McCain and Romney (from Hugh Hewitt/Townhall.com on Boston Globe article)

Townhall.com ^ | 23 March 2008 | Hugh Hewitt

[K-oneTexas]

Sunday, March 23, 2008

McCain-Romney?

Posted by: Hugh Hewitt  at 9:50 AM The Boston Globe's Joan Vennochi is no fan of Mitt Romney, but her column today looks at the many upsides to McCain's selection of Romney as his running mate.  Key graphs:

At a time when the economy frightens everyone from Main Street to Wall Street, Romney has the most extensive and successful business background of any candidate on the national stage. McCain admits that economic theory is not his strong point....

Even if Massachusetts is more than a long shot, Romney might help McCain snatch New Hampshire from the Democrats. Romney could also be helpful in Michigan, the state where he was born and beat McCain; and in Nevada, which has a large Mormon population.

If McCain selected Romney, the former Massachusetts governor would probably spend every other day in his home state of Michigan and in the Ohio regions that need a rebirth of the car business.  Romney as veep nominee has all the other advantages Vennochi points to, but his selection would really be about the electoral map, and there doesn't seem to be any other Republican available who adds as much to the ticket in places where a McCain win would mean a McCain presidency.  Minnesota's Tim Pawlenty does put the Gopher State into play, and would help with Wisconsin and Iowa as well, so he is the natural rival to Romney, and Pawlenty was with McCain from the beginning and stuck with him through the long summer of '07.

But Romney's finance team was formidable and could re-engage in minutes.  Romney's personal wealth would be important, but the fundraising network he built and the enthusiasm with which it worked for him is an existing, highly valuable asset, one that has to have appeal to Senator McCain as he surveys the networks Senator Obama has built.

[K-oneTexas]

Interesting Boston Globe article ... many conservatives will not like it. However it does point out some good positives when balancing McCain. I don't think it will happen though.

[Miss Didi]

I love it...now if we could convince McCain!

[Jeff Chandler]

As a conservative who will hold his nose and vote for McCain, I would find Romney acceptable as a VP. Out of all the realistic Republican presidential candidates, he was my second choice.

Because of his age and cancer, McLettuce needs a veep who is ready to step into the job. Mit could do that.

[mbraynard]

I really didn't think Romney had too much to offer as a VP in a geopolitical way but maybe he could be helpful in MI.

In an ideological way, Romney would allow McCain to focus on the center.

[madison10]

I love it...now if we could convince McCain!

I agree. Would Mr. Romney agree, though? I want someone who knows how to handle the economy.

[top 2 toe red]

So do I!

First, I loved your photos from yesterday's White House Easter Egg Roll...now, I share your idea [I love it...now if we could convince McCain!] and, too, love that Mitt might be the VP!

[littlehouse36]

[marlon]

He already said on an interview with Hannity that he would be honored and would absolutely accept. The more I saw and heard him during his run the more highly I thought of him.

And yes, I know I will be subject to flamming arrows claiming that he's not conservative enough but I think at this point we need a strong leader with an economic background who at least is conservative in the way they run their own life. I think he will be a lot more conservative than Lieberman who is where I sense McCain going.

[RC2]

Romney should be where McCain is today. I’ll never understand how anyone could be broke, out of the picture completely .............and come back on top. Somebody else is pulling the strings. Better than Billary and Bamby though.............by a long shot.

[Antoninus]

Hugh Hewitt pimps for Romney.

In other news, the sun rose in the east, today.

[madison10]

I think at this point we need a strong leader with an economic background who at least is conservative in the way they run their own life.

Compared to the others running,including Mr. McCain,Mitt Romney is very conservative. Lieberman is WAY too Liberal.

PLEASE, please, John, choose Mitt Romney for your VP.

[GulfBreeze]

Soooooooooooo tired of Hugh’s Mitt fetish.

Okay, Hugh, we believe you. Your not a biggot like the rest of us who failed to appreciate how great it would have been to have had a Mormon as the GOP candidate, not to mention actually IN the White House.

