This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
As Mitt Romney helps his Republican pals rake in treasure for the fall campaign, he also is racking up credits with other GOP candidates as a big-name guy they can call to help them on the stump. All of which suggests that Romney could cash in those credits when the 2012 presidential race rolls around.
This may sound cynical, but it's the way the political game is played. Richard Nixon and Bob Dole played it that way, and so do aspiring Democrats. It's a way for a candidate to burnish relationships with others in his party and generally pay his dues. Give something of yourself to others and the party, and when the time comes, they'll give back to you.
In the process of crisscrossing the country and campaigning for other candidates, Romney also can work on bridging the divide between Evangelical Christians and Mormons within his party. The depth of this division was one of the hard lessons of Romney's campaign this year, and it could prove to be a barrier to his presidential aspirations. By giving speeches and pressing the flesh with the party faithful, he may be able to overcome some of that suspicion and drive home the message that on the issues that count to Evangelicals, he and other Mormons are simpatico.
That divide could explain why Romney has said he's not expecting to be on the short list to be John McCain's running mate. Evangelical Christians are suspicious of McCain already, and many of them also are suspicious of Romney, so it is unlikely that Mitt would help balance a McCain ticket, at least from the religious standpoint,
In other ways, Romney would bring a lot to the McCain ticket. Unlike McCain, a U.S. senator, Romney has been the governor of a major Eastern state. McCain is a Westerner. Romney has feet in the East, the Midwest and the West. He is claimed as a favorite son by Massachusetts, Michigan and Utah.
While McCain has admitted his lack of depth in economics, that's a Romney strong suit, along with his expertise as a manager and CEO.
But the more likely place for McCain to tap Romney's executive talents might be in the Cabinet, rather than as a running mate.
Whether a Cabinet post would dovetail with Romney's presidential aspirations, and whether McCain would want a potential rival in his administration, is another matter.
Because all indications suggest that Mitt Romney still has his eyes on the ultimate prize.