The Nominee and the Base

In my previous post, with the facetious title, I mentioned reporter Ryan Lizza from The New Yorker, and his attack on Representative Paul Ryan as Governor Romney's choice for the Vice Presidential nomination.  Here is Mr Lizza's last paragraph in his current piece on the nomination of the Vice President:

Romney’s choice of Ryan will undoubtedly be criticized as capitulation to the right, and this pick does seem to demonstrate that Romney is not able or willing to distance himself from the base of his party.  But the good thing about the Ryan pick is that the Presidential campaign will instantly turn into a very clear choice between two distinct ideologies that genuinely reflect the core beliefs of the two parties.  And in that sense, Romney’s choice of Paul Ryan is good news for voters.

One wonders why one would be a nominee if one did not, in some way, support the base of one's party?  I am not for rules that say we throw out of the party those who cross party lines from time to time.  (I am an insurgent here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and thus I am always looking for help, even part time help.)  Why would Republicans want Governor Romney as their candidate if he wasn't a Republican.  In a way it isn't about winning, to win, but about putting forward an agenda to give the People a choice.

Regards  —  Cliff