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Rudy’s Endorsement of McCain: Is He Running for VP?

Listening to Giuliani’s withdrawal and endorsement speech, I couldn’t help wondering whether we just heard Rudy making a bid for the Vice Presidency. The emphasis on their shared beliefs, their similiar policy positions especially on the GWOT, and especially the need for a 50-state coalition. That last point sounded like an argument that McCain needs a VEEP who can appeal to Blue State voters; namely, Rudy.

The spin we’ll get from Rush, Hugh, and their ilk is that a Giuliani pick would be problematic pick because McCain’s main problem in November will be motivating the conservative base. In fact, Hugh’s already teeing that one up:

… if the Arizona maverick triumphs next week, don’t be surprised if John McCain selects a Rudy or Joe Lieberman as a running mate as an “all-in” play for the muddled middle of the country.

Interestingly, liberal blogger Kevin Drum’s on the same page as Rush and Hugh:

[McCain] needs 105% of the conservative base, not 95%. Remember that Karl Rove famously had to turn out four million extra conservative evangelicals just to eke out a bare win against John Kerry in 2004.

Does anyone seriously think that any Republican candidate can kick such major ass among independents in November that he can afford a conservative base that’s not charged up and working feverishly to turn out every last vote? I don’t.

Maybe. But I can’t help wondering whether Kevin would really prefer that his party’s nominee run against a McCain/Romney or McCain/Huckabee ticket than a McCain/Giuliani ticket? Personally, I’d be more likely to turn out in November for the latter ticket than either of the former. (Assuming I can’t bring myself to carry out my prior plan to sit out 2008.) As for what I’m going to do next Tuesday, I’m still planning on voting for Fred Thompson even though he’s out. As I said earlier, California finally counts ... and the remaining choices suck. Indeed, my unhappiness with the remaining choices is such that I haven’t even been able to bring myself to take down the Fred ads in the sidebar.

Apropos of the foregoing, and since I heard Rudy’s speech while listening to Hugh’s show, it’s worth repeating John Mark Reynolds’ observation that:

McCain has also shown an ability to take tough punches from the conservative establishment and talk-radio. ... Candidates slammed by Rush got over half the vote in his adopted home state.

McCain, Huckabee, and Paul were almost universally attacked and were outspent, but gained a majority of the vote.