Don Carcieri

Former PA Senator Rick Santorum outlined for the Philadelphia Inquirer his idea of a successful John McCain vice presidential pick

Here is a quick screen his team should apply: Does the potential running mate have a connection to President Bush? Is he or she not ready for prime time, because that's the GOP's main charge against Obama?

Does the man or woman have meaningful government experience - long-serving governor or member of Congress, because the public understands that running a company and knowing how to govern are not the same thing? Is the potential running mate a lightning-rod conservative or, conversely, a selection that threatens to turn off the GOP's conservative base?

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/veep_watch/2008/08/santorum_says.html

Now one caveat should be made here. This comes from a purple state incumbent who just lost a re-election by 20 points. Much as folks here shoot the messenger, the base alone is just not enough.

But let's run through this screen. Santorum's former Governor Tom Ridge has two dings---he's going to irritate conservatives and he worked for Bush.  Lieberman clearly is even more problematic on those grounds than Ridge.

Mitt Romney probably passes this screen, on the other hand Mike Huckabee might be the sort of "lightning rod" Santorum (perhaps in belated self-assessment) fears would cost votes.

Sarah Palin and Bobby Jindal may not be "long serving governors" as neither has completed term one.

Tim Pawlenty seems to fill all these boxes, as would someone who's running off the radar screen in recent weeks , South Carolina's Mark Sanford (I don;t think a southern male VP is very strategic in this environment, but he passes this test).  

I do need to remind folks of one dark horse who passes the Santorum test with ease.

RI's Don Carcieri

http://thenextright.com/ironman/the-case-for-carcieri