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Following big primary wins in South Carolina and Nevada, the prospect of a Republican nomination for Donald Trump is becoming more likely. As is the possibility that Trump’s name will soon be adorned with the proper title, “Mr. President.” Whether or not these realizations terrify or excite you, everyone should start taking The Donald’s new political career seriously. He obviously is, which is why he opened up on the topic of picking a running mate after his sit-down interview with Regent University chancellor 700 Club host Pat Robertson.
After the interview discussion, Trump fielded questions from the audience. That’s when one man asked the New York real estate mogul what the “most important qualities” were that he was looking for in a vice presidential candidate, and whether or not he’d “name some names.” According to CNN, Trump didn’t name any names when he addressed question, but he did name-drop a few of the “qualities” his campaign was looking for.
“The main quality that you want is somebody that can be a great president. If something happens to you… that’s gotta be number one,” he said. “And then I would want somebody that could help me with government. Most likely that would be a political person. I’m business and I’m very good at what I do… [but] I’m also very, very political.”
In other words, Trump — who has generally billed himself as a “political outsider” of sorts — wants a running mate who is very much (or can easily become) a part of the political machine in Washington, D.C. Yes, he’s a businessman and not a politician, though he reminded his audience that he is “very, very political,” but he admitted that a savvy partner would prove quite helpful for his goals if and when he reaches the White House.
“I do want somebody that’s political, because I want to get lots of great legislation we all want passed,” he concluded. “We’re going to probably choose somebody that’s somewhat political.”
Okay, but who? Who might The Donald be considering for the position of Vice President of the United States on his potential Republican ticket? After Nevada, the news media began speculating wildly about the possible answers to this question, and Uproxx wants to join in on the fun.
Ben Carson
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For much of October and November, Trump and fellow Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson were nearly tied at the polls. Then the retired neurosurgeon surpassed Trump, and the GOP establishment became increasingly worried about the two maintaining such a staggering lead over the others. They’ve had their ups and downs on the campaign trail, but now that Carson has fallen behind in the pack, he just might be ripe for the VP spot. Or at least he’s open to the prospect, according to what he told the Fox Business Channel’s Neil Cavuto in early February.
Nikki Haley
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Despite her recent endorsement for Republican rival Marco Rubio, many think South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley could (and should) be one of Trump’s top choices. Sure, he didn’t think that highly of her rebuttal to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address in January, but she’d “address lots of his weaknesses” according to the Washington Post. And unlike Carson, yet another “political outsider,” Haley is a career politician with strong ties to the more traditional segments of the Republican Party, as well as women and minority voters.
Sarah Palin
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Oh Sarah. The former second half of the McCain-Palin GOP 2008 ticket so very badly wants to be Trump’s running mate. Hence why she formally endorsed him in January, and subsequently delivered one of the most confusing and lampooned campaign stump speeches in recent memory. None of it really made any sense — the endorsement, the speech, the reactions to the speech. If anything, Palin’s involvement with the Trump campaign actually enraged her otherwise staunch supporters, who voiced their negative opinions online in droves.
Rick Scott
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Unless you live in Florida, whose two most nationally famous politicians at the moment are former presidential candidate Jeb Bush and junior Senator Rubio, you probably have no idea who Rick Scott is. Even so, the current governor of the Sunshine State is a favorite option among members of the media for Trump’s vice presidential pick. As the Washington Post points out, Scott is the kind of “political person” that could help the “outsider” Trump with national government and common practices in Washington. He’s also an experienced businessman.
Carly Fiorina
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Former Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina is also an experienced businesswoman, having formerly served as the CEO of Hewlett-Packard. Sure, she hauled a bunch of unwitting schoolchildren into an anti-abortion rally at one of her final media appearances before dropping out of the race, but her business background and equal footing as yet another “political outsider” could work in her favor. She was also the only major female Republican in the race for a time, so Trump would benefit from her addition to the ticket.
Melania Trump
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Why not? There is nothing in the Constitution that legally prevents the President and the Vice President from being in a relationship with one another. (Mainly because neither office has ever been occupied by a woman, nor an out homosexual.) It wouldn’t be practical by any stretch of the imagination, as the two rarely travel and work together unless during a major event. So why wouldn’t Trump pick his third and current wife, Melania, to be his running mate? After all, she’s already a hit on the campaign trail with both his supporters and his detractors. As CNN’s Ashleigh Banfield put it, she’s “a very bright woman, speaks several languages. She’s articulate. She’s lovely.”
(Via CNN, Washington Post & Mediate)