CNN reports that Mitt Romney, despite publicly declaring he has no interest in running for president in 2012, is cozying up to party insiders--and many of them think he actually might have given them a better chance of winning had he been veep.
The former business consultant and founder of Bain Capital handled economic issues during his campaign with an ease and confidence that seemed to elude Sen. John McCain. As the stock market tanked throughout the fall, a growing chorus of conservative pundits speculated Romney would have boosted the GOP ticket considerably more than Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin did.
Romney was speaking at National Review's annual cruise--the same cruise where Palin apparently turned a bunch of heads in 2007.
Some conservative pundits actually suggest that Romney could attract the same people who initially backed Huckabee. For instance:
"There he was addressing the largest gathering every year of conservatives, and it was extremely symbolic in many ways," said Matt Lewis, a writer for the conservative Web site Townhall.com. "That's where he chose to say for the good of the movement he was going to get out. It was very well-received by most people, and he is now in a better position to garner more conservative support because of it."
Hmmm ... could this mean the Repubs are about to give the finger to the religious right? The CW during the primaries was that born-again Christians had misgivings about voting for a Mormon. On the other hand, it could mean the civil war between the theocon and corporate wings of the GOP might be underway. If the latter is true, somebody better get the popcorn.