« Previous | Main | Next »

McCain's Veepstakes Survivor: 9 Couples, 3 Contenders, 1 Weekend

Share

May 21, 2008 6:46 PM

ABC News' Ron Claiborne and Bret Hovell Report: Three elected officials widely rumored to be under consideration for the Republican vice presidential nomination will spend part of their Memorial Day weekend at the McCain compound in Sedona, Arizona, according to a campaign official.

Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Gov. Charlie Christ of Florida, and former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts have all been invited to spend some leisure time with presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

McCain campaign senior advisor Charlie Black insists the gathering is purely social.

"It has nothing whatsoever to do with the vice presidential selection process," Black said, dismissing speculation that it is a running mate audition by noting that would be "pretty awkward" to have all of the contenders together at the same time.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT ABC NEWS' VEEPSTAKES RANKINGS

McCain frequently invites friends and elected officials to the property he owns with his wife Cindy two hours north of Phoenix. Black said nine couples in all were invited this weekend, including one other elected official whom he declined to identify.

One veepstakes contender did comment on what could be called McCain's edition of 'Veepstakes Survivor'.

"Governor Bobby Jindal and First Lady Supriya Jindal are going to Arizona for the Memorial Day weekend to spend time with Senator John McCain and Cindy McCain at their ranch," Jindal spokesperson Melissa Sellers said in a statement released to the press. "The Governor has met with the Senator many times before and discussed the challenges facing the Gulf Coast region as communities continue to rebuild. The Governor looks forward to joining Senator McCain and his other guests this weekend, and he values this as another opportunity to meet with a national leader, and the potential next President of the United States, to discuss issues important to the future growth of Louisiana."

As Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., continue their battle for the Democratic nomination, the Arizona Senator is taking three days off from his public campaign schedule for the holiday weekend.  McCain will be back on the trail Monday in New Mexico and Colorado.

ABC News' Kate McCarthy contributed to this report.

May 21, 2008 in Bush, George W., Hunter, Duncan, Kucinich, Dennis, Palin, Sarah, Tancredo, Tom, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (87)

User Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

Yeah, Jindal wouldn't be too obvious a play, then of course Rice works if he wants to pander to the woman vote instead of the black vote. Gosh, what's a flip-flopin neo-con to do?

Posted by: JR | May 21, 2008 9:04:24 PM

Jindal would be a bad choice. He's 36. if obama is too young, jindal would be a little kid. That will hit people in the head thinking of a 36 year-old might become President. And isn't the minimum age to be president 38?? Mitt is okay, he's very smart with the economy. Lieberman is great with independents but not sure if Rep going to like that. HOpe mccain will pick the right one but Jindal would be a very bad choice.

Posted by: hannah | May 21, 2008 9:05:02 PM

Why is everyone so against Romney for changing his views?

1. He was elected to support they views of those who elected him, and Massachusetts is a liberal state so of course he is going to govern how that state wants him to govern.

2. I am sure no one else has ever changed their mind on issues before, for one I am glad that he would change his mind if what he felt was wrong.

Posted by: David | May 21, 2008 9:05:27 PM

All 3 of these would be very difficult choices for McCain. Only one has even completed his one-hit wonder position. One brings a religious problem nearly as bad as Jeremiah Wright, although it is tempered by the Olympics. Another has skeletons of the wrong kind in the "closet" (as widely reported by the Miami papers). Jindal has the cleanest history, but that would point extremely to McCain's age, although it would certainly wipe out Obama's claims to world knowledge from having lived in Indonesia at age 6. Considering McCain's military experience, I would be asking who the unnamed politico is. This is clearly haze gray and underway at its best.

Posted by: Skyebeader | May 21, 2008 9:10:42 PM

The problem is that he was never punished for causing Mary Jo's death. Some call it an accident or "immature behavior" and mention "young people". Ted Kennedy was 37 when he drove off a bridge and left the young woman in the car underwater. He walked passed a fire station on the way home, but did not pull the alarm. He called his lawyer in the morning first and the clan started their damage control. What happened in 1969 went unpunished and was no doubt criminal.

