Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell gave his most convincing performance to date Friday in the ongoing audition for the vice presidential slot on the Republican ticket this fall.
At the same time, McDonnell’s appearance at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference served as a reminder that the popular Republican governor may need more time before he reaches that level.
McDonnell in a 20-minute address called on conservatives to vote in droves this November and put more Republicans in governorships. It was a brief call to action, and the only shorter talking point was his obligatory plug for the presidential contender he endorsed, Mitt Romney, which was met by a mix of mild cheers and audible boos.
McDonnell used the speech to introduce himself to the audience and highlight his own resume in Virginia. He picked on targets that were obvious crowd pleasers, like Planned Parenthood and public broadcasting, while invoking God and Ronald Reagan to clinch his arguments.
He spoke of his family’s military record, including his daughter’s combat service in Iraq — a slight to former Sen. Rick Santorum, Romney’s surging rival, who said Thursday that women didn’t belong on the front lines.
McDonnell contrasted himself against President Obama, not only in his words but also in his approach to addressing the crowd. McDonnell shunned the podium and Teleprompters and instead paced the stage while delivering the message that the current administration had a “surplus of rhetoric and a deficit of results.”
Except for his endorsement of Romney, who is considered too moderate for many Republican conservatives, McDonnell struck all the right notes.
Jim Swope, from Bedford County, Pa., said he could see why McDonnell is often mentioned as a possible VP candidate, and would like to see him considered even though Swope prefers Santorum over Romney
“The only downside is it will hold back Virginia,” Swope said.
McDonnell is still relatively unknown outside the commonwealth having only served as governor since 2010. Party heads have quickly attempted to elevate his stature, allowing him to deliver the Republican response to Obama’s 2010 State of the Union address and naming him chairman of the Republican Governors Association in 2011. On Saturday, McDonnell will deliver the weekly Republican address for the third time in his short career.
Despite the efforts, McDonnell’s name recognition with the crowd Friday was sparse. The Marriott Ballroom was packed with people grabbing seats early to catch Santorum, who followed McDonnell on the program.
As they exited after Santorum’s speech, many in the crowd didn’t know who McDonnell was, but said he’s now on their radar.
“I felt like he was energizing and very succinct,” said Marilyn Sakowski of New Jersey. “But I don’t think I’ve heard enough yet.”
