What if McCain named Fred as his VP?
posted at 4:03 pm on January 21, 2008 by Allahpundit
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A follow-up to Bryan’s post yesterday. Note well the results of Ruffini’s poll: Fred’s continued presence in the race is killing Romney, especially in Florida where he’s got double digits banked but probably won’t do better than fourth or fifth. If Huckabee was still a threat to win it’d be worth having Thompson around to take votes from him too, but he isn’t so it isn’t. All Huck is now is a stalking horse for McCain, lingering on to bleed social con votes from Mitt; if Fred stays in he’s playing the same part, a ball and chain on Romney’s other ankle in the first primary where Maverick can’t rely on Democrats and independents to push him through. Some Fredheads are fantasizing about him trudging along in hopes of a brokered convention, where he’d end up being the compromise candidate. So a guy who not only couldn’t win a primary but couldn’t do better than third place and the mid-teens even in the south is going to be The Man in November? Sounds like a plan.
The Politico piece linked above speculates that McCain may promise the VP slot to Huckabee to stay in but he’s got enough problems with conservatives that he can’t afford another “centrist” on the ticket. So … how about Fred? I hear that Rich Galen, one of Fred’s advisors, was pitching the idea on Fox News radio this a.m. He’d give McCain instant credibility with the base, especially on immigration, and the Fredheads would thrill to the possibility of McCain retiring after one term, leaving their guy the presumptive nominee in 2012. Problems: (1) Fred said months ago, if I recall correctly, that he didn’t want to be anyone’s VP; (2) McCain may not want a guy on the ticket whose candidacy disappointed so many; (3) given Fred’s reputation as the Republican Mycroft Holmes, you’re guaranteed another eight months of “lazy campaigner” memes from the media.
Let’s see if this is worth Maverick’s while. Vote on it below. Obviously this is based on the assumption that McCain’s going to emerge from Florida as the “moderate” alternative to Mitt. If Rudy beats him there, it’s a three-man race. Interestingly, if Rudy doesn’t beat him there, he’ll probably stagger on to Super Tuesday anyway just because New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut are in play. (Or is it too late?) And if so, to the extent that he’d be pulling moderates from McCain, he’d be a stalking horse himself — for Mitt Romney.
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Long standing HA tradition! I get to leave a comment!!!
csdeven on January 21, 2008 at 4:05 PM
From Rasmussen today
Personally I have finally made up my mind. I will vote for Fred in the Ohio May primary. No matter what I will vote for the only conservative in the race rathre than the 4 rinos.
The party may make one of the other 4 our nominee but I wont join in the insanity.
William Amos on January 21, 2008 at 4:06 PM
Allah, you dumba$$! Fred’s employing the vaunted “waiting in the weeds” strategy!
/s
Bwahahahaha!!!
csdeven on January 21, 2008 at 4:07 PM
The most likely outcome is McCain/Thompson for the R nomination at this point (after a primary has been held in every region of the country - North, South, Midwest, West).
ThackerAgency on January 21, 2008 at 4:08 PM
Don’t those two have a combined age of about 140 years?
I believe I just answered your question.
MB4 on January 21, 2008 at 4:08 PM
Either one, McCain or Romney have to nominate Fred if they want to win.
Ropera on January 21, 2008 at 4:08 PM
From the link above:
“No compromise with the main purpose, no peace till victory, no pact with unrepentant wrong.” —Churchill
Which means - no to McCain. Period.
emailnuevo on January 21, 2008 at 4:09 PM
I would actually lose a lot of respect for Fred if he accepted an invitation from McCain. If Fred drops out there are only hardcore Dems and Dem Lites® left.
Just A Grunt on January 21, 2008 at 4:10 PM
McCain ‘08.
Baraka on January 21, 2008 at 4:10 PM
Yet by extension, you will be party to the dems taking this country into a socialist nightmare.
csdeven on January 21, 2008 at 4:11 PM
I just said I will vote for the only conservative in the race. Its not my fault if others vote for McCain or Romney or Huck. I will not fall for the ploy anymore of casting a vote to prevent someone else from winning. I wont play that game anymore. I want to vote for who I believe in not for a “stop the candidate” vote.
