It is starting to look like Mitt Romney will win the
Republican nomination for President and now he needs
to pick a running mate. This is his first chance to hire
someone for his administration. In the past, running
mates were chosen if they could deliver a State or was
someone to add balance to the nominee’s experience.
Some believe that ideological balance is the answer to a
strong ticket. I believe that picking a running mate is similar
to picking a marriage partner. If this is true, one of the two
types of “love at first sight” will give us the answer.
Presidential candidates will pick someone with their own
birth order or the birth order and gender that matches a
sibling in their own family. The nominee would show the
birth order characteristics that Mitt would be most familiar.
How Birth Order Influences this Decision
Hiring someone is a very personal decision. If we like
ourselves then we would be attracted to someone that
seems to be like ourselves. This is especially true when
you look at someone’s birth order. The traits of similar
birth orders can be expressed in others the same way,
and that is the attraction. If you pick someone who matches
the birth order of one of your siblings you do so because
you understand your sibling’s particular birth order.
VP Selections of Past Presidents
Ronald Reagan was a second born with an older brother.
He chose as his running mate George H.W. Bush who
was also a second born with an older brother.
George H.W. Bush the second born, chose Dan Quayle
a firstborn like George’s older brother.
Bill Clinton a One/Only double birth order picked Al Gore
a Two/Only birth order, the same as Bill’s younger brother
Roger. Both Bill and Al have double birth orders because
the interval between themselves and their sibling was
four or more years.
George W. Bush a firstborn became a One/Only, after the
death of his younger sister, this made the interval between
George and Jeb seven years. George picked Dick Cheney
a firstborn as his Vice Presidential running mate much like
himself.
President Barack Obama a One/Only double birth
order picked Joe Biden a Firstborn, a birth order very
similar to his own.
The Birth Order of Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney has a Double Birth order. His is a Four/Only
birth order. Lynn was the Firstborn, Jane the Second born
and Scott the Third born. Mitt is seven years younger than
Scott and is separated from the first group of three siblings
by seven years. He is the fourth born and picks up the Only
birth order as he was home alone with his mother like an
Only child before he went off to school to join his siblings.
This makes him act like an Only child 70 % of the time and a
Fourth born 30% of the time. With this combination it is
easy to understand why he fails to show too much emotion
as the “adult like” Only child. At times he gives in to others
as the Fourth born birth order that is the baby in the family.
With these two birth orders it is no wonder that his changing
views confuse many who don’t understand what happens
when you have a double birth order.
Mitt Romney’s VP Choices
If Mitt tries to match his sibling’s birth orders in a Vice
Presidential pick he would be looking for a firstborn or
second born woman. There are many to chose from but
with the memory of Sarah Palin fresh in everyone’s mind
a woman would be a long shot. This leaves an opening for
a third born male and that would be Ron Paul. I don’t think
Ron Paul is on Mitts short list though, the two of them have
not been very antagonistic toward each other during the
campaign. The name Marco Rubio keeps coming up and he
is a Three/ One double birth order. Not out of the question
but still not a perfect match. A perfect match would be another
Four/Only double birth order and that is Paul Ryan the
Congressman from Wisconsin. Both of these men see the
financial situation as the main issue for the country. I would
not be surprised if Paul Ryan was picked as his running mate.
The Final Decision
Many factors can be thought to influence the decision to select a
running mate for a Presidential Candidate. Geography, political
ideology, and even a reward for helping the party or candidate.
If the decision is the candidate’s alone, he will likely pick someone
with one of the two types of “love at first sight” birth orders.
Mitt carries a Four/Only double birth order, Paul Ryan may appear to
be the ideal match but don’t rule out the outside influences on Mitt.
The four side of his double birth order will yield to outside pressures,
we may see a match not made in heaven.
For more information on Double birth orders read my book;
Life’s Fingerprint: How Birth Order Affects Your Path Throughout
Life, visit our website www.mybirthorder.com
by Dr. Robert V.V. Hurst