Whores and Cougars

These people are all whores. I should know. I drive a very dirty Cougar.

I understand that the art of politics is often times a matter of expediency and the one allure that Romney holds is that he might govern and administer somewhat similar to the way he created an effective and PROFITABLE company. This is an allure that McCain definitely lacks.

But I can't help but scoff at two politicians who, during the primaries, did not demonstrate a large degree of like for one another. Now, to get what they want, they'll walk around with one hand down each other's pants. Dirty business this game. Dirty cougars.

Romney Rides McCain's Bus Now

Ex-Rival Discusses
Middling Prospect
Of Place on Ticket

By ELIZABETH HOLMES
May 22, 2008; Page A5

BOSTON -- In the three months since Mitt Romney suspended his presidential campaign, the former Republican candidate has reshaped himself again, this time into a fervent supporter of former rival John McCain.

During an interview Wednesday in his sun-drenched corner office at the campaign's old headquarters here, Mr. Romney reflected on his failed White House bid, as well as his political future, including his chances to become Sen. McCain's running mate. He professed both low interest and low probability -- though he and his wife, along with some other vice-presidential prospects, will be joining Sen. McCain for a Memorial Day barbecue at the candidate's Arizona ranch. (A McCain aide said the event was "entirely social," and not a vetting event.)

ROMNEY ON THE CAMPAIGN

Mitt Romney sat down with The Wall Street Journal to discuss his failed White House bid and his political future. Along the way, he talked about his new political action committee and how funny he finds Fred Thompson. Read excerpts from his interview with Elizabeth Holmes.

Although Mr. Romney's schedule has calmed since the primaries, he is ramping up his political activities again as he seeks to build goodwill among Republicans around the country. He has created a political action committee with a staff of eight and set plans to help as many 40 Republicans running for office. He will campaign for two House candidates in Florida next week. The following week he will head to Virginia to stump for the lieutenant governor's re-election in a longtime Republican state that appears to be moving Democratic.

The former Massachusetts governor says his top priority is to speak on behalf of Sen. McCain and raise funds for him. In between appearances on cable news, Mr. Romney will host a fund-raiser at his Utah home for Sen. McCain on May 28, with President Bush attending. Mr. Romney will join another big-ticket event in Austin, Texas, two weeks later.

All this is happening even though the Arizona senator's attacks in January played a big role in sinking Mr. Romney's campaign. "I'm a big boy. I understand how politics works. Sen. McCain won fair and square," he said.

Mr. Romney played down the notion that his vigorous support for Sen. McCain was part of an effort to win the vice-presidential nod. "I think my run at public office is over," he said, but added: "Time will tell."

BACK ON THE TRAIL

• What's New: Mitt Romney has created a political action committee and is campaigning hard for John McCain and other Republican candidates.

• Vice President Talk: Romney says he doubts he'll be McCain's choice for No. 2 on the ticket.

• Lessons: Romney says humor is dangerous in a presidential campaign.

He said he doesn't expect Sen. McCain to choose him. "I think that call is very unlikely," he said. "My plans are consistent with being a supporter of the ticket, not a member of it."

Political analysts say Mr. Romney may be a contender for the No. 2 slot, though he usually comes lower down on the short list. Among the other rumored contenders are a trio of sitting Republican governors -- Minnesota's Tim Pawlenty; Florida's Charlie Crist; and Louisiana's Bobby Jindal -- as well as Rob Portman, the former congressman and White House staffer who hails from the crucial battleground state of Ohio; and John Thune, a senator from South Dakota who is a favorite among conservatives.

Mr. Romney said he's only doing what the McCain campaign asks. "I'm not doing TV appearances other than those that they ask me to do. I'm not doing events around the country other than those he asks me to do," he said. "I think the VP talk is missing the mark. We're trying to get John McCain elected."

Mitt Romney (right) has recast himself as a strong McCain supporter.

A McCain-Romney ticket could be a hard sell to voters after their primary-season battles. Sen. McCain spent the primary season painting Mr. Romney as the antithesis of himself. In the senator's depiction, Mr. Romney was a flip-flopping party newcomer who would do or say anything to get elected. During the campaign, Mr. Romney, who had taken socially moderate stands as governor of Massachusetts, recast himself as a solid social conservative.

However, Sen. McCain's backers were grateful when Mr. Romney pulled out of the race Feb. 7, just a day and a half after Super Tuesday results were tallied. The exit, in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Convention, cleared the way for Sen. McCain to effectively wrap up the nomination, without a bitter fight like the one on the Democratic side between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Mr. Romney says he left the race for two reasons. "It looked like I lost, or nearly lost, and the prospects for winning were remote." He also feared a fractured party would hurt chances come November. Mr. Romney's endorsement of Sen. McCain, which came a week later, was never in question. "I wasn't getting out to say, 'Hey, let's see how it works out between Mike Huckabee and John McCain.'"

Now, Mr. Romney is building on whatever goodwill he earned through his departure with his new political action committee, dubbed "Free and Strong America," a line from his "Faith in America" speech last November about his Mormonism. Through the committee, Mr. Romney will campaign and raise funds for candidates in key races around the country.

Reflecting on the lessons of his failed presidential bid, Mr. Romney said he "learned that humor is one of the most dangerous things you do in a campaign." He said several comments he made that were meant to be light were taken otherwise by the media. One example was the time he told a town-hall audience that his five sons were serving their country by working on his campaign. "Well, that was meant to be sort of a funny line, but when it's read as a serious line, that can be a problem," he said.

Mr. Romney and supporters of his presidential bid gathered May 9 in Houston for a party. Mr. Romney and his wife, Ann, danced and sang along with the Beach Boys among a crowd of roughly 2,000. One top aide described the evening as "closure."

Early the next morning, Mr. Romney's top fund-raisers and his strategist gathered to meet with Sen. McCain. Mr. Romney said they gave Sen. McCain a standing ovation. "If I'm not gonna get elected, they want him to be the next president," Mr. Romney said, adding, "as I do."

Write to Elizabeth Holmes at elizabeth.holmes@wsj.com