William Amos on January 21, 2008 at 4:14 PM
“No, I’ll never vote for McCain no matter who his VP is”
Go ye, doom your country. I can’t believe people would be so dumb as to give away the Presidency to Socialist Democrats out of absurd McCain hatred. What a bunch of losers - who are currently in the majority.
Baphomet on January 21, 2008 at 4:14 PM
Fred’s in it to win it, Allah. He’s NOT a stalking horse. He’s NOT a spoiler. He is a candidate for POTUS not VPOTUS.
And until he is OFFICIALLY OUT- HE IS MY CANDIDATE!!!
Do You Hear THAT Allah and Bryan?
NO MCSHAMNESTY!!!! NOT EVER!!!
Ex-tex on January 21, 2008 at 4:14 PM
McCain is our closest thing to the Socialist Democrats. Campaign finance reform infringes upon free speech, his amnesty plan would have destroyed the nation - and you think it’s immoral to refuse to support him? On the contrary, it’s the only moral thing to do.
emailnuevo on January 21, 2008 at 4:16 PM
I damn sure will.
benjamin on January 21, 2008 at 4:17 PM
BELIEVE IT. THIS conservative (and MANY others) will NEVER VOTE RINO again.
Maybe YOU better KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN YOU VOTE!
Ex-tex on January 21, 2008 at 4:17 PM
Fred might have flunked “Running For President 101″ but come on! No candidate says “Yeah I will take Veep”.
Is your (usual flawless) cynicism engine on the fritz?
Did you sustain a head injury this weekend?
Signed,
Concerned in Chicago.
liberrocky on January 21, 2008 at 4:17 PM
Meh. We’ve heard this all before. “Rally around such-and-such or we’re dooooooooooomed!!!!!!!!111″
Baraka on January 21, 2008 at 4:17 PM
That is admirable, but it wont give you any credibility to complain about the outcome.
csdeven on January 21, 2008 at 4:18 PM
Personally, I wouldn’t give Fred the VP nomination regardless of who the nominee is.
It would seem to me like you’re rewarding a guy who basically went through the motions during his so-called “campaign,” and did not exhibit ANY “fire in the belly.”
asc85 on January 21, 2008 at 4:18 PM
Keep that in mind it applies to more than just me
William Amos on January 21, 2008 at 4:19 PM
And by “doomed” they apparently mean “the Democrats win the White House in this election cycle.”
Baraka on January 21, 2008 at 4:19 PM
It’s a shame Mitt Romney is so rich. If he was only using his campaign money, he would be broke and ready to leave the election by now. Then all his support would go to Rudy and he would knock out McCain!
froghat on January 21, 2008 at 4:20 PM
If Fred endorses McCain I will try not to laugh too hard at the Fred Heads who claim that Fred is the one true conservative in the race and assert that voting for anyone but Fred is a breach of conservative principles.
Buy Danish on January 21, 2008 at 4:20 PM
Just curious, do you ever think for yourself?
Ex-tex on January 21, 2008 at 4:20 PM
The same could be made for your argument
geckomon on January 21, 2008 at 4:20 PM
But doesn’t he say that he doesn’t so much want to be president, as he thinks it’s necessary for him to be president? If that’s the case, then wouldn’t he go along with a VP slot, if it’s what the people want, so to speak?
Frozen Tex on January 21, 2008 at 4:20 PM
Romney’s in 1st in the poll, but the analysis of that poll leads Allah to believe that he probably won’t do better than 4th or 5th? How does first project to 4th or 5th? (or am I reading that wrong?)
JustTruth101 on January 21, 2008 at 4:21 PM
Well, I think it’s time we ask ourselves if we still know the freedoms that were intended for us by the Founding Fathers….If we lose freedom here, there is no place to escape to. This is the last stand on Earth. And this idea that government is beholden to the people, that it has no other source of power except to sovereign people, is still the newest and most unique idea in all the long history of man’s relation to man. This is the issue of this election. Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.
