Primary season is slowly but surely starting to wrap up. While things are still up in the air for the Democrats, McCain is spending his time bolstering support within the Republican party. Issues with recent rumors have diminished and McCain has done a relatively good job of restoring the GOP's faith in himself. He has removed himself from the public eye, allowing the country to wait with bated breath to see who the Democratic candidate will be. Because he's a shoo-in, McCain is using this time to recover while also reminding Republican voters why he needs their support come November.
Some Republicans have started voting for Clinton. This isn't because they've had a change of heart; rather, it's an effort to prevent Obama from earning the Democratic nomination. Many Republicans think that Obama is a stronger candidate than Clinton and they would rather see McCain square off against the weaker opposition. Because some Republicans don't think McCain can defeat Obama, voters are strategically voting in support of Clinton to knock him off the ballot.
If that was the plan for the Pennsylvania election last night (April 22), then it worked. Clinton won decisively over Obama and it's possible that her victory was in part thanks to Republican voters conspiring against the Democratic party. Political analysts say that though Clinton won, many of her supporters doubt her ability to surpass Obama in the long run, which is bad news for the GOP. On the Democratic side, then, the battle continues.
The common conception is that the Democratic battle will help McCain's campaign. However, that may not necessarily be true. Though the Democrats are engaged in a tiresome battle, the nation's attention is focused on them and not McCain. Come November, voters may know more about the Democratic candidate simply because he or she spent more time duking it out in the primaries. Conversely, McCain has had the chance to catch his breath and re-strategize, but that might not be the most efficient use of his time.
Gallup's tracking polls indicate the same sentiment: McCain's reputation is not being bolstered because of the Democrats' battle. The polls show that in a vote between the undecided Democratic candidate and McCain, only 45 percent of constituents would cast their ballot for the Republican candidate. CBS.com writer Kevin Drum calls McCain's situation the "McCain Bubble," writing that "his media image is a bubble, sustained by a sort of childlike faith, and I suspect that once that faith starts to wobble--something that may have already started--the bubble is likely to pop."
There is still hope for McCain, of course. Most of the negative press about McCain or doubts about his leadership abilities are countered with positive feedback. Even Obama acknowledged that McCain would have done a better job in the White House during the past eight years than President Bush has done. Granted, Obama proceeded to say that either Democratic candidate is better presidential candidate than McCain but a quip like that was to be expected. The fact that Obama acknowledged McCain's leadership potential is important in it of itself.
McCain delivered a speech on April 11 regarding Iraq that was well-received. He effectively skirted around the issue of the alleged affair. He locked in the Republican nomination. He is preparing for a huge campaign to earn him a place in the White House in November. For now, things are proceeding along pretty smoothly for McCain. But is he strong enough to accomplish his goals? Or, because of the American public's frustration with the GOP for the past eight years, will the Democrats take over our nation's capital? Though the primary season is coming to an end, much is left to be determined.
Seeing that this is my last post on this blog, I'd like to give one last shout-out to the man who started it all: Mitt Romney. I still think it's too bad that he didn't last longer in the primary season but I respect his willingness to admit defeat. He was a strong leader and a good candidate but he didn't have enough support to edge out McCain. I enjoyed writing about him while he was still in the race and it was a pleasure to move on to cover McCain after Romney dropped out. I hope you've enjoyed reading my blog as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Over and out.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
McCain's Victories Outshine Rumors
One good way for McCain to get over the humiliation of being in accused of having an affair would be to launch a massive public relations campaign to dispel the thought that he may be incapable of leading the country. Of course, that was taken care of within minutes of the rumor's release. Another way to distract the public from the unfortunate rumor? Win every primary election that was held after the rumor hit headlines.
That's exactly what McCain has done since his downfall resulting from the rumor declaring that he had had an affair with female lobbyist Vicki Iseman. The media seems to be distracted from McCain's personal life and turned their attention to the heated race between Obama and Clinton. Obama will be unable to win the Democratic election without the support of the superdelegates and Clinton will be unable to secure the nomination by winning additional primaries. The Democratic candidates are engaged in a stalemate and the nation is watching.
