Ted reports in the thread below what I’ve also heard from a couple of other sources: Palin and Romney are, at least for now, McCain’s two top choices. Romney is waging a campaign for the nomination, and he has his supporters. There’s nothing at all wrong with that. And I don’t know enough about Sarah to say for certain that she doesn’t have any downsides that should disqualify her. Still, my tentative conclusion is that she would be an exciting choice that would narrow the enthusiasm gap.
Good conversation on all this in the threads of Peter's previous post. I have always thought that the only possible choices (give Mac's political needs) are Jindall and Palin. I think Palin is too young, in the end. Therefore, it should be Palin.
I have expressed serious reservations about both Romney and Palin. But, if the choice is only between the two of them and winning is the object, Palin is the obvious choice. I just can't see how Romney is of any strategic use to Mac other than money. And I don't see how that ticket generates new money either.
It will take more than Romney's circle of contacts to finance this campaign. The choice of Romney doesn't expand the realm of donors, it's narrows it.
To choose Romney is head down a cul de sac. McCain doesn't have room for error here. He's playing a weak hand; He's playing without any margins.
This campaign is like Gettysburg, ----------------- and we had better not lose this thing.
In politics, I suppose anything is possible, but many things are quite unlikely. One of the unlikeliest things is that a Senator would choose a Senator for a running mate. So scratch Thune and Webb and elevate Pawlenty and Kaine for similar reasons (along with Jindal, Palin, and Romney). Senators are perceived as weak executives so they are inclined to choose an executive as a running mate. This isn't glamorous stuff...any more than choosing VPs from states where the Presl candidate needs help...but they still play important roles.
McCain could use a conservative running mate, but he will look to the other considerations first. Most of the choices out there are more conservative than he is anyway. The anti-Senator running mate rule also leans strongly against Lieberman (who might make a fine DefSec instead).
Hillary would be an exception to this rule for BO since she has a large feminist claque he needs to co-opt...yet in a certain way she claims quasi-executive experience too. In any case he won't pick her for personal reasons. His best choice would be a Southern Dem governor, I think.
You know, someone like Palin could easily jump from being a VP considerate to a Prez considerate in the future and it's about time the GOP do something like this!