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By Steve Deace

Updated Romney VP Odds

The smart futures speculators at Intrade have posted their latest odds on Mitt Romney’s running mate selection:

Ohio Senator Rob Portman – 30%

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty – 25%

Florida Senator Marco Rubio – 8%

South Dakota Senator John Thune – 7%

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice – 6%

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal 5%

Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan 4%

New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte 3%

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell 3%

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie 1%

MY OPINION–I don’t believe Christie or Rubio are serious candidates at all, because both have personas and star power that would overshadow Romney.

I think the only two people on this list who help Romney are Jindal and Ryan. Both are relatively young movement conservatives, but don’t ooze charisma that would only serve to highlight Romney does not. They would do for Romney what Romney is unable to do, energize his base.

Portman and Pawlenty are boring prevent-defense picks, which is what the Republican Party establishment is known for, and would also fit the M.O. of the Romney campaign. Although he’s from the key battleground state of Ohio, I’m guessing the Obama Regime would especially love to see Romney choose Portman because he was George W. Bush’s budget director. Obama has been trying to find somebody to blame for his failures, and the failures of George W. Bush might make for an easy scapegoat. Already voters are less enthused overall than they were the past two election cycles. What better way to fire them up than a Bush vs. Obama, who’s the bigger failed retread debate?

The Rice trial balloon was floated two weeks ago and went over a like a fart in a church. It drew almost universal scorn from social conservatives nationwide because she’s to the left of Romney’s current moderate (emphasis with Romney as always is on “current”) positions on the social issues.

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