WASHINGTON - The magic moment nears when Mitt Romney commandeers the national conversation by rolling out his running mate. But while the name is still a closely-held secret, much is already known about Romney's Veep pick.
He or she - and insiders say it's a male - will meet these yardsticks:
—Capable of Being President. That's always the first criterion every nominee trumpets. Usually, it's baloney. Not so with Romney - who has told several sources his nominee must be ready to step into the Oval Office tomorrow. He's been reinforced in that view by former Vice President Dick Cheney, who told Romney that Sarah Palin flunked the test — and according to Romney sources believes some other contenders need more seasoning. (This means you, Marco Rubio.)
—Ready To Rule. "I need someone to help me with governance," Romney told one GOP mandarin a few weeks ago. A CEO, Romney wants a chief operating officer, not someone who brings him a key state or voter bloc.
—A Safe Choice. Only John McCain still believes (at least publicly) that Palin was a savvy choice. Romney is a buttoned-up business guy, not prone to throwing the bomb. His choice will be incremental, not experimental.
—More Conservative than Romney. The Tea Party remains deeply suspicious of Romney's conservative credentials. They've swallowed their misgivings because Romney has the best shot of beating President Obama - and because their disdain for Obama trumps Romney's shortcomings. So Romney will choose someone acceptable to the red-hots without turning off crucial independent voters.
—More likable. The Number Two needs to be more comfortable with himself than Romney seems at times. Look for a personable, non-threatening, low-maintenance nominee.
—A Genuine Second Banana. The Number Two should never have more star power than his boss. That helps Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and ex-Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty because they will never dominate Romney. It hurts candidates like CIA director David Petraeus, who would minimize Romney like Palin minimized McCain. The Petraeus leak this week is a handlers’ ploy to divert attention from Romney’s income taxes. This job description reduces the real “short list” to a couple of what one party elder calls "vanilla white guys with the experience to help run the country and make Romney more palatable."
