Can Romney buy the VP nomination?
MITT ROMNEY is running for vice president.
He recently decided he would not seek donations to repay the $45 million in personal loans he made to his failed presidential campaign so he could instead concentrate on raising millions for John McCain.
In effect, his write-off is the largest personal in-kind campaign contribution in history.
Coincidentally, sources in the McCain campaign say Romney has been rising as a prospective vice presidential pick. One told Politico that Romney could raise $50 million from business associates and fellow Mormons.
Money is the root of all politics, but picking Romney would be very costly for McCain.
Romney has his good points, but, as was said about Sonny Liston, the controversial heavyweight boxer, "It's his bad points that aren't so good."
During the primaries, McCain considered Romney an opportunist who would say or do anything to get elected. Of Romney he said, "Never get into a wrestling match with a pig. You both get dirty, and the pig likes it."
Will McCain flip for a flip-flopper?
Romney is a fabled flip-flopper, changing from mild-mannered moderate to indignant conservative. McCain sarcastically told Romney, "You are the candidate of change."
If McCain picked Romney he'd seem like a flip-flopper himself.
And Romney, as the loyal running mate, would have to flip back to positions he had flopped from before. His rhetorical contortions would be comical to reporters but dispiriting to Republicans.
Indeed, selecting Romney would inspire endless mockery. A blogger wrote that having Romney as VP would keep McCain young: "Imagine the White House sort of like Inspector Clouseau's place in the 'Pink Panther,' with his man-servant Kato trying to kill him all the time, just to keep him sharp."
McCain can't delegate the economy.
Bush strategist Karl Rove said picking Romney "helps McCain deal with the economy, because he can speak with (sic) the economy with fluency that McCain doesn't have."
That's why Bob Dole picked Jack Kemp as his running mate. However, it doesn't work. When the VP candidate outshines the would-be president, both lose.
McCain needs a running mate who will complement his strengths, not one who, by contrast, will highlight his weaknesses. That's why Romney's matinee idol looks and slick salesmanship would also hurt McCain. The comparison doesn't flatter McCain.
Romney wouldn't fly as an economic superhero anyway. His success with Bain Capital impressed Republicans, but a different story would be told by Democrats. In industrial swing states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio they'd cite what The Boston Globe reported in a series about Romney: "Maximizing the financial return to investors can mean slashing jobs, closing plants, and moving production overseas."
McCain admitted he wasn't too knowledgeable about economics. Romney doesn't relate to the working poor. Democrats would recycle the joke, "Which is worse, ignorance or apathy? I don't know and I don't care." They'd lampoon McCain-Romney as "I don't know and I don't care."
McCain doesn't need a religious debate.
Romney spoke about religion and politics, declaring "my faith is the faith of my fathers." Then he lost Iowa. The reality was that 24 to 37 percent of voters in national polls said they would not vote for a Mormon presidential candidate. Yes, there's prejudice.
Would some Democrats question Romney's religious beliefs to avenge smears about Barack Obama being a Muslim and to sway evangelicals who call Mormonism a cult? Would they decry Mormon practices that discriminated against blacks and women? Does a bear sleep in the woods?
McCain needs non-Republicans.
McCain needs to win independents, but Romney is considered partisan and polarizing.
And McCain needs to do better with Hispanics to carry swing states such as Florida, Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico. But many Latinos view Romney as a demagogue on illegal immigration.
Democratic pols would love to have a McCain-Romney ticket to reinforce the stereotype that the GOP is for older, Caucasian, multimillionaire men with multiple mansions.
McCain needs a reformer for VP.
Romney was not a real reform governor. He got bored with the job.
Fortunately, there are conscientious, conservative reformers who'd make good running mates: Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, Florida Governor Charlie Crist, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas . . .
They don't have moneybags, but neither do they carry heavy baggage.
Todd Domke is a Boston area Republican political analyst, public relations strategist, and author. 