McCain/Romney ticket now a possibility
Mitt Romney is now being floated around as a possible Vice Presidential running mate for John McCain, this rumor seems to reveal that the Republican Party is looking to make McCain’s problems with the FEC go away and also that the GOP is desperate to assure satisfaction for the conservative base.
It is often said that a Vice Presidential selection should be able to deliver one state that would otherwise be a difficult victory, in the case of Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, this would definitely be the case. With a super ticket taking shape on the Democratic side, the GOP is likely to counter with a well known one two punch of their own. This will also give the impression that the GOP is united in a way that the Democrats are not, at least not yet.
One only needs to travel back several weeks in recent history to find public bickering between McCain and Romney. But as Ron Paul pointed out in the last debate, their squabbles essentially boiled down to arguments over “who said what when.”
All of the pundits that are playfully weighing the possibility of an “M & M” ticket, or wondering whether or not McCain will be able to stomach having a man on his ticket that he compared to a pig just weeks ago just don’t get it. This is about keeping the White House for the GOP, at any cost. And to a large extent I believe that this choice is out of McCain’s hands, he will be pressured into putting Romney on the ticket if the general consensus is that it will get him 50+1 in November.
If the American public needed anymore evidence that the almost year long intra-party battles were about nothing more than power grabs and power retention, it looks like they may very well get it with the consolidation of both parties high profile knock down drag out brawls. The brawls were little more than posturing, and the battles little more than entertainment; a farce with little moral substance at their core. With the combination of political superstars that the public were baited into believing were bitter rivals on the issues, the American political process would once again be exposed as little more than a game driven by the lust for power.
Popularity: 3% [?]
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Comment by JackL on 15 March 2008:
Exactly… Exactly… Exactly… If John McCain and the GOP wants the White House this is the only way it will happen! This is the ONLY way.
Comment by Tess on 15 March 2008:
As a long time conservative Republican, I must say I would have to go with an Obama/Hillary ticket before I would a McCain/Romney ticket. Honestly, Ron Paul would have my vote before any of the other social/liberal choices we have.
Comment by M&M on 15 March 2008:
I think the M&M ticket would be great!
The Patriot and the financial Guru.
Lets do it.
Comment by Todd on 15 March 2008:
Yes, I agree.
McCain/Romney is the best and only real option. McCain/Ron Paul is the second best option. McCain/Huckabee is the third best option.
McCain comes across as clueless when it comes to the economy, the importance of strong industrial base/work force, and the falling value of the dollar. Romney and Paul are the only candidates (Democratic and Republican) who demonstrated any knowledge and understanding about the economy and the falling dollar. Huckabee won hands down in the South.
Furthermore, McCain is perceived as a liberal or a person who has liberal tendencies, so most likely McCain has to have a conservative Vice President.
Comment by Adam on 15 March 2008:
Well let me state, anyone that would vote for a dem after this ticket was never a true republican to begin with. This is a great ticket. A patriot as mentioned above and a governor who does have executive experience. And to top it off they both bring something to the table, McCain with senate and military experience, and Romney who is the financial guru, also mentioned above. And what do the dems bring? Two Senators that have never accomplished much of anything that I know of. I hope this is the ticket. GO M&M..
Comment by Michelle on 15 March 2008:
A McCain/Romney ticket would be a terrible idea. I’m a life-long Republican and will NEVER vote if Romney is on the ticket- he is the most dishonest politician I’ve ever seen. It would look so disingenuous for these two men to run together with the animosity that exists between them. They looked ridiculous standing next to each other when Romney endorsed McCain–it all looked so phony and Americans hate a phony.
Mitt Romney represents everything independents and left leaning people detest–big money, corporate American phony who will say or do anything to get elected. Romney is tainted from all of his lies during the campaign (”seeing” his dad march with MLK and all of his flip flops to name a few).
I think Mike Huckabee would be a great choice- he is Southern and McCain could use the help in the south. He is also charismatic and great in debates which McCain needs desperately. He also has a fiercly loyal following and tremendous grass roots effort. Many many Evangelicals will never vote for Romney–they are too huge of a voting block to ignore. McCain has to have someone who can galvanize the Christian vote.
