McCain To Host Possible VPs At Home

Charlie Crist, Bobby Jindal And Mitt Romney Invited To Memorial Day Gathering At GOP Candidate's Arizona Home

(CBS/AP)  The Memorial Day guest list at Sen. John McCain's Arizona home runs to at least three Republicans mentioned as vice presidential running mates, but a top aide said Wednesday that vetting possible veeps is not on the agenda.

"It's purely social," said Mark Salter, a senior adviser to McCain.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney were all invited to a Memorial Day gathering at the senator's home in Sedona, Ariz. Romney ran for the Republican presidential nomination in last winter's primaries, but dropped out months ago and has endorsed McCain.

They were among the estimated two dozen people - including some 10 couples - invited. McCain often hosts friends and political acquaintances at his compound.

McCain said more than a month ago that he was in the "embryonic stages" of selecting a running mate for the fall campaign, but neither he nor aides have disclosed additional information in the weeks since.

It will be the first visit to Sedona, Ariz., for all three.

The New York Times reports that Gov. Tim Pawlenty, R-Minn., who has also been mentioned as a contender to run with McCain, is not going to Arizona and that his associates said he had a wedding on Saturday.

Romney dropped out of the race in February 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.

Crist, 51, provided a major boost to McCain prior to Florida's Jan. 29 primary with a well-timed endorsement.

Elected governor in 2006, Crist has been seen as a moderate Republican. He has championed efforts to curb climate change, and was praised by former President Clinton for his efforts to restore voting rights of felons who have completed their sentences.

He also pushed for a law that requires a paper trail in state elections, a measure that bans the electronic voting machines his predecessor, Gov. Jeb Bush, sought after the 2000 presidential election. That election ended in a hotly contested recount, which President Bush won by 537 votes.

Jindal, 36, son of Indian immigrants, was elected governor of Louisiana in October 2007, three years after being elected to the House, where he was credited with playing an important role as his state recovered from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Previously, he was secretary of Louisiana's health department, and an assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Jindal's spokeswoman, Melissa Sellers, downplayed the visit and did not mention the vice presidential search. She said the governor and his wife were going to Arizona to "spend time" with McCain and his wife, Cindy, and noted that that two lawmakers have met several times before.

Among other guests expected were Sens. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., close confidantes of McCain.

[hamiltongrad]

Hillary for MCCAIN VP ? Why not ??

As a College Professor, everyone in my State system has to take my required curriculum on Women and Power in the World. Therefore I have met many powerful leaders in Washington and have testified in Congress etc.
As a recognition/proven "first factor" Professor, (sadly) I am shocked and insulted that not ONE woman is on the list for VP for either Mc Cain ( who I respect for his record in supporting our 1 % domestic tax on male dominated earnings to go to women in need)
Because I know that he is not really a full Republican, I strongly urge him ( and I have met and like) to nominate Hillary Clinton as his VP. I have met and like her too, and therefore I don''t see why we need artificial barriers of race, creed, gender of political party, for us to get the BEST.

[omaar-101]

Your new (R) Vice President Piyush ''Bobby'' jindal

His name is Not ''Bobby'', Obama haters, have a Field Day on that, as well as him being (Hindu).

When Barack was called Barry, it was a Big A!! Deal...

Please let McCain choose Bobby Jindal, so the Republican Party, can See, its own Bias''s & Predjudices.

Just think, if McCain does Win this year, an his (71 Yr Old) A!! Falls Ill...

Piyush ''Bobby'' Jindal will be Your Next President.


Boy, would that be Political & Poetic Justice...To You Racist A!! Holes !!!


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob...ki/ Bobby_Jindal



According to Family Lore, Jindal ADOPTED the name "Bobby" after watching The Brady Bunch television program at age four.

He has been known by that NAME ever since%u2014as a civil servant, politician, student, and writer%u2014

Though Legally his Name Remains (Piyush Jindal).


Gov. Jindal with First Lady Supriya Jindal and son Shaan Jindal was a (Hindu), but Converted to Catholicism in High School.

He has also offered Testimony[clarify] before Baptist and Pentecostal congregations since the beginning of the 2007 campaign season.

Afterwards, he received a master''s degree in political science from New College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar.

While at Oxford, he wrote an article for the New Oxford Review in which he described witnessing a friend being possessed by a demon.

Contrary to Indian tradition, their names do not carry the father''s ethnic title ''Jindal''.

[fibonacci_gr]

No more toe-tappers in the White House - no more stupid people who shoot other people...PLEASE.

