As I said on the other thread, Mormon money is tainted money in the eyes of evangelicals. They are already very soft on McCain, taking (in their eyes) a cultist for money would spell almost certain doom.

McCain is 71 and it is even money he won't live his full term, that means a Mormon President. Evangelicals will stay home for sure.

I just don't know how it is that TNR is so ignorant of Evangelicals true feelings about Mormons. Jeremiah Wright is just a loudmouthed black preacher, someone they hate but they relate to, they simply can't relate to Mormons, and Mitt represents everything they dislike about them.

Obama sounds like an evangelical to them, they might not vote for him, but they won't rush out to vote against him. Mitt is the anti-evangelical. No amount of money will win them over and without them McCain is toast, and they will also view it as a snub of Huckabee.

I absolutely decry their viewpoints, I would vote for a Mormon in a second if I agreed with his policies, but lets not pretend that evangelicals would.

"What Would Romney's Money Do For McCain" Hmmm. Blpw him?

Jeez. If McCain needs Romney to enhance his fundraising, that doesn't signal strong support the the GOP presumptive nominee.

For that matter, Blackton is correct. Word of heavy Mormon contributions will dampen evangelical support. Heh, they've gotta hate somebody.

  That is interesting. McCain railed at Barack for allowing 1.5 million donors to stay with him so he might have thought about playing that card if this is even remotely possible. How would he explain taking the personal funds of his running mate?  There are probably some sound reasons for Romney on the ticket but if Mitt is cutting checks it would stink to high heaven.  Not so much the LDS connection but it would appear McCain auctioned off the job or Romney bribed his way in. The public doesn't seem to mind if a candidate taps their account for their race but this may be perceived as not for 'just Mitt'...and, well, it isn't.

  I don't know the law but tapping a rich running mate's bank account seems to violate the spirit & any person who is concerned with the integrity of campaign finances would say "no thanks". What is worse? Millions of individuals supporting a ticket or the #2 guy?

This story was sourced using anonymous McCain staffers.

Many of these staffers have spent 12 months dealing with low fundraising and tight budgets. It's not surprising that they would overrate Romney's chances to Jonathan Martin.

I followed the Republican primaries quite closely--I'm a Boston boy and I wanted to follow our man Mitt. Blackton hits the nail on in head in his first post: Evangelicals despise Mormons and now know and despise Romney. Judging from Republican Southern primary votes, a majority of Evangelicals will sit this one out. They were already dissatisfied with McCain, but Romney is with the Devil!

Aside from the theological differences, Mormons and Evangelicals are fierce competitors for conversion in countries around the globe, particularly third world countries, Latin America, Africa, South Asia. The Evangelicals see a Romney near the highest office as legitimating the Mormon heretical or unChristian religion, giving the Later Day Saints a major leg up in the battle for conversions.

Beyond that, Mitt is a pandering self-promoting value-less slimeball. His religion was a non-issue in Massachusetts, the most "secular" state in the nation. Yet to try(and fail big time!) to convince the Christian Right/Evangelicals of his worthiness, in his speech on faith he made a point of speaking to the threat of "secularists". What a shameful little man.

The worthwhile blog Campaign Diaries elaborates on the reasons to be skeptical of the recent veep buzz

Politico 's Mike Allen reports that fundraising is a chief reason Mitt Romney sits atop the list

Perhaps they could borrow the money up front in the expectation of paying themselves back when Romney is announced on the ticket.  Gives them longer to spend any money raised after all...

I'm amazed at those suggesting Evangelicals would not support McCain/Mitt.  Don't these people realize that the evangelical vote in the primaries was split fairly evenly between McCain, Mitt, and Huckaboo.  2/3rds of Evangelicals would vote for the ticket, just not the 1/3rd who voted for the Hucka-hypocrite.  Those bad mouthing Mitt are probably the Huckster's minions - the modern army of Pharisees who will find fault in everyone with a different opinion.

I meant to link to this earlier, but better late than never: In response to some of the questions we

In honor of today's Washington Post front-pager suggesting a McCain VP announcement is imminent,