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For a number of reasons, it makes sense for McCain and Romney to bury the hatchet and for Romney to be McCain's running mate.
First, there is the reagan/bush precedent: After a contentious fight for the nomination, Reagan ended up with Bush as his running mate. Anything that invokes memories of Reagan scores points with repubs.
Second, McCain needs someone that the conservative base will support -- and Romney fits that bill.
Third, the four year factor: conservatives will be drawn to a McCain/Romney ticket because they will see it as a stepping stone to a presidential run by Romney in (they will hope) four years.
Fourth, the age factor. McCain is showing his age. Romney looks young and vigorous by comparison.
Fifth....and possibly most importantly: the money factor. Romney has a lot, McCain needs a lot. McCain faces a real problem with respect to money. The repub primary race has been expensive and with Huckabee hanging around, its still costing money. The conservative base may hold their nose and vote for McCain against any Democrat, but they aren't likely to be that enthusiastic about opening their wallets, which already have been tapped by the likes of Huckabee and Romney, for McCain. And with a lot of non-incumbent repubs on the ballot because of resignations, there are going to be a lot of expensive congressional races being run by candiates who don't have the name recognition and war chests of an incumbent and will be tapping those same conservatives for contributions. Romney may excite the base enough to give, plus he brings his own money.
Sixth, regional appeal. Romney is all things to all people. Mormon/Utah (not that repubs need any help in Utah); Northeastern governor (not that Romney's record in Mass is going to give the repubs Mass or any other NE state), and son of Michigan governor -- and that's what he would play up: his "midwestern roots" (not that they're real, but he'd play them up anyway).
I'm not saying I'm certain that this will happen or that its even the most likely result -- just that I won't be surprised. You can make a case that McCain/Huck also brings the base, but I think Huck is likely to alienate more independent voters than Romney would and he's more likely to shoot himself in the foot with his religious fanaticism. Crist of Florida makes sense insofar as it probably makes McCain the prohibitive favorite in Florida, saving him the need to spend a lot of time and money there. But Crist isn't a big darling of the conservative right -- he is still blamed for not doing enough in the Schiavo case -- and thus doesn't fulfill one of McCain's bigger needs.
Anyway, just some musings on a cold damp morning.
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