On Morning Joe Friday, NBC Political Director Chuck Todd explained why he thought there was truth behind the rumors about Rep. Paul Ryan being Mitt Romney's vice presidential pick:
Weeks ago the the assumption was that Mitt Romney had the luxury of just choosing a partner he was comfortable with.If you look now at the polls, it doesn’t seem like [Romney] has that luxury... The feeling is that he’s lost control of the narrative of the campaign, so I think the Ryan stuff is real.They’ve gotten pretty close – there’s a bonding between the Ryans and the Romneys, [and this] hasn’t taken place... between Portman and Romney. On paper Portman still fits the bill as well as everybody, but is there a connection?
Asked by former Pa. Gov. Ed Rendell whether Ryan would help Romney get the Wisconsin vote, Todd responded "It won't give them Wisconsin, it makes them more competitive. I think a running mate gives you a couple of points on a home state."
Todd also pointed out that the potential candidates on the rumored short list— Rep. Paul Ryan, Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Sen. Rob Portman— are all from the industrial Midwest.
"Romney doesn’t win this White House without winning multiple states somewhere between Ohio and Wisconsin. He needs a couple of those states," added Todd.