Romney endorses McCain — and why it matters

February 14, 2008

They had sparred repeatedly up until very recently, but Mitt Romney, who ended his presidential bid last week, endorsed John McCain at an event in Boston this afternoon.

Those past disagreements are almost certain to be glossed over later this afternoon when Romney offers his seal of approval for McCain. But given the animosity between the men, why is Romney endorsing? And what does it mean for the race?

The first question is the easier to answer. Romney clearly believes he has a bright political future and wants to make sure he is seen by rank-and-file Republicans as a loyal footsoldier for the cause, not a self-centered whiner. By standing with McCain, Romney shows that the primary race is water under the bridge (even if he really doesn’t believe that) and that he is putting the good of the party before his own self interest. (The move is not dissimilar to McCain’s work to elect and reelect George W. Bush following his own bitter loss in 2000.) It’s the first major step to a second Romney presidential bid in either 2012 or 2016.

That’s all true, of course, but I think there’s a practical angle that’s just as significant. Romney earned 286 delegates during his campaign, and he wants them all to go to McCain. Given that the Arizona senator started the day with 827, he’ll now have 1,113 delegates.

The “magic number” at which McCain formally clinches the nomination is 1,191, meaning that Huckabee would have to win practically everything between now and the end of the nominating process to prevent McCain from getting the party’s nod.

Since that isn’t going to happen, Romney’s support effectively seals the deal and ends the race. We knew that, of course, but as of this morning, McCain was still saying of the former Arkansas governor, “Of course, I would like for him to withdraw today; it would be much easier.” As of this afternoon, it’s easier anyway.

A McCain/Romney ticket? Curiouser and curiouser this becomes….

  • I’m suprised Romney didn’t do it sooner just to get back at Huckabee for siphoning votes from him.

    When Huckabee says “he didn’t major in math but in miracles” is he trying to say that he thinks he could get the nomination if McCain drops dead? I do.

  • A McCain/Romney ticket is impossible. The worst possible situation for a president is to have a graspingly ambitious vice president always looking to hog the credit or undermine the administration to save up chits for when it’s his/her turn to run.

    This problem would be worse for McCain/Romney because McCain’s party already hates him and Romney is such a douchebag that any expectation of loyalty is laughable.

  • “This problem would be worse for McCain/Romney because McCain’s party already hates him and Romney is such a douchebag that any expectation of loyalty is laughable.”

    That’s pretty good, skeptik!

  • I know that Republicans have strange ways of doing things, but now are Romney’s delegates bound by the rules to vote for McCain? A lot of Romney’s voters loathe McCain. Giving McCain all of Romney’s delegates on Romney’s command seems extremely wrong and unfair.

    But it’s Republicans that we’re talking about here.

  • Romney delegates: Please, PLEASE do not throw your support to a candidate who is NOT conservative in ANY way! For the good of this country, do what is right, abide by your principles, and support Governor Mike Huckabee. For a tough stance on illegal immigration, for a rejuvenated economy, for Second Amendment rights, for the sanctity of life, for a better America- please do what is right.

  • Beth –

    You are cracking me up. Romney and principles used in the same paragraph.

    I’m surprised that there aren’t more comments. This is significant. Just as Ronald Reagan ran for president and was laughed at. Mitt Romney is going into his bunker to re-tool. He will talk with everyone that is a conservative over the next 4 years. If McCain doesn’t win, and I don’t think that he will, Romney is hoping to run in 2012 or 2016. We haven’t come close to seeing the last of Mitt Romney. He will spend time at the Cato Institute and American Enterprise Institute. He will learn to walk the walk and talk the talk of a conservative.

    Mark my words. Romney will be one to deal with again.

  • “This is significant. Just as Ronald Reagan ran for president and was laughed at. Mitt Romney is going into his bunker to re-tool. He will talk with everyone that is a conservative over the next 4 years. If McCain doesn’t win, and I don’t think that he will, Romney is hoping to run in 2012 or 2016. We haven’t come close to seeing the last of Mitt Romney. He will spend time at the Cato Institute and American Enterprise Institute. He will learn to walk the walk and talk the talk of a conservative.

    Mark my words. Romney will be one to deal with again.”

    Agreed. Although I’m not so sure Romney will be trying to redefine himself as a conservative. I think he’ll devote his money to redefining conservative to mean people like him. As many people have pointed out over the last few months, the Republicans pushed the definition of “conservative” so far into left field over the years that nobody in their party could convincingly call himself one. Ron Paul’s domestic policy left a lot to be desired, but most of the campaign he was clearly the only sane person on the stage.

    What Romney will want to do is push the word “conservative” back into the mainstream, so that a conservative governor of a liberal state can look like an awesome Presidential candidate again. The good thing about Romney (from his own point of view) is that he was the one person running for the Republicans who would have looked perfectly acceptable as a conservative Democrat. That helped kill him this time out, but gives him better credentials in a saner political climate.

    Strangely enough, a Barack Obama presidency will help that happen. Just as Democrats who could triangulate to the right became the norm in the shadow of Reagan, the shadow of Obama will increase the value of a Republican who can triangulate to the left. And that is Mr. Romney.

  • Even though I still don’t see the logic in it (wasn’t Romney poised to chase the Republican nomination once again in 2012), I’d say he is the most plausible candidate for becoming McCain’s running mate. But that is purely because I haven’t got a clue who McCain should go for otherwise. I’m sure he’d love to go and run on a McLieberman ticket, but I can’t see the GOP support him in that.

    • Comments are closed.