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If the Governors squabble among themselves, it's over who will throw up the best fire wall, should McCain wound Bush in New Hampshire or South Carolina. "I'm solid asbestos," Michigan Governor John Engler crows. "I'm not conceding anything to McCain in New Hampshire, but when he gets to Michigan on Feb. 22, he runs into a state where I've got an organization that has won for me three times, where the legislature is overwhelmingly for Bush, where 65% of county chairmen are already lined up. On Veteran's Day, in bellwether Macomb County, 250 leaders came out from every city and township to sign up with Bush." Engler has so wrapped up the players that McCain did not name a state chair until mid-November, and he's a rookie at that.
One week after Michigan, Virginia's Governor Jim Gilmore is ready with his bright red ladder truck and wailing siren as well. "George and Laura campaigned here so that the G.O.P. got control of the legislature, and I intend to return the favor. Virginia will be a giant step in his winning march," he says. To that end, he moved Virginia's primary up to Feb. 29. As for Governor George Pataki's New York, which votes on March 7: fuhgeddaboutit. Despite improvements in the state's unconscionable ballot access requirements, Pataki has kept it sufficiently difficult that it would take a miracle for McCain to qualify in enough districts to have a shot. And Bush is even competing in McCain's Arizona, with Governor Jane Hull's help, which is forcing the Senator to spend scarce resources there.
So what do the Governors get out of Bush for their fealty? Attention, as he triangulates against the less popular Republicans in Congress; money, as he promises to send more to the states; and the possibility that one of them will be his Vice President. At the Iowa straw poll in August, Bush squealed, "Tommy T., you're the best," to the Wisconsin Governor on the short list. In June, Bush ran along the Susquehanna River with Pennsylvania's Ridge during a two-day swing through that state and joked that he "would make a great jogging mate." His campaign has registered Bush-Ridge on the Internet, but also Bush-Engler, Bush-Pataki and Bush-Whitman.
So life for Bush remains a lot like rush time at the DKE house. At a time of peace and good times, he's not worried about the talent contest. He's already won Mr. Congeniality.