Gov. Mitch Daniels, who pretty much threw his own party’s presidential nominee under the bus last month, will introduce John and Cindy McCain at their brief airport appearance tomorrow.

Daniels had a campaign presence at but personally skipped fellow Gov. Sarah Palin’s wingnut get-togethers in Indiana, but way back when, insiders will remember he was a staunch McCain backer.

So, why is he suddenly showing up at the tail end of the campaign? A few thoughts:

No harm, no foul: Looking at the electoral map, McCain is probably going to lose on Tuesday. Daniels is likely to win and win big. What the heck does he care if he stands next to McCain and plays nicey-nice with the partisans?

One day to go: Daniels’ intro will be swallowed up by the larger story that McCain finally came back to Indiana, which will be swallowed up by the larger story that the election is on Tuesday. At best, it’s a media blip.

Full recovery: Daniels is feeling cocky enough to show up in Statehouse and statewide candidates’ television spots and mail pieces. His approval rating, after months of advertising and a politically impotent opponent, has rebounded. Where he was a drag on the ticket two years ago, he might actually be able to help McCain in the final 24 hours.

Boredom: Election eve is a stressful time for any politico. Maybe Daniels just wanted to get out of the house.