Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has dropped out of the presidential race, effectively giving John McCain the GOP nomination for President. Adios to the snake oil salesman that will say anything to get elected (the over-under for when Romney reverts back to being pro-choice is hereby set at two weeks). This set of circumstances certainly presents an interesting dynamic for the Republicans as McCain is vilified by the conservative base of the party, making the presence of a true believer on the ticket an absolute necessity. I can certainly foresee a scenario where McCain will ask Huckabee to join the ticket to attract these voters as well as quell the tide of hatred from the likes of the way too influential right wing noise machine, epitomized by Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh.
I wonder if Huckabee recognizes this scenario as well and will continue to campaign just as fervently or will curtail his attacks on McCain in the spirit of unifying the party and auditioning for the VP nod. Either way, the campaign seems to be running in reverse for both sides. With the country absolutely overtired and repulsed by the current Republican administration, it is the GOP that seems to be more organized and unified while the Democrats are as divided as ever. Can they find a way to blow it? With the Democratic Party, failure is always an option.
Romney said he was pulling out of the race in order to let Republicans prepare for a general election battle against the two remaining Democrats, both whom have campaigned to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq.
“In this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror,” he said.
The “surrender to terror” line is right out of the Bush/Cheney/McCain playbook — i.e., those who disagree with our Iraq policy hate America, are unpatriotic and are following a strategy of surrender.
It’s a despicable, insulting statement, claiming, as Republicans often do, that only THEY are the true patriots.
It’s what I find most offensive about Republicans. It poisons the dialogue, and kills any chance of having a civil discussion of this important issue.
The worst is the “value voter” BS, as if only their values are correct and anyone that disagrees is going straight to hell.
If Iraq was such a bad place, why couldn’t Private AWOL Bush say so when he ran for President in 99-2000? Saddam was in power those days yet nary a peep about sending in 140,000+ troops a few years later. I guess its more patriotic to send innocent young Americans to their grave.