NYT: Tom Cotton Emerges as VP Contender

[ShadowRocket]

Didn't see this posted so here you go:

Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas has unexpectedly emerged as a top contender to become Donald J. Trump’s running mate, a signal that the former president is heavily weighing experience and the ability to run a disciplined campaign over other factors.

Mr. Cotton’s ascendance comes as Mr. Trump’s leading vice-presidential options have increasingly come into focus, according to three people with direct knowledge of Mr. Trump’s thinking who insisted on anonymity to discuss private meetings.

These people said that Mr. Trump’s other current favorites were Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota and three of Mr. Cotton’s Senate colleagues: Marco Rubio of Florida, Tim Scott of South Carolina and J.D. Vance of Ohio. The former president has also discussed the five Republican men as potential candidates for administration posts if he were to unseat President Biden in November.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/24/us/politics/tom-cotton-trump-vp.html

[Compuzled_One]

This is both surprising and unsurprising.

Anyway, Cotton's gonna shoot the tires on any chances of Trump getting more black voters. He might appeal to Haley-backing Neocons though.

[kwabbit]

Tom Cotton would get skewered on abortion. Stefanik is the best path forward. She was once more moderate and she isn't gaffe prone. While she also isn't great on abortion, very few Republicans are and being a woman would shield her.

[SnowLabrador]

Hopefully if Trump picks Cotton, that reminds voters what's at stake. Hopefully.

[Clarence Boddicker]

Which realistic VP option would do the most damage to the campaign?

[PeteB]

I am guessing that this leak is intentional, to throw the media off the real VP contenders. The only thing I believe is the statement that only Trump really knows whom he will choose.  And my guess is that it won't be Cotton and it won't be a male. 

Haley and Stefanik remain the only remotely viable choices for ensuring Trump's election.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Tom Cotton is basically an open authoritarian who wants to jail more people and bomb more brown people. If Trump wants to capitalize on his dictatorship promise, Cotton is the right pick.

If he doesn't, then I concur that Stefanik or Tim Scott are the natural picks.

[Compuzled_One]

Which realistic VP option would do the most damage to the campaign?

Noem.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Which realistic VP option would do the most damage to the campaign?

Probably Ramaswamy. He has a deadlier strain of foot-in-mouth disease than Sarah Palin had.

[President Johnson]

More seems like NYT totally lost it at this point. Trump won't pick a neocon.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Haley and Stefanik remain the only remotely viable choices for ensuring Trump's election.

With Haley I can see some of the benefits, but why Stefanik? She's gone so far off the deep end that she's not going to do a lot that will help the ticket appeal to women and suburban voters, and Democrats are just going to slam her with ads targeting her past criticisms of Trump, which a lot of Republicans already dislike her for.

[Vice President Christian Man]

I'm worried that Cotton would come across as LeMay 2.0. Rubio would be a better pick if he wants to appeal to neocons.

[PeteB]

Haley and Stefanik remain the only remotely viable choices for ensuring Trump's election.

With Haley I can see some of the benefits, but why Stefanik? She's gone so far off the deep end that she's not going to do a lot that will help the ticket appeal to women and suburban voters, a lot of Republicans already dislike her, and Democrats are just going to slam her with ads targeting her past criticisms of Trump.

I agree that Haley is by far the best choice but if that does not work out, Stefanik remains the only "surrogate" option (after Noem killing the dog and her chances). 

Stefanik's past Trump criticism is not a big issue imho as Trump needs to get moderates on-side and, for that, the VP choice needs to appear as a bridging move.  Of course, Trump's ego may get in the way but, if he manages to overcome that, one of these two as the VP nominee is what he needs to try and get elected.  If I was advising him (and I would rather burn in hell), I would just go for the original, not the surrogate - so Haley.

[KYRockefeller]

I think Cotton would be a terrible choice.  He is not charismatic and is not a good public speaker.  Fail to see what he really brings to this ticket.

[David Hume]

Which realistic VP option would do the most damage to the campaign?

Lake, which is who I want the most. (Not very likely unfortunately.)

[Oregon Eagle Politics]

Horrible choice that adds nothing good to the ticket.

[Ancestral Republican]

Which realistic VP option would do the most damage to the campaign?

Lake, which is who I want the most. (Not very likely unfortunately.)

That would be hilarious.

[NOVA Green]

Doubt Trump would go with Haley, even if in theory he might need some of her supporters to consolidate the PUB base, but he values loyalty and submission above all else.

Plus quite frankly they have significant differences on various stated foreign policy issues, which are unlikely to be reconciled in a way which appears coherent to American voters come November, where one might expect Biden to be hitting Trump hard on such matters.

[PeteB]

Doubt Trump would go with Haley, even if in theory he might need some of her supporters to consolidate the PUB base, but he values loyalty and submission above all else.

Plus quite frankly they have significant differences on various stated foreign policy issues, which are unlikely to be reconciled in a way which appears coherent to American voters come November, where one might expect Biden to be hitting Trump hard on such matters.

Normally, I would agree with you.  But there is one thing Trump currently values more than loyalty - staying out of jail and protecting his fortune.  And the key for ensuring that is getting elected.  And to get elected he needs to broaden the MAGA base.

As for foreign policy differences, I am sure he would do what he pleases, and not listen to Haley, once he is elected.

[Progressive Pessimist]

He is just about the worst pick possible: boring and will help scare the s*** out of certain Americans even more. You can't claim that Trump's VP will be less extreme than him if they have to replace him, when it's Cotton who will be taking over. I both want, and fear Trump picking him.

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

these "sources" are probably Cotton's PR team

[Wisconsin+17]

Cotton is a fine choice, and probably better than Vance, and any of the clowns on the supposed short list.

VP isn't a prestigious position. Why is choosing an uncharismatic VP a liability? I can't remember the last time a VP actually brought something to the table. I mean, Obama chose Biden.

[Coldstream]

If you have Tom Cotton as your VP you’d need a damn good food taster.

[DaleCooper]

This pick would be borderline suicidal.

[Horus]

these "sources" are probably Cotton's PR team

Still waiting for Trump to turn on Israel like you promised he would lmao

Between this and Trump complimenting the hell out of Nikki Haley I don't know how you're coping. You're in a cult.