ROSEMONT, Illinois — The next major event in the 2012 presidential race
will come when Mitt Romney selects a running mate. The effect could be
seismic — recall the way Sarah Palin’s emergence briefly boosted John
McCain’s 2008 hopes, injecting his listless campaign with a sense of
freshness and buzz before raising doubts about his penchant for rolling
the dice. Or it could be subtle: While Joe Biden’s foreign policy
experience and ability to communicate with blue-collar voters are
sometimes touted, few would argue his selection four years ago shook up
the race, even if it did dash the final hopes of Hillary Clinton
supporters.
Where things stand with Romney’s thinking is anyone’s guess; he has
deputized a senior adviser, Beth Myers, to assess the field, and has
otherwise been coy about his thinking on the process. A rising
generation of Republican stars gives Romney a wide array of
personalities to choose from. But there’s one problem: Some of those
rising stars may shine a little too bright, threatening to overshadow
Romney in the process.
Take Chris Christie, for example. The blunt-talking, big-boned governor
of New Jersey is beloved by GOP audiences. After seeing him speak at a
regional conservative conference here, attendees were, by and large,
blown away. But running mate? Most said they didn’t see him that way.
