Who will it be? Romney vets VP choices

Joining us now Major Garrett from the National Journal he's here every week brought to you by the car -- car buying made easy. In Major Garrett is a major have you ever been in a situation re doing a big TV hit and suddenly get a leg cramping you have to be carried the carried on the sidelines by the host. Well but I've never I've never had a I had a leg cramp I've had an there's the videotape to prove it. Several on air war in Korea -- no seventy math. Well I'm glad it hasn't happened Leo. Because. It was an embarrassing thing last night for a LeBron. Well. You know. It never happens at all a -- bought this. And you know maybe the little -- that's how over my head in the sides might -- again. I would I would be able to summon up the energy encouraged to come back on the. Not only -- I have every faith that you would do that you would muscle back through the pain and I would get accolades for everybody involved for your courage. Appeal colleges shot and a half a so major we have a great debate fight on our parent boss out of human following that but the it's really that been fun to watch from the this stage craft of politics you know Ann and Scott Brown. Originally throwing out they want a couple radio debates than agreeing to a couple of TV debates but insisting on the -- leaving the radio debates on the table. And then going into this negotiation with the Kennedys wanting the candy institutes hold the debate but. Vicki Kennedy endorsed his opponent last time he's in up so it's right it's been wonderful to watch I wonder where European Dennis. Well I mean. Light sensitive. One dimension of the big -- for an incumbent is always. -- at their first decision is look like debate because IA and -- good about my campaign or. -- -- debate. Because I'm trying to. Crossed my opponent or doing not today because I don't wanna get -- -- a bigger stage. Is she you're curious that the outlook of the warrants as a -- big stage in Massachusetts. Not debating or doesn't deny her a big stage he had the big states. Everyone -- -- in the race at what -- very close attention to what she says or doesn't say anything about that how uncomfortable the issue mixer. And so I don't think there's an option or the senator not debate and I think -- its purposes and for its campaign purposes. For more debates the better you think he has yet gigabyte I think it's from his order view the -- he engages in the awards eat. Demonstrates the opposite of his voting record and the confidence in his. Well he has done or Massachusetts the better off he would I often think incumbents -- -- -- But of course. Wherever my perspective of a report I wanna see the quality here -- I want to have as many of those. Simulating moments as possible lot of built in bias or exposure transparency. Instability and intense sort of no dog eat dog debates so we remember I don't have a political consultants for the view right -- would certainly. It's sitting it's an interesting point of view though because. Are they helping incumbents sometimes communicate. Through their caution. And the reluctance to be. A sense that they're not really comfortable with where they are and I've often so I'm Bob from what -- watched and witnessed in campaigns where. The challenger and artists that and use that to their advantage. Yeah I just -- in this case. Even though Scott's very appealing handles himself well on by the way won the election based on a debate moments at the Kennedy library of all things. -- he's also got a candidate who's a novice. And who gets a little square robbery and isn't good under pressure from what we've seen so far. So let her have a small number debates where she's got to deal with her own inexperience and and anxiety. And where he hopefully shall make a blunder too little changed the dynamic and give him a bigger win than he might be expecting otherwise. Right and and and I would say. Radio debate. Very good helpful important but nowhere near as important as televised debates television is everything and all those things you mentioned. Can be papered over or rendered almost invisible literally on the radio and not so much sense. -- give our radio doesn't come with the pressure but it allows him to save sticks to his guns for debates. I've offered that's his talking point throughout the campaign look IR for four debates I think that's planning and I like radio debates because. It's less contrived and you really get to stretch out spend more time talk -- so he's got a good argument to make. And and and by the way he limits herded to TV debates that puts much more stress on her which is relieved by the practice of the radio debates have they come first. Right oh yeah and lucky -- that's -- -- that has a great history. All debate in recent as you know the Romney candidate debates were really good. What did not permitted by about -- itself what its silence over and that we well. Yup and then Joseph Malone also had some great debates with governor salute she's so. Yeah we don't address it epic history of debate -- basketball and hello John Kerry against bill -- That's what you're thinking about. Yeah I -- -- and all that they're there -- so -- debates to but yet the overall grade you know. So. That's