But in a session with reporters here on Friday, it became clear that Bond’s presidential pick could have been driven just as much by his distaste for the other GOP candidates as much as his attraction to Giuliani. Indeed, Bond had few kind words for any of the other contenders and went as far as to suggest he might withhold his support for the GOP ticket if Sen. John McCain were the party’s nominee.

Asked about McCain, R-Ariz., Bond listed a litany of issues where he and McCain have disagreed—from the Bush tax cuts to immigration to global warming. Asked if he would support McCain if he won the nomination, Bond demurred.

“We’ll try to get Rudy, and if Rudy isn’t around [for the general election], I’ll make a decision after that,” Bond said. “I normally support the ticket … but I’ll take a look at what my options are” after the race shakes out more.

Asked about ex-Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Bond wasn’t too sweet either. He said Romney seemed to have good business sense and other qualities but said his health care plan seemed like “Hillary-care light” and added “some of his issues stands are not clear,” an apparent reference to Romney’s shift on abortion rights.

What about ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, senator? “He has divine inspiration” when it comes to pithy one-liners, Bond said. But when the former Baptist minister starts talking about national security and foreign policy, “I have real concerns.” And on the economy, Bond quipped, “he and John Edwards have had the same talking points.”

Bond did at least concede that Giuliani, for all his apparent strengths, had come up with a campaign strategy that “went against conventional wisdom.”

“We’ll see if conventional wisdom wins on Tuesday night,” Bond said.