said, "I don't think you rule any options out in politics."
"When you're in this you want to serve your country and put your skill set to its highest and best use," Thune said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
After publicly mulling a bid, he ultimately decided against a White House run in February. At the time he said he was "best positioned to fight for America's future here in the trenches of the United States Senate." His most recent comments echoed those sentiments.
"I'm certainly focused today on what we're doing in the United States Senate, which today is to get a deal to avert a crisis for our country," Thune said.


Tea party hanging over GOP sure VP door will Open and shut for him immediately
Evangelical Christian Politician out of a job and just wants any GOP winner to know he would be happy to ride their coat tails? Wow!
Vice President to WHOM????????? Jeez!!
Well that's a relief. Now does he want to be the VP on the GOP ticket or the T-Party? Either way he loses but he might not ruin his career if he sticks w/ the GOP.
Don't worry about It because a Republican Won't win.
Wow, this moron has ruined the Great State of South Dakota, and he would be happy to ruin the rest of the country.
We now have an amendment to the constitution to change the name of the state from South Dakota of the State of Poverty after 40 years of Republican control.
So which Repub has ruled out the VP slot??
For those of us who have paid attention (and who have not been fed fox lies & deception) we know that this debt ceiling debacle is because the Repubs wanted another ruse to attack the President. They be held ACCOUNTABLE for their anti-American theater when the elections come.
Not to worry Mr. Thune, Republicans have been destroying the country for 12 straight years and will not find themselves in power for a very long time. Republicans are now a cult that does not work for the people but rather their corporate sponsers,Pledgemasters,Tea Cult Party and the majority will never again allow Republicans the ultimate power to further destroy the country.
Who is he?
What does this guy bring to the GOP ticket? North Dakota's electoral votes? Charisma? The only way that he'd add to the ticket in this regard would be if Pawlenty was the Presidential nominee. Moderation? Surely you jest!! Sanity? Certainly this could be a factor if the nominee was Bachmann, Palin or Santorum. Name Recognition? I doubt it.
I'd probably be as good a choice as Thune, and I'm a Democrat.
I don't think President Obama will be interested in having a Republican as VP.
Uh – no thanks.
I think a Romney Thune ticket would be great. But God forbid Rick Perry gets in I don't even want to spoil my lunch on that.
Here we have yet another right-winger with nothing to offer but ideology. He votes for every war but has no military experience. He votes against everything that might remotely help the poor or middle class but votes for the bank bailout. Just another good-looking friend-of-the-rich without any real ideas or true convictions. A Republican clone.
No chance that Thume will be the VP nominee. Romney will get the nomination and his VP mate will be Bachmann. It's the only way to keep the GOP from shattering into tatters. Bank on it.
The notion that Thune would not rule out a vice presidential nomination under at least SOME circumstances disqualifies him in my opinion. Is he so ideologically pliable that he could find himself easily representing a ticket led by either Michelle Bachmann or Mitt Romney? Herman Cain or Jon Huntsman? Ron Paul or Buddy Roemer? These people are so ideologically different from each other – and frequently actively opposed to each other – that Thune should be able to at LEAST say "it depends on who asks me to run as their VP".
What an ego from a nobody from North Dakota. After the mess he and his fellow Republicans have done to this country over the last couple of weeks, and he really still admits to being a Republican. Shows just how self-centered they really are.
I never even heard of this person. SMH
Who cares about the number 2 spot when the field of GOP/Tea Party hobbit presidential candidates is so uninspiring and unelectable?
Republican Sen. John Thune said he was "best positioned to fight for America's future here in the trenches of the United States Senate ? Another evangelical warrior fighting on beliefs , not facts !
Why do all these hollyer then thou people use war terminology , troops , In the trenches , WMDs ? This guy is just like Mitt Romny , he has all the Verbs but no walk ! None of these wannabes did any military service , nor did the sons !
Someone needs to help him shut the door.
Lynn...as a fellow Democrat I hate to correct you, but Sen Thune is a nobody from South Dakota, not ND.
Sorry to the folks in North Dakota, didn't mean to insult them for producing an ego-maniac who thinks he's qualified for the VP, let alone the WH if his luck holds.
Thune voted for theinvasion of Afghanistan and the Iraq War, and has consistently supported funding for both wars.
In 2005, Thune supported a bill to save $40 billion in the federal budget by cutting back student lending, child support, and welfare programs.
Thune spoke out against and voted against certain economic recovery and stimulus spending bills in 2008 and early 2009.[34][35] However, he voted for the 2008 bank bailout.
When you're in this you want to serve your country and put your skill set to its highest and best use," Thune said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
Mitt Romney / John Thune 2012
Unaccountability / Obstruction
For a better future !
Rob – there are so many republican nobodies it's hard to keep up (as tho I'm even trying – LOL).