June 20, 2012 12:35 AM UTC

Marco Rubio, You Are NOT the Next Contestant on the VP Sweeps

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• by: Colorado Pols

As our friends at “The Fix” report, Sarah Palin probably ruined Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s chances at becoming Mitt Romney’s running mate:

The news that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio isn’t being seriously vetted by Mitt Romney’s vice presidential selection team is both surprising and enlightening.

Surprising because many people – the Fix included – had touted him early and often as a potential frontrunner to be Romney’s number two. (Heck, we compared him to Lionel Messi!)

Enlightening because it provides us a window into the sort of person that Romney (and Beth Myers, his head of vice presidential vetting) are looking for in a running mate.

That person? Someone whose credentials and readiness are beyond question. And, more than likely, someone who calls to mind “plain” more than “pizzazz”.

Rubio – as well as New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte who, according to the Post’s Phil Rucker, are also not being seriously vetted – are relative newcomers on the national political scene with relatively thin resumes to date.

Romney’s decision not to consider the Rubios, Martinezes and Ayottes of the world suggest that the campaign is very aware of what we would call the “Palin factor”.