Trump's VP pick: much ado about little

The political calendar will be filled this month with speculation about Donald Trump's choice of a running mate.

 It doesn't much matter unless he's elected and dies in office.

I have no idea who he'll pick, as I suspect hardly anyone else does.  There are three potential attributes a Vice-Presidential candidate can bring: help carry a state or region, create an uplifting vibe to the ticket and, if successful, be an important governing partner.

 
Unlike 2016 when he first ran, almost every voter today has strong feelings about Trump; he's a hero to supporters, and most detractors hate him. These feelings are so strong- they're unlikely to be much affected by his running mate.

Eight years ago, the choice of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence arguably helped the thrice-married, vulgar braggard with evangelicals. I suspect that with the animosity these folks felt toward Hillary Clinton, the threat they imagined from secularists and the fate of abortion, they would have swallowed any reservations and voted for Trump anyway. 

Over the past half century, there have been some first-rate Vice-Presidential choices- Republicans and Democrats alike. But none delivered a state that the Presidential nominee wouldn't have carried anyway. The last time that happened was Democrat Lyndon Johnson and Texas in 1960.