’nuff said. No one but Fred!
ihasurnominashun on January 21, 2008 at 4:22 PM
What these Fredheads forget is that Mitt, McCain, Rudy (?), and Huck are going to show up at the convention with more delegates than Fred, and will not just collectively decide to give Fred the nod. He who holds the delegates holds the power. There’s no way Fred is nominated in a brokered convention if he is way behind in the delegate count, as he is likely to be.
Big S on January 21, 2008 at 4:22 PM
Considering the national security issues at stake in this election, threatening to sit things out if McCain is the nominee is just plain dumb.
SWLiP on January 21, 2008 at 4:22 PM
Doesn’t matter to me who picks who for VP. I’ll vote based on who I want sitting in the big chair.
Limerick on January 21, 2008 at 4:23 PM
I would never vote McCain. Even if GOD was his running mate.
CABE on January 21, 2008 at 4:23 PM
ill not vote for a rino period. no matter the vp.
the party left me.
if we collectively keep voting for the “lesser of two evils” to keep the dems from being pres. were empowering our party to go further left. what is so hard to see ?
we dont get a conservative in office by continually saying (by vote) its “ok to not be conservative” as long as its not a D by their name.
palefaced on January 21, 2008 at 4:23 PM
Allah post the above which is similar to what I commented earlier today. Fred seems to be on some (emphasized for csdeven sake) minds to be the VP.
Do we all secretly desire Fred in Washington despite how we feel about his campaign?
geckomon on January 21, 2008 at 4:23 PM
Mccain would not pick Fred anyway.
If he picks anyone of the candidates as his VP(assuming he wins) it will have to be Huck… Huck has the huge following what does fred have??
HaraldHardrada on January 21, 2008 at 4:24 PM
I think he’s talking about Fred.
Baraka on January 21, 2008 at 4:24 PM
Thx, I see that now.
JustTruth101 on January 21, 2008 at 4:25 PM
SurveyUSA poll in for FL
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=4f0c993c-0669-4011-93c1-097cfdf1e0d4
McCain 25%
Rudy 20%
Mitt 19%
But look at the internals
bnelson44 on January 21, 2008 at 4:25 PM
Has Allah been right about anything so far??
Fred is still in, Fred has not endorsed anyone, Fred has no interest in being VP. Frednecks STILL support Fred. And in a brokered convention situation, my money’s on Fred.
Ex-tex on January 21, 2008 at 4:25 PM
What if it was Chuck Norris?
Baraka on January 21, 2008 at 4:26 PM
Completely academic, McCain can’t win against any Democrat no matter who his VP is.
If Huck or McCain are the nominee, every Republican vote nationwide will be a waste of time.
Speakup on January 21, 2008 at 4:26 PM
McCain would not pick Huck for anything.
bnelson44 on January 21, 2008 at 4:26 PM
(4) A ticket in November with an average age of 69 will turn off a lot of voters who think that McCain would be acceptable were his Vice President much younger.
calbear on January 21, 2008 at 4:26 PM
If Fred is McCain’s veep, the wrong person is at the head of the ticket. I could only vote for McCain if I knew he had a terminal illness and one year to live. Over all most voters (not political junkies like us) have no idea who vice presidents are. Most can’t name the current sitting VP, let alone John Kerry’s running mate, or Al Gore’s, or Walter Mondale’s. To the average voter Fred wouldn’t do anything to give Romney extra votes.
I don’t think Fred would be good as Mitt’s veep either, while Fred has good conservative credentials. I expect Romney to pick a VP who shores up his military credentials (Gen. Tommy Frank/ Gen. Petreaus) or someone who makes the Democrats spend money where they otherwise wouldn’t have to (JC Watts). If Obama doesn’t get the nomination or the VP slot, look for Romney to make Watts his veep. Barack has gotten a lot of votes from whites who want to be a part of history, look for the Romney campaign to tap into that. As well black resentment to the Democrat party should Obama lose the nomination. Watts would give Romney a former baptist preacher on the ticket (not named Huckabee), as well as a true blue conservative, and spark media interest, and make the Dems spend money in places they otherwise wouldn’t have to. Thus making the VP very relevant indeed.
joncoltonis on January 21, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Well who doesn’t say that? And who doesn’t have to accept the offer if it comes?
But it won’t. It doesn’t make much geographical sense and it’d just be too much af an ancient white man ticket.
