If McCain Pulls Off A Miracle And Wins The Nomination Who Is His Best VP?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Oh, and he could appeal to younger crowds given the fact that he is a fan of progressive rock, and attended a Dream Theater concert. 

Yeah that's exactly what most young people listen to.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Pawlenty was one of the first for McCain, right?

This is something I actually agree with BRTD on; Pawlenty would be next-to-no help as the running mate for the eventual GOP nominee.

Good for you. Republicans need to realize that too. Most seem to have moved past the delusion that Pawlenty would win Minnesota for the ticket but still buy into the stupid idea of a "neighboring state" advantage and that he'd help in Wisconsin and Iowa (as if most people Wisconsin and Iowa both know who Pawlenty and actually care about him)

If I were him, I'd pick Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr, forty-four years old, and has a famous family name (at least in his state).

If the Huntsmans are only known in Utah, then why would name recognition be relevant here?  None of the Republicans need any help to win Utah.

If a Mormon cannot win the presidency outright, then it might help to get the country accustomed to seeing a Mormon as VP before they let go their inhibitions about having a Mormon as President of the United States.

Why would McCain care about any of that?

Also true.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

He's the Governor of Minnesota

So? Maybe if he was insanely popular and as beloved as people like Schweitzer and Palin. But he's not.

As for the rest of the Midwest, why would people in Wisconsin and Iowa know who our governor is? Or care?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

When was the last time anyone ran a negative ad against a *vice* presidential candidate?  It never happens.

http://livingroomcandidate.movingimage.us/election/index.php?ad_id=945

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Pawlenty would help him a lot in the Midwest.

why?

He's the Governor of Minnesota, and he's ideologically closer to McCain than Thompson is.

I don't really see why McCain's ideology would be such gold in the upper midwest.  and I don't see why being the Governor of an adjacent state helps so much in IA and WI, especially considering Pawlenty has approvals in the low 50s and has ran behind Bush's prior MN total in both '02 and '06 (he's received just 46.7% and 44.4% the two times he has been elected.)

Yes, exactly what I've been saying.

Serious question: What percentage of Iowans and Wisconsinites do you believe have heard of Pawlenty? And of that percentage, how many actually care about him?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Yes, exactly what I've been saying.

Serious question: What percentage of Iowans and Wisconsinites do you believe have heard of Pawlenty? And of that percentage, how many actually care about him?

and how many of those are Democrats or Independents that are in love with Pawlenty so much that they'd change allegiances over his inclusion at the bottom of a ticket?

Yes, and that also applies in Minnesota.

The number in Wisconsin is probably a bit higher since parts of Wisconsin get most of their media from Minnesota, but that doesn't mean they care. In fact Pawlenty might have a very small net negative effect in Wisconsin due to the state rivalry and the fact that many die-hard Packers fans will vote against the guy who signed to build a new Vikings stadium (I really hope no one here is so naive they honestly believe there is NO ONE who votes based on things that stupid)