Mika Imagines Portman's Same-Sex Marriage Support Cost Him Romney VP Pick

March 19th, 2013 9:53 AM

Did Rob Portman's support of same-sex marriage cost him selection as Mitt Romney's running mate?  Mika Brzezinski imagines so.

Brzezinski made that suggestion on today's Morning Joe, but Joe Scarborough sarcastically said that the reason Romney didn't pick Portman was that he didn't want to win Ohio.  View the video after the jump.



Mark Halperin doubted Mika's theory.  He weighed in to observe that Beth Myers, the woman who ran Romney's VP selection, process, personally supports same sex marriage.  Retorted Mika:"short-sightedness ran that campaign."

 

JOE SCARBOROUGH: You can't just say people on the far right oppose gay marriage. You have people across the spectrum. Political spectrum that still oppose gay marriage. Rob Portman's development, though, is fascinating.

MIKA BRZEZINSKI: It is. I wonder if it played a role in his role in Mitt Romney's campaign. I hope it didn't. I think it might have. Next week, the Supreme Court will consider a challenge to state laws that outlaw same-sex marriage.

SCARBOROUGH: Actually, I don't think it did.

BRZEZINSKI: I think it did.

SCARBOROUGH: I just don't think the Romney team wanted to win Ohio. Cause if they had selected Rob Portman, they would have won Ohio. Who wants to win Ohio?

RICHARD HAASS: Just one of fifty.

BRZEZINSKI: Too constructive.

MARK HALPERIN: The woman who ran this selection process, not only said it didn't play a role, but she herself has come out in support of gay marriage.

BRZEZINSKI: Who?

HALPERIN: Beth Myers who ran the selection process for Romney.

BRZEZINSKI: But she didn't make the decisions;she ran the process.

HALPERIN: She was pretty influential.

BRZEZINSKI: Coming up on "Morning Joe." I'm just telling you

SCARBOROUGH: What are you just telling us?

BRZEZINSKI: Shortsightedness ran that campaign and that would have been it.

SCARBOROUGH: Who's this "Sightedness" person and where can I meet them?

BRZEZINSKI: He's over there with Sam Sung.