Below The Beltway

The latest ABC News/WaPo Poll has an interesting section on public opinion on the respective parties’ Vice-Presidential nominees.
First, the Democrats:

And, the Republicans:

So, basically, what we have are entirely meaningless results for two reasons.
First, it’s fairly obvious that most of the responses are based on name recognition. People know who Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Mitt Romney, […]

Speculation is building that two former rivals could become running mates:
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - In a show of Republican unity, one-time bitter foes John McCain and Mitt Romney raised money and campaigned together Thursday for a single goal - getting McCain elected president.
“We are united. Now our job is to energize our party,” the […]

Notwithstanding the fact that there was a lot of bad blood between the McCain and Romney campaigns during the primary, Mitt Romney now sounds downright conciliatory:
Mitt Romney said in his first interview since departing the GOP race that he would accept the number two position on the ticket and that there is no lingering bitterness […]

There’s a strange story at the L.A. Times’ Top Of The Ticket blog saying that Mitt Romney might re-enter the GOP race if McCain falters:
Josh Romney, one of former Gov. Mitt Romney’s five sons, says it’s “possible” his father may rejoin the race for the White House, as a vice presidential candidate or as the […]

Mitt Romney announced in a joint news conference in Boston today that he was endorsing John McCain for President:
(CNN) — Former Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney announced Thursday that he is backing Sen. John McCain in his bid for the Oval Office.
“I am honored today to give my full support to Sen. McCain,” Romney said […]

Last week, Mitt Romney dropped out of the Presidential race in a speech at CPAC.
Today, he will endorse John McCain for the Presidency and encourage his delegates to support McCain at the convention:
(CNN) — Former Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney plans to announce Thursday that he is backing Sen. John McCain in his bid […]

The big rotating police light is up on Drudge and here’s what he says:
EXIT POLLS SHOW 2:1 OBAMA LEAD OVER HILLARY IN VA AND MD, 3:1 IN DC… DEVELOPING…
HUCKABEE GIVES MCCAIN RUN IN VA: EXITS…
Looks like it will be an interesting night.

This isn’t entirely a surprise given the energetic response to his speech on Thursday, but Mitt Romney won the CPAC straw poll by a small margin:
WASHINGTON (CNN) – Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney narrowly beat John McCain, 35 to 34 percent, in a straw poll of conservative political activists gathered Saturday in Washington — […]

Honestly, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, but John McCain is far ahead in the first poll of Virginia voters conducted after the departure of Mitt Romney from the race:
One day after Mitt Romney withdrew from the Republican race for President, John McCain collects approximately two-thirds of Romney’s support, according to before-and-after […]

Because Romney became the George W. Bush candidate:
“Change” has been the great theme of this primary season. And Republican voters want change almost as much as Democrats do.
Mr. McCain won the votes of those Republicans who expressed dissatisfaction with the Bush presidency. They remembered Mr. McCain as a fierce opponent of George W. Bush in […]