One last semi-drunk/semi-hung over post before I grab a quick wink. The popular meme is that it will be Mike Huckabee, based on the deal the two reached to help send Mitt Romney into the Super-Duper Loseday death spiral. That is not exactly a sure thing. McCain doesn’t exactly need a lot of help in the South; he held his own south of the Mason-Dixon line. Further, Huckabee is a social conservative, and McCain is likely going to be drunk with delusions of grandeur since he (all-but-)won the nomination of the “conservative” party by spitting in the eyes of the conservatives, be they economic, governmental or social.
Rather, I suspect he will go with a moderate-to-liberal woman, probably Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe or Kay Bailey Hutchinson. Given there will be either a black man or a white woman at the head of the other ticket, he will be under intense pressure to respond in kind. Rudy Giuliani would be the RNC choice, given that the schedule was originally set up with him in mind, he is also a liberal, and he yielded and endorsed McCain to deliver the Northeast. However, he is a white guy, and that just won’t do. At last check, Colin Powell and Condelezza Rice, who would both be yet another spit in the eyes of conservatives, are not interested. Michael Steele and J.C. Watts, while qualifying on the minority front, are probably too conservative for McCain.
Thoughts? Suggestions? The comments are open.
I think McCain’s decision will be influenced by the D nominee. I tend to agree with your assessment if BO is the candidate. However, if Hill is the candidate, I think he gets much greater lattitude in his pick…perhaps even going for a white male! The reason he gets the lattitude is that Hill has about as many Ds unhappy with her as McCain has Rs with him. That gives him a much bigger pool of voters to win with that won’t give a rip who the VP is. That said, Tim Pawlenty (gov of MN)has been a name that has popped up as a possible running mate since McCain announced. Pawlenty would bring another squish conservative and would likely deliver my politically schizophrenic state to the R side of the ballot for the first time since Reagan.
Looks like Huckleberry sucked up to (McCain for) the VP job.
Remember my great prognostication…
Haley Barbour.
[…] that part of the Cheddarsphere here in southeastern Wisconsin have been speculating (although some are skeptical) on some kind of deal worked out between John McCain and Mike Huckabee in that Huckabee would […]
He needs to attract strong conservatives and Romney made the strongest impact at CPAC.