This means that, for now, eyes are off of McCain and his rumored affair. On March 4, Texas, Rhode Island, Ohio and Vermont held their primary elections and McCain won all four of them. He has now surpassed the total number of delegates needed to win (he has 1,325 and the winner only needs 1,191) and has been declared the Republican Party's presumptive nominee. Huckabee is finally out of the race, bless his heart. That man sure can put up a fight, even if it was a weak one. Huckabee only won 267 votes during his primary run, and many people still wonder why he put in the effort at all. Ron Paul hilariously claims that he is still in the race but he has only been awarded 21 measly delegates.
Some people think Huckabee held out in hopes of running on McCain's ticket as the Vice President. This is a possibility, especially since the 71-year-old Arizona senator needs someone considerably younger who must be ready to work in case something should happen to McCain.
McCain has also switched gears to focus on combating the Democratic candidates. His whole campaign will have to change; instead of highlighting differences between himself and other Republican nominees, he'll have to stand out noticeably and appeal to Republicans and Democrats alike. In national polls, McCain is losing to both Obama and Clinton. McCain has the support of some crucial states, namely conservative states like Florida and Pennsylvania. His reputation as a middle-ground Republican candidate may help him in the general election but the nation's negative opinion of the current GOP administration surely doesn't help him any.
While trying to appeal to both parties, McCain will also have to remain loyal to the GOP. Many conservative Republicans insist that he must change his views on social issues. Conservative columnist Rick Santorum of the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote today (March 13) that McCain won't have support from strict conservatives unless he "demonstrates that his vaunted pragmatism and open-mindedness will lead him to different positions on some issues."
There's a lot of work to be done now that McCain is the presumptive winner and representative of the Republican Party. Is he up to the challenge? Stay tuned.
That's exactly what McCain has done since his downfall resulting from the rumor declaring that he had had an affair with female lobbyist Vicki Iseman. The media seems to be distracted from McCain's personal life and turned their attention to the heated race between Obama and Clinton. Obama will be unable to win the Democratic election without the support of the superdelegates and Clinton will be unable to secure the nomination by winning additional primaries. The Democratic candidates are engaged in a stalemate and the nation is watching.
This means that, for now, eyes are off of McCain and his rumored affair. On March 4, Texas, Rhode Island, Ohio and Vermont held their primary elections and McCain won all four of them. He has now surpassed the total number of delegates needed to win (he has 1,325 and the winner only needs 1,191) and has been declared the Republican Party's presumptive nominee. Huckabee is finally out of the race, bless his heart. That man sure can put up a fight, even if it was a weak one. Huckabee only won 267 votes during his primary run, and many people still wonder why he put in the effort at all. Ron Paul hilariously claims that he is still in the race but he has only been awarded 21 measly delegates.
Some people think Huckabee held out in hopes of running on McCain's ticket as the Vice President. This is a possibility, especially since the 71-year-old Arizona senator needs someone considerably younger who must be ready to work in case something should happen to McCain.
McCain has also switched gears to focus on combating the Democratic candidates. His whole campaign will have to change; instead of highlighting differences between himself and other Republican nominees, he'll have to stand out noticeably and appeal to Republicans and Democrats alike. In national polls, McCain is losing to both Obama and Clinton. McCain has the support of some crucial states, namely conservative states like Florida and Pennsylvania. His reputation as a middle-ground Republican candidate may help him in the general election but the nation's negative opinion of the current GOP administration surely doesn't help him any.
While trying to appeal to both parties, McCain will also have to remain loyal to the GOP. Many conservative Republicans insist that he must change his views on social issues. Conservative columnist Rick Santorum of the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote today (March 13) that McCain won't have support from strict conservatives unless he "demonstrates that his vaunted pragmatism and open-mindedness will lead him to different positions on some issues."