Romney really makes a lot more sense. And while it’s true they probably hate each other, well…JFK and LBJ weren’t exactly buds.
Typhoon on January 21, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Class.
geckomon on January 21, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Huck will not pick Mccain to be his VP!
HaraldHardrada on January 21, 2008 at 4:27 PM
That is not what the Head to Head polls say.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/national.html
bnelson44 on January 21, 2008 at 4:27 PM
AP left out a comma.
Baraka on January 21, 2008 at 4:28 PM
It’s so simple. Why can’t true conservative see that. What is the point of winning when you lose everything in the process?
ihasurnominashun on January 21, 2008 at 4:28 PM
To be fair, the Thompson supporters haven’t exactly been all that accurate in their predictions thus far, either. I seem to remember a lot of talk about Thompson winning South Carolina.
Slublog on January 21, 2008 at 4:29 PM
Hence, the perfect VP candidate…he could join the ranks of Barkley, Agnew, Mondale, Quayle, Gore, Rockefeller, Cheney,…(thanks to Google, who the heck remembers all of the VP’s?)
Of course, Nixon, Ford, Bush, Johnson, Truman, started out there also.
right2bright on January 21, 2008 at 4:30 PM
I doubt that the person who wrote this actually believes it. Every Democrat I have heard from says that he or she would definitely vote for McCain over Hillary, and most say that they would probably vote for McCain over Obama.
SWLiP on January 21, 2008 at 4:30 PM
As I said on another thread, would a Hitler/Roosevelt ticket be acceptable during WWII?
Igor R. on January 21, 2008 at 4:30 PM
Oh wonderful, another opportunity for the usual suspects to display extreme MDS (McCain Derangement Syndrome). For example:
In other words, McCain is Hitler, against whom total war is justified.
Keep it up, and they’ll start calling this joint “HateAir.”
CK MacLeod on January 21, 2008 at 4:30 PM
Do you have to?
right2bright on January 21, 2008 at 4:30 PM
McCain is worse than Hillary.
Igor R. on January 21, 2008 at 4:31 PM
Fred didn’t impress me. He’s smart but he is untested and unaccomplished with no executive experience. I would want someone younger for VP. Someone who could be a potential successor. Romney will get the nomination and I don’t see him picking someone who hasn’t been on his team by now.
Romney-DeMint 2008!!!
Greenhorn on January 21, 2008 at 4:31 PM
Have to what, exactly?
Slublog on January 21, 2008 at 4:31 PM
Just came across a great video regarding McCain
Great video regarding McCain’s doublespeak on amnesty
Spread the word…
truthmattersfa on January 21, 2008 at 4:31 PM
Romney/Thompson - pretty good chance of veto of Shamnesty.
McCain/Thompson - Thompson won’t be offered, nor would he take it.
McCain/anyone - guaranteed vote for Shamnesty.
Defeating Shamnesty would be EASIER with a Dem. POTUS than with McCain. Hillary as POTUS would really shut down the Capitol switchboard.
Watch this video if you are a McCain fan. I dare you.
And then see this evidence of a proven successful policy that McCain rejects!
fred5678 on January 21, 2008 at 4:31 PM
McCain IS indeed Hitler, because Shamnesty means total annihilation of this country.
Igor R. on January 21, 2008 at 4:32 PM
As I mentioned in another thread, JERI Thompson might help McCain’s ticket–she’s young, attractive, conservative, female, and an excellent speaker. The perfect foil for McCain’s wrinkly old white guyness. But not Fred. Two wrinkly old white guys against the “young, dynamic female/minority candidate of change” on the Dem side? Nope. A sure loser, no matter how fantastic we might think Fred is.
A real conservative on the ticket also doesn’t help undo all McCain’s past betrayals of the base. I’ll vote for him if he’s the nominee, but I won’t be happy about it, and his VP choice won’t change that.
aero on January 21, 2008 at 4:32 PM
This is the awakening that is needed throughout the party.
