Romney Needs Running Mate to Rally His Base

NBC News is reporting the Mitt Romney presidential campaign has had the time to settle on three finalists for a running mate in between throwing the Boy Scouts and Chick-fil-a under the bus, praising the disaster that is Romneycare, and doing its best to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in an election that should be a slam dunk.

Romney Unofficial Campaign Svengali Karl Rove is even saying Romney could announce his choice any day now, so it’s time for me to share my final thoughts on Romney’s potential VP selection.

Let’s look at who NBC says are Romney’s three finalists — Ohio Senator Rob Portman, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, and Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan.

Of that trio, the only candidate that has a chance to help Romney is Ryan. He is a young, movement conservative from a battleground state. Although Ryan himself is not a charismatic figure, his budget play to reign in out of control government spending would energize the base in a way Romney is incapable of doing. In my opinion, the biggest problem Romney has is a base that is not inspired by his candidacy. If I could sum up what most of my conservative friends around the country think it would be this statement: “I can’t stand Romney, but if Obama gets another four years we are screwed.”

Ryan’s selection would also give Romney the benefit of something he desperately needs in order to close the sale with the voters. Ryan’s budget proposal draws a sharp and specific distinction between Romney’s candidacy and the Obama Regime. It’s laughable the Republican establishment thinks Ryan is too risky, despite the fact he’s one of only six current House Republicans to vote for TARP, the automobile bailout, all the continuing resolutions funding the Obama Regime, and the debt ceiling increase. If that’s too risk for Romney, then just get out of the race now and spare us a do-nothing Romney presidency.

So far, Romney is running the Republican establishment’s pale pastels playbook, hoping that since most Americans think Obama sucks he doesn’t have to stand for anything. That’s not working, and it’s the number one reason why if the election were held today that Romney would lose.

Romney needs exactly what the incestuous political hacks surrounding his campaign are warning him against. He needs a bold colors big issue to show the country they will get something substantively different from a Romney presidency compared to another four years of Obama. Otherwise, voters will go with the devil they know.