Once Bitter Rivals, Romney and McCain Unite on Fundraising Trail
SALT LAKE CITY — In a show of Republican unity, one-time bitter foes John McCain and Mitt Romney raised money and campaigned together Thursday for a single goal — getting McCain elected president.
“We are united. Now our job is to energize our party,” the Arizona senator said in an airport hangar, flanked by Romney and Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., an early McCain supporter. Both have been mentioned as potential vice presidential picks, and McCain praised each.
Romney lauded McCain and promised to do all he can to help, saying: “He is a man who is proven and tested” and without question the right man to be president.
In February, Romney won 90 percent of the vote in Utah to McCain’s 5 percent. Romney’s ties to the state run deep, from his Mormon faith to his work overseeing the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.
“Look, that wasn’t the only state I lost to Governor Romney in — it was just the largest loss,’ McCain said chuckling. He joked that it was abject humiliation but understandable given Romney’s Utah links. “I was at least hoping to break into double digits though!”
“I think he did just fine in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida, California …,” Romney said, laughing about states McCain won.
The two then headed to Denver for another fundraiser accompanied by Meg Whitman, the outgoing chief executive of eBay Inc. and a former Romney backer who now supports McCain.
On the flight, there seemed to be little residual acrimony between the former rivals.
They sat next to each other and ate turkey sandwiches. They laughed and talked during the hourlong flight, and were complimentary of each other when talking to reporters traveling with McCain.
A tanned and rested Romney said it was fun to be campaigning again and nice not to feel any pressure. “I don’t have to worry about goofing up,” he said. He brushed aside questions about a No. 2 spot on the GOP ticket.
At one point, McCain answered a question by lamenting an accelerated GOP primary process that he said doesn’t allow voters to scrutinize the candidates as much.
“Mitt just went through the process,” McCain said and turned to the former governor.
“The process was very good to you …,” Romney responded. McCain laughed, and Romney added that the process was good to him, too.
McCain, who has struggled to raise money compared to Democratic rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, is on a weeklong Western fundraising swing. Romney is popular in Utah and Colorado, states with large numbers of Mormons.
Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, dropped out of the race last month after it became apparent it would be near impossible to topple McCain in the convention delegate race. He endorsed the Arizona senator a week later and pledged to help him win the nomination.
Since then, McCain has praised Romney repeatedly as someone who is certain to continue playing a large role in the GOP. Romney, for his part, has suggested that he’d accept a vice presidential slot, though some Republicans privately speculate that he’s looking ahead to a possible repeat run in 2012.
Neither man appeared especially fond of the other during the campaign. Romney cast McCain as outside of the GOP’s conservative mainstream and a Washington insider who contributed to the problems there. McCain, in turn, argued that Romney’s equivocations and reversals on issues indicated a willingness to change his positions to fit his political goals.
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I think this is great and Mitt is good with money can probably help McCain with economic issues and who knows maybe VP??? I think all Rep. Candidates could be usefull in White House in some capacity.
Mitt - You once again show your class by backing the parties guy. If we can’t have you in 2008, then I’ll wait for 2012. It would give me great confidence to have either Romney or Rice as the VP behind McCain. President McCain could use either of them for thier expereince in business or forgein affairs. Rice brings a whole new section of voters to the ticket - women who are educated and secure. Romney bring the group that love his family values and absolutely clean personal life and his business sense……
McCain in 2008!!
I think McCain needs Romney. I would vote for McCain with Romney on the ticket. Romney is a true conservative and he could help McCain put the economy back on track! McCain NEEDS him to be a viable canidate.
looks like a strong push by Romney for the VP. i’m starting to think he’s the best choice.
A McCain Romney ticket would be great for conservative voters. Romney should have gotten the nomination, but there are too many liberals that liked McCain’s liberal posture.
McCain - Romney, the GOP dream team!
Finally at least one party is mature enough to put aside there differences and help one another out. Unlike that other party……
That is funny, Fox news is dodging the Irak situation?
There is no headline talking about recent trouble in Irak. What is going to happen to Jhon Mcain? He is running for Bush’s third terme for the W.H.
Foxnews, please talk about the real issue, the falling economy, and this endless war in Irak.
I think it is very appropriate for the top two candidates to run as Presidnet and Vice President without regard to 2012 race. The people have spoken by the votes in numbers.