There's a lot of work to be done now that McCain is the presumptive winner and representative of the Republican Party. Is he up to the challenge? Stay tuned.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
McCain Finds Himself in the Midst of Mudslinging
Senator McCain's victories in Washington and Wisconsin on Tuesday (Feb. 19) gave the leading Republican candidate another boost in the race toward the White House. While he should be celebrating his ever-growing lead, McCain is focusing all of his energy on protecting his image.
The New York Times ran a front page story today (Feb. 21) about McCain's alleged affair with a female lobbyist. Vicki Iseman was seen at many of McCain's political rallies and events when he ran for the GOP nomination eight years ago. She even accompanied McCain on trips on a client's corporate jet, causing speculation over the depth of their relationship. Advisors insisted that Iseman be denied access to the senator, claiming that her presence could raise suspicions of McCain's private life.
After the article surfaced this morning, McCain publicly denied a romantic relationship with Iseman.
A statement was issued by McCain's campaign team last night (Feb. 20). It appropriately attacked the New York Times as a liberal, biased publication in attempt to divert attention from McCain's situation and on to the unfair, slanted view used by the media:
"It is a shame that The New York Times has lowered its standards to engage in a hit-and-run smear campaign. John McCain has a 24-year record of serving our country with honor and integrity. He has never violated the public trust, never done favors for special interests or lobbyists, and he will not allow a smear campaign to distract from the issues at stake in this election.
"Americans are sick and tired of this kind of gutter politics, and there is nothing in this story to suggest that John McCain has ever violated the principles that have guided his career."
As long as no new information about the relationship arises, McCain's political journey won't be ruined. Some think that the situation may energize conservatives behind McCain in a way that was not previously possible. If McCain and his advisers can spin the story as an example of the liberal media attempting to ruin a conservative campaign, he may have a chance at igniting a fire in voters who are sick of the biased media. The story could very well boost his reputation among conservatives who are tired of the media portraying them in a liberal, twisted light.
His personal life aside, McCain is still blazing down the campaign trail, only pausing to engage in some mudslinging. McCain has unleashed some biting comments toward Senator Obama, claiming that the Democratic candidate is neither genuine nor sincere. McCain's actions suggest that he assumes that Obama will be the eventual Democratic nominee. In an attempt to set himself up to beat the opposition, McCain is probably firing shots at Obama here and there to establish himself as the stronger competitor.
Next up for the Arizona senator (besides focusing on clearing his name) are the elections on Tuesday, March 4, in Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont. McCain supporters are hopeful that the opposition will lose focus on negative rumors and turn their attention toward his road to the White House.
The New York Times ran a front page story today (Feb. 21) about McCain's alleged affair with a female lobbyist. Vicki Iseman was seen at many of McCain's political rallies and events when he ran for the GOP nomination eight years ago. She even accompanied McCain on trips on a client's corporate jet, causing speculation over the depth of their relationship. Advisors insisted that Iseman be denied access to the senator, claiming that her presence could raise suspicions of McCain's private life.
After the article surfaced this morning, McCain publicly denied a romantic relationship with Iseman.
A statement was issued by McCain's campaign team last night (Feb. 20). It appropriately attacked the New York Times as a liberal, biased publication in attempt to divert attention from McCain's situation and on to the unfair, slanted view used by the media:
"It is a shame that The New York Times has lowered its standards to engage in a hit-and-run smear campaign. John McCain has a 24-year record of serving our country with honor and integrity. He has never violated the public trust, never done favors for special interests or lobbyists, and he will not allow a smear campaign to distract from the issues at stake in this election.
"Americans are sick and tired of this kind of gutter politics, and there is nothing in this story to suggest that John McCain has ever violated the principles that have guided his career."
As long as no new information about the relationship arises, McCain's political journey won't be ruined. Some think that the situation may energize conservatives behind McCain in a way that was not previously possible. If McCain and his advisers can spin the story as an example of the liberal media attempting to ruin a conservative campaign, he may have a chance at igniting a fire in voters who are sick of the biased media. The story could very well boost his reputation among conservatives who are tired of the media portraying them in a liberal, twisted light.
