McCain gathering may be a tryout for a running mate
At least three high-profile Republicans, including Mitt Romney, will join the Arizona senator at his Sedona cabin for Memorial Day.
When he escapes to his retreat outside Sedona for Memorial Day grilling this weekend, Arizona Sen. John McCain will have some high-profile company -- at least three Republican politicians widely viewed as potential running mates.
Among the guests invited to McCain's cabin are former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who campaigned with McCain a few weeks ago in New Orleans.
McCain strategist Charlie Black insisted the gathering would be "purely social" and had "nothing whatsoever to do with the vice presidential selection process."
"Wouldn't it be difficult to interview people for vice president with the other competitors there?" Black said.
McCain's aides have been virtually silent about when he might choose a vice presidential candidate. And McCain, who was passed over as Bob Dole's running mate in 1996, frequently says he will not share the names of candidates to spare them embarrassment.
Playing down the significance of the weekend, Black noted that McCain and his wife, Cindy, have hosted similar events, one as recently as March -- when other presumed contenders, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, spent the day at McCain's secluded ranch.
McCain has invited nine couples, including Black and his wife, Black said. He declined to name the other five couples.
Black on Wednesday would not give any indication about whether McCain was getting closer to a decision. "He's thinking about it," Black said coyly.
One Republican political strategist said the McCain campaign had an interest in fueling running mate speculation to draw more attention to the campaign, which has been overshadowed by the Democratic presidential contest. It was also notable that the couples will gather in Sedona around the same time that McCain's campaign is allowing reporters to review the 71-year-old candidate's medical records.
Some political analysts see advantages for McCain to name a running mate early. A partner on the trail could help McCain raise money as he tries to catch up with Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who has raised significantly more money. McCain's poll numbers are also expected to drop when Obama becomes McCain's official opponent, and running mate speculation might create a welcome diversion for the campaign.
Republican consultant Scott Reed, who ran Dole's campaign, said it was "extremely early" for McCain to be doing public tryouts. But he acknowledged that a big part of putting together a ticket was determining the chemistry between McCain and potential candidates.
The weekend, he said, "is a perfect way to see how people really are, how they interact with other people and it goes to compatibility."
He said he expected "serious tryouts" to come later after the top candidates had been vetted by lawyers and accountants, and after they had gone "through the tough questions" with McCain's campaign manager.
"That gets into family, and money and sex, and drugs and rock 'n' roll," Reed said.
maeve.reston@latimes.com
