On John McCain's VEEP Nominee Announcement...

I'd like to add a couple of thoughts on why I think it should/could be Governor Mitt Romney.

(Additional nominee coverage!)

When former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney took the stage at the Conservative Political Action Committee this past February, he ended his bid for President by delivering a concession speech that was a powerful and sharp articulation of modern conservative values.

At the time, many people in the room and watching on television wondered, "Why didn't he give THAT speech earlier?"  Throughout the primary, conservatives looked at the candidates and craved Ronald Reagan's rhetorical power and skill.  Fred Thompson came close but only in flashes, and only when rested.  Mitt Romney's CPAC speech was a very clear signal to conservatives that he was ready to stay on the national stage.

He's not a perfect conservative, but neither was Ronald Reagan. And to be blunt, ideological purity won't get us home this fall. If we are to defeat the Democrats, the base of the conservative movement know that they need to look beyond his religious affiliations and hope the McCain campaign knows what they've got: a triple-threat candidate for VP who can perform in a crunch.
 
A McCain-Romney ticket puts the crucial state of Michigan in play. Shake up Michigan and Obama's options start to narrow and the stakes rise dramatically. Voters in Michigan will respond to Romney both due to his historic ties to the state and to his understanding of the economy and job creation.
 
There are four million Mormon voters in the country, many in the Mountain West states of Nevada and Colorado.  As the West becomes increasingly more volatile, Republicans should consider these Mormon strongholds with a candidate guaranteed to energize a constituency we've taken for granted in previous elections.
 
When put to the challenge of debating Democratic V.P.  Nominee Joe Biden, Romney will come across as the levelheaded, calm, collected and knowledgeable business leader that we saw throughout his Presidential bid. Biden will look like just another D.C. insider accustomed to Senate hearings and backroom deals.  And let's face it: people are shallow. Romney will come across as an accessible, attractive candidate right out of central casting. (One could argue the “youth” to McCain’s “beauty”). Bottom line: Biden will debate like a Senator, but Romney will debate like a President.

It isn't just that Mitt Romney is a good choice...he's a choice who plays out in more ways than one, addressing many constituencies and possessing the presence and experience of a man tested on the national stage.

Mike Huckabee and a narrow segment of the religious right may not like Romney or even trust him, but what he brings to the table far exceeds any doubts about his conservative credibility. Its the same kind of thinking the rest of the party has gone through to embrace McCain.

Besides...who didn't hear a deep, Reageanesque echo when Romney said "… we are all dedicated, and I firmly believe, by the providence of the Almighty, that we will succeed beyond our fondest hope. America must remain, as it has always been, the hope of the earth."