It might be fun for people to talk about Florida Sen. Marco Rubio getting picked to be Mitt Romney's running mate, but one group that isn't talking about it is... Mitt Romney's campaign, according to an article from Politico.
The article compares the Romney campaign to that of John McCain in 2008. When it comes to the veep search, a source said "the vice-presidential search will be more rigorous, and likely produce a candidate a lot less flashy than McCain's running mate, then-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin."
Also, not Rubio.
"If not [Sen. Rob] Portman, [former Minnesota Gov. Tim] Pawlenty, [Indiana Gov. Mitch] Daniels -- some other incredibly boring white guy," the official said. "If there was a fourth name on the list, it's [Virginia Gov.] Bob McDonnell."
(The article extensively cites anonymous "insiders," but when they're the insiders talking to Washington uber-reporter Mike Allen and Politico co-founder Jim VandeHei, I'm inclined to take their word for it.)
The article says Romney considers picking a popular candidate would be a "blatant pander" to the base and signal weakness, which means reduced chances for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez -- and Rubio, who is characterized in the article as "not being as seriously considered as popularly believed because aides don't see him as experienced enough or appropriately vetted."
For what it's worth, Rubio's repeatedly sort-of denied being interested by saying variants of "I'm not going to be vice president," though he has never said, "Oh man, that job would be awful." A poll last month found Rubio wouldn't help Romney in Florida.
