Wall Street Journal: Luis Fortuño for VP!
Columnist William McGurn makes the case for slotting the Puerto Rican governor to the second spot on the Republican ticket:
He's young, dynamic, and well-spoken. As a Republican vice presidential nominee, he could help with Latino voters in 2012.
And he's not Marco Rubio. […]
It is no dismissal of Marco Rubio (who has said he's not interested in the VP slot) to observe that, as a Puerto Rican, Mr. Fortuño might enjoy greater appeal among the broad Latino community than a candidate from a traditional GOP constituency such as Cuban-Americans. In short, he might inspire a critical and fast-growing demographic to give the Republican Party another look.
In a 2012 contest where the big question is the proper size and reach of government, Mr. Fortuño would more than hold his own.
Whole thing here. Reason talked to Fortuño about his political ambitions and gubernatorial track record back in spring.
Editor's Note: As of February 29, 2024, commenting privileges on reason.com posts are limited to Reason Plus subscribers. Past commenters are grandfathered in for a temporary period. Subscribe here to preserve your ability to comment. Your Reason Plus subscription also gives you an ad-free version of reason.com, along with full access to the digital edition and archives of Reason magazine. We request that comments be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment and ban commenters for any reason at any time. Comments may only be edited within 5 minutes of posting. Report abuses.
Please
to post comments
He's young, dynamic, and well-spoken.
Seems to be we've been down this road recently. I'd rather not try it again just b/c the guy is Red.
He doesn't seem to be an asswipe like Obama. At least on economic issues, he's pretty good for libertarians.
I'm sure he is. I just don't like using, "young, dynamic, and well-spoken" as the qualifying arguments.
It's exactly what they were saying about the Big O and his lack of any discernable negroid accent.
I see your point, but there's one other word to describe Fortu?o that couldn't have been applied to Obama; experienced. I think that makes a big difference.
I've got the perfect campaign song for Gov. Fortu?o: "O Fortuna."
still under copyright, I think.
Could be--it was written in the 30s.
Threadjack: Blagojevich Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison
Wheeeeeee...
He is a crook, but a honest crook.
wake me when the appeals are over
Birth certificate!
I've been waiting in the hall,
Been waiting on your call,
When the phone rings.
It's just some friends of mine that say,
"Hey, what's the matter man?
We're gonna come around at twelve
With some Puerto Rican girls that are just dyin' to meet you.
We're gonna bring a case of wine
Hey, let's go mess and fool around
You know, like we used to."
The DJ on Q104.3 (NY classic rock) told a story about how he thought "dynamichu" was some kind of Spanish slang.
Yeah, it was one of those anecdotes stupid enough to remain in the memory banks for a solid decade on my part.
Misheard lyrics are everlasting. I never actually misheard "'Scuse me while I kiss this guy", but I think it every time I hear "Purple Haze" after reading about it on one of those misheard lyrics sites. Ditto those girls with colitis going by.
So true. That's why I substitute a live version I have where the lyrics are "while I kiss this police officer over here." It's not much better, but it's funnier and more obscure, providing its own brand of charm.
Wrapped up like a douche another rumble in the night...
No, that one is right.
wrapped up in your cooch, I was the ruler of the nigh ...
^nigh^thigh
I'll never leave /
your pizza burning.
There's a bathroom on the right.
From the WSj article-
And you say Vice Presidential material? Tell me what any of the GOP front runners offer that is better than this.
Fortuno 2012!
Good for him.
Pfft, he's obviously just an affirmative-action hire.
identity politics, puke
The best part? Chris Kelly having a stroke.
The guy's got decent principles and his track record isn't bad, which means that nobody is ever going to consider him. Ron Paul broke through with difficulty, and he's still in a rough struggle. As much as it would please me, Fortuno stands no chance.
If Paul gets the nom (big if), why wouldn't he double-down on his principles with a VP pick like Fortuno?
Winning the primary is the real battle, and a "safe" Republican VP in the general election wouldn't do him any favors against Obama.
I was referring to the suggestions he run for president, but yeah, if Paul carries the primary, someone like Fortuno wouldn't be a bad choice.
VP are chosen to not outshine the top of the ticket. So is the Rican less shiny than Paul?
If a Puerto Rican becomes Vice President, will the UN still consider PR a colony?
Does this place consider Biden an alumni?
Love that comment, best one of the thread!
He just might enjoy greater appeal among the broad Latino community, but the xenophobic Republican based would go nuts.
Funny, it was thinking of the reaction of xenophillic liberals.
He just might enjoy greater appeal among the broad Latino community, but the xenophobic Republican based would go nuts.
That ticket would carry Florida, especially south of the "I-4 Corridor," which is almost literally the Red/Blue dividing line.
What "Latino community"? For the most part, Puerto Ricans identify as Puerto Ricans, Mexicans identify as Mexicans, and Cubans identify as Cubans, etc. And there's not exactly a lot of love lost between those various groups...
there's not exactly a lot of love lost between those various groups
Can you blame any of them, really?
The values education worries me a bit, but the rest of Rubio's positions are great.
Correction: Fortu?o's polices.
One more time, jtuf.
Pish-tosh. Look, you want a Republican Latino, go with someone younger, more dynamic, of Mexican ancestry (being a bigger slice than Puerto Rican), who served in Afghanistan, and, perhaps most importantly, whose name will quell any and all Establishment doubts.
George P. Bush!
You will burn for that. In molten iron, not in a wood fire.
Proposed:
Puerto Ricans are citizens of the U.S., but they are not residents of the U.S., and are therefore ineligible to serve as per Article II.
Discuss.
RACIST!
thanks
What Puerto Rico are you and the Governor referring to? Is it the one with 15.7% unemployment, a "record" year in homicides, a growing public sector again (see Dept of Labor statistics) and a growing poverty rate (per US Census)? And guess what, Fortu?o can't even vote for himself anyway.
http://juliorvarela.com/2011/1.....continues/
If you are all going to praise Fortu?o, get the facts straight. He is lucky if he will win re-election in 2012, maybe this VP silliness is his out.
http://juliorvarela.com/2011/1.....-campaign/
Julio Ricardo Varela is a Puerto Rican liberal anti Puerto Rico becoming a U.S. State and paid negative spinster against Mr. Luis Fortuno. Julio you can lie but the facts are there. Luis Fortuno had to do drastic things to help a welfare state created by 40 years of democrats and steer PR on the right track. The previous Governor who was indicted on 19 counts of corruption and who hired over 12,000 new jobs to win votes right before the elections. The Democrats have created a state where 1 out of 3 jobs are from the government with the sole porpoise to buy votes and manipulate elections with threats on losing there jobs. This situation led PR to a step away from bankruptcy but Luis walked in an economic catastrophe and took the necessary surgical steps to fiscal responsibility and slashing taxes for the first time in decades. For this he gets disgruntled ex employees like Julio to destroy his image.
You I'm from PR and I live in NY. I never like vote. Cause is always the same thing , but let me tell you something what's this guy is doing in PR is great. He just have 3 year in office and has done so much work , He is really good in what he is doing , is tomorrow was the election I would vote for him without think so .
And julio like it or not the facts is that he would win the re- election , sometimes I don't understand this ignorants. They just care about the parties and colors not Matter how bad their candidates are. Cause the one the red have now instead answer questions he prefer to say ( mmmmm , next question please ) Jajajajaj