McCain a booster as Romney works to win over skeptics [Romney convinced McCain to back TARP]

The Boston Globe ^ | 2009-10-01 | Sasha Issenberg

[rabscuttle385]

WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney had already sent out invitations for his Phoenix fund-raiser, offering supporters the chance to meet him in a Chase Field luxury box over a $300-per-person lunch or a $3,000 VIP reception.

But when former rival John McCain called with an offer to be listed as host for the event in his hometown, Romney happily went back to the printer for a new invitation with McCain’s name emblazoned on it.

Yesterday, McCain’s gesture helped Romney’s political action committee raise about $80,000. It also consummated an 18-month rapprochement between two competitors who battled for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination. Acrimony has been replaced by a professional friendship, the latest success in Romney’s methodical campaign to win over past skeptics as he prepares for another presidential run in 2012.

[Arizona Carolyn]

$80,000 isn’t very much money at all .....

[PhilDragoo]

“One thing I think we should really give Governor Romney credit for: he is consistent,’’ McCain told voters. “He has consistently taken both sides of any major issue. He has consistently flip-flopped on every issue.’’

~~~

When Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy less than three weeks later, Romney was among a small group of advisers McCain gathered at a New York hotel. The former financier’s explanation of the risks of such failures helped inspire McCain to buck congressional Republicans and support bailing out the financial-services sector, according to McCain adviser Mark Salter.

~~~

McCain was harder on opponent Romney than he was on Obama.

McCain could have won had he stuck to tax cuts, and damned the rush to spend trillions as a bunch of Big Government Chicken Littles who'd caused it in the first place.

The two of them are closer to Obama regarding economic issues than they would feel comfortable admitting.

The two of them sniped at--and no doubt send surrogates to snipe at--Sarah Palin.

McCain's immigration madness cost the party its triple-grip on power.

Romney hip-hops more than the Energizer Rabbit--and would have a "public option", too.

Together they exemplify Dead Pols Walking.

[FastCoyote]

[Romney couldn’t be so out of touch not to realize that McCain is the kiss of death.]

Oh yes he could. Just as out of touch as giving his spawn child Romneycare an ‘A’ rating.

[DoughtyOne]

Romney has about as much chance of getting my vote as Hillary does. The words “cold day in hell” come to mind.

[DoughtyOne]

Mc Cain thinks he has found a sure fire way to cost conservatives the election in 2012. He's so pleased with himself. We have got to retire this guy next year.

[ari-freedom]

no, he probably really believed in TARP. He was always a corporate keynesian.

[red irish]

On O’Reilly tonight he mentioned while talking to Morrison that he knew McCain and Palin were at odds with each other. Love to know what that was about.

[conservativebuckeye]

Well, one is a liberal and the other is a conservative.

[conservativebuckeye]

You’re probably right. Corporate Keynesian is an excellent description of Romney and many other politicians. I still wouldn’t put it past Romney to have undermined the campaign. The odds Romney really wanted McCain to win are about the same odds that Hillary wanted Kerry to win in ‘04.

[freekitty]

One word “Westinghouse”.

Remember the politicians took Westinghouse down. The same company that put them in office.

[Rick_Michael]

I almost feel any republican except john mccain would be a better republican. But hey, that’s just my opinion.

[Carl LaFong]

Dumb and Dumber,RINO edition.

[CanaGuy]

Yep, as we say in Canada....La scum de la scum.

[bustinchops]

Given that 56% of Americans don’t support the government health care concept, and given that Romney did exactly that in MA AND backed TARP, one would hope and should reasonably expect that Republicans will not nominate him to run for president in 2012.

[Paige]

If the GOP pushes Romney - I guess Obama will be in the White House for Two Terms.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Those two creeps deserve each other.

[Diogenesis]

Backstabber Romney: " You support TARP.
My team will attack Gov. Palin and her children."

"A political party cannot be all things to all people.
It must represent certain fundamental beliefs
 which must not be compromised to political expediency
or simply to swell its numbers."
--  President Ronald Reagan

"We don't intend to turn the Republican Party
 over to the traitors in the battle just ended.
We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged
 to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support.
Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates
wouldn’t make any sense at all.""
--  President Ronald Reagan

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

On McCain’s behalf, Romney tapped the same fund-raising networks - running through Harvard, Bain Consulting, the Mormon world, and Utah - that had helped him raise $65 million for his own campaign.

Well, this speaks for itself...

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Even as he had kind words for Romney’s future, McCain cautioned that his support was far from an endorsement for the presidency, comparing him to several of his party’s likely 2012 contenders (although notably not Palin).

“If any of them, whether [Minnesota Governor Tim] Pawlenty or [Louisiana Governor Bobby] Jindal or Romney, were in our state and wanted to do a fund-raiser, we’d be glad to host them,’’ said McCain. “It’s certainly not a preference for the nominee 3 1/2 or four years from now.

I hope Sarah skewers the ungrateful SOB in her book...

[hyperconservative]

Yeah, me too.
Screw these a**hats(Romney & McLame).
And the donkey they rode in on.