Hugh is brilliant and all but really, he just gets locked in on some things and it’s “Puuuuuuke! Enough ALL READY!!!!”

[Miss Didi]

We are Mittens! ;) Last night there was a thread that reported on some insider saying it would be Crist. :( My mother told me she heard McCain's daughter in an interview say that she already knows who the Veep will be and it's not the Huckster. :) Still I'm praying it will be Mitt.

[madison10]

Hugh Hewitt pimps for Romney. In other news, the sun rose in the east, today.

Know what? I don't care who "pimps" for whom. Mitt Romney is one of the best choices, especially given the current economy, that is out there.

If you were a FredHead, Paul supporter, or Huckabee groupie---NEWSFLASH---they aren't running any more. Dissing Romney or McCain isn't going to help the candidates that have already dropped out. Not that Mitt will BE the VP choice, I'm just tired of hearing how BAD he's supposed to be.

[Disturbin]

LOL, I like Mitt and appreicate what he tried to do here in MA, but not if I am called a “Mitten”

[Miss Didi]

Good thing...it’s only for girls. ;)

[johnthebaptistmoore]

HH has always liked Mitt Romney, and Mitt was HH’s choice for POTUS. This isn’t a surprise.

[Little Ray]

I'd like Duncan Hunter better... But Romney is okay.

However, McQueeg hates Conservatives so much, he'll probably choose Lieberman or Olympia Snowe, or some similar Liberal.

[K-oneTexas]

Romney was actually my choice, after Duncan Hunter departed and before McCain. Thompson failed to materialize, Huckabee's too progressive & lib in his philosophy, Rudy was more lib than McCain for my taste and Paul didn't stand a chance for me with his views on the radical Islamic threat. Only thing I did like was the FairTax, he was the only candidate to radically overhaul the Tax Code.

I don't think McCain will be convinced and several others named, although good, are too regional and basic unknowns to the rest of the nation. All personal reasons maybe.

Romney's business and financial knowledge, compared to McCain's zip on this, is needed for the economic matters. He also understands the tax cuts and their benefits. Romney's more conservative than McCain, I believe in this area.
Romney and McCain agree on fighting the radical Islamic threat. This is a common ground and a plus.

A separator is illegal immigration. Romney against amnesty and McCain basically for ... even though now he says he he got the message and is against. I'd like to see him back in the Senate voting on some of those issues now (SAVE Act, Border Fence) and speaking against the Dems.

All-in-all I think they'd balance the issues for the country as a whole, not necessarily for individual conservatives. I think balance on the ticket and nationally with all voters might be a way to start. I also think Romney can influence individual Republican Senators and guide them back from the precipice with the several staunch conservatives in that body now.

But again, I really don't know who McCain is listening to ... other than himself and maybe Joe Lieberman.

[RC2]

If he truly wants to win, he best pick Romney and run from Lieberman.

[Yomin Postelnik]

I honestly can’t imagine how this would go over well at all with needed swing votes. And Romney never governed as a conservative. His record makes McCain seem ultra conservative.

[flaglady47]

“Last night there was a thread that reported on some insider saying it would be Crist.”

I wonder if that “insider” knows that the RINO Crist has never been married and is suspect to many as to why. Down in Florida, my sister tells me, he is known as Mr. Suntan.

[Yomin Postelnik]

Steve Forbes may be the best.

[Antoninus]

Not that Mitt will BE the VP choice, I'm just tired of hearing how BAD he's supposed to be.

Let's see how many times do we have to go through this? He set up socialized medicine in MA (a program that's already failing). He allowed for $50 abortions as part of his medical plan. He's soft on the homo agenda. He's a gun grabber. He's soft on illegal immigration.

There's no "supposed" about it. Mitt is BAD news.

If he's on the ticket along with McCain, I'm going to give the 3rd parties a serious look.

[Little Ray]

The way its working out for the Dems, Republicans could field a Daffy Duck / Porky Pig ticket and have a fair chance.

