Mitt Throws in the Towel

So, I take a couple days off to sort through the Super Tuesday results, in part because of the snow we got in DBQ, & what happens. Mitt Romney announces Thursday at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) that he is suspending his race for president.

OK, he has to say suspended for technical reasons due to our public financing laws that I like less & less, but the reality is he has officially quit the race for president. That leaves McCain as the virtual winner. & while Huckabee or Ron Paul may pull of a few wins, it seems that everyone in the media is conceding the nomination to McCain.

Romney's reason: “If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention … I’d forestall the launch of a national campaign and, frankly, I’d be making it easier for Sen. Clinton or Obama to win. Frankly, in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror.”

I have to say that I am surprized & puzzled. On the surface it would seem to make sense. But at the heart it doesn't make any sense at all. A friend of mine suggested that some scandal was about to break that would hurt Romney. Maybe? I don't know.

McCain is over 60% of the way to having the needed number of delegates. But, he isn't there yet. & Super Tuesday, didn't settle things absolutely.

The questions that need to be answered in my mind include:

-What were Romney's chances in the rest of the states?

-Were there enough states with winner take all clearly leaning to McCain that it was inevitable for McCain to win?

-What does this do for Huckabee?

-Did Romney just insuring signing the death warrent for a Republican win in Nov?

McCain is not perfect on Pro-Life. But a lot better than Clinton of Obama. But, I am not sure he would appoint the type of judges we need. If he did, they would overthrow 1 of the worst mistakes Congress ever passed, McCain-Feingold. That law should never have been upheld in any way shape or form. It puts unconstitutional limits on political speech. & while the Supreme Court has struck down parts, it has let the heart of it survive. Something that a court with more strict constructionalists (the kind we need) would never do. I can't see him appointing judges that would overthrow his pride & joy.

& it those same type of judges that are needed to overthrow Roe v Wade.

It seems like the Republican Party is back to where it was in 1976. It took 4 years of Jimmy "Satan is my hero" Carter to pave the way for Ronald Reagan. & we may be in the same position again.

As In commented on another blog: "Maybe it will take another diaster like the Carter years for the Republicans to realize they need to be strong on the social issues like Right to Life. But, I dread what we may have to go through to get there." Is this a major setback? I don't know. It may be. But I still think in the end we will win. I just don't like the idea of it taking any longer than yesterday to end the daily slaughter of over 3500 children a day. & with McCain I suspect it may come later than sooner.

& while I like my buddy Cavey's idea of bringing Reagan back to life there are a myriad of problems, some scientific, some constitutional, some theological, that have to be dealt with.

Like Laura Ingraham, Ann Coulter, Rush & other talk show hosts I don't see McCain as a real or even near conservative. & that doesn't bode well.

But, Michelle Malkin does give us a suggestion in her recent column Quo vadis, conservatives? She says: "Get fired up." Then "Get off the couch and walk the walk for conservative candidates and officeholders who need all the help they can get defending free markets, free minds, and secure borders—no matter who takes the White House in November."

She is right. We need to go out & work for candidates that will uphold what we believe when they get into office. & 1 of the biggest places we need that to happen is in the US Congress. Regardless of who is president the Republicans need to regain control. If only to stop Obama or Hillary. But also to keep McCain in line if he wins. & they can only do so if they run on true conservative principles. Not by other Deming the Dems.

Republicans lost Congress in 2006 because they forgot what they stood for. With McCain's apparent nomination it looks like we didn't learn the lesson we needed to. It is not to late to prevent the mistake from getting worse.

Michelle Malkin also reminds us in that same column of what President Reagan said 26 years ago at CPAC.

“We must ask ourselves tonight how we can forge and wield a popular majority from one end of this country to the other, a majority united on basic, positive goals with a platform broad enough and deep enough to endure long into the future, far beyond the lifespan of any single issue or personality.”

It was true then. It is true now. But along the way from then to now we forgot it. & we have paid for it, both as a party (for the Republicans) & as a country. But, we can relearn the lesson & get back on track. It's not too late.

Like Michelle Malkin said: "Get involved. Don’t calm down. Get fired up." (emphasis mine.)