The Palmetto Scoop thinks so:
Years from now when the story is written about the 2008 Republican presidential primary and John McCain’s now-likely historic ascent to victory, it is quite likely that Florida Gov. Charlie Crist will be given credit for being “The Kingmaker.” Crist, who is surely at the top of McCain’s short list of potential running mates, put his neck on the line and made a brilliant political move at exactly the right moment when he endorsed the Arizona senator last week. That act will forever be seen, rightly or not, as delivering the state to McCain and with it his party’s endorsement in the general election.
But what will go down as, at best, a mere footnote in the history books is that South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford had the exact same opportunity as Crist – and he balked.
Had Sanford not abstained from endorsing and thrown his support behind McCain – whom he backed in 2000 – in the week leading up to this state’s primary, he would have likely been praised for delivering a Palmetto State win. He could have punched his ticket to the big show and soaked up overwhelming national recognition. In doing so, it would have been he, not Crist, that now finds himself the odds-on favorite to be McCain’s running mate.
Instead, Sanford ‘s post-gubernatorial ambitions of seeking a larger office have been left out in the cold. If Sanford had any delusions about being vice president, they’re now gone. He has lost a rare opportunity to become a major player on the national scene and keep South Carolina in the limelight.
Sanford had a clear shot at becoming the next vice president and possibly even making a run for president in the future, but he missed his Mark.
Although I am not so sure that Gov. Crist is the “odds-on favorite” to be McCain’s Veep (although Intrade appears to disagree with me), Gov. Sanford seems to have made a mistake in withholding his endorsement.
January 31st, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Sanford was never going to be considered for VP because the Republicans would carry the state anyway.
January 31st, 2008 at 5:23 pm
All of this of course is moot if the Democrats win in November.
January 31st, 2008 at 5:24 pm
I do not know Sanford that well, but I am just curious here. What will happen, especially on SuperTuesday, if Sanford is on the ticket of either Mitt or Huckabee?
January 31st, 2008 at 5:33 pm
The VP position is more likely to go to a swing state politition anyway, so Crist is much more likely than Sanford would ever have been.
January 31st, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Mel Martinez would get it before Crist. Why? Hispanic Vote!!!
January 31st, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Sen. Martinez was born in Cuba and is not eligible to be Veep.
January 31st, 2008 at 5:36 pm
Plus the SC is suffer bad right with a 6% unemployment rate which likley rules him out.
January 31st, 2008 at 5:41 pm
No. He would’ve been considered a sellout with two southerners still running strongly who agreed with many of his constituents.
January 31st, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Don’t you guys pick a VP on the basis of, oh I dont know, maybe who would be the best person to assume the presidency if the situation arises?
January 31st, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Tano,
If we had used that level or reasoning from the beggining this race would have turned out differently.
January 31st, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Has Ralph Nader decided to run yet?
January 31st, 2008 at 5:46 pm
I think picking Crist would very well be a mistake. It seems that Crist has the image of being a moderate. McCain’s allready picking up moderates and independents, but needs somebody to keep to many very conservative people from leaving. I tend to think that candidate is more apt to be Mark Sanford than Crist.
January 31st, 2008 at 5:49 pm
#9, Let’s not act like the selection of VP in either party is not a complete political calculation.
January 31st, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Kavon…where in the Constitution does it prevent Martinex from being VP.
The limitation is only against those seeking the Presidency
January 31st, 2008 at 5:53 pm
According to Geraghty, Ted Olson (a former Rudy guy) has endorsed McCain, giving him major conservative legal backing. All the forces are coalescing noew – just not in the way Alex Gage would like to believe!
January 31st, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Also…FLA insiders say that Crist is Gay and doubt that many conservatives would not support that.
January 31st, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Question for the Evangelicals on here…would rather support a Mormon or a homosexual for POTUS?
January 31st, 2008 at 5:57 pm
or the latter as a VP candidate?
January 31st, 2008 at 6:00 pm
ilfigo,
Neither is really my business. And, just because it’s rumored doesn’t give it any credence. Let’s not spread that kind of garbage here.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Considering all that John McCain has done and become in the past 8 years, I don’t see how any Constitutionalist could endorse John McCain.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:01 pm
The U.S. Constitution prohibits anyone who is ineligible from being elected POTUS to be elected Vice-President. Mel Martinez himself reiterated this to Alan Colmes on Fox News on Tuesday night.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:12 pm
What’s update on Bloomberg candidacy? Could Bloomberg be on McCain’s short list (just to keep him from contesting against McCain).
