McCain Auditioning Potential VPs in Arizona?
The waiting-to-be-crowned Republican presidential nominee, John McCain, has invited potential running mates to his Arizona ranch this weekend for what some have described as a "vetting" process.
Expected guests at the weekend barbeque include Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Massachusetts governor and Republican presidential nominee rival Mitt Romney, outgoing EBAY CEO Meg Whitman, and FEDEX founder/CEO Fred Smith, according to MSNBC news.
Former GOP presidential rival Mike Huckabee was reportedly also invited, but declined the invitation to celebrate his anniversary, according to The Associated Press.
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McCain has denied the high-profile weekend get-together, with many high potential running mates, is anything other than a social gathering.
"It's just having a group of friends for Memorial Day weekend to visit us and enjoy one of the most beautiful places in America," McCain told reporters, according to Fox News. "It's no more and it's no less. I wanna assure you," he said.
Republican Party leaders have reportedly given measured approval to potential GOP vice presidential candidates Crist, Jindal, and Romney, whose younger age and experience as governor offer balance to the old age and 22-year Senate tenure of the 71-year-old John McCain, according to The New York Times.
"I'm very pleased to see that they're all governors," said Saul Anuzis, chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, according to the Times. "There's been a sense that it would be great to get someone outside of Washington and to get a governor in that second spot."
Romney is among the favorite picks of state party officials, who praise his fundraising ability, high national profile and enthusiasm for campaigning. They also highlighted that he would be able to court voters in his native state of Michigan, and in the swing state of New Hampshire.
Doug McKinney, chairman of the West Virginia Republican Party, said McCain needs "a pure conservative" who is strong on the economy – a profile which Romney seems to fit, according to the Times.
But leading social conservatives have voiced their opposition to the idea of Romney as the number two on the Republican ballot.
Last month, more than 20 social conservatives signed an open letter to McCain saying that Romney's past pro-choice and pro-gay rights voting history could keep values voters at home.
"If Governor Romney is on your ticket, many social conservative voters will consider their values repudiated by the Republican Party and will either stay away from the polls this November or only vote down ticket," warned signers of the open letter.
Among the signers is Paul Weyrich, a prominent social conservative and head of the Free Congress Foundation, who had previously supported Romney but now is said to "publicly regret it."
Other signers include Matt Barber of Concerned Women for America, Michael W. Calsetta of Conservative Democratic Alliance, Janet Folger of Faith2Action, Peter LaBarbera of Republicans for Family Values, and Stephen Strang of Strang Communications.
McCain has said he would like to have his vice president set before the Republican convention in St. Paul, Minn., in early September when his party is expected to officially nominate McCain as the party's choice to face either Democrat Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.
