The winning VPs the past decade were from...

[CLARENCE 2015!]

Wyoming and Delaware

Their qualities matter far more then the myth that they can swing their state or region- or that if they could itd even matter as much as adding gravitas and credentials to the ticket...

[Mr. Morden]

Yeah, the last 20 years has also seen running mate picks from New York, Connecticut, and Alaska.  Not exactly swing states.  Presidential nominees just do not factor in their running mate's home state in the way that many people here seem to imagine.

That said, quite a few of the most commonly mentioned names this time around happen to be from swing states, so it certainly wouldn't shock me if Romney's running mate comes from a swing state.  But I don't think it'll be a decisive factor.

[pbrower2a]

Wyoming and Delaware

Their qualities matter far more then the myth that they can swing their state or region- or that if they could itd even matter as much as adding gravitas and credentials to the ticket...

John Edwards did not win his own state. Joe Lieberman, intended to pull the large Jewish vote in Florida, proved less important than Secretary of State (of Florida) Katharine Harris, who administered the election in Florida. (As Stalin put it, who runs an election natters far more than who runs in it).  Maybe Al Gore should have put more effort into winning either Ohio or New Hampshire.

Ideological consistency and the ability to avoid offending large constituencies matters far more than does an effort to 'pull' a state or a region.

[Vosem]

(As Stalin put it, who runs an election natters far more than who runs in it). 

This is true in most circumstances, but it wasn't in 2000, when Lieberman clearly 'nattered' (I assume you mean 'mattered'?) much more than Harris did.

[pbrower2a]

You caught the typo.

Ideally those who run the elections have no partisan stake in them.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Wyoming and Delaware

Their qualities matter far more then the myth that they can swing their state or region- or that if they could itd even matter as much as adding gravitas and credentials to the ticket...

John Edwards did not win his own state. Joe Lieberman, intended to pull the large Jewish vote in Florida, proved less important than Secretary of State (of Florida) Katharine Harris, who administered the election in Florida. (As Stalin put it, who runs an election natters far more than who runs in it).  Maybe Al Gore should have put more effort into winning either Ohio or New Hampshire.
Ideological consistency and the ability to avoid offending large constituencies matters far more than does an effort to 'pull' a state or a region.

He didn't even win his home state, or Clinton's state.

[milhouse24]

Wyoming and Delaware

Their qualities matter far more then the myth that they can swing their state or region- or that if they could itd even matter as much as adding gravitas and credentials to the ticket...

I actually think Biden helped in Virginia and Penn. 
Of course, Palin also probably hurt more to lose Mccain voters in those states as well. 
It might have been more competitive if Mccain had picked Tim Pawlenty, at least in the midwest states. 

[You kip if you want to...]

Biden was about picking up blue collar worker in swing states though.

[Vosem]

You caught the typo.

Ideally those who run the elections have no partisan stake in them.

That's true, but there's very little evidence of dubiousness, and to my knowledge no evidence of any that involved Katherine Harris. Of course, that doesn't absolve Harris of being a horrible politician.