McCain-Romney?

Stephen H2 writes:

What would you say about a McCain-Romney ticket?

LA replies:

Do you mean its likelihood, its political effectiveness, or whether I would approve of it?

• Unlikely, given the poor “fit” between the two men. Apart from the fact that McCain dislikes Romney, Romney makes McCain look like the shrunken mediocrity he is. No presidential candidate wants a running mate who will outshine him. However, the fact that McCain is now making campaign appearances with Romney, as reported in the Washington Post item you sent, and that McCain lags badly in fund raising which Romney can help him with, may make it more likely.

• I suppose it would be politically effective in winning over some conservatives. Given Romney’s outstanding qualities, it could not help but strengthen the ticket. But also see my first point above. It would make McCain’s mediocrity stand out all the more and thus possibly hurt him.

• It would lower my opinion of Romney and would not make me supportive of McCain, for whom I would vote only if the Democratic candidate represented an existential threat to the country or the equivalent, say, the absolute certainty that the Democrat would turn America into a socialist country.. But I think if Republicans maintain their strength in Congress, we will be able to stop the worst legislative initiatives of a Hillary or an Obama, just as the minority Republicans in the Senate stopped the Clinton health finance bill in 1994.

Ed G. writes:

Impossible ticket. In order to win, McCain must win the South and get fundamentalist voters in other states. Romney being a Mormon will cause many of these voters to stay home on election day. I voted for Romney in the primary but his religion is a detriment for McCain’s ticket. The real role for Romney should be as Secretary of the Interior with a Special Assignment to make America energy independent within ten years. I believe he could do it.

LA replies:

I agree a cabinet post would be far more appropriate. Then he would have an independent area of responsibility. The VP is totally the creature of the POTUS. That would not work. McCain will pick someone subsevient to be his VP, like Lindsay Graham.

Stephen H2 replies:

Thank you for responding to my email. I have been reading your weblog for years on end already, and it is an honor to receive a note from you. Although we have never met, I consider you to be my intellectual mentor.

My family are fervent supporters of Mitt Romney, and these vague rumors about his “impending return” have literally breathed life, confidence and excitement into their hearts. I do not share their excitement, for the same reasons as you. If Romney does go down this road, I will have no choice but to concede that he is indeed the unabashed opportunist that many pundits believe him to be. It will prove beyond doubt that he stands for nothing and is essentially an artificial candidate who is not averse to assuming any shape his electorate desires most.

However, my father, among others, is firmly convinced that if McCain agrees to have Romney as his running mate—certainly an unlikely situation but a possibility we ought to consider nonetheless—Romney will be given an opportunity to shine, show off his strengths as well as invigorate the now dormant conservative movement. In four years conservatives will have a brilliant leader ready to rescue our nation from the excesses of liberalism (I dare not say “from liberalism” for it is a beast that is hard to slay). Does this make sense to you?

LA replies:

Thank you. It’s an honor to me.

It makes complete sense from Romney’s point of view. Romney wants to be president. If McCain gets elected with Romney as his VP, Romney immediately becomes the GOP establishment pick for 2012. If McCain loses, Romney still becomes a natural front runner for 2012. Becoming “establishment” also helps Romney overcome his strangeness, meaning his Mormonism, not being a regular guy, being too perfect, being plastic, etc., the litany of minor or non-existent flaws that caused many immature conservatives not to support him in the primaries even though he was by far the best available choice.

At the same time, however, Romney would tarnish himself, perhaps tarnish himself very badly, by being the creature and lieutenant of the conservative-hating McCain. How could he plausibly be the conservative leader after being McCain’s loyal VP? So I personally would recommend that he keep his independence, maintain his public profile, keep building his conservative credentials, and run again in 2012, as his own man and with his integrity intact. Unfortunately, I think that Romney is looking at this purely in a pragmatic sense. He wants to be president. He figures he gets the best chance to become president if he is McCain’s running mate.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at March 28, 2008 12:03 PM | Send