Mittveep Redux

The rumor mill twirls. As will no doubt haunt me for ages, I endorsed Mitt Romney for the Republican presidential nomination, and, doubling down, re-endorsed him for the vice presidential nomination. I am one of the few people who seems to like Romney personally, although his unappealing personal tics are plain enough, but the deal-sealer for my endorsements has always been the nature and quality of the competition.

Once again, I cast about for sound alternatives to Romney and simply find none. Putting Jindal on the ticket may be an awesome idea for McCain, but I am nowhere near persuaded that it is a good idea for Jindal himself or the party, which needs to stockpile the dry powder of real political and policy talents not ruined by a soak in the Bush bath. At this point in time, Jindal is far more a celebrity than a leader. (Not his fault; doesn't matter.)

Pawlenty might be a cool choice, if only as a catalyst to the idea of handing off the GOP to its young intellectual turks. But what, of substance (i.e. money, acumen, base mobilization), does Pawlenty -- or anyone else -- bring McCain that Romney can't?

Bonus thought: some people -- I forgot who or where, but they're out there -- have speculated that the GOP will hit rock bottom when Romney loses in 2012 to a second-term-destined President Obama. If Romney joins the ticket now, and that ticket loses, will that horrible future be more or less likely?

(Thru Peter Lawler.)

MORE...Andrew groans. But would Mitt push independents toward McCain? Bigoted thought experiment: which is worse -- a half-black president or an all-Mormon vice?

Comments

[Mark]

I'll admit, I actually like Mitt personally as well.

[Ted]

It appears that it’s all down to Alaska Gov Sarah Palin or Mitt Romney, and team Romney fears Palin now has the best shot, so Romney camp is mounting a blogosphere-wide assault via Politico.

The tip-off that Politico is just a “promote Romney” piece is that it mentions EVERY NAME in the next two tiers of Veep prospects EXCEPT SARAH PALIN!!! — even names far more unlikely than Palin (since Romney camp knows Palin is the ONLY ONE who tops — I’ll say tops by far — Romney as McCain’s best pick).

Bottom line, Romney and Politico fear Palin most — as do the Dems and the MSM. (By the way, the Dems and MSM do not fear Romney the most — which says a lot.)

AOL, a main on-line pro-Obama/pro-Dem player, is now carrying the Politico piece promoting Romney buzz.

Clearly AOL wants McCain and the GOP to lose the general elction — hence they gladly promote Romney (no mention of Palin).

Also, CNN had Romney — kind of out of the blue — attacking Obama. Again, CNN, wanting McCain and the GOP to lose, gladly promotes Romney (to attempt to avert the Palin threat).

All the media frenzy which will surround the remarkable Palin “story” — essentially free to McCain — will be worth millions and millions of dollars of coverage and PR (more money than Romney would provide anyway).

[Shawn Macomber]

Ted, your last name wouldn't happen to be...Turner, would it? Admit it and we'll have a real scoop!