Okay, I haven't seen a single big-time pundit point this out, so I guess I will.
We've heard about how a moderate choice for McCain's VP will pick up swing voters. We've heard about how a conservative choice for VP will help turn out base voters.
My concern? Walkers. McCain's VP selection will determine how many people will show up to walk door-to-door for the Republican ticket in Fort Collins, Colorado - the Purplest Town in the Purplest State in America.
There aren't many "natural" McCain volunteers. There will be even fewer if he turns off the base with his VP pick.
Or, as I put it bluntly in a campaign planning meeting last week: If it's McCain-Ridge, we'll have 25 new GOTV volunteers in Fort Collins. If it's McCain-Romney, we'll have 250.
Remember: the Romney team made thousands of grassroots volunteer phone calls in Larimer County for caucus and won with 60 percent.
(As a frame of reference, Bush-Cheney had 110 walkers in Fort Collins on the Saturday before the election in 2004).
The ramifications down-ballot are terrifying...
