Given the depth of Mitt Romney’s gender gap problems, Team Romney must surely be wondering whether a woman on the ticket would help. But whom?
CNN took a poll, offering a list of seven possible running mates and — among Republican respondents only — former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was the most frequently named candidate to be Romney’s nominee. (The top four finishers went like this: Rice, 26 percent; Rick Santorum, 21 percent; N.J. Gov Chris Christie, 14 percent; Florida Sen. Marco Rubio 14 percent.
Rice also had a staggering 80/12 favorable/unfavorable rating among the Republicans polled.
I have no idea whether she would do it if asked. All of her public statements have denied any interest in running for any office. And some argue (Dan Amira of New York Mag does here) that Romney should not pick anyone with such a strong George W. Bush connection.
Still, it’s intriguing.
No bonhomie
From the Washington Post:
(quote)
Appearing on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” today, former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice rejected the possibility that she become the running mate of Mitt Romney should he get the nomination.
Rice, now the Thomas and Barbara Stephenson Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, responded to the growing call, saying she prefers policy to politics, adding that the latter is not her “strong suit.”
“I think we should go another direction and find somebody who really wants to be in elected office,” Rice said. “How many ways can I say it? Not me.”
(end quote)
That would be the most stiff and unnatural pair to run for office together. Neither has the gift of spontaneous bonhomie.
As someone said of Mitt Romney, “He wears jeans like he’s going to a costume party.” Double for Ms. Rice
Name Recognition
It’s probably worth noting that the ranking of VP choices exactly tracks with the ranking by percent of respondents who’d never heard of each person.
Condoleezza Rice and Rick Santorum are the only ones with “never heard of” under 10%. The others range from Chris Christie (25%) to Rob Portman (67%) responding “never heard of.”