[Digital Sniper]

Yeah...McCain will court Romney as veep. After all, McCain never holds a grudge. *snicker*

[Digital Sniper]

Would Mr. Romney agree, though?

Romney's a smart man. He won't throw away his political future to be the Democrat(R)'s running mate.

[Antoninus]

I wonder if that “insider” knows that the RINO Crist has never been married and is suspect to many as to why. Down in Florida, my sister tells me, he is known as Mr. Suntan.

There are already stories floating around to that effect. McCain chosing him would be a "man the lifeboats" moment.

[K-oneTexas]

As governor of the most liberal State in the country with a liberal legislature ... how could he ever govern as a conservative. His battles had to be well chosen and more than like not many. It would not be good for the Governor and the Legislature to always be at each others throats. Not for the citizens at any rate ... only for conservatives around the country not in Massachusetts..

[K-oneTexas]

That’s why I was saying it probably will not happen. McCain will not do what’s good for the party or the country as a whole in picking a running mate ... he’ll do what’s good for him and what he wants. If someone over rides him (like the RNC Chair or other) I hope they speak up and let the American voters know it.

[Miss Didi]

My mother told me the same story. I just wish someone in the RNC would talk some sense into him (dollars & cents sense) that if he picks a Crist or Leiberman, we are not going to donate. So where’s the cash going to come from???

[Gator113]

“Would Mr. Romney agree, though?”

Yes he would. He has already said that he would.

[donna]

John McCain is not going to let any Vice President run the economy or anything else.

[Beagle8U]

Is it possible to make a McCrazy ticket worse? Why, yes it is... Just add Rooty or Romney to it!

[donna]

Joe Lieberman is a supporter of partial birth abortion.

[HappyinAZ]

McCain doesn’t hate conservatives........he hates the narrow minded “fringe” in all groups....

We could certainly do worse then Romney!

[K-oneTexas]

Right. I can see from many posts that there are those that believe that no one can ever change. What they were, said and did 10, 15 20 years ago can not be different than what they do and say today. No one, not even themselves, had changed in any way. That is the way of the world ... in there view.

Personally I prefer to have hope. I am not the same as I was 20 years ago. my views on many subjects has changed and changed drastically. Winston Churchill had several good ones on this very subject:

"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject."

"If we open a quarrel between past and present, we shall find that we have lost the future."

"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."


He also said "Never, never, never give up." But some already have. They should try optimism, they could find it suits them.

[top 2 toe red]

Know what? I don't care who "pimps" for whom. Mitt Romney is one of the best choices, especially given the current economy, that is out there.

{{{{Applause, applause, applause}}}}

[Beagle8U]

“They should try optimism, they could find it suits them.”

I'm quite optimistic that even McCrazy isn't stupid enough to put that flaming MA liberal on the ticket with him!

[top 2 toe red]

Your not a biggot like the rest of us who failed to appreciate how great it would have been to have had a Mormon as the GOP candidate, not to mention actually IN the White House.

Somehow, I sense you didn't just accidentally omit the sarc/ tag with this statement.

[ansel12]

Cheney built about half of Romney’s wealth and had a very successful business record, I don’t recall it meaning much to anybody as far as being his sole asset for being made vice-president.

Being a rich liberal that was a democrat in practice until he decided to register republican for campaigning doesn’t warm my heart, whether it is Romney or Bloomberg.

[JRochelle]

Tell us how Mitt would improve the economy.

Does MA have a thriving economy? No. It is one of the highest taxed states in the country. With a disastrous health care plan that is costing way more than originally thought. Thanks to Romney.

Romney isn't going to get the nod. Thank God.

He adds nothing to the ticket. Only contributes a negative.

[JRochelle]

If Mitt were the nominee right now, imagine what the MSM would be talking about.

His religion. Comparing it to Obama’s pastor and deciding there isn't much of a difference between the church positions that were in place when Romney joined his church and the racist crap that Wright is spewing.

