Joining the Team

"Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, on Friday is scheduled to meet with two Republican governors who have been prominently mentioned as potential running mates, according to Republicans familiar with Mr. McCain's plan.

"Charlie Crist, the governor of Florida, and Bobby Jindal, the governor of Louisiana, have both accepted invitations to meet with Mr. McCain at his home in Arizona, according to Republicans familiar with the decision. One Republican said that Mitt Romney, a former rival of Mr. McCain for the presidential nomination -- is also expected to visit him this weekend."

There are two kinds of veep selection processes. One is conducted in secrecy, with potential running mates smuggled in under blankets in the back of a van. The other, seemingly in play here, is semi-public, with the names floated either as trial balloons or to flatter a particular constituency or a pol who's never going to get it.

Of this trio, Romney seems like the stronger bet to me. Is McCain going to turn to a 36-year-old freshman governor (Jindal) who two years ago wouldn't even have been eligible for the presidency? And insiders don't believe the perpetually tanned Crist is going to get the nod, even with the importance of Florida. But there are undoubtedly others on the list.

Charlie Black said the gathering purely social. Just a weekend barbecue. Right.

"Political analyst Larry Sabato said that from McCain's perspective the get-together makes sense for several reasons," the Boston Globe reports. "When picking a running mate, McCain 'needs to get to know them a little bit. But I think maybe they're trying to send a signal to the press so maybe the press will do some work for them' and scour the candidates' backgrounds."

Hey, when did he become our assignment editor?

Sabato also says this may be a head fake to distract us from the real contender. Politics is complicated.

What do you think this guy is running for?

"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," says the Wall Street Journal.

"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 . . . Mr. Romney played down the notion that his vigorous support for Sen. McCain was part of an effort to win the vice-presidential nod."

Furthest thing from his mind.