Newt Joins Greta to Discuss McCain's Running Mate
On The Record with Greta Van Susteren
Fox News Network
April 3, 2008
 
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: So who is Senator McCain going to pick as his vice-presidential running mate? Many say Florida's Governor Charlie Crist is on the short list of vice-presidential choices, so we asked him ourselves.
 
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
 
VAN SUSTEREN: Governor, the word on the street is you're a contender for vice president. Would you take it if you got offered the job?
 
GOV. CHARLIE CRIST, (R) FLORIDA: I am so honored to be the governor for these great people, you have no idea. And I'm working as hard as I can to do the very best I can for them, and that's my focus.
 
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: But if he asked you, would you say yes or no?
 
CRIST: Well, what I would is do all I can to continue to be the very best governor possible. But anything I can do to help Senator McCain, I want to make sure we deliver Florida for him. It's very important, and we're focused on that.
 
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: You're a lawyer, so that was not a "no."
 
CRIST: You're a lawyer, too.
 
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: We're both lawyers.
 
CRIST: Thank you, Greta.
 
VAN SUSTEREN: Thank you, sir.
 
CRIST: My pleasure.
 
(END VIDEO CLIP)
 
VAN SUSTEREN: Former Speaker of the House and bestselling author of a book "Real Change" Newt Gingrich joins us live on the phone. Mr. Speaker, Governor Crist did not say "no." I asked him twice. So what do you think? Is he a possibility? Is he a contender?
 
NEWT GINGRICH, FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Well, sure, he is. He's a very attractive guy. He delivered Florida to John McCain at a key moment in the nomination process. He's very popular in Florida.
 
He clearly would have to be on anybody's short list of Republican vice-presidential nominees, and I think that Senator McCain is certainly going to think about him as a possibility.
 
There are other, I think, very attractive people--Rob Portman and John Kasich. They are both former congressmen from Ohio who could put that state back into play. And I think Governor Pawlenty from Minnesota, who will be hosting the National Convention, is a good reform governor.
 
I think, at the same time, you've got Mark Sanford down in South Carolina, who's been a very effective reform governor.
 
I think the long shot, an interesting example, would be Governor Palin of Alaska, who is in some ways the most interesting reformer in the entire country on the Republican side.
 
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Do you think that one person--as I'm looking through this list of governors that you were rolling off, and one that you didn't mention: Governor Romney--do you think there's any chance since his father was Governor of Michigan, his father ran an automotive industry there, and he grew up in Michigan, and Michigan has horrible economic problems, is there any chance that he could deliver Michigan for Senator McCain?
 
GINGRICH: I don't think he could deliver, but he could certainly help him with it. Governor Romney is a very attractive guy, and he put together a very impressive campaign. But whether or not Senator McCain will want to go in that direction, you can't tell at the present time.
 
The question is what are you trying to put in play and what states do you think are up for grabs. The other part of that equation, I think, is how are the Democrats going to solve this problem that neither Florida nor Michigan is currently going to be seated at the Democratic National Convention?
 
I think they've got a significant problem back home if they try to hold a national convention with the fourth largest state in the eighth or ninth largest state not in the convention.
 
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Are you suggesting either that-- are you saying that the Democrats got much bigger problems right now and let's talk about the Democrats, or are you saying by virtue of the fact that the Democrats have problems in Michigan and Florida that that means in November those two states are really good candidates for the Republican party to win?
 
GINGRICH: I think Senator McCain will carry Florida, and I think the question is can he find he can either carry Ohio or can he add Pennsylvania or Michigan to, in a sense, replace Ohio?
 
And then there are other states he puts in play that weren't in play last time. I think New Hampshire is probably going to go for John McCain, having held over 100 town hall meetings there.
 
McCain is much stronger with Hispanics. And I think if Obama is the nominee, McCain could suddenly put a number of states into play normally you wouldn't think a Republican being competitive in.
 
So this is a long, long way from being decided, and Senator McCain is in a pretty decent position to put together a campaign. And, frankly, if Senator Obama and Senator Clinton continue to be bitterly divisive, the chances of Senator McCain winning go up one day at a time.
 
VAN SUSTEREN: All right--money. Senator McCain raised--is having a much more difficult time raising money than the two Democratic candidates. How does he turn that around for himself?
 
GINGRICH: I think that's one of the real keys to the fall campaign. I mean, if Senator McCain can make clear the degree to which Senator Obama represents a massive tax increase and a real economic threat to millions of Americans, it will be possible for him to raise the kind of money he needs.
 
If he can't make that clear, I think, frankly, Senator Obama will win. So that will be one of the real tests this fall.
 
And it is very impressive that Senator Obama has had over two million donors.
 
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Are you counting out Senator Clinton in that answer?
 
GINGRICH: No, I don't count her out, but she is going to have to knock Senator Obama out. He is not going to lose the nomination without a very, very major breakthrough by Senator Clinton. And, at the moment, that breakthrough isn't very obvious.
 
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: And in terms of the vice- presidential selection by Senator McCain, when would you estimate that decision would be made?
 
GINGRICH: Well, I think they've got the luxury of waiting to see what the Democrats do. Remember, you want two things in a vice president--you want somebody who could be president, and you want somebody who can help you win the election.
 
And I think that if Senator Obama is the Democratic nominee, then who he picks as vice president to some extent may have an impact on McCain. So McCain may actually wait until the convention reaches Minneapolis-St. Paul before he makes a decision.
 
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Mr. Speaker, thank you, sir.
 
GINGRICH: Great to be with you, thank you.
 
VAN SUSTEREN: Great to be with you as well.

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Comments
By Wally @ Tuesday, April 08, 2008 9:03 PM
From the Wally "Two Cent" Express.

If "Clinton" - then "Portman for McCain's V.P." Portman is a Washington Insider that connects with the American Serfs. All Around Great Guy & Family Man Too! (Yes - "They" Still Exist!)
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