A Deputy Dilemma For McCain

But the problem is, as one Republican told me, "he is totally tied to the Bush administration," which he left just a year ago. "As budget director, he had to sign off on everything they did."

The third and final name frequently mentioned was Mitt Romney, McCain's closest challenger for the nomination. Like Bloomberg, he built a spectacularly successful private-sector career for himself before winning his first public office as governor of Massachusetts. He has strong family ties to Michigan, a potential battleground, and he won friends in many other places while campaigning for president.

On paper, Romney looks perfect -- great looks, a wonderful family and squeaky clean. But there is a problem.

McCain, who rarely develops a strong personal distaste for another politician, Democrat or Republican, expressed disdain for Romney, publicly and privately, when they were opponents. He came to believe that Romney was a serial flip-flopper, devoid of strong convictions. He was not alone in that judgment, but for McCain that was a serious failing.

Since their contest ended, Romney has proved his loyalty by joining McCain on several successful fundraising trips. Many Republicans outside the intimate McCain circle are lobbying hard for him to pick Romney.

But McCain relies on his instincts for the big decisions, and I can't tell whether he has really abandoned his initial thumbs-down judgment about Romney. He clearly needs help from someone to compete with Obama on the economy. Greenspan and Buffett aren't going to do it for him.

davidbroder@washpost.com