His personal life aside, McCain is still blazing down the campaign trail, only pausing to engage in some mudslinging. McCain has unleashed some biting comments toward Senator Obama, claiming that the Democratic candidate is neither genuine nor sincere. McCain's actions suggest that he assumes that Obama will be the eventual Democratic nominee. In an attempt to set himself up to beat the opposition, McCain is probably firing shots at Obama here and there to establish himself as the stronger competitor.
Next up for the Arizona senator (besides focusing on clearing his name) are the elections on Tuesday, March 4, in Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont. McCain supporters are hopeful that the opposition will lose focus on negative rumors and turn their attention toward his road to the White House.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Romney Endorses McCain, GOP Moves Forward
My last entry left readers wondering what was to become of Romney and the delegates he had accrued thus far in the race. His final speech led most Americans to believe that he would not give his support to competitor John McCain but Romney surprised everyone when he endorsed his opposition on Thursday (Feb. 14). Though the two candidates had thrown insults at one another and disagreed on many topics throughout the campaigning process, Romney finally gave McCain his nod of support.
Romney asked his 280 delegates to support McCain in the fight to elect a Republican to the White House in November. The support from Romney's delegates is a boost to McCain's campaign. Even though McCain is quickly on his way to amassing the 1,191 delegates he needs to secure the nomination, Mike Huckabee is proving to be a tireless competitor. After Romney's endorsement of McCain, many thought Huckabee would surely be out of the race but he has persevered. In interviews, he claimed he will stay in the race until McCain reached the golden number of 1,191.
Despite Huckabee's passion and determination, he lags significantly behind McCain in the delegate count. McCain commands a significant lead with 881 delegate votes while Huckabee only has 217 votes. The most recent election date was last Tuesday (Feb. 12) when primaries were held for Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. McCain won all of them, securing 107 new votes. Huckabee received no votes during the elections last week.
Many people wonder why Huckabee is still in this election. Some political analysts think that Huckabee is attempting to secure a nomination to the vice-presidency. Many think that Romney's self-removal from the race was a selfless act, allowing McCain to proceed in the election and gain support from converted Romney voters. Critics say that Huckabee is getting in the way of McCain's campaign by keeping the GOP divided. Even though there's little chance that Huckabee will make a great comeback, his presence still gives conservative Republicans hope that they will not have to vote for middle-ground McCain. Huckabee's last ditch attempt at accruing votes is most likely a stunt to get McCain to realize the influence he could have over extremely conservative voters, a demographic that the Arizona senator struggles to reach. By adding Huckabee to his ticket, McCain could have a better chance in the fight against the Democrats come November.
This election is a tricky one for the Republicans. Many Americans have a sour taste in their mouths regarding the past eight years of policymaing in our nation's capital. Even though McCain and Huckabee see some things differently than President Bush, they are still affiliated with the same party. Uneducated voters, who don't take the time to separate party from individual policy, are unlikely to vote for an administration that they don't believe has benefitted them in the past eight years. Many people say that Democrats have an advantage over the Republicans in this election.
The GOP's best bet is to elect McCain, who tends to choose moderate policies over conservative ones. This could sway Democratic voters who vehemently support the candidate (will it be Barack or Hillary?) who doesn't win the nomination. Some Democrats have said that if their candidate doesn't win, they could see themselves voting for the GOP. This wasn't the case when Romney was in the race but McCain tends to appeal more to Democrats than any of the other candidates. Of course, this benefit also proves to be a downfall when concerning the Republican party. Many conservative voters worry that McCain will not appropriately represent the GOP's ideals. If McCain chooses Huckabee to run for VP on his ticket, conservative Republicans may be appeased. The combination of the two differing personalities and different outlooks on policy may serve to benefit the Republican ticket when the election rolls around in November.
