10 people who won't be vice president

David Petraeus

AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq

In May, the conservative blog Redstate posted a story wondering, "Could a Romney/Petraeus Ticket Be a Game Changer?" The story noted that the onetime four-star Army general, Princeton PhD and commander of allied forces is well-respected and seen as above politics; "Additionally," it continued, "Petraeus would bring foreign policy expertise to the ticket, balancing Romney's focus on economic issues." Petraeus says he stopped voting in 2002, but he is registered as a Republican.

Why he won't be picked: For starters, he's currently the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency under President Obama - and abruptly stepping down from that position to join Romney's ticket would undercut his reputation as putting country before politics. In addition, his national security credentials would move the focus in the race away from the economy, the issue Romney clearly wants to talk about. And then there's Petraeus' repeated avowal that he will never run for public office: In Manchester, N.H., in March 2010, he noted he's said "no" many times.

"I feel very privileged to be able to serve our country," he said. "I'm honored to continue to do that as long as I can contribute, but I will not, ever, run for political office, I can assure you. And again, we have said that repeatedly and I'm hoping that people realize at a certain point you say it so many times that you could never flip, and start your career by flip-flopping into it."

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[audemus]

You can add one more to that list : Paul Ryan.

[expatriate2]

Well, he had better select someone who has nothing to lose, like Palin in the last election.

[tryingtodogoodwork]

1 person who won't be president: Mitt Romney.

Yesterday, this dolt referred to the "Sheik" temple shootings. Should there be presidential debates this fall, President Obama will (further) expose Romney for the stumbling, bumbling, befuddled ignorantarian that he is.

[arthanyel]

It's pretty clear why Romney won't release his tax returns.

Remember, Romney he was actively running for president in 2007 and 2008, and he KNEW he was going to be running in 2012. That means it's nearly certain those years should be able to withstand scrutiny. So why not at least release the last 5 years?

Because on October 15, 2009, this happened: "Wealthy U.S. taxpayers, concerned about an Internal Revenue Service crackdown on the use of secret overseas bank accounts as tax havens, are rushing to meet a 10/15/2009 deadline to disclose those accounts or face possible criminal prosecution. The concern was triggered this summer when Switzerland's largest bank, caught up in an international tax evasion dispute, said it would disclose the names of more than 4,000 of its U.S. account holders.

The decision shattered a long-held belief that Swiss banks would guard the identities of its American customers as carefully as they did their money, and it raised concern that other international tax havens might be next. Under an amnesty program, the IRS is allowing taxpayers to avoid prosecution for having failed to report their overseas accounts. As a result, tax attorneys across the nation have been besieged by wealthy clients who are lining up to apply even though they will still face big financial penalties."

We KNOW Romney had money in Switzerland - he has said so himself. Therefore, the logical conclusion is that Romney doesn't want people to know he was intentionally (and illegally) hiding money from taxation in Switzerland. There is no criminal prosecution because the IRS granted an amnesty, but it WAS ILLEGAL - and he knew it.

No wonder he is keeping them a secret - releasing them would destroy his candidacy.

[tnvcass]

Wow! Pretty bold way to voice your opinion Mr 88Ronin.....

[freespeechNixon]

Dude wow, u know what the sad part is, that none of wat u said is ur own opinion, like there is no way a normal american who has lived in this country for the pass 8 years think that. you have no idea wats going on and its kinda sad but u know they say ignorance is bliss :)

[gjc1n1]

If I were Mayor Bloomberg I would actually be insulted to even be considered as VP on the Republican ticket. Ditto for Jeb Bush. They are both too sane and too good to be a Republican VP under Mitt.

[Resin-Smoker]

Not to worry, Romney would be getting elected either...

[doubleecho-2009]

Apparently, the list of "won't be picked" just leaves Sarah Palin as the PRIME vice-Presidential pick! Do you think she has read a newspaper, or ANYTHING at all, lately?

[jmn122736]

Conspiracy theory???? Maybe not.!!!

Republicans ran McCain in 2008 because he has always been known as a Maverick, some even rating him as a democrat in republican garb.

They then talked McCain into picking Palin as his VP to give a greater chance of a democrat being elected.

The idea was; if McCain loses they can blame all the Bush/Cheney fiasco onto the Democrats (as the have always done when they bring the country into Great recessions or near depressions in the past). And if McCain wins they still can easily use his Maverick status to reflect most of the blame from republicans.

Since the Bush/Cheney great recession is still here, and may very well deepen, and given all the failed candidates who ran in this years republican nomination campaign, the Romney nomination Sounds eerily similar, especially if they can find another Palin to be his VP running mate.