That is if this is what the party wants. If core conservatism is not what the GOP majority wants, then I no longer want to be a part of the GOP. For the record I don’t think it will come to that though, too much of an extreme scenario.
geckomon on January 21, 2008 at 4:32 PM
Not even close. Look here:
http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Hillary_Clinton.htm
http://www.ontheissues.org/John_McCain.htm
bnelson44 on January 21, 2008 at 4:32 PM
This attitude is the exact mirror of liberals who say that our country is unworthy of fighting for because we don’t recognize gay marriage. If you allow your antipathy for McCain to put Hillary or Obama in office, our enemies will laugh at us.
SWLiP on January 21, 2008 at 4:33 PM
Whoever Fred endorses will have to deal with every issue that Fred had as a candidate. That doesn’t bode well because as we have seen Fred couldn’t get past those issues with the base. He certainly will have probelems in the general also.
csdeven on January 21, 2008 at 4:33 PM
I say Romney goes, and Fred gets his votes!
Iblis on January 21, 2008 at 4:33 PM
Fred should use tomorrow to simply say one thing; he’ll wait for a large number of GOP voters to weigh in. Not 5% plus equal numbers of pundits and polls. He should stay in until Feb 5th.
And Allah: after all is said and done, if there is a knock on your door and you find Fred standing there with an axe handle, don’t bother running; you’ll just die tired. /humor :))
michaelo on January 21, 2008 at 4:33 PM
the absolute ignorance of the
volsense on January 21, 2008 at 4:34 PM
Romney-DeMint will be a great ticket. DeMint is the very best the Republican Party has to offer. Too bad he didn’t run for President this time.
Igor R. on January 21, 2008 at 4:34 PM
Jeri Thompson/MKH ‘08!
Baraka on January 21, 2008 at 4:34 PM
This statement reflects a shockingly poor understanding of Hitler.
SWLiP on January 21, 2008 at 4:36 PM
Rare occasion, I agree with HH - it also w/b the ticket from he*l, and a sure loser for the country, and in Nov.
If Fred endorses McCain, our “affair” is over, not that it’s already barely luke-warm.
Entelechy on January 21, 2008 at 4:36 PM
The absolute ignorance of those who feel McCain is the only hope of the Republican Party aganist Hillary is totally misguided. He is a liberal Trojan horse and will make no effort to push conservative principles.
volsense on January 21, 2008 at 4:36 PM
On Fox now……Duncan Hunter endorses……
Awwwwww…he’s gonna wait and see who is best on national defense, boarders, etc.
One problem with Romney……Bain Capital is partnering with an outlaw Chinese firm to buy a defense contractor. So, he will not endorse Mitt.
He likes HuckaGibot and McCain.
He should have stopped at his comments on Mitt. Considering HuckaGibot and McShamnesty leaves him with zero credibility.
csdeven on January 21, 2008 at 4:37 PM
I care about only a small number of things, and his obsession with Amnesty is stronger than Hillary’s pro-Amnesty position. And Hillary can get the blame for destroying the economy and be replaced with a normal President.
Igor R. on January 21, 2008 at 4:38 PM
The only way McShame could win is if he has Huck on the ticket!
Mccain/Huckabee wins…Mccain overjoyed upon winning after all these years kicks the bucket upon inauguration, leaving Huckabee as the sitting president.
Huck wins the next two elections and is president for a total of 12 years!
Plenty of time to Huck to make us energy independent, win the war on terror, abolish the income tax and outlaw abortion and gay marriage!
HaraldHardrada on January 21, 2008 at 4:38 PM
True, but I hold myself accountable before blaming anyone else.
csdeven on January 21, 2008 at 4:38 PM
I’ll bet money that Fred will not endorse anybody or take a VP slot.
Baraka on January 21, 2008 at 4:39 PM
I find it very highly unlikely that Fred would accept a VP offer. It’s pretty obvious that he wasn’t running to fulfill an ambition-driven need for power or legitimacy. Why would he settle for the largely ceremonial VP slot when he wasn’t all that excited about being President?
Hollowpoint on January 21, 2008 at 4:39 PM
Come what may, if Fred served to squish Huckabee in SC, his effort was not for naught.
Entelechy on January 21, 2008 at 4:39 PM
No, in other words, you do not, under any circumstances sacrifice your principles for an easy out. You do not nominate McCain because you believe he’ll win over the “independents” (or as I like to call them, Democrats).