Comment by Colin Ashley on 15 March 2008:
Hell will freeze over before McCain chooses Romney. He hates him! Huckabee is the obvious choice.
Comment by KL on 15 March 2008:
Michelle is a Bigot that needs to get her facts straight.
Comment by KL on 15 March 2008:
Colin Ashley must be a Evangelical Bigot too. The Bigots are going to be the downfall of the Republican Party.
Comment by copp on 15 March 2008:
you forgot to mention the state romney would deliver — michigan.
Comment by MariBeth on 15 March 2008:
As one of many Mitt’s Mittens, it took a long while before my resolve began to thaw. After watching McCain and Huckasleaze gang up and do dirty political tricks against Mitt Romney, I vowed I would never vote for McCain. I still will not vote for John McCain without Mitt Romney on the ticket. As a fiscal conservative, America needs Mitt Romney to fix our economic mess. If Mitt is not on the ticket, I stay home come November.
Comment by Amanda on 15 March 2008:
We love ROMNEY! America should feel honored that a man like him would make the sacrifices he has in order to run for office and save our nation from complete disaster. An M&M ticket would be unbeatable. Bring on the dems, because with Romney we can beat ‘em for sure!!! =)
Comment by Sarah on 15 March 2008:
I agree with KL, Copp, and MariBeth. This article hit it straight on. Not only might Governor Romney give us Michiga, we might also get Massachusetts though that might be a far fetch cause I think in Massachusetts the Republican primary was a closed one. Of course you never really do know. The Republicans might get a few states we never even dreamed of if it is a McCain/Romney ticket.
I also might want to add to those who think Huckabee is a good pick. Huckabee isn’t a good pick because he could have followed Mitt Romney out of the race after he started to loose BY HUGE NUMBERS. Yeah those numbers were not exactly samll. Huckabee was only in it because he though he could get more delegates. News flash, most republican primaries are winner takes all. Might not be fair, but those are Republican rules in some states. I also think that Huckabee was being used, however willingly, by McCain and then when McCain no longer needed him he dropped him like a hot potato.
Oh and one more thing “I think Mike Huckabee would be a great choice- he is Southern and McCain could use the help in the south.” McCain doesn’t need that much help in the south because McCain was the second choice of a lot of Southerners over “That mormon” as many like to say. I think it wasn’t just the mormon issue either. It was also Yankeeism. Let me say this GROW UP. This in the year 2008 not 1834. Stop making every issue between the North and the South. The civil war ended a long time ago and the Union won.
Comment by WeNeedMitt! on 15 March 2008:
Michelle and Colin Ashley (and many others, I’m sure). . .
We all know you wouldn’t vote for Mitt NOT because you think he’s “lied” but because he’s a mormon. The religious bigots have really come out of the woodwork this election season. To me, your comments and behavior is most disgusting and shameful.
I agree with Sarah in that Evangelicals in the South and elsewhere need to GROW UP. I never new bigotry in America was this bad–and now it has proven to hand the GOP nomination to McCain when it should have been Romney’s in the first place. Thanks a lot, “evangelical base.”
Having Mitt on the ticket with McCain would be incredible. Nothing could stop McCain’s “straight talk express”. . . once Romney was on it. GO M&M!!!
Comment by sheryl on 15 March 2008:
Michelle, Colin, other Huckabee supporters who won’t vote for Mitt……please take a good long look at what is going on in the Democratic race right now. It’s called identity politics……it’s mean, ugly and ignorant.
I’m a recovering “I will never vote for Huck or McCain” person and because of Romney, McCain and Huckabee’s unity, I’m going to vote for the GOP ticket in November.
I want no part of putting either Clinton or Obama in the White House.
If McCain picks Huckabee as VP I will still vote GOP to keep the presidency. On the otherhand, a McCain/Romney ticket is one I will strongly, enthusastically campaign for and contribute money to in the general election.
Comment by Scott on 15 March 2008:
I’m starting to get sick of Evangelicals hating Mitt. Way to rip the party apart because of your stupid unchristian behavior. Michelle, Ashley, more Americans are sick of Huckabee and his pathetic behavior than they are of Mitt. Huckabee stayed in the race weeks longer and still didn’t beat Mitt in delegates. Knock off the crap and practice what you preach and stop making the democrats right about you.