[ansel12]

“Right. I can see from many posts that there are those that believe that no one can ever change. What they were, said and did 10, 15 20 years ago can not be different than what they do and say today. No one, not even themselves, had changed in any way. That is the way of the world ... in there view.”

---

We are talking about someone that was a fully formed 58 year old man and a past religious leader from a life of political involvement from birth, that wrote a script 30 months ago and now wants to take over leadership of a ideology that he opposed all of his life.

We need someone that is a true conservative, not some cynic that only adopted a campaign strategy recently.

[Theresawithanh]

Yeah, color me surprised Hewitt’s still crushing on Mitt! (Not!)

It would be a huge mistake for McCain to pick Romney as VP. Like it or not, call people bigots or not, but the fact remains that many will NOT vote for a Mormon. Before the flames start, I would vote for a McCain-Romney ticket IF Mitt were a real conservative. It’s not the religion issue with me. I just don’t see the worth in a double-RINO ticket.

[ansel12]

“As governor of the most liberal State in the country with a liberal legislature ... how could he ever govern as a conservative. His battles had to be well chosen and more than like not many.”

---

As bizarre as that argument is for appointing a new leader of the conservative movement, it also ignores that all of his political life had been anti-conservative before he ran for office.

Romney was anti-Reagan, and anti-Contract with America, and he only gave money to, and support to, liberal democrats before he started his senate campaign.

He is proud that he was not a republican during those glory years of Reagan and the Gingrich revolution.

[WOSG]

I am a conservative and I think Romney would be a good VP choice. he can do a lot worse.

There are a few other better conservative choices - Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee is my favorite, and Gov Sanford of SC is a top pick... but McCain should definitely consider the upside with Romney, who adds financial and economic smarts to the ticket.

[Little Ray]

And if they don’t think like him - they must be narrow-minded fringe.

Except for Teddy Kennedy, etc.

[Wuli]

i think mcpain’s veep pick is a) going to be a surprise to everyone, b)will not be announced before the period between the end of the dim convention and start of the gop convention, or at least not before the dim candidate is known for sure

who will it be

i have no idea, and don’t care

my vote - enthusiastically holding my nose for mcpain - is already decided

maybe his choice will help some dims who don’t like their final choice, or some independents - let them ponder it

[K-oneTexas]

I never said anything about being his sole asset ... you assume too much on this one - trying to speak for me.

As far as being a rich liberal, you can believe what you want. That's your prerogative. I believe you are wrong on this one. He's rich yes but not a liberal Dem, again your words. I would say more a moderate conservative. Center of the road on some issues, left of center on others ... but still in the Conservative camp. Besides there have been and do exist conservative Democrats. Romney's just not one of them, Rudy quite possibly. Huckabee, all liberal, neither GOP or Dem, but a Populist.

There are many people and beliefs that make up the Republican Party. Just as there are many people and beliefs that make up conservatives ... they span the spectrum. There is not just one conservative, being the staunch and strict conservative on all beliefs. Being a Republican and a conservative in a liberal state is much different from being either in any state with a majority of its citizens holding conservative beliefs.

This is the same argument that racked the GOP decades ago with Goldwater Republicans (leading to Reagan), Eisenhower Republicans (from Robert Taft leading to Nixon and both Bush's) and Rockefeller Republicans (only the Eastern Establishment left, no Presidents). Basically three wings of the same party, the GOP. [The Dems really can't match it.]

We had staunch conservatism, moderate conservatism and liberal conservatism reflecting the broad spectrum of the party all existing at once. We still have all three wings today, just don't use the same names. Would any of the three ever be considered Democrats? Would the moderate and liberal wings of the GOP be considered Democrats? No. Not then, not now.

In today's world a strict interpretation of all tenets of conservative philosophy is a minority view (the Goldwater/Reagan wing). Many Republicans do hold close and similar views on issues such as balanced budgets, lower taxes, free trade, deregulation, welfare reform ... enough to keep them together, at least a large portion of all three wings.