In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Karl Rove advises Mitt Romney to pick a VP based on his or her qualifications — not to win over a certain state or demographic. “Choose the best person for the job,” Rove writes. “Leave the politics to the staff.”
Choosing a running mate reveals much about the presidential candidate himself. Though still only a candidate, this is his first presidential decision.
It is one best made by asking about the skills, philosophy, outlook, work ethic and chemistry of a prospective running mate. Do they have good judgment? Can they be counted on to give their unvarnished opinion? Are they loyal? Who can best help the president govern? In other words, set aside politics. Put governing first.
This is basically the same advice Dick Cheney offered earlier this week, when he said the No. 1 criteria is the “capacity to be president.”