Yes, we are ideologically at war with people like McCain, people who are not conservatives. If we are the Republican party, then we stand for Republican principles. We do not cave and nominate the guy we think will win them over, because they’ll already have the guy who’ll win them over, so why would they vote for (R) guy over a (D)? It’s completely preposterous.
No giving in. No voting for McCain, or any other “Republicans.” Vote for conservatives.
(And no calling actual conservatives hateful.)
emailnuevo on January 21, 2008 at 4:39 PM
Wow.
Slublog on January 21, 2008 at 4:39 PM
Because, once you lose, it is so much harder to win it back. It is easier to win the next election with a Republican in the office.
You won’t be looking at 4 years of libs, at least 8 years.
1969-77:Republicans–8 yrs.
1977-81:Dems–4 yrs.
1981-93: Republicans–12 yrs.
1993-01: Dems–8 yrs.
1001-08: Republicans–8 yrs.
The odds are, 8 years to whomever wins this…you are willing to go 8 years with a Dem? If you think McCain is anywhere near an Obama or Hillary, you haven’t done your research. They may have some (unfortunately) areas of cross-over, but the planks of both parties are very different…education, health care, socialism, and whatever weakness (read immigration) McCain has, it is magnified ten-fold by any democrat.
right2bright on January 21, 2008 at 4:39 PM
You just showed a rock solid conservative in Duncan Hunter saying he will not back Mitt. It isnt just me who has doubts about the golden boy
William Amos on January 21, 2008 at 4:40 PM
I have an excellent understanding of Hitler as many of my relatives were killed by him. I’m speaking about what McCain will do to this country, and that is destroy it faster than Hitler ever could. A weak hand on the inside can do a lot more damage than a crazy strong hand on the outside.
Igor R. on January 21, 2008 at 4:40 PM
Have the Fredheads ever let the facts get in the way of a trip into fantasy land?
csdeven on January 21, 2008 at 4:41 PM
My picks on VPs (to give them what they are weak on):
McCain - Michael Steele
Romney - Kay Bailey Hutchinson
michaelo on January 21, 2008 at 4:41 PM
That’s not the argument that we’re having, here. I’d personally prefer a Fred presidency, but it looks very unlikely to happen. My number one issue is the war. I think that surrendering in Iraq, and appeasing our enemies in Iran and Syria, would have disastrous consequences that would take a generation to overcome.
McCain may be wrong on a host of issues, but he’s right on the war. That’s reason enough for me to vote for him if he’s our nominee.
SWLiP on January 21, 2008 at 4:41 PM
I did.
I wish I hadn’t.
MB4 on January 21, 2008 at 4:41 PM
HaraldHardrada on January 21, 2008 at 4:38 PM
Our affair lasted but a few minutes.
Entelechy on January 21, 2008 at 4:41 PM
I will ONLY vote CONSERVATIVE.
NO MORE RINOs.
EVER.
If there is NO conservative candidate- I WILL NOT VOTE.
Ex-tex on January 21, 2008 at 4:42 PM
Plenty of time to Huck to make us energy independent, win the war on terror, abolish the income tax and outlaw abortion and gay marriage!
Wow.
Slublog on January 21, 2008 at 4:39 PM
Plenty of time
tofor Huck to make us energy independent, win the war on terror, abolish the income tax and outlaw abortion and gay marriage!fixed
HaraldHardrada on January 21, 2008 at 4:42 PM
Then I’d vote for the SOB before I’d vote for O’Bambama And Billary.
Griz on January 21, 2008 at 4:42 PM
Swell. It’s not enough for me.
Ex-tex on January 21, 2008 at 4:43 PM
Somehow that chapter was missing from my history book.
(I know what you meant, but it was too inviting.)
emailnuevo on January 21, 2008 at 4:43 PM
Hillary will not surrender on Iran. Mubarack Hussein Obama will, so he is worse than McCain, but Hillary will not. Her main problem is weakening of the military, which McCain will not do, but there is only so much she can do in four years.
Igor R. on January 21, 2008 at 4:43 PM
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