Comment by Dale Mastar on 15 March 2008:
What a cruel joke played upon the American people and the world if it is McCain/Romney — then Hiboma will win, and America loses either way. Both McCain and Romney are bald face liars, and McCain is an admitted adulterer. I trust either of them with my liberty about as far as I can toss an elephant. Just watch their lips — movement indicates lie. The “who said what, when” episode in the debate is all telling. Ron Paul proved to be the only responsible candidate. Can Romney fix the economy … because McCain doesn’t have a clue “and will rely upon his advisors”, and all Romney ever did regarding economics was buy up companies and downsize them — what a laugh. Who is the only one that makes sense? RON PAUL, with none of the others (McCain, Romney, Huckabee) as his VP.
Comment by Jon on 15 March 2008:
A question or two for all you bigots out there…
Please explain how Huckabee will deliver more than Romney as VP. The more Huckabee speaks, the more his ignorance and bigotry is apparent. He knows nothing about economics or foreign policy. He thought that the Pakistanis were a major threat to our nations borders??? In the debates Romney showed Huck up big time. Romney repeatedly uses specifics while Huckabee can only ramble on about vague generalities in his folksy drawl.
How will Huckabee pull the conservative vote? No, evangelicals do not comprise the majority of conservatives. And thankfully, not all evangelicals are bigots. Romney will pull far more of the conservative base than Huckabee will. While Romney has only done “compare and contrast” with Huckabee (and been criticized for his “negativism”), Huckabee has not pulled any punches and personally attacked Romney time and time again. His mean spirited words spoken when Romney pulled graciously out of the race reveal Huckabee’s true colors.
Comment by Jon on 15 March 2008:
And Ron Paul???? His poor showing in his home state of Texas show how much good he’ll do as VP. Besides who wants to vote for a “grumpier old men” ticket?
Comment by Stan on 15 March 2008:
I feel that Romney would be a great asset to McCain. He would bring a strong Economic conservative side as well as the social conservative side. He has tremendous skills with economic issues, which is needed at this time.
Comment by Bob Thomas on 15 March 2008:
Mitt would not only deliver Michigan, but he would deliver Oregon, Washington, Nevada, NM, Colorado, Minnesota, and Ohio. He would also help in all states we normally get. Heck, he may even win Massachusetts. This guy is simply incredible and this ticket would be unstoppable. Thank God Almighty there are not too many bigots to stop this freight train.
Comment by Bob Thomas on 15 March 2008:
Dale Mastar: If you think that is what happened as with the companies Mitt saved, you couldn’t be more wrong. Employment is much, much higher in those companies than they were when he stepped in and a 1000% higher than they would have been if he had not! Last time I checked when companies go out of business, they no longer have any employees. Staples alone has 70,000 employees now, and they would have had none. Dominoes was down and out for the count, and they are flourishing like crazy with tens of thousands of employees making more than they did before.
So before you spew out any more lies, get your facts straight.
Comment by TruthSanityAlways on 15 March 2008:
It’s totally about issues. Illegal immigration?? Ron Paul has the only solution. Quit giving them freebies. No more birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants. What about the economy … and hyperinflation?? Stop printing money out of thin air. It’s robbing us … our money buys less and less, while our government lies to us about how much inflation we really have had over the last few years. And why are we as AMERICANS willing to send so much money overseas when we aren’t even taking care of our elderly people … social security and Medicare are bankrupt. Who has even talked about these issues … only Ron Paul. Come on people, it’s time for real debate about real issues …. or it’s too late for America. It probably already is.
Comment by TruthSanityAlways on 15 March 2008:
By the way, BE FOR AMERICA, not just a politial party. Wake up.
Comment by Martin on 15 March 2008:
As an Evangelical I would definately support an M&M ticket. McCain has me concerned but Romney is a trustworthy conservative with a great professional background. We need a sincere Reagan Conservative like Romney. If you don’t believe, you need to meet him.
Huckabee wouldn’t work because of some of his failed decisions as Governor or Arkansas, ie the revolving prison doors. Plus he seemed to only be in this for the media attention he was getting. It added money to his speaking engagements. It makes me sad to belong to the same church.
