Feb 07 2008
The Last “True” Conservative Bows Out Of Presidential Race
As I predicted Romney’s poor showing on Super Tuesday, especially his dismal 3rd place showing across the South, pretty much ended his bid for the GOP nomination. It appears Romney has realized that his poor showing, coupled with his low donation rates given how much he has had to self fund his campaign, indicates a lost cause so he is going to bow out:
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will suspend his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, GOP sources tell CNN.
Romney had won 270 delegates in through the Super Tuesday contests, compared with front-runner John McCain’s 680.
Romney had no public events Wednesday and instead met with aides to discuss strategy to stay in the race through March 4.
“It is tough to saddle up this a.m.,” one Romney adviser told CNN the morning after his disappointing Super Tuesday finish.
Although he outspent his rivals, Romney received just 175 delegates on Super Tuesday, compared with at least 504 for McCain and 141 for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, according to CNN estimates.
Romney was my number 2 pick after Rudy Giuliani, but he made some bad decisions by trying to tack too far right and appease the hyper-partisans. It don’t take a rocket scientist to see how each candidate embraced by the likes of Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham have fallen by the wayside one after another. In this year of the anti-partisan, pro-compromise mood of the country it is no big surprise – at least to some of us. I wonder who conservative talk radio will trot out now as their preferred choice?
I would expect Romney to do the honorable thing and reach out to McCain and throw his support behind the presumptive nominee. I hope the ‘true’ conservatives will follow the lead of their recent preferred choice.
Ed Morrissey is live-blogging Romney’s departure speech (along with Ingraham’s last digs at all us impure conservatives)
Further Thoughts: BTW, this was coordinated with the McCain camp – no two ways about it. So, is it suicide voting or fighting the dems? I wonder which way some folks will go?
I think Romney might actually end up being the GOP nominee someday, just not now.
The talking heads have WORN US OUT. WE ARE SICK OF THEIR GRIPING ABOUT EVERYTHING. they have become the problem,not the solution.
Imagine. We want SOLUTIONS!
Rush, you have optimism???? WHERE IS IT? You are acting like a loser these past few days. Enough! You are rebelling against the republican party over having HIllary in the White House. What good will that do you?
This is a time that I hope everyone that listens to Rush will do what their hearts tell them, not what their hate/anger/rebellion says to do.
I think it is great news. Romney was my number one choice, Giuliani second, McCain was probably fourth. But, McCain is the one who emerged. It is time for all sides to unite. Romney may not have been the “true conservative” this year; but, he has four years to serve the cause and already has what he didn’t have in the 2008 race…..conservative respect and support from the git-go. If he takes a position somewhere to be that face for the next four years…..it may be his time at a later date (and with solid credentials). I, also think this was co-oridinated with the McCain camp (one could only guess what was discussed). McCain really needs conservative support to win this election. He knows that. I think thinks will “calm down” as he puts it from now on. And, I sure hope Romney is out there helping to get McCain elected (as well as Huckabee, too). It is a chance to show a united front.
As for McCain……
I think he is Iran bound and Ahmadinijad better watch out!
So, my state’s primary is coming up. I’ve already gotten the McCain robocall. McCain should win Virginia easily because of our high military support. Should I vote for Hillary –since she is the candidate conservatives find easiest to defeat? Romney– just to show he had my support. McCain –just to show Repubs are rallying behind him?
I still think Obama is gonna be the Dem candidate; and, McCain can’t beat him. I think Obama raises a million dollars a day (although I suspect there is Soros money filtered in the mix). But, I’ll do what I can.
Good questions, Frogg. I am thinking that voting for McCain in a big way will help republicans. Either way, the clinton machine will be going against republicans whether hil or obama wins so I vote for your vote to be McCain 🙂
Thanks for thoughts, Ivehardit. I guess that unless I hear of a “vote Hillary to stop Obama and elect McCain” movement, I may take that advice. LOL!
Looking at some of the comments in a thread at lucianne.com – wow, I have never read so much whining and pissing and moaning!!!
And the people who are most upset still won’t admit to themselves that the real problem is the the majority of this country’s voters simply do not agree with them.
It was a real toss up between Romney and Giulliani for me with a lean to Romney. Sorry to see him go, although he had to at this point. Talk radio and the Hard Right have really dug themselves into a hole. They savaged every candidate on the Republican ticket except Fred who they ridiculed for not be “exciting”. Thanks a lot guys and gals! I really will not make listening a regular part of my day anymore. Though, I will check in occaisionally :-)…. I think the only thing left for them is a third party. So, I wish them well and hope they will continue in their unwavering support for Life and the Security of our country.. We need you guys for that. At least vote in the General Election and remember those two issues and who you want making those decisions. If you find a candidate that is pure enough I will probably vote for him/her. In the meantime, there is a war going on that needs to be fought so I g0t to get back to it.
