It’s Not Romney?!

28 August 2008 @ 12:17 am | 7 comments

Well for those who already didn’t know it, following the daily political gossip is about as useful as speculating on who’s going to win next year’s Super Bowl. Now the rumor du jour has it that McCain has made his decision for VP and it’s not Mitt.

While I’m not sure Romney would be the best political pick for VP, I would be disappointed because I do believe he would be the best as Vice-President. But I have been wary because I have noticed that like many GOP thought the Biden pick would make for great campaign fodder, so do many Democrats I have talked to relish a Romney choice.

However, unlike the Biden pick, on the party level it appears that the Democrats would actually prefer that he was passed over. Democrats have been campaigning (alongside Mike Huckabee’s PUMA-like antics) against a Romney pick. Which leads one to believe that they (like Huckabee) actually don’t want him on the ticket. Why?

While the the rust belt states are expected to hold the swing votes for this election, the West will also play a greater role, where a Romney ticket is thought to have some impact.

For the general election, the West, especially the Southwest, rises in strategic significance for both candidates, and Mormons are gaining more attention given their wide dispersion across the region. Although church members are heavily concentrated in Utah, where they make up more than 70 percent of the population, according to church figures, they also top 7 percent of Nevada’s population and 2 percent of Colorado’s, enough to tilt a tight race.

Not surprisingly, Utah Democrats are also hoping to avoid a Romney ticket, which would energize Utah Republicans to vote in what otherwise may be a lackluster year.

If McCain gives Romney the No. 2 spot on his ticket that “would energize what seems to be rather lethargic and unenthusiastic Republicans,” said state Sen. Scott McCoy, D-Salt Lake. “It gives them a reason to turn out.”

And that may make it difficult for Democrats to win what would otherwise be tight local races, especially if those excited Romney supporters vote straight party Republican.

Who knows? Perhaps the latest slew of rumors are a headfake to add a little surprise to what may be the inevitable choice when its revealed Friday. After all, why are those men with earpieces following Mitt?

[via Hot Air]

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  3. What could Mitt Romney be up to?

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  1. David B’s avatar

    David B on 28 August 2008 at 8:02 am

    It amazes me how much effort people expend on veepstakes speculation, when (with the possible–merely possible!–exception of JFK-LBJ) VP nominees have simply not had any effect on who won the presidential election since at least the 1920s, probably earlier.

  2. Chris H.’s avatar

    Chris H. on 28 August 2008 at 8:50 am

    I argued in favor of Romney because it would help the Democratic ticket here:

    http://faithpromotingrumor.wordpress.com/2008/08/09/pick-romneyplease/

    If he is not picked, he would be in a McCain cabinet. If not (and I am hoping that there will not be a McCain cabinet) he will likely be a mission president.

  3. Chris H.’s avatar

    Chris H. on 28 August 2008 at 9:01 am

    BTW, I am not sure if there is any real credibility in the rumors about it not being Romney.

  5. David B’s avatar

    David B on 29 August 2008 at 1:06 pm

    Well, it’s Palin, which makes me think McCain may actually be serious about trying to win this election. (I mean, the chatter recently had been Romney or Pawlenty, who might’ve been gold for the base, but were worse than boring. Palin or Jindal both had much more potential upside, as i saw it.)

    Still, let’s be honest here–neither Biden nor Palin are going to swing this election, no matter how many political analysts are going to try to claim otherwise.

  6. Chris H.’s avatar

    Chris H. on 29 August 2008 at 3:00 pm

    “Still, let’s be honest here–neither Biden nor Palin are going to swing this election, no matter how many political analysts are going to try to claim otherwise.”

    Very true. The VP candidate tend to fade to the background quickly after the convention season (with the VP debate being an exception).

  7. David H. Sundwall’s avatar

    David H. Sundwall on 29 August 2008 at 10:09 pm

    I agree that the Veep stakes probably won’t do a whole lot of good, but Palin seems to be making a big splash as of today. It’s too early to tell but she may really soften some of his hard edges.

    Obama’s big speech is already off the front pages and she’s dominating today’s news.

    It’s definitely made a bigger impression than what was thought to be the inevitable and boring Romney or Pawlenty pick.

    I agree with David, that after the last few weeks I’m starting to think that McCain isn’t trying to imitate Dole and may actually want to win the race.
    Strange!