I'm enthusiastic about this mission too. Not to be too whimsical, but there is something compelling about exploring a place, no one really thinks about exploring. The potential of finding something totally unexpected is tantalizing.

I’m with you on the manned base idea. Once we’ve become proficient at living and operating at the Lunar poles, (and assuming a Vasimr, or NTR propulsion system) constructing and operating an outpost at the Mercurian poles should be no sweat.

Unless I’ve misinterpreted this post from the Messenger web site, there is reason to believe Mercury’s ice deposits may be more abundant than those at the Moon’s polar regions,…which are many times richer than we expected to find.

Source

MESSENGER's neutron spectrometer will search for hydrogen in and polar deposits. The presence will suggest that the deposits are water-rich. On the moon, we had hints of ice from radar, and LCROSS fully confirmed ice and volatiles in lunar craters. On Mercury, the radar of the polar deposits is more extensive than on the moon.

Another plus for a Mercurian polar base, might be it's higher gravity, which is close to that of Mars.