January 31st, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Martinez can’t be, Kavon’s quite right. It also rules out the Governator.
Crist is too inexperienced to be VP, and that would cut out one of McCain’s strongest arguments against Obama.
Sanford would be a good choice if McCain is still regarded with suspicion by southernors & conservatives. Otherwise, there’s many fish out there.
Pawlenty’s still my pick.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:15 pm
McCain/ Bloomberg would wrap up a good chunk of the indie vote, but wouldn’t encourage the Rush-conservatives to support him. Not good.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Mark Sanford is just about the only possible VP aside from Ron Paul himself that could even have a chance at getting the Paulites on board if McCain’s the nominee.
HINT: 5-10% or more, of the Republican vote in every state, is nothing to disregard, John.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Sanford missed a huge opportunity to trade favors with a Washington insider. Doesn’t that guy have any ego or ambition?? What’s wrong with him??!!
January 31st, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Did Crist give his endorsement because he saw a good opportunity to himself? Does McCain then owe him a favor? How about endorsing a candidate because you think he’s the best qualified for the job – that way the candidate is not beholden to someone whom he owes a favors and that may have special interests that he’d like to press on the candidate.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:21 pm
All right. Everyone speaks in code about Crist so let me just get it out there: Crist is a bachelor for a reason (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) He will not be in the national ticket.
Sanford probably wants a future with the conservative wing of the party. Anyone who casts their lot with McCain has no future.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Yes, but the modern VP is not being “elected” President. When the Constitution was written, the 2nd highest vote getter running for POTUS was the Vice. Not so anymore. I do not think that Constituion would bar one’s ability to run as VP on a ticket.
Problem would only occur if POTUS died in office.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:31 pm
I do not like rumors and innuendo, but I myself looked into the Crist “rumor” and found it to be true. The voters in FL chose him anyway to their credit, but it does disqualify him as a VP candidate.
McCain, because of the diversity of the dems will almost certainly choose either a woman or hispanic. My problem is I don’t know who was born here. Was Guttierez the commerce secretary born in the US?
As an aside I would like to say I am pretty proud as an American tonight as the debate for the dems is between a woman and a minority, both of whom have run tough but good campaigns. To me it reinforces the idea that America is the greatest country ever conceived and our children are limited only by how hard they work and how high they dream.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Stupidest question ever:
January 31st, 2008 at 6:34 pm
I concur. Only the Clintons have not run a clean campaign, not when the DNC grandees are crawling on their knees and begging Pres. Clinton to please stop race baiting.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Well, that’s it, then. It’s over.
I was hoping for a brokered convention.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:37 pm
JayPe, remember, McCain claims he has reached the conservatives, and he’s trying to solidate on this claim by attending the CPAC the weekend after.
January 31st, 2008 at 8:33 pm
SGS, “McCain claims he has reached the conservatives”
Sure, but the conservatives aren’t claiming that.
January 31st, 2008 at 8:44 pm
All the back room deals…everybody will owe somebody something in the end…Washington is definately broken…..except Mitt..He used his own money like Arnold and is beholding to none. Conservatives wake up…….Hillary would be better than McCain at least her excuse could be PMS for all the bad behavior.
February 3rd, 2008 at 3:30 pm
IF MCCAIN DOES GET THE NOMINATION, THE LAST PERSON ON HIS LIST FOR VP WILL BE HUCKABEE. MCAIN WILL THROW HIM OFF THE BUS.HE MIGHT GET OFFERED THE POSITION OF CHIEF COSTODIAN. EVEN ROBERTA MCAIN THINKS REPUBLICANS HATE HER SON. SHE SAID THEY WOULD HAVE TO HOLD THEIR NOSES TO VOTE FOR HIM. PERSONALLY, I WILL NOT VOTE FOR MCAIN. I WILL WRITE IN MITT ROMNEY I DOUBT “THE JOBS ARE NOT COMING BACK” MCAIN WILL CARRY MICHIGAN