He didn’t like the job…

The media has been full of what, in an example of American linguistic wit, has been dubbed the ‘Veepstakes’. Romney’s choice of running mate – and the timing of his announcement – are being seen as his first Presidential-style decisions. Everybody remembers John McCain’s disastrous 2008 choice of Sarah Palin and whilst nobody seriously thinks Romney will fall into the same trap of going for a ‘wow factor’ candidate from the right, the pundits are arguing that he has a difficult balancing act to perform between shoring up his support on the right wing of his party and reaching out to the centre ground. The Drudge Report has floated Condolezza Rice and David Petraeus as wild card candidates but the smart money is on a choice between three men: Ohio Senator Rob Portman, Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan, and former Minnesota Governor, Tim Pawlenty. Each of these potential candidates has advantages and disadvantages, supporters and detractors. So much agitation about a job once notoriously described by John Nance Garner as ‘not worth a bucket of warm spit’, and yet the decision could matter hugely.