Update: Michelle thinks this is the end for Huckabee. I hope so. Jeff Quinton has an excellent post on the Confederate flag factor.
With 82% of precincts reporting, most everyone is calling it for McCain.
The good news is that Lobo lost his bet to me. I won't be buying a plane ticket to go kiss his butt. Other good news is that I was pretty close in my prediction, though Fred's third place wasn't a strong third. He's headed home now, and gave an early speech that leaves us all wondering if he will drop out or not. On the one hand, most of his supporters want him to hang in there so they can have their chance to vote for him. On the other hand, unless he has some magic he's been holding out on, remaining in only takes votes away from the more conservative of the liberal candidates. Fred already has my absentee vote for Florida.
If Fred bows out, I think most of his supporters would go to the Romney camp. McCain is an old buddy of his, and might get Fred's endorsement in the case he does drop out. That wouldn't sway me however.
If McCain or Huckabee get the nomination, the republican party will divide, and probably lose to the Democrat nominee. With the momentum this win will bring McCain, its getting scary. I'm surprised he fooled so many in South Carolina. I'm surprised that Huckabee did too.
I'll stick with Fred till he is either the nominee or he bows out. If that happens, I'll go for anyone but McCain, Huckabee, or Rudy. If any of those three get the nomination conservatism is in for some trials. Lots of people will sit out, and we will end up with a liberal in the White House either way the nation votes. If history serves true on South Carolina results, we will be seeing McCain as our nominee. I'm getting depressed just thinking about that.
Extra: If for some odd reason you think MSNBC has any credentials of being unbiased, take a look at this video and tell me with a straight face that these two goons report news fair, balanced, and unbiased.
(7)
(0)
If McCain wins the nomination, I will NOT vote for him. He will destroy the Reagan Coalition. He will destroy the conservative movement.
The direction of the party is at stake. McKennedy, aka McFeingold, aka McACLU, aka McLieberman is not the future of the Reagan coalition.
Time to get around an anti-McCain candidate. Romney is my first choice. Rudy is my second choice.
Posted by John_Smith
January 19, 2008 11:11 PM |
Worst. GOP. Candidates. Ever....
I'm getting sick of the liberals taking everything over, and now they are taking over our party. This is a sad day indeed when a conservative cannot win the nomination of his party...
Posted by cheeseandbaconnet
January 19, 2008 11:14 PM |
I've had a couple of times where i straight up disagreed with you John, but this is not one of those times. I'm rooting for Thompson no matter how bleak it looks. I can agree i'll be rooting for the anti-McCain and Huckabee candidate. I'm wish-washy on Giuliani, but Romney has shown more understanding of specific conservative principles (IE his speech on religion) than Giuliani. Giuliani seems to think that he can say "i cut taxes" and that means he has conservative principles.
My only hope with Romney is that if he is the nominee, i hope like hell he isn't selling republicans something he can't deliver. People have called his campaign dead in the water, but to me it looks pretty damned good. He's essentially the new hope of the republican party unless Fred can pull a miracle out of his ass.
Posted by cheeseandbaconnet
January 19, 2008 11:21 PM |
Romney is the "new hope"?
The guy who was pro-choice until he decided to run. The guy who called the Bush-McCain immigration plan "reasonable". The guy who basically told Michigan he'd be sending them billions of tax dollars to save every job, regardless of the fact that they were obsolete in many cases.
He's the new hope for conservatism?
Posted by mrb
January 19, 2008 11:25 PM |
So unless Obama pulls off a huge super Tuesday, it's gonna be Hilliary vs McCain most likely. You can honestly tell me that conservatives won't hold their noses and vote for McCain to keep Hill out of office? I don't like McCain, but he has my vote. We had a couple of conservatives, they lost (and lost by a lot), now it's time to get behind whatever guy it's going to be, even if it is just to cast the ABH vote. This is too important to stay home.
Posted by ratkiller78
January 19, 2008 11:32 PM |
After 7 years of Bush, why do conservatives have to hold their noses? They didn't on Bush.
What's McCain going to do that's any worse than Bush did? Bush has the same position on immigration, did nothing on tax or SS reform, actually increased entitlement spending at a greater rate than any time since the 60s, and spent more on non-defense, discretionary spending than Clinton. Plus he and Cheney were completely wrong on their lean strategy on Iraq.
If you didn't have to hold your nose through all that, why start now?
Posted by mrb
January 19, 2008 11:36 PM |
Actually I would vote for Hillary before McCain-both are corrupt, but Hillary lies about it and bakes some fine cookies, while J-Mac just goes out and makes it illegal to criticise him.
Is their an issue he's different from Hillary on?
He's squishy on the war (based on his record, not his rhetoric)
He's Pro-Tax, Pro-Amnesty, Pro-Global Warming, and likes him some liberal judges (see Gang of 14).
I can understand McCain winning NH, since it wasnt necessarily Republicans who nominated him (stupid open primarys). But I thought SC was closed, meaning it was "conservatives" who put him (and Huckabee!) over the top.
And why can't Fred get any traction. Hes actually a conservative, the ads I've seen for him are great.
So is the Reagan coalition already dead? and if so who killed it?
I'd actually blame W myself. Domestically he hasn't been a Reagan, more of a Clinton light, and his apparant poor prosecution of the GWOT probably lost him the Jacksonian Democrats he picked up in 04.
Posted by HowardDevore
January 19, 2008 11:47 PM |