Romney: Rubio is being vetted for vice presidential slot

(CBS News) HOLLAND, Mich. -- Florida Sen. Marco Rubio abruptly returned to Mitt Romney's vice presidential short list Tuesday when the presumptive nominee himself said Rubio is being vetted.

Speculation about Rubio's fortunes dominated the punditocracy throughout the day after ABC News, and later The Washington Post, reported that the young GOP star was not in the mix at this point. By early evening, Romney had decided to weigh in.

"There are only two people in this country who know who are being vetted and who are not, and that's Beth Myers and myself, " he told reporters, referring to the close aide in charge of his vice presidential search. "I know Beth well. She doesn't talk to anybody. The story was entirely false. Marco Rubio is being thoroughly vetted as part of our process."

Rubio's views on immigration have put Romney on the spot, but as a Cuban-American, he was widely viewed as a way for Republicans to work their way back into the good graces of some Hispanic voters. Rubio, who defeated moderate Charlie Crist in a 2010 GOP primary, is also popular among conservatives.

[nohater]

voted for obama/biden last time because of palin although am not a democrat. if romney selects rubio will vote for obama/biden again even though not a fan. rubio is a wet behind the ears rookie while obama/biden, as bad as they are, have had nearly 4 years of on-the-job training. obama apparently has the black and now the hispanic votes which gives him some 25% of voters in his pocket. 12% of the nation's population is black while 13% are hispanic. asians are a rapidly growing group made up of indians, pakistanis, chinese, filipinos, and so forth but have no idea how as a group they would vote this november.

[RealiteBites]

Romney: Rubio is being vetted for vice presidential slot
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Translation: Romney's name-dropping to try and curry favor with the latinos, but he's obviously already decided he's not going to pick him - because these guys always want their pick to be a 'suprise', to get maximum publicity, don't they?

Like Romney's just using him to try and win votes with the latinos ...

[RealiteBites]

I didn't say Obama was any better - I just said Romney was transparent BECAUSE IT'S THE TOPIC OF THIS THREAD ... duh!

[retiredgustav]

The Hispanics of Mexican decent despise the Cubans. Somehow wet dry does not sit too well with them.

[jeannettelj]

Let me get this straight. Obama enacts his immigration policy and the repubs scream "political motivation." Romney vets Rubio for possible running mate and that has nothing to do with trying to win the Hispanic vote? I hope the whole plan for a Romney/Rubio ticket backfires.

[retiredgustav]

Juliatime.... President Obama got involved in Politics about the same time George Bush did. While Obama wa a community organizer Bush was the town drunk and he was busy running Harken Energy in to the ground. Then there is the question is Rubio a legal citizen?

[YoursTruly25]

Rubio won't do much to help the Pubs gain favour. Besides, it would be a political move on Romney's part, therefore making the accusations made by him and his team on Obama null and void.

[baileycccc]

Rubio has his facts wrong. His parents came to the United States in 1956, three years ahead of Castro taking power in Cuba. The Miami herald has the right story, not the one Rubio has been telling. He won't deliver Florida for the failed party.

[wheear]

This is funny. It's exactly what McCain did with the Palin selection. A selection not based on choosing the right candidate, just vote chasing.

[fastdraw2]

Having lived in Miami for a number of years I can tell you that Latinos are all different. Cubans are different from Mexicans and they're both different from Ecuadorians, etc. etc. If you think all the Mexicans in the south and west are going to swoon just because Rubio (a Cuban) is on the ticket you've got another think coming.

[Lindag20]

Is Rubio going to be "vetted" the same way Palin was and turn out to be a huge liability?

[Lindag20]

Dan: it figures you would like Palin. However, I will tell you her "ta-tas" are fake (they're implants).

[esq777]

Ironically Willard Romney accuses Obama of pandering to the Latino vote. There is no bigger pander than picking an inexperienced kid for the VP slot, just because he's Hispanic.

[1notrub11]

Oh, you mean that's worse than an inexperienced candidate for President such as President Obama was?

[TJphoto]

Mr. Romney accuses President Obama of playing politics with his call to stop deporting illegal aliens who came here by no choice of their own. What's this????