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Donald Trump Team In Frenzied Search For Vice President — Could Announce Running Mate’s Name On Friday

By Patricia Grannum
Published on: 15:08 PST, Jul 13, 2016

Donald Trump and his search for a vice presidential running mate is turning into a drama worthy of reality TV, CNN reports. According to CNN, on Wednesday potential contestants for the spot were jumping on planes and making “frenzied” telephone calls in a bid to secure any chance to get on the presidential ticket.

The nerve center of these VP auditions was in Indiana. A flat tire on Trump’s plane caused him to stay longer than anyone expected in Indianapolis after he did some campaigning alongside Governor Mike Pence.

CNN reports that Trump’s children –Eric, Don Jr., and Ivanka– got on a plan to be at his side and give him counsel as he makes one of the most important decisions in his presidential race so far.

Newt Gingrich reportedly also flew to Indiana to meet Trump on a private jet provided by Fox News host, Sean Hannity. Gingrich has been pegged as one of the contenders with a great shot at ending up on the ticket. After the meeting with Trump, Gingrich was later seen in the same motorcade as Trump’s children, CNN reports. Trump also had a phone conversation with another person who has been considered a real contender: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Based on one of his most recent tweets, Trump will reveal the name of his vice presidential candidate on Friday in Manhattan.

But according to the article on CNN Politics, Trump has made it clear that he hasn’t really made up his mind as yet.

“I’m narrowing it down. I mean I’m at three, potentially four. But in my own mind, I probably am thinking about two,” he said in a recent interview.

As CNN notes, the President’s running mate is considered an indication of the tone a presidential campaign and potential presidency will take.

But Trump seems to be flip-flopping on the attributes he’s looking for in a vice-president. One source indicated to CNN that he wanted a political attack dog, a true scrapper who could defend Donald Trump from all the “attacks” he receives daily in the press. The politician who just might be the man for the job is Chris Christie, a former prosecutor who Trump seems to like and respect.

“I tell you, Chris Christie is somebody I’ve liked a long time; he’s a total professional. He’s a good guy, by the way, a lot of people don’t understand that,” Trump said on Fox News.

But the presumptive presidential nominee from The Republican Party has also said he doesn’t want an “attack dog” for a running mate.

“I just want to pick up somebody that’s solid, who’s smart. I’m not looking for an attack dog. Frankly, I’m looking for somebody that really understands what we’re talking about,” he said on Wednesday.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Governor Mike Pence is a favorite among some of Trump’s advisers because of his gubernatorial experience and his strong relationships in Congress and ties to the religious right.

But Pence, who’s currently hosting Donald Trump in his state, said he hasn’t received a job offer as yet.

“It’s great to have them in Indianapolis,” he said. “Nothing was offered. Nothing was accepted.”

The Independent reports that Donald Trump asked Condoleezza Rice if she’d be interested in being his vice president. The former secretary of state declined.

As The Independent notes, having Condoleezza Rice on his ticket could have boosted Trump’s standing with African American voters. He’s currently polling at zero in that demographic in crucial swing states like Pennsylvania and Ohio, based on two recent NBC/Wall Street Journal polls.

[Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images]

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