The Finalists?
May 21st, 2008 at 06:21pm Matt DiBari
The New York Times (yeah, I know) has a piece today on John McCain’s Memorial Day Weekend visits. Apparently Governor Mitt Romney, Governor Bobby Jindal and Governor Charlie Crist are all expected to visit Senator McCain in Arizona this weekend.
Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, on Friday is scheduled to meet with two Republican governors who have been prominently mentioned as potential running mates, according to Republicans familiar with Mr. McCain’s plan.
Charlie Crist, the governor of Florida, and Bobby Jindal, the governor of Louisiana, have both accepted invitations to meet with Mr. McCain at his home in Arizona, according to Republicans familiar with the decision. One Republican said that Mitt Romney, a former rival of Mr. McCain for the presidential nomination — is also expected to visit him this weekend. Mr. Romney’s advisers declined to comment.
This may be the first Times article on McCain that has some basis in reality. Realistically, Senator McCain is probably winding down his Vice-Presidential search, even if he has no plans to publically announce his choice in the near future. Romney, Crist and Jindal, along with Tim Pawlenty are all very legitimate choices for the spot on the ticket, and there’s really no other reason for them to all be visiting McCain this weekend.
Ultimately, I think they all have something to offer the ticket, but they all have at least some minor weakness. I think Jindal may be the best bet in this bunch, but I’d like to hear everyone else’s opinions as well
UPDATE:
Tom Ridge received an invitation as well
Entry Filed under: Announcements, John McCain
13 Comments Add your own
1. Eric T | May 21st, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Duncan Hunter or Mike Huckabee or Mitt Romney
2. ale tap | May 22nd, 2008 at 9:46 am
I agree.
Crist is a very smart politician and he’s gonna be a precious ally in the general election as he had been in Florida’s primaries, but he’s a bit too liberal to be accepted by conservatives.
Jindal is an awkish conservative but he’s very young, he’s of a new generation, and he’s a “new american” (his partens were born in India).
3. ryan2483 | May 22nd, 2008 at 9:53 am
I’d like to see Crist on the ticket. I think Huckabee or Romney - while they would appear to the conservative base - would turn off the disgruntled democrats that are looking to the GOP over Obama.
Republicans should realize that, while McCain isn’t as far right as they would like, that in a Presidential race where the odds are against them, McCain is a godsend, especially with how the Dems are self-imploding. Gov Crist would solidify FL and be a strong presence in the southern states. Huckabee and Romney, without doubt, will help put the entire map into play for the Republicans, but I think Crist is better in the VP slot.
4. Matt DiBari | May 22nd, 2008 at 10:57 am
I think Huckabee may have shot himself in the foot (no pun intended) at the NRA
5. J.T. | May 22nd, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Huckabee would be my choice.
6. Joe | May 22nd, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Please please PLEASE make it be Mitt Romney.
The master flip-flopper would really turn off any independent voter that is considering McCain.
Not to mention all the Evangelical’s heads would explode from the though of voting for a Mormon.
Being from Boston, I can tell you Mitt would be your worst nightmare if he is selected as VP.
7. Matt DiBari | May 22nd, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Mitt’s big plus would be Michigan. If Obama loses Michigan from the Democratic column, he’s in a lot of trouble.
8. Geoff | May 22nd, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Michigan is already in question for the Democrats because they–the party that stands up for the enfranchisement of everyone–refuses to count their votes in the primary race or give them another opportunity to vote.
9. Joe | May 22nd, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Geoff,
Don’t go that route that the Democratic party “disenfranchised” Michigan voters. That is just flat out not true and you know it.
There were rules and the Michigan Dem party broke those rules. The Michigan people should be pissed at the state party. They took a chance that the National party wouldn’t penalize them and they lost that bet.
In the end, the delegates will be seated and all will be closer to normal.
As for Mitt delivering michigan, I just don’t see it. Because his father was a gov there??? Meanwhile, while still in the race, he flat out lied to the Michigan people saying that he would get all their jobs back. That is just blatant pandering and I like to think the general public aren’t that blind.
10. Matt DiBari | May 23rd, 2008 at 10:11 am
I know he was lying. You know he was lying. The people of Michigan either didn’t think so or didn’t care.
Either way, Mitt isn’t really my first, second, or even third choice. But he isn’t the total albatross people make him out to be.
11. Timothy Horrigan | May 26th, 2008 at 1:18 am
McCain sometimes can seem a little grumpy and even curmudgeonly. Romney will provide some extra warmth and likeability. No matter what he is saying he never stops smiling and if there is a camera he always gazes forthrightly into it… that, my friends is WARMTH. That’s LIKEABILITY. This is especially important after eight years of the extremely warm and likeable George W. Bush… Americans are used to having a warm, likeable leader.
McCain is also rather short… about 5 foot 10 and he often stands in a hunched-over posture. Romney is 6 foot 3 and always stands in an erect, military posture. He adds some much needed height to the GOP ticket.
Mccain’s positions on the issues have changed over the years… and some of those positions are liberals. Romney, on he other hand, has consistently and resolutely stuck to the same rock-solid conservative positions all his life. And you can’t doubt his sincerity… his eyes are as blue as the sky, his teeth white as snow, his chin is as square as Dudley Do-Right’s. His shirts are always crisp and his ties always firmly knotted. Romney just oozes sincerity from every pore of his being.
And Romney is of course from California. (He just bought a house in La Jolla.) He is a former governor in the Ronald Reagan tradition. This means he can deliver the electoral votes of the largest state in the union.
12. Jeremiah | May 31st, 2008 at 11:41 pm
I’m with J.T.
13. Jeremiah | May 31st, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Mike Huckabee is a true Christian man, and would be a true fighter for the American people. His policies are grounded on a solid foundation in God’s Word.
He is one in a lifetime opportunity to make a difference in the troubled times that we are in, and that we would otherwise face extreme adversity under either of the two Democratic runners.
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