Robert F. Kennedy Jr. raised eyebrows with the news that he was chatting up everyone from Aaron Rogers to Jesse Ventura on his quest for a suitable vice presidential nominee.
But it turns out, no matter who the top of the bill candidate is, Ron Faucheaux, political analyst & publisher of "Lunchtime Politics", told WWL's Newell Normand that in 2024, the vice presidential candidates are more important than ever.
"I believe that the vice presidential nominations are more important than usual, perhaps more than ever," Faucheax said. "The obvious reason is you've got the two oldest candidates in American history running for president ... No matter who wins, they're going to be the oldest president."
The reality of a vice president becoming president is more real than it's been since 1944 when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was dying of congestive heart failure when he won reelection.
On the Democratic side, Kamala Harris' poll numbers are very low and she's perceived as 'weak,' Faucheax said, which makes it extra important for Donald Trump to pick a candidate who seems more presidential than Harris.
He needs to have someone who the American people believe is well-equipped to become president. "We'll see who he comes up with," Faucheax said, adding that people should expect Trump to change his mind a dozen times about his candidate before the convention.
With Trump's legal woes, it could also be a boon for him to have a VP who can represent him on the campaign trail when he's in court. That matters more than someone who looks cute or has undying loyalty, he added.
One candidate who could fit the bill is Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, Faucheax suggested. Other suggestions that have been floated include Tucker Carlson, Dr. Ben Carson, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem.
In January, Trump said, "I know who it's going to be," but offered no further information.
Most candidates announce a running mate when the official nominating conventions are held in the summer, and Trump is expected to follow that precedent.