Boston Globe: Romney will eat campaign loans

[highplainsdem]

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/07/romney_will_eat.html

Romney will eat campaign loans

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor July 16, 2008 08:00 PM

By Michael Kranish, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON -- Mitt Romney, whose prospects to be John McCain’s running mate appear on the rise, is preparing to formally declare he will not seek donations to repay $45 million in personal loans he made to his failed presidential bid — the biggest ever made by a candidate in a primary campaign.

The move could clear away the last remnants of a divisive primary race, insuring that he and his financial supporters are focused on helping McCain, but it could also put him at odds with McCain’s campaign reform message.

Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said today that the former Massachusetts governor is preparing to have the loans ‘‘reclassified as contributions’’ and will write a letter to the Federal Election Commission explaining that he is ‘‘forgiving the outstanding loans.’’

Some analysts said McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, might undermine his reform message if he picks someone who bankrolled so much of his own campaign.

‘‘Democrats would use it as an issue,’’ political analyst Stuart Rothenberg said today. ‘‘They would they try to undermine his reputation as ‘Mr. Reformer.’ "

He said it might also undercut McCain’s effort to criticize Democratic rival Barack Obama for switching his position and rejecting public financing for the general election.

-snip-

[gateley]

1. He can certainly afford this --

I'm assuming this doesn't excuse any outstanding balances owed vendors?

[kwolf68]

2. No way

McCain is going to tap a fundie for his Veep. McCain doesn't have fundie cred and to get those nimrods out en masse, he needs to go after one of them. A guy like Huckabee for starters.

That said, it does make sense on another level. It's possible the Reps think the South and other right-wing strongholds are safe. Maybe they think the Obama factor will bring out the confederates en masse. Maybe they are thinking 'moderates' like McCain and Mittens could get the middle ground states like PA, OH, and FLA.

They steal one or two of those states and they'll win...McCain can start blowing up the world and Romney can go hunting...business as (un)usual as the earth goes up in flames.

I am not a big fan of ANY mainstream politician (although Feingold is awesome) and I'm not a huge fan of Obama, but I fully intend on supporting him this fall. We've had enough of these fuckers running (badly) this nation (and planet) into the ground. Time for Dem leadership...if they can't make changes, then the party should fold up, because all indications are the Dems will have massive majorities in the congress come next Jan.