Bill O’Reilly offered some unsolicited advice for Donald Trump as to his “only choice” for vice president: New Mexico governor Susana Martinez. The only problem? She might not even vote for him.
During a discussion with Dana Perino last night, O’Reilly brought up the subject by asking, “Who’s his V.P.?” if Trump wins the nomination. Clearly, O’Reilly was looking for an opening to broadcast his own Trump strategy. And after Perino said there were lots of possibilities but that it should be a "conservative westerner," O'Reilly had his chance.
O'REILLY: There’s only one choice for vice president if Donald Trump wants to win the White House. Only one person. Do you know who that is? ...Governor Susana Martinez of New Mexico.
That is the only choice if Mr. Trump, with all due respect, wants to be president. He must give it to the governor of New Mexico. She cuts across all the ethnic boundaries that he’s weak in, she’s very bright, alright? She is a Republican conservative in a state that would go - you know, it’s not a lot of electoral votes, but if he can convince Governor Martinez to be on the second, that will help him immensely.
Then, admiring his own political skills, O'Reilly joked, “Thank you, everyone. That’s it, we’re gonna leave right now."
Perino laughed and said "Wow." But she was clearly not as bowled over with admiration as O’Reilly had hoped. She called the choice “not a bad one,” but, she added, “I don’t know if it’s a good fit.”
That may be the understatement of the year. Martinez, who is the head of the Republican Governors Association, has slammed Trump on more than one occasion. From The Washington Post:
New Mexico’s governor, Susana Martinez, chairwoman of the Republican Governors Association, did not mince words: She told the crowd of about 60 wealthy GOP backers that, as a Latina, she was offended by Trump’s language about immigrants. Noting her years working as a prosecutor on the Mexican border and now as a border-state governor, Martinez said Trump’s plan to build a wall and force Mexico to pay for it was unrealistic and irresponsible, according to multiple people in attendance.
[…]
Martinez was critical of Trump’s language when he first got in the race in the summer, saying his comments casting Mexicans as criminals were “completely and unequivocally wrong.” At one point, she called his remarks "horrible." But since then, the New Mexico governor has been more cautious, even as she campaigned with Rubio in the spring. She has declined to say whether she would support Trump if he becomes the nominee.
Politico reported last month, when Martinez endorsed then-candidate Marco Rubio, that she would not commit to voting for Trump if he becomes the GOP nominee.
Politics makes strange bedfellows but if O’Reilly really thinks Martinez is the “only choice” then Trump may be in bigger trouble come November than we know.
Watch it below, from the April 22 The O’Reilly Factor.
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While “Martinez as VP” won’t be as “revolutionary” for the GOP as the “Palin as VP” was, Martinez won’t be allowed to have any interview where the script hasn’t been vetted by tRump’s handlers in full—just to ensure that Martinez won’t say something that might make her look brighter than tRump or get her some front-page coverage (especially in larger type than might go to tRump).
Nope. tRump is going to go out of his way to find some absolutely nondescript GOPer with absolutely no hint of charisma, much less controversy, so as to ensure the spotlight remains entirely on tRump. Even more, when tRump makes the announcement at the convention, the VP candidate will still be playing second-fiddle to tRump. (tRump’s introductory speech will feature a lot of “I/me/my”—such as, “I think ____ will be a great addition to my administration and will work to ensure my campaign to make America great again is successful; as my VP, ____ will work closely with me etc,” and be at least 10 times longer than the VP candidate will have to speak—with many, MANY references to how great tRump is and how honored he is that tRump picked him in that limited time.)
For some reason, that sounds familiar . . .
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