Cain: Romney Should Pick Allen West

Herman Cain says Mitt Romney should select Tea Party darling Rep. Allen West to be his running mate. West is perhaps best known for this comment: "When I see anyone with an Obama 2012 bumper sticker, I recognize them as a threat to the gene pool."

"Colonel Allen West out of Florida," Cain said. "Here's why. He is well-spoken, he is direct, people in Florida love him, he has a huge following. He is from Florida. Florida is going to be one of those key states. But more importantly, Colonel Allen West is a dedicated patriot. He served in the military, and he is willing to serve his country some more." Cain said he would advise West not to wait before seeking higher office. "Now I know that there might be some push back on his part, because he's just in his first term as a United States congressman," he said. "But my advice to him, if he were to ask me, is, you've served your country well and now you have a higher calling. And I would strongly recommend that he consider it, depending on any personal considerations he might have."

Known for being loudly anti-gay, last week West tried to dismiss same-sex marriage as unimportant to the 2012 election, leading some to speculate that he was tempering his usual hate in order to improve his VP chances. Last August a Florida gay business group rescinded its speaking invitation to West after complaints about his anti-gay positions.