If McCain clinched the nomination who would be the VEEP pick?

[N.i.K.]

McCain-Hutchison sounds right, I also think McCain-Santorum would be a possibilty, even though he hates McCain.

[Keystone Phil]

In 2000? I don't think McCain and Santorum didn't start going at it until fairly recently. Even then, McCain came in to help Santorum in 2006 and they even worked on legislation together.

Truth be told, I don't know how much McCain even cares about Santorum. Unfortunately, it seemed like Rick just had some silly grudge (what it was really about, who knows) and decided to act ridiculous about it. If he was ever offered the running mate spot, he would have set aside the issue and accepted. He was supportive of McCain through the General election campaign this year.

[Mr. Morden]

Ironically enough, the closest senators to McCain at that time were probably Chuck Hagel and Fred Thompson.  It might very well have been one of them.

[RosettaStoned]

I think McCain would have picked Olympia Snowe.

[pbrower2a]

Olympia Snowe would have been a good pick for weakening the Democratic hold on New England. Sure, the last Greek-American to run for President had his own troubles as a candidate (including that he looked more like a gangster than like a statesman); Snowe had no such problem. Snowe actually had a state to offer that in real life went to Gore. Cheney had no state to offer that was in any way iffy.

In 2000 McCain was generally understood to be a moderate, and he would have been able to win on style. There might be an interesting timeline.

[Lief]

Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska and mother of three, Sarah Palin.

He'd probably pick some Southerner, like Fred Thompson.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska and mother of three, Sarah Palin.

He'd probably pick some Southerner, like Fred Thompson.

Phil Gramm might be a possibility. He was McCain's friend and would bolster his economic credentials.
On the other hand he might be considered damaged goods after his pathetic presidential campaign in 1996.

[Ebowed]

On the other hand he might be considered damaged goods after his pathetic presidential campaign in 1996.

Joe Biden, 1988/2008.

[Landslide Lyndon]

On the other hand he might be considered damaged goods after his pathetic presidential campaign in 1996.

Joe Biden, 1988/2008.

Gramm wasn't forced out of the race because of a controversy or because his opponents left no room for him.
He was considered one of the frontrunners but he ran an awful campaign. A more apt comparison would be Rudy Giuliani.

[Alexander Hamilton]

In 2000? I don't think McCain and Santorum didn't start going at it until fairly recently. Even then, McCain came in to help Santorum in 2006 and they even worked on legislation together.

Truth be told, I don't know how much McCain even cares about Santorum. Unfortunately, it seemed like Rick just had some silly grudge (what it was really about, who knows) and decided to act ridiculous about it. If he was ever offered the running mate spot, he would have set aside the issue and accepted. He was supportive of McCain through the General election campaign this year.

I don't understand how Rick Santorum can dislike McCain so much yet support Specter the turncoat over Toomey.