Romney names possible running mate
(CNN) - GOP presidential front-runner Mitt Romney on Monday dropped a name for a possible running mate should he secure his party's nomination.
"There are probably 15 names of people, including (New Hampshire Sen.) Kelly Ayotte," Romney said in an interview on Fox News. "I mean, there are terrific Republicans in the Senate, in the House, in governors' offices."
Programming note: GOP presidential candidates face off at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, November 22, in the CNN Republican National Security Debate in Washington, D.C.
Ayotte, who was sitting next to Romney at the time of the interview, threw her support behind Romney this weekend in a highly coveted endorsement.
The first-term senator was elected in 2010 with 60% of the vote and is seen as a strong conservative on issues of finance and defense. A former state attorney general, Ayotte voted against the debt deal hammered out in Congress this summer.
Asked who she thinks Romney should consider for vice president, Ayotte pointed to names already floating around in GOP circles: Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell.
She also pointed to Gov. Susana Martinez of New Mexico as a strong candidate.
While Romney has been criticized from the right for being too moderate, Ayotte said her main focus was electing a Republican who could oust President Barack Obama from the White House.
"(Romney) is the person who can lead our country, change the direction, bring those conservative principles that we need to the White House and most importantly make sure that Barack Obama is a one-term president," Ayotte said in the interview.
The former Massachusetts governor has remained steady in the top tier of the GOP presidential field, but a new CNN/ORC International Poll this week showed Romney falling slightly behind former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
And while Romney was hesitant to list any more possible VP contenders, the candidate said there's no short list of potential names.
"You've got extraordinary men and women," Romney said. "We have a very deep bench."
- CNN's Rachel Streitfeld contributed to this report.
Also see:
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Cain, Paul crossed off for Iowa group's pres. endorsement
Who can make a difference in New Hampshire?
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One advice to Romney. Do not start counting chickens before they hatch. Especially when 7 other people around him are hungry for omlette
it's kinda like Lady Gaga – how she changes the lyrics of her song just slightly for each state......
So all she is worried about is getting Obama out of office? She's not interested in helping people in this country and figuring out how to get jobs back in the country for the average working family? Great, just what we need.
You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. What a pair of losers!
Ha Ha Ha this guy is the classic candidate. Tall, handsome family man, smiles a lot and now hints that he might select a woman for VP. Perfect example of modern image creation. He will probably win the Republican nomination even though nobody seems to know exactly where he stands on anything. I really think he is going to make it, good for him. 🙂
Sniffit
NOBODY asked for an immediate $1T tax increase. Rather, short-term spending measures and tax relief followed by long-term revenue and tax increases is what has been called for.
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Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., ...said Republicans offered their colleagues a revenue compromise that Democrats demanded, but he said in a statement that Democrats refused to agree to any meaningful deficit reduction without “$1 trillion in job-crushing tax increases.” This is why the Supercommittee failed.
in referring to VP options romney claims.".we have a very deep bench"...pity none of them are running for president because the current crop is dismal, fools, liars and out for themselves, not america
Hey Mitt, I just watched your ad that attacks Obama, and you left out the fact that Obama was talking about John McCain. If you will play the old "bait and switch" with an old video clip that happened during the 2008 Campaign, how can you possibly think that other Republicans will believe what you say to them? Talk about being a sleaze-bag. My vote now goes to Newt Gingrich.
"We have a very deep bench"......he must think he's Aaron Rodgers.
Forget about Susana Martinez from New Mexico as a VP candidate. As a resident of the state, I can truly say she is way over her head as gov.
Mr. Romney is bit about to pick a vice presidential candidate so why even talk about it. Just politics. I wonder how his Lt. Gov. form MA feels about that? She got left holding the bag when she ran for governor. Probably did not work out the way she wanted either.
I like Kelly Ayotte (in fact I recommended her for VP to Herman Cain), but even she can't make me overlook Romney's flip-flopping liberalism and the con job that he calls his "religion."
If Gingrich beats Romney in New Hampshire, Romney is done.
The same Marco Rubio? That Talks Big but Fails to Deliver?
Before the March 2000 session, Rubio was hardly the scorching conservative who would later woo Tea Partiers nationwide. He said he'd focus on supporting early education and community policing. And he wasn't particularly passionate about cutting spending. In his first three years, he supported adding a $4 surcharge to cruise tickets to fund a Marlins stadium and a $1.2 million earmark to build new bike paths in his district
Marco Rubio Really Admires Dead Racist Jesse Helms
So, Marco Rubio is going around calling America "weakened." He blames it on Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare.
spent thousands with GOP credit card
Records show Rubio sent payments to American Express totaling $13,900 for his personal expenses during his tenure as House speaker. But those payments were not made monthly. He made no contributions to the bill during a six-month stretch in 2007, records show.
Who cares? Romney is an arrogant elitist who has no clue what is going on in our nation or what the PEOPLE are facing – nor does he care. Remember, he is the one who thinks no helo shold be given to homeowners who were defraused by the banks and are about to lose their homes; Republicans are going to LOSE in a LANDSLIIDE in 2012
Gov Bob McDonnell of Virginia would be a great choice.
He is a strong conservative, a Catholic, and a proven winner. His selection will cement Virginia into the GOP fold.
Great idea, pick an inexperienced female conservative wingnut from a backwater state as your running mate. Let me guess, Romney thinks Kelly Ayotte willl make up for his lack of foreign policy experience because she can see Canada from her house. Despite having four years advanced warning, I'll bet Ayotte won't be able to name a single news magazine when she's interviewed by Katie Couric next fall.
Ayotte was sitting next to Romney when this statement was made in response to a question he had been given. He didn't say she was his VP pick. He was kindly and politely trying to let her and her constituents know that he held her in high regard. It is called people skills. Alternatively, he could have done as many on this board seem to have think he should have done... "Nope, haven't picked my VP candidate... Ayotte thanks for the endorsement... nice knowing you." That would have gone over really well.
I think Mitt would make a fine president. He continues to show himself to be a gentleman.
Wow, just heard her on CNN. That woman is more inarticulate than Perry.
@Pastafaria ROTFLMFAO!!! Well done!
Mitt should pick a VP from a non-southern states as these goof balls in the south will vote for any candidate that has a capital R after their name.
the middle class should just lay down and die if a republican wins,and the rich will be drinking wine
@Joe I wouldn't worry too much about it. Someone could probably get booed off the stage at a NASCAR event just for breathing through their nose.
He is going the McCain route. We all know how that turned out.
Christie, Christie, Christie. I dont like either of them, but that is your ticket. Romney-Christie. And may God have mercy on all our souls.
I just have THREE words: Vice President Joe Biden!!! End of discussion!!!!!