Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has sparked a media frenzy by refusing to disclose his vice presidential pick, leading to a relentless stream of speculation and strategic leaks. As the summer debate looms, various candidates are vying for attention, engaging in public stunts and media appearances to boost their profiles.
Fox News has formally requested the opportunity to host the upcoming vice presidential debate this summer, according to a letter sent to the Biden and Trump campaigns. The move comes amidst intense media speculation surrounding Trump's potential running mate.
The leak-fueled orchestration by Republicans who are either openly or quietly running for the vice presidency has created a classic cabaret of media and political intrigue. Virtually every significant name on the mythical "short list" has undergone a boomlet in the press, fed by the potential veep or by surrogates.
The Trump campaign is bemused by the spectacle and is happy to let the auditions play out. Indeed, in some cases, Trump wants these tryouts. They range from joint speaking appearances to network interviews to showing up at the hush money trial in defense of Trump.
Journalists, meanwhile, have nothing else to cover and have indulged in six weeks of speculation until the first debate. They have created the closest thing to a horse race and are susceptible to whispers about the ostensible fluctuations among the aspirants.
The leaks aren't coming from the Trump team. Its members are well aware that different strategists and allies are promoting certain names, but they don't care what the motivation is as long as they fight for Trump.
The former president's camp believes that everyone is getting along and producing a team spirit. The outlook is that many of those that don't get the nod will wind up with Cabinet posts or other administration jobs.
Tim Scott has been publicly seeking the nomination since his presidential campaign quickly imploded. But Trump has sounded dismissive, saying that the Senate's only black Republican is a "high-quality person" but is not a strong candidate.
Doug Burgum is the obscure North Dakota governor and tech entrepreneur whose presidential campaign vanished without a trace. But Trump has reportedly taken a liking to him, leading to speculation that he could be a top contender.
Marco Rubio, who lost to Trump in 2016, has improved his standing in recent weeks after performing well at a donor event. He has emerged as a favorite of donors, who see him as a candidate who can widen Trump's appeal.
J.D. Vance, the Ohio senator, drew attention when he attended Trump's trial and denounced chief accuser Michael Cohen. He has since emerged as a vocal supporter of Trump but has also warned Christian voters about him in the past.
The height of absurdity came when Axios reported that Nikki Haley, who has not endorsed Trump, was under active consideration as his running mate. However, Trump quickly denied the report, only to retract his denial later.
The Sunday shows this week became a prime battleground for those either competing in the veepstakes or imagining they are contenders. Elise Stefanik and J.D. Vance made appearances to defend their records and reiterate their support for Trump.
Rubio had a heated interview on "Meet the Press" where he questioned the legitimacy of the 2024 election results and made unsubstantiated claims about voter fraud. He argued that Trump's vice presidential pick should be jemand who will not be a candidate in four years and pose no risk of upstaging him.
