Scott R. Sullivan

May 21st, 2008 by Scott

Three cheers. For what? Three candidates on the short list for McCain’s running mate.

I’ve been clear in the past that McCain wasn’t my first choice for the Republican nomination. There are many attributes that I do like about McCain, but I feel there are many others that represent the conservative base much more than he.

I have always maintained that Romney was more closely aligned with the conservative base than McCain.

In fact, I even posted an article back in March about the very real possibility of Romney being selected as the Vice Presidential running mate.

Well, the names are starting to surface and just as I had predicted, Romney’s in the top three. Not only that, but there are some very interesting things about the top three veep candidates.

First, all three are Governors. Gov. Romney (MA), Gov. Crist (FL), and Gov. Jindal (LA). I wrote a lengthy article in December of 2007 about how Governors have an advantage when running for the White House.

While anything can happen, I think this is very telling on how the 2008 general election will turn out in November. Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama both have history against them against Sen. McCain and GOVERNOR Romney, Jindal or Crist.

I think part of this advantage comes from the fact that a Governor of a state is like a mini-federal government. They preside over a House and Senate of the state. They have state budgets they work with. They have State Departments, Departments of Commerce, Transportation, etc. and are in control of the state militia, the National Guard.

Compare this to a Senator, like Obama and Clinton. They are just one of 100 of a group. They are part of the “problem” of Washington, not the solution. That’s why even though the President has an all-time low approval rating, Congress’ approval rating is even LOWER!

Back to the top three names. I’ll skip Romney for now, since I’ve discussed him in depth before.

Gov. Jindal looks very promising. He’s the youngest Governor in the country and has been hailed as the next Ronald Reagan! His voting record backs up these claims. He has voted for gun rights, to lower taxes, and most importantly, understands the global war on terror. This is a man we need in the White House.

Gov. Crist is right up there as well. He’s a hardliner when it comes to law and order: he’s for the death penalty, and was called “Chain Gang Charlie” because he favored using convicts to be used for roadside labor.

There is much more to both of these Governors. Of these two new names, I personally favor Jindal. He’s likable, young, VERY conservative, and brings some energy and enthusiasm to the table.

If McCain chooses any of these three, I’ll be happy. If he chooses Jindal or Romney, I’ll be VERY happy. Because, in all likelyhood, this Governor turned Veep will run for President in 2012. Its just a hunch, but I just don’t see McCain running for two terms, due to his age.

And… as I’ve said before, my Governor v. Senator race will mean so much more. Can’t wait!