[blkpresident]

old man McCain and Mitt Romney couldn''t carry Obama''s briefcase. What a couple of weenies, smirk.

[perceptions5]

Mitt Romney is clearly "the best choice". This election comes down to electoral votes.

Republicans can rip the heart out of the Democrats by taking one of their blue states, Michigan. A US state that the Democrats along with Florida no longer recognize.

With Mitt on the ticket the states of New Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada fall into McCains column due to Mitt''''s nature base in the West.

Mitt is also "Mr. Economy" and there is simply no one else in Washington DC that has the "cross funtional" experience and a "record of major accomplishments" that Mitt has in the private sector (Bain Capitol put the first dollar into Staples which now employs 80,000 Americans), non-profit where he saved the Salt Lake games in 2002, and in public sector where he was Governor of Massachusetts and had to work with Democrats that made up 80%of the state legislature. Together they provided health insurance to every citzen of that state "without" raises taxes but instead by doing things more "smartly".

We need to bring that "doing things more smartly" to Washington DC. John McCain can count on Mitt Romney to get things done for his administration. Mitt has tremendous class and folks like working with him............GO MITT

[cbsguest6]

I hate to discuss/debate politics so this is probably the only thing I plan to say about the upcoming presidential election.

No one really knows what these candidates are really going to do once they take office. We don''t know how they will work with other forces that drive this country. We don''t know what kind of bureaucrats they will appoint.

What I do know is,

Senator Obama isn''t going to part the Red Sea.

Senator Clinton isn''t going to tell a sweet bedtime story and make everything alright tomorrow.

At least with Senator McCain I''ve got a chance at something better.

You can ridicule me all you want. But this is all I want to say about the upcoming election in November.

[fibonacci_gr]

Please no more stupid people in the White House. What kind of ammo a president likes to use is not important, OK?

[wdrussell1]

Add one part John(war is the only option on the table) McCain.
Add one part Mike(assassinations for fun and profit) Huckabee.
Add one part, God loves pollution.
Stir intensely and you have a recipe for utter disaster.

[blkpresident]

old man McCain and/or any of his potential running mates couldn''t hold Obama''s briefcase. Take a nap old man.

[fibonacci_gr]

Lets see...
Gov. Bobby Jindal does not look white enough for the republican party
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist sounds like the best choice because he looks like Cheney and his name sounds like Christ
and
former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is good looking but he wears magic underwear and does not own a gun

[mcvet]

He said Hitler did God''''s work. And the corporate Republican media is not even touching this. Amazing!


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Posted by kissamaarse at 08:47 AM : May 22, 2008
+ report abuse

LOL Yeah the web is abuze with it though. It''s better honestly since they continue to hang onto the Wright thing... It will make a great ad on the KING of Flip Flop!! Sieg Heil Bush

[mcvet]

We need to bring that "doing things more smartly" to Washington DC. John McCain can count on Mitt Romney to get things done for his administration. Mitt has tremendous class and folks like working with him............GO MITT


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Posted by perceptions5 at 08:25 AM : May 22, 2008
+ report abuse

Hey yeah! He''s also a Trickle Downer... which means by the end of 4 more years of that garbage we should be able to qualify for assistance as a THIRD WORLD COUNTRY!! ROFLMAO Sieg Heil Bush

[mcvet]

excoachken, No, sir- you are the jack-a--. Perhaps you should go back to hiding your head in the sand.


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Posted by jack3213 at 08:51 AM : May 22, 2008
+ report abuse

Well tell us all here, what has McSame proposed that''s different from that PATHETIC piece of Human Trash we have NOW?? Sieg Heil Bush

[gopsoccermom]

Why not *** Cheney? He has 8 years of experience being Vice President and the American people just love him.

[raised4952]

Donald Trump for vice president !!

[jjp735i]

Remember when you go to the poles this year, whom ever McCain picks will be the next President (if McCain wins). Vote wisely.

[jack3213]

excoachken, No, sir- you are the jack-a--. Perhaps you should go back to hiding your head in the sand.

[jack3213]

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/21/trail-of-tall-tales-hillary-clinton/

[kissamaarse]

Big McCain endorsement Rev. Hagee preached: "''And they the hunters should hunt them,'' that will be the Jews. ''From every mountain and from every hill and from out of the holes of the rocks.'' If that doesn''t describe what Hitler did in the holocaust you can''t see that."

He said Hitler did God''s work. And the corporate Republican media is not even touching this. Amazing!

[excoachken]

To jack3213; YOU DON"T KNOW JACK!