Soccer Dad: Fl post-mortem roundup

January 30, 2008

Fl post-mortem roundup

Powerline.Paul Mirengoff still can't make up his mind.

After tonight, the contest likely will be down to Romney vs. McCain. But, although the race has been simplified, for me the choice still isn't simple. Every time it looks like McCain will break away from the pack, I panic in anticipation of four years of watching him stick it to conservatives on a more than occasional basis. When things seem to be breaking Romney's way, I panic in anticipation of an electoral rout in November followed by four years of a Clinton or Obama presidency.

Frankly I have the same problem. If anyone can point me to good cases for Gov. Romney and Sen. McCain, please point them out to me. I didn't figure that Mayor Giuliani would go so quietly and quickly. I have 2 weeks now to make up my mind.he corner.
Victor Davis Hanson issues a simple warning:

But all that said, at some point there should be recognition that some are becoming so polarized-and polarizing-that we are reaching the point that should a McCain win (and there is a good chance he will), and should he grant the necessary concessions to the base (chose someone like Thompson as his VP, take firm pledges on tax cuts, closing the border, etc), go on Limbaugh, Hannity, etc. for some mea culpas, all that still seemingly would not be enough. And if that were true, the result would vastly increase the chances of the Presidents Clinton, under whom there would be a vastly different Supreme Court, some chance of forfeiting what has been achieved in Iraq, and surely greater growth in government and earmarks.

Many of the criticisms of McCain have been unduly harsh. He hasn't turned me off the way he's turned off many other Republicans. (or should I say conservatives?) Clearly I have more research to do. Mayor Giuliani's endorsement will mean a lot to me.
I may have been wrong with my choice of Giuliani. And I may have been wrong in expecting either Giuliani or Romney to be the Republican nominee on account of their early fund raising success. It looks like I was right in figuring that the Republicans wouldn't be deciding their nominee at the convention.
Contentions.Daniel Casse notes that the Republican Race is probably over.

If Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee, they will argue, persuasively, that Romney may have been a better GOP nominee. Against Obama, McCain is the old man versus the young man, the old way versus the new. Romney, at least, can make a much stronger argument against Obama�s soft-headed economics.

But if Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee, then we really do have one of the great national contests on our hand � and the McCain haters will have no choice but to get on board.

Jack Kelly thinks that Only Hillary to reunite the Republican Party.

Both Sen. McCain and Gov. Romney are too flawed to reunite and reinvigorate a dispirited Republican party. There is only one candidate who can do that. And she might lose to Barack Obama.

It's a laundry list of ideological and tactical mistakes made by the various Republican candidates. Read it, it's a riot. (Even if you're a Republican.) Still I'm not convinced that it will take Hillary to get the Republicans focused. I hope not. Because if the Republicans rally around someone in opposition to her, that won't make an effective campaign for their nominee.

Anna Quindlen plays the age card.

Political operatives say that his age makes McCain's choice of a running mate particularly critical. But if you enter the process stressing a hedge against mortality or incapacity, shouldn't that suggest something about suitability for the job in the first place? The senator's pursuit of the presidency reminds me a bit of those women who decide to have a baby in their late 50s. The impulse is understandable, the goal possible. But, looking at all the facts, and the actuarial tables, is it really sensible?

Finally, while Democrats are eager to identify the new JFK, Don Surber identifies the new Abraham Lincoln.

Now is a time of wound licking and soul searching for most Republicans. McCain did not win a majority of the vote. He is not the first choice for most among Republicans. But neither was Lincoln.

And in 1992, I voted for Bill Clinton. Don't feel bad Don.

john mccain, mitt romney, rudy giuliani, election 2008.