By Bruce DuMont
February 7, 2008
Mitt Romney took time for a reality check Thursday and is now planning his future. His withdrawal from the Republican race before fellow conservatives in Washington serves his party and John McCain well. He knows the GOP is historically friendly to those who wait. It should not take Mike Huckabee much time to come to the same conclusion.
Huckabee hopes a call for Vice President is in the offing. But Romney actually is McCain’s better choice for running mate. If McCain really wants to be like Reagan -- act like him, by choosing a primary opponent who blasted you time and time again. Remember George H. W. Bush calling Reagan’s economic ideas “voodoo economics”? The Gipper forgave Bush.
Romney would bring energy and solid economic credentials to the ticket, bolstering a McCain weakness. With McCain clearly comfortable as Commander in Chief, a McCain-Romney ticket would be a solid GOP alternative to a Clinton-Obama or Obama-Clinton “dream ticket”. Sure that “dream ticket” has already passed muster with the Hollywood elite at the Kodak Theater, but is such a ticket really a dream for Hispanics?
Regardless of the Democratic standard bearer this year, the General Election will pit change vs. experience.
But if Romney is passed over for veep he must do something else dramatic to stay in the public eye and he must expand his base.
On Super Duper Tuesday night Romney remarked that he won every state where he has lived -- Michigan, Utah and Massachusetts. Since he obviously likes to travel -- why not try Illinois next?
The Illinois Republican party is in shambles and looking for a candidate for Governor in 2010. Romney would bring his big wallet to the campaign and could likely bridge the bitter gap in the state GOP between social conservatives and the country club set. His newfound Chicago (or Lake Forest) address could pay other benefits as well.
Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley desperately wants the Olympics for his city to crown his political career. Who knows how to do that better than Romney? Chicago could use a few more pros on its Olympic bid team.
If Romney could help deliver the Olympics to Chicago, he would surely have Daley as his new best friend. Daley then could possibly take a dive in 2010 should Democrat Governor Rod Blagojevich run for a third term. Republican Governors have usually been favored by Chicago’s City Hall.
As a precursor to helping bring the Olympics to Chicago and perhaps running for Illinois Governor, Romney could use his considerable skills in turning around the troubled, near-dead and always warring Republican Party in Illinois. If he can do that he’ll earn another bullet point for his resume -- the Nobel Peace Prize!
Bruce DuMont
Host - Beyond the Beltway
