Sen. Marco Rubio seems to have fallen off the shortlist of vice-presidential candidates for Republican Mitt Romney. The right wing isn’t happy.

By Marc Caputo | mcaputo@MiamiHerald.com

Miami Herald (July 18, 2012)

Fox News’ Sean Hannity sounds beside himself. Reuters seems pretty sure. Same with NBC Nightly News.

They all appear to believe that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio isn’t at the top of the unofficial shortlist to be Mitt Romney’s vice presidential. That is, Rubio isn’t on the shorter list of running mates.

“Why do I keep hearing they’re not going to pick Rubio?” Hannity asked with some sense of frustration Monday night on his show. “I want Rubio … with everybody else.”

Well, not quite.

Rubio hasn’t really endeared himself to Mitt Romney. Sure, Rubio helped scuttle Newt Gingrich’s campaign, which Gingrich was busily scuttling anyway this January, by chiding the Republican for sounding like a Democrat over immigration.

And Rubio gave a pretty tepid and late endorsement of Romney on Hannity’s show well after the Florida primary.

Compare Rubio’s cool approach with the full-throated endorsement and help of former Minn. Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who is a Romney campaign co-chair. An ounce of loyalty goes a long way in campaigns. Similarly, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman – who hails from a key swing state – has aggressively campaigned with Romney and, apparently, for a shot as the No. 2 Republican on the ticket.

Rubio hasn’t. He has spent more time recently plugging his top-selling political autobiography, An American Son, and less time talking about Romney.

Romney’s campaign says no decision has been made and that those who would know aren’t telling. Rubio has pointedly refused to discuss the job.

To read the full story: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/07/17/2899884/bye-bye-marco-rubio-in-romney.html#storylink=cpy