Posted on 07/01/2008 4:56:30 PM PDT by Plutarch
Sen. John McCain will choose businessman and former Massachusetts Governor, Mitt Romney as Vice President, in his bid for the White House this November, a source closely connected with the McCain campaign, who asked to remain anonymous, told us earlier this afternoon.
Though others were close in the running, the choice ultimately came down to the money–not the man. According to our source, the campaign narrowed their Vice Presidential options to Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney, the two most successful opponents of McCain in the bid for the Republican nomination. But despite Huckabee’s sway with far Right conservatives and evangelical voters, Romney packs the deepest fund-raising pockets.
As a successful businessman and prominent member of the staggeringly wealthy Mormon community, Romney brings with him the potential to raise “upwards of $60 million in 30 to 60 days, whereas Huckabee could only raise $10 to $15 million,” says our source.
McCain needs those types of numbers to be competitive with the money-sponge that is the Obama campaign, which has 1.7 million individual donors–as well as the Hollywood machine–and is ringing-out advertising dollars across the country, saturating voters in his ‘50 State Strategy‘ to win the White House.
“How the hell did the publisher of the ‘Top 20 Side-Boobs of All Time‘ get this scoop,” you must be asking yourself, right now. (We were asking ourselves the same question.) And here’s the answer: It’s all part of the McCain campaign’s plan to directly target college-age voters, in an attempt to sway them away from Sen. Obama, says our source.
Additionally, the campaign wants to solidify their ticket far in advance of the Obama campaign making their VP choice, in order to get a “head start” on the surge in fund-raising they expect to receive with the announcement of Romney as the Republican VP pick.
So next time two dudes in suits knock on your door, they might want more than to proselytize about the Book of Mormon…
UPDATE: We understand better than anyone how crazy it seems that we got this story first, so a healthy level of skepticism is expected. But we stand by the accuracy of our reporting on this, and will give you as many new details as possible in the coming days–including the name of our source, if we can.
“Sen. John McCain will choose businessman and former Massachusetts Governor, Mitt Romney as Vice President”
Bad news if this is true. If so, he should just pick Hillary. She is as conservative as Romney and would attract more votes.
“.........a source closely connected with the McCain campaign, who asked to remain anonymous,......”
The source is pathetically lacking in gravitas.
Andrew wrote this? Thath tho gay.
Great, another reason not to vote for Juan McLame.
Dang!
There is a significant question of money.
The polling is stable on Rasmussen showing a small Obama lead. Gallup says tied, also very stable. Both show very strong GOP support for McCain and almost no 3rd party support.
Given that last item, zero 3rd party support, there are no votes to seek there. He has to go after the middle that are leaning Obama, and to do that he has to have the money to pound that message out on the airwaves.
As always, money decides it.
“Although I think Romney would be a good choice ... as far as leadership ability and knowledge of economics as well as his stand on fiscal and national security matters. IMHO, he is a much better and stronger choice than Huckabee could ever be. Not perfect but better than the Populist Huckabee. Personally, I just can’t see McCain swallowing his ego that much to pick a qualified Veep, cause there will be times when Romney speaks that McCain will not be heard (no matter how loud he screams).
McCain is not my choice, until he pitted against Obama (or Hillary if she got the nod). I think Romney would have been a better choice to stay on the conservative side of immigration than McCain. But McCain’s the hand we’ve been dealt. Third parties need not apply.”
I wonder if McCain is basing his pick on the idea that he is likely to be a one-termer, if he manages to win. Whoever he picks has a major leg up on the competition for 2012, assuming a win and a one-term presidency (or even a partial-term presidency)I’d also say that Romney is a better fit for most of the folks that are inclined to vote for McCain, while the people who continue to follow Huck are not likely McCain voters regardless of his nominee status. McCain is not exactly a hero among the religious Right/Social conservatives.
Lord, I hope not. College-age voters are notorious for their bombast but completely unreliable at the polls. Every cycle the media plays up the "youth vote", and every post-mortem shows they never vote in the numbers necessary.
I think McCain should gamble and play up his age. I don't have the demographics handy, but I am quite sure the majority of the voting-age public is older than Obama. There is a psychological aversion among many people to hand the keys to the White House to someone younger than they.
A strategy coupling serious explanations of Obama's economic policy proposals and their devastating consequences in any outlet that will air them, coupled with the inherent appeal of McCain on security issues, and he might win. The attacks on his service right now may be an indication that the Obama camp is considering such a combo.
BIG mistake to name Romney. Hugh.
First, I don’t believe it.
Second, I hate this kind of leak to the media crap.
Third, if it is true, then, based on the way this came out and the process used for picking the Veep, I would respect Romney more if he turned the job down.
Last but not least...I already don’t like McCain and I hate Obama, however, should McCain stick us with HuckaFreak, I will be done with all of this and off to study ghetto speak.
How does money factor in here? He wouldn’t be announced until just before the convention, and then McCain will accept the $84 million in public funds... So, how does the money side factor in?
Romney is the best choice, no question about it.
“You’re a dumbass”
So I take it you like pro abortion, liberal, pro gay, shape shifting Republicans?
Whoa! Who would this group be---the far right TV Evangelicals?
You’re a liar too... He’s pro-life, jerk... and he’s the closest thing to a viable conservative that we had during the primaries... and he’s strongly pro-marriage amendment... So... go scratch, take your BS elsewhere.
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