Mitch Daniels to the rescue?

February 28, 2012

Earl Weaver managed the Baltimore Orioles for 17 seasons between 1968 and 1986. He was without question one of the most colorful men ever to manage a baseball team and remains one of the most quoted. One well-remembered “Weaverism” is the question he would ask of a player or umpire with whom he was displeased. He would approach the offender and ask, “Do you get better or is this it?”

Romney was spared the humiliation and momentum-killing effects of a defeat in Michigan. But his narrow victory in his home state, a state he carried handily in 2008, has many in the GOP feeling like Earl Weaver.

Despite a three percentage point win in the popular vote, Romney and Santorum split the delegates in Michigan’s proportional primary. Breakout victory continues to elude Romney.

The possibility exists that the nomination will not be secured by anyone in the field by the time that the GOP convenes in Tampa on August 27 and there is a growing desire among some GOP leaders for a fresh face to enter the race. One name that came up in early 2011 is that of Indiana governor Mitch Daniels. He has said emphatically that he doesn’t want the job. Yet pressure may be brought to bear on him to step into the vacuum created by Romney’s inability to finish off his opponents.

We visited with Gov. Daniels as he was making the rounds on Radio Row in early February during Super Bowl week in Indianapolis.

With Romney’s poor showing, it seems likely that Gov. Daniels’ wife Cheri should be prepared for a visit from the pooh-bahs of the Republican party very soon.