Comment by Eliza on 16 March 2008:
I agree with Michelle and Colin, Mitt would be a terrible choice for VP. Scott Rasmussen said he thought if Romney is the VP pick, they will hand victory to the Dems. He is a professional pollster and has a very good gauge of American voter sentiment:
http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=bfd9715f-1d08-4f8e-a76d-820772734233
Those of you calling Mitt “trustworthy”….where have you been for the past year? Mitt has been caught in countless lies-watch it on Youtube if you don’t believe me. This has nothing to do with Mormon bigotry (I know many Mormons and like them very much) it is because Mitt is a phony, period.
Comment by John M on 16 March 2008:
As I read through these blogs it sruck me that several people have accused those who don’t like Mitt Romney of being bigots. However, when I read the blogs from the anti-Romney crowd they have not made a single comment about Romney’s religion. I don’t want to speak for them, but it seems to me they have a problem with his character, not his religion.
That said, I do feel those who are throwing around the “bigotry” accusations are in fact themselves bigotted against Huckabee and his supporters because they are Christian. They are the ones who have introduced the topic of religion on this page, not the Huckabee supporters.
I’m really tired of people who do not like Romney being accused of being prejudiced against his religion. When in fact it is because of his record of lying, deception, unrelenting attack ads on his opponents, and cold personality In my opinion, I don’t even have to consider his religion because I find him so lacking in character.
Comment by EVELIO PEREZ on 16 March 2008:
NO MITT , NO MONEY , NO VOTE
THAT’S FINAL
Comment by ChuckP on 16 March 2008:
If McCain chooses Huckabee as his VP I will not vote in November. I cannot support an individual who chooses as VP someone without character or judgment. Huckabee released or caused to be released over 1000 convicted criminals, at least one of which went on to kill two other people. He registered for wedding gifts many years after his marraige to evade laws prohibiting gifts while in office. He was found guilty of multiple ethics violations. He destroyed state computers to cover up evidence. This is not a person that belongs anywhere near the presidency, let alone next in line.
Comment by MikeA on 16 March 2008:
Chuck, you are mistaken about Huckabee’s record. When the Huckabees moved out of the governor’s mansion and into another house, their friends wanted to throw them a house-warming party and asked them to register for gifts at Dillards. At the time, Dillards did not have a gift registry for house warmings so they registered under the next closest category–weddings.
In terms of clemencies and pardons, Mike Huckabee showed great character by personally reviewing each and every case to make a decision in the best interest of the state and the individual. Sure, he made a couple of mistakes- he is human (by the way, he didn’t parole Dumond, the parole board did this–another media misrepresentation). Contrast this to Romney who would not consider one single case of clemency. Why? Because he was more concerned with his political career than the people of his state. In one instance a decorated war hero from Iraq was applying for a job as a police officer but because he had shot a bebe gun with a friend when he was a juvenile (the bebe grazed the kid’s arm!) he was not allowed in the police force. He asked Mitt Romney to clear his record and Romney refused. What a jerk–he cares only about himself.
Huckabee governed in a very liberal state and had to put up with intense attacks from liberal politicians in Arkansas–they nailed his office door shut, got out of elevators when he would get in and tried to do everything they could to destroy him. All because he was a conservative governing a liberal state. But, Huckabee stood by his convictions- he remained pro-life, pro-family, pro-marriage. Not Romney. Romney claimed to be pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, pro-stem cell research when he ran for Govervnor in Mass….just to get votes.
I would never vote for Romney. I would rather have 4 years of a liberal to give the Republicans another shot with a good Presidential candidate than vote for a McCain Pres and Romney VP—no way.
Comment by Michelle on 16 March 2008:
I can’t believe the people here who think Romney is a stand-up guy??? He is so unethical and will say or do anything to get elected.
Please stop being spoon-fed your opinions from Rush and Hannity. Do you know why conservative media support Romney? Because Romney’s company, Bain Capital has acquired Clear Channel– the home of Hannity, Rush, Ingraham, Beck and others. They are just protecting their multi-million dollar contracts. Look it up.
Did you know that Bain Capital has been selling sensitive military technology to the Chinese through 3Com? Duncan Hunter and some in Congress have been trying to block this. Hunter also pleaded with Romney to use his influence to stop the transaction and Romney ignored the request. The Pentagon has stated that this transaction/relationship could greatly compromise our military secrets and technology. And you want this guy as VP??
