Vice presidential speculation megathread

[This account no longer in use.]

I don't think Colin Powell wants to be vice president. To me, it just seems like far too much of a gamble that would anger the establishment and the Sanders base at once.

[IceAgeComing]

what happens with the vice presidency if the republicans have a contested convention?  traditionally its been picked by the presidential candidate, but in a theoretical situation where Trump stumbles over the line with a few uncommitted delegates and picks a vice presidential candidate that the convention doesn't like, could they decide to put someone else in instead?

[Kingpoleon]

Thing is, Cruz/Brown is a ticket whose total experience is 7 years in the Senate. That's...not a lot.

Cruz needs a governor or a prominent businessman/military type. Walker and Haley are the two most logical choices if he decides to go the first route, with Mitch Daniels or John Kasich being dark horses if they really want it. (Tim Pawlenty, who's already been vetted twice, might've been very logical, but he's moved on to lobbying, so probably not; Brian Sandoval might be too moderate, and there'd be visible disagreements between the top and bottom of the ticket). James Mattis, a retired general who is also renowned for speaking his mind, might be an effective way of appealing to _trump folks without alienating everyone else (or Stanley McChrystal could serve basically the same function). Not sure who a choice from the business world would be -- the only names coming to mind are Carly Fiorina and Meg Whitman, who both have very obvious problems.

EDIT: McChrystal has a history of endorsing congressional Democrats and speaking out in favor of gun control (apparently, he was involved in Seth Moulton's 2014 campaign) -- as _trump showed, this doesn't necessarily have to be a deal-breaker, but I'm inclined to think for Ted Cruz it would be.

7 years in the Senate is more than Bush/Cheney, Romney/Ryan, and Reagan/Bush, and about as much as Bush/Quayle, Clinton/Gore, Carter/Mondale, Ford/Dole, Mondale/Ferraro, and Nixon/Agnew.

[standwrand]

George Pataki

[This account no longer in use.]

George Pataki

Lindsey Graham

[standwrand]

George Pataki

Lindsey Graham

Chuck Grassley

[Doimper]

What are the chances that, if Trump somehow secures the Republican nomination, Hillary decides to target "establishment" Republicans  and goes with some theoretically moderate but well known GOP figure for VP (Hunstman, or even Rice, as hypotheticals)?

Huntsman isn't moderate.

[Wisconsin+17]

Cruz-Rubio makes a lot of tactical sense. Depends on whether Cruz can convince Rubio that he needs his support anyways and stopping Trump is more important.

Trump-Kasich for the same reason. Trump might be short, but a Kasich deal for the VP would secure the nomination for Trump.

Right now I see those as the only combinations worth discussing, because the situations are very fluid.

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

VPs should really go to the person who gets 2nd in the primary, it's the most democratic measure. Even though there's no way Trump would want Cruz or vise-versa regardless of who is on top.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

What are the chances that, if Trump somehow secures the Republican nomination, Hillary decides to target "establishment" Republicans  and goes with some theoretically moderate but well known GOP figure for VP (Hunstman, or even Rice, as hypotheticals)?

Huntsman isn't moderate.

Which is why I said "theoretically moderate".  Regulars here know he isn't, but that's how he's frequently portrayed in the media. A lot like Kasich who also isn't moderate, but get called that.

[SillyAmerican]

The picks I'd most like to see (saying nothing about who's actually at the top of the ticket, whether these folks would be interested in the VP spot, etc.):

GOP
Condoleezza Rice
Nikki Haley
Rudy Giuliani
Joni Ernst

The GOP is not nominating a pro-choice candidate. Period.

Maybe not, but perhaps they should. Besides, my criteria for the names listed is simply the folks I'd like to see being considered; the GOP isn't too happy having Trump or Cruz at the top of the ticket, so a pro-choice VP candidate is the least of their worries.