Clues to the Romney Veepstakes

The Romney Bus Tour starts soon, and GOP convention speakers have also been announced. So what does it all mean? Which lucky Republican will get the call to stand behind the most confused and conflicted presidential candidate in the history of America?  Whoever you are, be prepared to eat doughnut-thingies and talk to real people - Mitt needs you because he can't do it!

MSNBC First Read

The Romney campaign today officially announced its swing-state bus tour beginning Saturday. It will start in Virginia; then head to North Carolina Sunday, the day the Olympics conclude; Florida Monday, Aug. 13; and end in Ohio Tuesday, Aug. 14.

Potential vice-presidential picks will be making appearances.
NBC's Alex Moe reports that Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-VA) will join Romney on the first leg of the tour in Virginia.

NBC's Andrew Rafferty reports that Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), a veep front runner, will join Romney in Ohio.

. . . It's possible a Romney vice-presidential pick is made on the bus tour, but it's also possible that it is designed to create buzz and excitement around the campaign and a VP selection is announced after it.

Washington Post: Convention Speakers Narrow List

. . . at least four people once thought to be under consideration for the No. 2 spot will speak at this month’s Republican National Convention — all but ruling them out of contention for the vice presidential slot.

The Republican National Committee announced that former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez are among those expected to address the Aug. 27-30 convention in Tampa.
That still leaves a number of presumed contenders — including former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, Sen. Rob Portman (Ohio), House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (Wis.), Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — in the mix.

Whether he has made any decisions about a running mate — or the timing of a rollout — is unclear. His wife, Ann, remains in London to watch her dressage horse compete in the Olympics. The horse, Rafalca, will participate in the Grand Prix Special round on Tuesday morning (5:45 a.m. Eastern time) — her final opportunity to help the U.S. team win a medal. It’s also her chance to qualify for the final individual medal round on Thursday. Republicans widely assume that Romney will wait until his wife returns home to announce his vice presidential choice, making next week seem like a logical time.

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Women Want to be Just Like Ann Romney

Liz Trotta, ancient pundit, says modern women are jealous of Ann Romney.

From Fox News Via Media Matters

When Ann Romney showed up at the Olympics equestrian competition in London's Greenwich Park last week, the media scrum around her would lead some to believe that Michael Phelps had dropped in.

Mrs. Romney was there to watch her horse, Rafalca, compete in dressage, once the sport of ancient kings. The uninitiated call it 'horse ballet.' Rafalca, a German-bred mare, didn't miss a pirouette as her patron cheered and pronounced the performance constant and elegant.

Some would say not unlike her mistress, Ann Romney, is not to be taken lightly. Perhaps that's why President Obama's political operatives, most of them women of the left, have the knives out for her, casting the potential first lady of the United States as a modern day Marie Antoinette, out of touch with common folk.

. . . Recently the lefty WAGs [wives and girlfriends] went on about Romney’s $1,000 blouse, a scandal. But the $7,000 jacket Michelle Obama wore to Buckingham Palace drew only approving nods from her fans in the left-wing media.

“Don’t try to make any sense of this hypocrisy. For with their inborn sense of class warfare — as well as their funny clothes — the ladies of the press really believe they are acting on principle, except that the principle is driven by envy, envy of a woman who managed to do exactly what their mothers told them, although they would never admit it: marry a good, preferably rich man; raise your children full time and dress like a lady.”

Come on, girls. Play fair.

OMG - yes, in here in 1952 America, Ann is everything we women aspire to be, right?

*looks at calendar*

Whoops - this is 2012. Ohhhh, you mean "retroactively" jealous!

I agree with you that Ann is exactly like a show-pony, though.


But here's the thing - I wasn't born till 1960, and even in 1970 my Mama never told me to go marry a rich man, have babies, and talk about "those people." My mother - a classy woman herself, though not married to a wealthy man - didn't raise me to be a snob, and I didn't go to college to get my MRS degree, LOL.

It's incredible that anyone would believe that female journalists or any female would be jealous of a woman who is married "for eternity" to the robotic and rather clueless Mitt Romney. I can't imagine a worse fate, except that all that money is supposed to be the icing on the cake. Something tells me that isn't quite enough.

Of course, this is coming from Fox Snooze, so consider the source. Out of touch television for the out of date and low-info voter.

Snark in Pictures

One-Trick Trickle-Down Pony

Rafalca Romney made an appearance at the London Olympics yesterday. Ann Romney gave her reaction to the press:
"She was consistent and elegant. She did not disappoint. She thrilled me to death."

With perfect timing aimed to lampoon the Romney's expensive hobby, MoveOn.org released a new ad featuring a talking Rafalca Romney. The White House has promised not to "attack" Rafalca again, but some of these other democratic groups have not.

Explanation from Justin Ruben, Executive Director of MoveOn.org Political Action

In our ad, voters hear the truth about Mitt Romney straight from the horse’s mouth: Romney seems to think many Americans deserve to be treated worse than a horse. There’s nothing wrong with taking good care of a horse, but there’s something messed up about a millionaire who spends twice what most Americans make in a year caring for a horse, but wants to take away people’s health care and offshore their jobs. We’re rooting for Rafalca and all of our Olympians to bring home the gold, but we’re sure not rooting for Mitt Romney to send jobs overseas. Voters had best steer clear of Romney unless they’re looking for a ride on a one-trick trickle down pony

It makes me want to paraphrase the theme song of the Mr. Ed television program:
"A horse is a horse, of course, of course . . . so to keep us on a steady course, Obama's the candidate you should endorse . . . and Romney's campaign is dead!"

Find Out Romney VP by SmartPhone

This makes sense for a candidate nicknamed "Romneybot" for his mechanical delivery and lack of common ground with most human beings. Maybe his handlers think some of the "smart" will rub off on them, too. ;) This beats any other marketing ploy I've ever seen. I wonder how much Romney has invested in Smartphone?

And what could go wrong? Ummmmmmmmm . . . remember the previous times the Romney camp dabbled in technology, when they spelled "America" as "Amercia," "Sneak Peek" as "Sneak Peak," and the best . . . "Official" as "Offical." LOL
Reminder: Here on Snark Amendment

Via PC Mag

"Users of the app will be the first to get the news on the biggest presidential decision of the year through an instantaneous alert on the one device most people carry around the clock – their phone" . . .
As soon as the final decision is announced, app users will receive a push notification on their device, and can then share what a Romney press release called "the exciting news" among friends and family.
"The historic announcement is getting closer," Beth Myers, Romney campaign senior advisor, said in a statement. "With this new app, users can be the first to know the second member of America's Comeback Team."
Users will also have the opportunity to earn exclusive campaign gear.
The app's website builds up the suspense, saying "There's no telling when Mitt will choose his VP," but Myers said the decision will be announced "soon."

But as the Guardian UK points out, it all depends upon when Rafalca the Dancing Horse finishes at the Olympics

Apparently it all depends on how the Romney dressage horse Rafalca gets on at the London Olympics:

Romney is heading back to the United States from Europe on Tuesday and is expected to announce his vice presidential pick in the next few weeks. He’s likely to wait for his wife Ann to return from London, where she’s watching her horse Rafalca compete in the Olympics. Rafalca will compete August 2 and 3, a Romney spokesperson told ABC News on Monday.
The horse could also compete August 8 and 9, depending on how well he performs this week, and Ann would likely stay for that as well. Romney probably won’t announce his VP pick without his wife by his side.
There's a first: presidential campaign delayed by dancing horse.