On Monday night, at a fund-raiser in New Mexico, John McCain said this about his former mortal enemy, Mitt Romney: “I’m appreciative every time I see Mitt on television on my behalf. He does a better job for me than he did for himself as a matter of fact.” This may not have been a joke.
Yesterday, Romney sat down for an interview with CBS News. It is a striking interview, in part because Romney seems to be making the McCain argument better than McCain, or McCain’s campaign. There is a clarity to the soundbites that McCain has mostly lacked, a clear line of attack against Obama’s experience and McCain’s plans. Add to that whatever fundraising burst Romney could provide as a VP candidate, as well as Romney’s strength in key swing states like Michigan and Nevada, and it’s not hard to see why McCain may end up with a running mate whose hand he didn’t shake in the primaries.
The flip-side of Romney’s knowledge of economic matters: What better way to highlight McCain’s struggles discussing the economy than to put him on the stump after an introduction by Mitt Romney?
EXCEPT: Mitt says in the interview that McCain distinguishes himself from Obama on drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. This is wrong, according to the latest McCain statements. Both McCain and Obama oppose drilling in ANWR.