I have been pondering this possible combo myself, especially in light of Lieberman’s frequent appearances with (and vocal support of) McCain. Now though, with today’s somewhat surprising departure from the race of Romney, the Party’s nominal favorite, I wonder if this far more “acceptable” candidate might be the VP choice. It would not be the first time that two rivals who disliked each other were forced together by Party kingmakers. That is exactly what occurred with Reagan and Bush the elder (who almost became president in 1981…)

Even the thought of a McCain-Lieberman ticket is scary.

The thought of them winning is the stuff of nightmares.
My guess is that it will end up being a McCain-Huckabee ticket.

@John: Welcome back! The current state of the Republican Party makes everything possible. I guess Romney would rather wait four or eight year and try again. But he might face the same problem McCain does: he could be too old.

@Judi: I personally find any of these candidates scary!

McCain-Huckabee sounds a bit like a piece of kitchen appliance …

McCain Lieberman, not going to happen. McCain is not the favorite of the Republican base and Lieberman will not help him move in that direction. McCain Huckabee, that is a definite maybe. McCain is in a strong enough position that he does not have to take Huckabee down a peg so there has been no acrimonius infighting between the two of them. Why does Huck keep on running when his loss seems so inevitable? My guess is to establish his bona fides for a claim on the VP slot.

On the Democratic side of the thing it looks increasingly more and more like Obama is going to win this thing. But we are not there yet. But I do not see an Obama Clinton ticket. If Obama is going to stay true to his mantra of change he can’t bring Hillary on as his running mate.

RichMc says-”McCain is not the favorite of the Republican base and Lieberman will not help him move in that direction. McCain Huckabee, that is a definite maybe.”

While I agree that McCain is certainly not the favorite of the GOP base and that Huck would really strengthen the ticket with the base, the GOP power elite does not like Huck and his continued campaign only intensifies that feeling, imho. Now that McCain and Romney have “kissed and made up” perhaps a McCain/Romney ticket is more likely. There are also governors of important swing states (like Charlie Crist of Florida) who seem to be in consideration too.

Here’s a scary idea:
Vice President Rice?

Besides being the greatest two-for in GOP history, Rice brings other huge pluses to the decorated Vietnam hero. Indeed, she may be enough to elect the venerable hero/naval aviator.

McCain’s troubles with the religious wing of his party could well evaporate with the churchgoing Rice at his side. She solidifies that part of his base overnight.

With Rice on the ticket, the GOP would have somebody to get enthusiastic about. The Secretary of State is immensely popular with Republicans. For a party that up to now has been clueless about how to run against either a woman or a person of color, Condoleezza Rice is pure political gold.

John, the fact that Huckabee is still running is more comic relief than threat. It would be even more dull than it already is if he were not in the race. On a personal basis Huckabee and McCain seem to get along. I don’t know how much Huckabee would add to the ticket to make it more palatable.

Adding Romney, it could help McCain from both a geographic perspective as well as an experience base. It would help McCain but I don’t know how much.

Rice!!!? Rice has stepped into the shit in a big way and can’t get either the smell or the stain off. Her lies have caught up to her and her incompetence is going to smother her. If McCain adds her to his ticket it will be a stroke against him. During Bush’s first term as National Security advisor Rice was to have mediated among the competing power centers in the administration to develop a coherent plan for whatever endeavors we would undertake. Rice could not find the table much less bring the elephants in the administration to it. She was outgunned by everyone, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Powell, Bolton, Wolfowitz, damn near every body. And now as Secretary of State the only good thing you can say about her is she has a nice wardrobe. If McCain were to pick her it would be a mark of his own incompetence.

@John & RichMc: I think you hardly can find a better VP in terms of symbolism: she is black and she is female. But too bad she would hardly be a symbol for change - rather for more of the same old Bushism.

Rice - like Huckabee - would appeal to certain sections of the GOP. But McCain hardly needs to be any more military or hawkish - maybe Romney might be better to fill his economics gap?

I really think it would be interesting to know if McCain plans to recycle current Bush team or get some new people?

Romney would not appeal to the religious right here in the US. Most fundamentalists do not consider Mormons to be Christians, no matter that the name of their church is; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

I think it is unlikely that the religious right will vote for anyone they think is too liberal. The Republican Machine has courted this segment of the electorate for years and subsequently has had them in their pocket.

We cannot forget that Republicans own the media. And, it is they who are directly responsible for all the Clinton bashing that has gone on for years.

Nevertheless, I remain hopeful that we can turn a corner. Anything can happen.