Have you ever thought how things would be if Romney was the GOP candidate, not McCain?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

during the Repub. primaries McCain's campaign was in trouble but suddenly was raised from the dead. Romney could have been their candidate and I wonder who he would have picked as his running mate?
How do think the debate would have been and would things be any different with this economic bill? How would the polls look?

It would seem that McCain/Palin has been a blessing to us?

[cags]

1. I don't think it would have been nearly as entertaining as the trainwreck called McCain/Palin

[complain jane]

12. McCainwreck... McPalinwreck?

Just wanted to jump in and simplify that for ya.... I didn't do such a good job though.

[complain jane]

14. McTRAINWRECK!! Whew. I knew I could come up with something...

Don't mind me, been up way too late...

[scheming daemons]

2. Romney would've been strongly for the bailout.... and it would've passed

[Thrill]

3. If they weren't running McCain. The Repuke candidate would be down by 20 points

Bottom Line is, this fake Maverick persona and the war hero garbage is keeping them close

[TheKentuckian]

4. You'd have to run the simulation thousands of times

before you'd get a hit. I think Ghouliani had a much better shot to win the nomination and I didn't think he had a snowball's chance in hell.

I think Mitt would be faring poorly, probably worse than McCain. I think most people instinctively dislike Romney and even if he selected Palin, he wouldn't get the base fired up because they see little danger of him dropping dead and her taking over.

[mwb970]

17. Romney would *never* have selected Palin or anyone like her.

Say what you will about Romney (I know I have), he is a very "typical politician" rather than a crazy stunt man like McLame. I guarantee he would have picked someone for VP with considerable depth in domestic and foreign issues. Someone wrong-headed yes, someone dishonest probably (he has only Republicans to choose from), but not a total zero with a checkered past like Palin.

Romney's political instincts would have told him that picking someone like her would lead to, well, what we're seeing now. In contrast, McLame seems to have no political instincts.

[calmblueocean]

5. delete

[Venceremos]

6. I don't think it would've changed the overall outcome

I think Romney would've picked a "traditional" running mate, like a military type to shore up his perceived weaknesses in national defense. And I thought Romney was a much better debater than McCain.

But, I've always thought that Romney bailed out of the primaries, although he wasn't really that far behind McCain, because he saw that the Republicans have little chance of winning the general election this year. We'll see him again in 2012.

So, I don't think it mattered who the Republicans nominated.

[On the Road]

7. I Never Particularly Like Romney

but if one of them had to be president, he looks a damn sight better than McCain. And I do think the race would be closer.

[anigbrowl]

11. Romney is 10x smarter than McCain

I wouldn't vote for him, but I could live with the idea of him as President. He's not the disaster on wheels that McCain is. I won't complain if Obama finds a job for him to do in the government.

[Riff Raff.]

8. Meh

He was just a pretty face. I liked him okay, but he was too polished for anyone to take him seriously.

[HughMoran]

9. You like Romney?

Yikes!

[goletian]

10. too many mormon haters for romney to have a good shot.

[TheDonkey]

13. Romney would have been a weak canidate as well. The rethugs had a weak lineup

they usually do, I guess it is hard to be objective, but romney had some big weaknesses as well.

[frickaline]

15. Romney is a better manager and would have run a stronger campaign

McCain can't manage himself, let alone anyone else.

[Frumious B]

16. Romney is a chameleon of Bowiesque proportions.

Obama would have a much harder time pinning him down on anything specific other than flip-flopping because Romney will simply take whatever position would most help him get elected.

[mwb970]

18. And McLame is different from that how? /nt