Authors: Jeanette Torres
Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call(WASHINGTON) -- Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., says that she’s focused on remaining a senator, not becoming the vice presidential nominee, but added that she’s more qualified to be president than President Obama was when he ran in 2008.
“I have, some would say, better experience than Barack Obama had when he was a senator and ran, having been the chief law enforcement officer of my state,” Ayotte said Sunday morning on NBC's Meet the Press. “I serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee. But again, what it comes down to for me, it’s serving New Hampshire.”
The junior senator said that while it’s an “honor” to be mentioned as a potential vice presidential pick of Mitt Romney, her focus is on serving New Hampshire in the Senate.
“There’s so many good candidates out there that Gov. Romney has to choose from,” Ayotte said. “Sen. Rubio, Sen. Portman in Ohio. So he’s got a lot of great choices.”
Ayotte listed the most important qualifications she believes that Romney should take into consideration when he chooses a running mate.
“I think the message he has to send, first of all, is he comfortable with that individual?” she said. “Is that person ready to serve as president of the United States? And what does that person bring to the ticket in terms of not only geography, but in terms of their qualifications and their knowledge of the issues.”
Ayotte has campaigned twice with Romney -- most recently last week in New Hampshire -- increasing the fervor with which her name is mentioned as a contender for vice president.