as you voters expect that. They have a long history of there is a and accumulated history of being able to speak along or. Not just. Besides -- inside sound -- so forcing me to be a good number. I've that you gave up poll tested in focus group that number and you -- to salvage it also seems to be equitable and kind of expensive so I guess is senator brown with stick with that. And if you're political warrant what do you say -- six well okay. But he proper or -- -- -- Ford irresponsibly low numbers. Is is have things gotten much more scientific come looking at this maneuver that the not to belabor this point on I think it's fun to get inside this a little bit. The brown campaign. Yesterday. Garner headlines all the headlines were brown accepts. Kennedy debate. And that was based on a conditional acceptance so later in the day. The acceptance fell apart when Vicki Kennedy would meet the wouldn't meet the condition. So now that thing blows up but he got to have hog day of great headlines yesterday and it seems to me his strategy right now. Is that a wise one and that's to keep her. Talking about things that she doesn't want to be talking about because she wants to use the word hammered and she wants to speak the sentence the middle class is getting hammered. Every time she opens her mouth and now -- can't do. Well -- purpose they're -- open accessible confident as a very good way to approach it is. And was in the special election Leo hold you know. All different hold different -- voters probably an extra million voters showing up because the presidential term here. I he's got to try to capture. Probably. And you've done the math I'm sure much -- the -- -- I am I'm guessing backlog will be -- 60% of that. To be in a safe zone it intends to win and as expectations that way. Well there are a lot of messed that up method to try to get there one of them might seems to me it's incumbent. Party that doesn't traditionally then. Incumbents. Two would return of the Washington that it. You have the -- sensible transparent have a sense of your own momentum about what you do what you've done what you intend to do and in this debate process. All of those things that you can't reinforce she wants to it seems like yesterday he probably had a pretty good. How do you feel presents -- in this month isn't as bad as the national media has been making it -- major -- are with us from the National Journal. Well look I -- into the national media -- to do fees. Law bonds as if they're not part of the continuing there yes and say well this -- is it. This -- is that or even it's so. I think. I'm realistic -- precisely what this week was bad for this game was that what Americans quite happily. So digest their presidencies. It wants all week long stagnant it's part of a long continuum. I think what happened in -- Is that accumulated problems that -- long existed. Or what extent rather for the presidents. Have intensified in their visibility. And kind of echoed chain of the country has been. Skeptical. And in some cases hostile to the president supports economy for a long time. And why the president they were willing to say you know we have these positive job numbers the most positive -- presidency. Outside of the stimulus in the yard -- this year. Maybe things really are getting better and maybe we really have come out of all the numbers started to turn down. People got that -- -- no it's not working and our satisfaction is now resident. And you have Scott Walker situation. Which did not turn out offered Democrats some Democrats can't look as bad as anything other than a troubling side opened with Scott the nationally. You have a complete uncertainty about the health care law but that mad at Washington feels like. Recorded an adult by most of all of that law. Such issues to be constitutionally politically and from policy the president if it happens you know. You have the sense. Among Democrats increasingly the president economic message this whole reelection message is borderline papal. Seditious not -- substance or multiple there as a long -- Democrats is that not being critical of the White House. Are now beginning to say it's critical. Now in politics that doesn't necessarily mean you're off the rails -- just means people who never like you probably think you're weak enough where they can publicly not like. Yeah but that's good that's a very difficult. That's a very different situation when you get there isn't. If there and and it's not a good sign but it doesn't mean you're wrong and I'm telling you there's one thing it's true about. The president and his closest advisors they are for better or for worse. On laughable and absolutely and it. Convinced. That the depth of their marrow. That they outright that they will win. And that anyone doubt that or whoever has doubted them. Is wrong and forever will be able. Cited that that was their strength. In -- and of being among their greatest week. I'm very nicely done major -- always great to talk -- from the National Journal go get those those. Thigh muscles massaged. I don't -- cramping up a couple of. -- it up on -- -- go to work but I know that there's somebody out there are we gonna try to make an audio file. That's probably get my -- -- it's. Going to war.