What We Will Learn About John McCain

John McCain has made up his mind about his VP pick and we will soon know much about the man by whom he chooses. Here's how I'll look at the choice:

If McCain picks Lieberman it means that he is feeling frisky and wants a major fight with the right side of his party at the convention and an all-out brawl wherein delegates swat Lieberman away ala Harriet Miers, will ensue.

If he picks Ridge it will be for the same reason-to show the Right who's in charge, and though the convention would be unlikely to reject the choice, it would probably mean not a few conservatives staying home in November.

If he picks Romney, he will have calculated that Evangelicals, freaked out by his Mormonism and who might stay home would only lower his totals in red states that he'd win anyway, and that this would be offset by the fact that he'd pick up Michigan, maybe even Massachusetts and a lot of Mormon campaign money.

If he picks Pawlenty, he's thinking long term, wanting to leave a legacy behind after he's gone, by picking a young, relatively malleable guy who is conservative enough and will carry McCainism (whatever that is) into the future. He may also pick up MN's electoral votes.

If he picks Kay Bailey Hutchison it will be a bold play for disenfranchised Hillary voters and conservatives are unlikely to holler too loud since despite her pro-choice rhetoric, her voting record has been pretty solidly anti-abortion.

Comments

[joeyd]

Please someone tell me why the media keeps using the word maverick to
compare with McCain. Then you wonder why foreign countries get confuse
learning the English language. Anyhow, to me a maverick was an American car
"past time." Oh, I get it, maverick = American car past time = 72 yr old
Mcain, another past time to come soon.

[spiderbucket]

McCain = Bush
Bush = Failure

[ppace60657]

He has to pick Palin, after Obama's speech last night he knows he's in for a tough fight. And he needs to try to get as many women on his side as possible. I have more faith in women than that, though, they won't vote against their self interests just because he has a woman on the ticket.

[mommadona]

Rumor Mill now has it as Sarah Palin (?????????) Alaska....goooooood grief.

[DaOne]

He's going with Abe Vigoda because wants someone younger on the ticket.

[LizM]

Well, all I can say is that whomever he chooses is a very brave person and I can't wait for the veep debates...what?...there's only one!?...that will be enough!

[johnwinner]

"McCainism (whatever that is) into the future"
Bush-Cheneyism.

[mommadona]

He'll go with Polenta...