Posted by: TEDDY & BARACK | May 21, 2008 9:11:30 PM

Some brains do deteriorate with age. Alzheimer’s disease, for example, strikes 13 percent of Americans 65 and older. There are tests to see if it is coming.
McCain promised to release his medical records on April 15th. Then it was supposed to be released yesterday.

Now what? Let's pretend he is just fine?
Is it mean-spirited to want the next commander in chief to assure us he has actually been tested for 'incipient Alzheimer's with the latest tests?

PS. No one cares that he hikes or what his blood pressure is or his resting pulse. We want to know what the memory loss issues are.

Posted by: bruce becker | May 21, 2008 9:12:33 PM

hannah. the minimum is 35.


Posted by: bruce becker | May 21, 2008 9:13:58 PM

We all know Obama will run this campaign as a change agent. Jindal has done more changes than Obama. In fact his area of expertise is Health Care and Education. Since he is Catholic that will turn Catholics in numbers in OH/PA/FL/WI. That is all we need to win White House

Posted by: Tony | May 21, 2008 9:17:40 PM

Romney will guarantee NV and UTAH.
VP's are selected because they can bring in a state or two.
Jindal is a long shot. Person of color with no national identity.

Huckleberry seemed like he earned it. I wonder why he wasnt invited to the party. I like his idea to eliminate the income tax completely and go to a sales tax.
We would pick up much needed income from the fakers with HQ in po boxes in the Cayman islands and all the craftsmen and illegals who work for cash.

Posted by: bruce becker | May 21, 2008 9:19:32 PM

Tony. Great observation. It would be a great counter to Obama's Black Liberation Theology. And, Jindal's church if far older, has more membership, and is far more acceptable to those who belong to neither bent.

Posted by: Skyebeader | May 21, 2008 9:21:35 PM

speaking of illegals, apparently both sides are so scared of the Latinos, I have not heard one word about defending our borders.
I love the bs, where the pols say, the problem is too large, what would we do with 12 million people?

Obama has the answer, actually. You put the people who hire illegals in jail. Not just the manager,but also the CEO and the members of the Board. In a week, no illegal would have a job in the US. They would have to leave on their own.

Posted by: bruce becker | May 21, 2008 9:22:06 PM

My vote is with Romney. He has the experience and intelligence to be the VP.

Posted by: virginia | May 21, 2008 9:31:32 PM

bruce becker - how could Obama do that? The majority of the people who "hire illegals" do not pay them through payroll systems, do not report anything about them. Most landscaping, drywall, housecleaning, diner, snow-removal, landfill trash-picking, restroom cleaning outfits do not have a BoD or a CEO, either. How, exactly, will Obama accomplish this? I'm sincerely curious his enforcement methodology.

Posted by: Skyebeader | May 21, 2008 9:31:59 PM

bruce becker,

"Older Brain Really May Be a Wiser Brain"

The article references to Harvard U. study.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/health/research/20brai.html?em&ex=1211515200&en=6b45984e523a9f97&ei=5087%0A

Posted by: magda | May 21, 2008 9:32:26 PM

Since it's the Memorial holiday - we sure as hell can count out Obama recognizing it! Wake up people - the guys a fraud! Including that wife that resembles The Grinch ..

Posted by: MJ | May 21, 2008 9:35:53 PM

Jindal

Posted by: USA Akbar | May 21, 2008 9:37:49 PM

McCain should get Condileeza Rice for Vice-President. Or Newt Gingrich. Condi will neutralize the minority who will vote for Obama because he's black.
Condi has more experience and stature than Hillary Clinton anyway.

Posted by: Rajska | May 21, 2008 9:51:54 PM

Mitt is the man! He would bring the one thing lacking on the ticket, a Republican. He has the head for business, and could turn our economic problems around. This is going to be the key issue in the fall election.

Posted by: Oola | May 21, 2008 9:55:11 PM

Jindal.

He could energize the voters.

Posted by: magda | May 21, 2008 10:12:37 PM

If only he would consider Rice....that would be a perfect team.

Posted by: Kottaras | May 21, 2008 10:14:32 PM

Post a comment