"Sen. John McCain is co-hosting a fundraiser for his former 2008 Republican primary rival Mitt Romney next Wednesday in Phoenix."Those Arizonans wishing to attend the VIP reception will have to cough up $3,000 each, making the $300 per plate luncheon seem like something of a bargain in comparison. Proceeds go to Romney's Free and Strong America PAC.
The two men fought like tomcats during the 2008 GOP primary, but Politico's Ben Smith figures that this is McCain's way of thanking Mitt for being "a very good soldier" in the general election.
Allahpundit opines:
"The politic thing to do would have been to hold off on fundraisers for anyone else until he’s done one for Sarah PAC. Although that, of course, presumes that Sarah PAC wants him for a fundraiser, which it may not. Given the base’s contempt for McCain and the ‘Cuda’s emerging positioning as a libertarian populist in 2012, the Maverick brand may be something she’s trying to edge away from."conservative brother -- who also "senses an anti-Palin motive behind it" -- wonders if McCain's support could be "the kiss of death" for Mitt politically:
"Trust me when I say this. McCain picked Sarah Palin out of necessity not out of desire. The same way half the McCain campaign camp resented Sarah, I believe John felt and still does feel the same way. If Sarah Palin does run for the Republican nomination, her biggest opponent will be Mitt Romney. If John and Mitt are indeed teaming up in a preemptive strike against a possible Palin candidacy, their strategy is going be backfire. Most of McCain's support last year came from people who supported Sarah Palin and those who didn't want to vote for Barack Obama. I talked to a lot of people last year who voted for McCain, and none of them voted for McCain, because they liked him. He was nothing more then the 'anyone but Obama' candidate."As Allah says, the more distance Sarah Palin can put between herself and John McCain right now, the better for her future political prospects. In her Hong Kong speech, Sarah identified herself with the grassroots movement which gave rise to the town halls and tea parties, and these activists don't have much use for McCain.
- JP
JP,
ReplyDeleteShe also distanced herself from McCain in Hong Kong by supporting the F-22, a program McCain voted to defund, aligning himself with Obama. In any case, Gov. Palin would draw far more people at a rally without McCain than with him. He, I believe, would repel would-be rally attendees.
Doug Brady
I think that McCain's support for Romney could well result in Obama's reelection. And elaborate on why here.
ReplyDeleteWhat I don't say there is that I think the only Republican who can neutralize the class-warfare aspect Obama is someone like Sarah Palin. Any country-club Republican, by accident of his birth, is going to play right into the class-warriors' hands.