Please do your research. The media is owned by a few big money players with agendas to line their wallets and maintain a concentration of power with the elite in DC and Wall Street.
The reason the conservative media attacked Huckabee so vehemently is because he was the ONE person running who was truly a Washington outsider. He doesn’t owe anyone favors–the Establishment can’t own him and that terrifies them. They are scared he would actually govern from his convictions and do what is right and ethical. Mitt has stated with his actions that he will do whatever they want him to…just give him the office.
Don’t take my word for it, research it yourself.
Comment by ChuckP on 16 March 2008:
I have researched it myself and have found all the charges against Huckabee to be true. Those that buy his lame lines are allowing themselves to be conned by one of the best.
Comment by Jon on 16 March 2008:
Michelle, get your facts straight. Romney is not currently running Bain Capital and you are judging him guilty by former association. And although Clear Channel has expressed interest in the home of some talk show conservatives, since I last checked, they have not acquired them. Please show a little more proof then I’ll bother listening to your blather.
Comment by Rensen on 16 March 2008:
John, your comment “I don’t want to speak for them, but it seems to me they have a problem with his character, not his religion.
That said, I do feel those who are throwing around the “bigotry” accusations are in fact themselves bigotted against Huckabee and his supporters because they are Christian. They are the ones who have introduced the topic of religion on this page, not the Huckabee supporters.”
IS RIGHT ON TRACK.
Romney’s supporters need an excuse… a reason to explain why their guy didn’t cut it, and they’ve decided that Huckabee’s supporters are religious bigots.
If you google Mike’s name, there are more blogs deriding Mike and his ‘know nothing’ red neck, knuckle dragging, cult followers, that you will EVER find about Mitt’s mormonism. The anti- christian bigotry revealed this season, makes me deathly afraid for the direction this country is taking.
The vitriol and HATRED is so intense, that it almost seems supernatural. There is no reason for people to feel so venomously towards someone who has only tried to bring kindness and joy to others in life.
Speaking as a ranking officer of huck’s army, a grassroots organization dedicated to Mike’s candidacy, our problem with Mitt is that he ran and governed as a social liberal in Mass. and then ’saw the light’ when he decided to run for POTUS.
For values voters, life and marriage are THE issues through which ALL other issues are judged. Romney earned a D in that area, and Mike has an A+. Why is it so hard for Romney’s supporters to see that we support Mike because he CHAMPIONS our cause. If Romney had been a mormon with Mike’s pro life and marriage record, we would have gotten on board. With natural reservations about a faith we don’t know well, but with time we would have got there.
But come on, you put a guy who says he’ll do more for gay marriage rights than Ted Kennedy in front of social conservatives and expect them to throw one of their own with a proven record under the bus? We aren’t even sold on McCain, and his socon record is stroner than Mitt’s
I’m sorry, I’m not going to believe Mitt until I see him DO something that proves he really has had a change of heart on social issues, that’s not just convenience.
Similarly, I totally respect that others will have concerns that Mike does not have national security cred. (neither does Mitt by the way) or that they may think that Mitt has more economic experience that Mike, (although they both ran successful governments)
Neither Mitt nor Mike have the perfect VP package… McCain is not the best conservative package for nominee either..
This GOP field was very, very weak. But Mitt Romney’s supporters need to get over the great lie that anti-mormom bigotry significantly affected his candidacy. We just liked our man better. He was a closer reflection of our social values, and that has not changed.
Hucks army will be advocating at a grassroots level for than VP slot. May the best man win.
Comment by LS on 16 March 2008:
Rensen,
It is very sad that both Mike and Mitt have had their religion attacked. I promise that it is likely coming from a variety of places, including a great many supporters of many candidates and (probably many) people who are democrats trying to make a wedge in the republican party.
The republican candidates fought hard and at times dirty, but they are coming together now. When John McCain got the nomination, I was one of those people who said I would never vote for McCain, but in the end, letting liberal dems destroy our country and pick far left judges, who will make decisions that may take 20 years to fix, is not worth it. If these candidates, who worked so hard to be the nominee can get over their grudges, we can too.