And one other thought, I am going to look with great suspicion at anyone who “suicide votes” and claims they are for the troops and winning the war on terrorism. You suicide vote and you abandon the troops in the field.
I have wondered if there is any chance Romney might be VP. That might seem strange, but if Reagan and Bush could do it, then it might be possible.
I think talk radio hurt Romney. I really do.
And speaking of Obama and his money, where is it all coming from? I thought the Democrats were supposed to be the poor man’s party.
Terrye, remember seeing the report on the Hsu corruption investigation? Follow the money….you find a lot of money being donated in the names of people who are dead, don’t live at the address given, give maximum donations but make minimum wage, donations made in every family members name, etc.
Don’t get me wrong…….Obama has a huge grassroots support and he used today’s technology to the max. I bet every college kid on campus sent him $10. But, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some George Soros money filtered into it. Think Hsu.
Terrye,
To heck with where it is coming from now, that I can understand. I keep asking…………………who put the big buck up to run the ad buys immediately after Bush won in 2004? They just ran the Voice over and over. Testing the water.
I’ve just looking over the CPAC live blogging. McCain is speaking now. Everyone was told ahead of time not to “boo” . It looks like it is going good. McCain getting a much warmer reception since Mitt gave his speech and released them to support McCain. He’s saying all the right things. Romney was the rock star. Things will be very different for him in a future race. You’ll have to read both speeches to know what I mean, and check ont the conservative live blogs. McCain said he now knows that conservative opposition to his illegal immigration was based on “rule of law”, etc. He’s doing good and even got some applause.
I think you will see conservative bloggers getting behind a McCain victory over the Democrats. I think the healing process has begun and it won’t be long before you see the news reporting that the Republicans are unified.
The Democrats will either find a similar path or self destruct.
Ingraham was her usual self with the underhanded jabs. That is Ingraham. I first started paying attention to her because she started doing the Malkin jab at Bush at every opportunity.
I do not listen to much talk radio. I like to see the people when they say it.
This is where I stick up for Hannity. I am sorry if he has been calling himself a ‘pure’ conservative. I disagree with several of his opinions but Hannity is not another Ingraham. He says it upfront and does not do much of the backstabbing digs. They finally ran him off the cliff with the immigration thing but Hannity is not nasty. The kicker? He is one of the few that actually LIKES McCain. Yep. Always has and goes out of his way to say it and how much he respects him. I watch them all and Hannity is the nicest one of the bunch, and that includes a lot of bloggers.
My ex-Seantor, George Allen-VA, just introduced McCain. Here is how his introduction started:
“the primary issue facing the nation is war, and the best candidate to face war is John McCain”
They don’t get any more conservative than Allen. Mitt’s dropping out and getting behind McCain early in CPAC was a smart move.
I’m telling you guys……..conservatives will continue to work on their issues behind the scenes, they will still complain on some of McCain’s decisions just like they did Bush (and they loved Bush), they will stress McCain’s Iraq/War leadership, and want him over any Democrat.
I’m telling you guys……the healing has begun. Now, go heal yourself.
owl:
I have always thought there was something strange about Obama and the voice and the style coming out of nowhere like he did. Seemed kind of Hollywood to me, it still does.
The Anchoress thinks this might all be sort of a ploy or something to get a third party or a brokered convention. I hope not. I am tired of the intrigue.
Frogg:
I hope you are right.
Ron Paul has been forgotten and people want him to leave us alone (in a general sense).
Why is Huck still hanging in there? There is no hope for him to continue.
What happens to all of Romney’s delegate votes?
Romney delegate votes won’t matter once McCain reaches that magic number — which will probably be real soon now that Romney is out. Huck should get out too.
Lurker,
The states decide how to apportion Romney’s delegates in the GOP.
Thanks, Frogg and AJStrata.
The fact that Huck and Ron are staying in showed that they have no class at all. Surely…do they think that they want the Democrat to win?
Huck will have no chance in 2012. Mitt does.
Terrye
It’s beyond strange. The Parties had just had their conventions and then the spending for the election in Nov. Bush wins for the next 4years. Don’t know if it was Jan or later in spring, I started hearing The Voice. Maybe I never noticed it, but I do not ever remember seeing money spent like that.