Meanwhile, McCain continues to pick up steam. Yesterday (Feb. 18), former President George H.W. Bush endorsed the Arizona senator, remarking that "Few men walking among us have sacrificed so much in the cause of human freedom. And I'm happy to help this remarkable patriot carry our party banner forward." More endorsements are sure to come as the primary season wraps up and as McCain moves closer and closer to securing the Republican nomination. If last week's primary results are any indidcation of the rest of the political campaign trail, tonight's elections in Wisconsin and Washington should prove no different. McCain is favored to win and should accrue more votes in tonight's elections.
Stay tuned for the upcoming big primaries in Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island...
Romney asked his 280 delegates to support McCain in the fight to elect a Republican to the White House in November. The support from Romney's delegates is a boost to McCain's campaign. Even though McCain is quickly on his way to amassing the 1,191 delegates he needs to secure the nomination, Mike Huckabee is proving to be a tireless competitor. After Romney's endorsement of McCain, many thought Huckabee would surely be out of the race but he has persevered. In interviews, he claimed he will stay in the race until McCain reached the golden number of 1,191.
Despite Huckabee's passion and determination, he lags significantly behind McCain in the delegate count. McCain commands a significant lead with 881 delegate votes while Huckabee only has 217 votes. The most recent election date was last Tuesday (Feb. 12) when primaries were held for Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. McCain won all of them, securing 107 new votes. Huckabee received no votes during the elections last week.
Many people wonder why Huckabee is still in this election. Some political analysts think that Huckabee is attempting to secure a nomination to the vice-presidency. Many think that Romney's self-removal from the race was a selfless act, allowing McCain to proceed in the election and gain support from converted Romney voters. Critics say that Huckabee is getting in the way of McCain's campaign by keeping the GOP divided. Even though there's little chance that Huckabee will make a great comeback, his presence still gives conservative Republicans hope that they will not have to vote for middle-ground McCain. Huckabee's last ditch attempt at accruing votes is most likely a stunt to get McCain to realize the influence he could have over extremely conservative voters, a demographic that the Arizona senator struggles to reach. By adding Huckabee to his ticket, McCain could have a better chance in the fight against the Democrats come November.
This election is a tricky one for the Republicans. Many Americans have a sour taste in their mouths regarding the past eight years of policymaing in our nation's capital. Even though McCain and Huckabee see some things differently than President Bush, they are still affiliated with the same party. Uneducated voters, who don't take the time to separate party from individual policy, are unlikely to vote for an administration that they don't believe has benefitted them in the past eight years. Many people say that Democrats have an advantage over the Republicans in this election.
The GOP's best bet is to elect McCain, who tends to choose moderate policies over conservative ones. This could sway Democratic voters who vehemently support the candidate (will it be Barack or Hillary?) who doesn't win the nomination. Some Democrats have said that if their candidate doesn't win, they could see themselves voting for the GOP. This wasn't the case when Romney was in the race but McCain tends to appeal more to Democrats than any of the other candidates. Of course, this benefit also proves to be a downfall when concerning the Republican party. Many conservative voters worry that McCain will not appropriately represent the GOP's ideals. If McCain chooses Huckabee to run for VP on his ticket, conservative Republicans may be appeased. The combination of the two differing personalities and different outlooks on policy may serve to benefit the Republican ticket when the election rolls around in November.
Meanwhile, McCain continues to pick up steam. Yesterday (Feb. 18), former President George H.W. Bush endorsed the Arizona senator, remarking that "Few men walking among us have sacrificed so much in the cause of human freedom. And I'm happy to help this remarkable patriot carry our party banner forward." More endorsements are sure to come as the primary season wraps up and as McCain moves closer and closer to securing the Republican nomination. If last week's primary results are any indidcation of the rest of the political campaign trail, tonight's elections in Wisconsin and Washington should prove no different. McCain is favored to win and should accrue more votes in tonight's elections.
Stay tuned for the upcoming big primaries in Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island...
Thursday, February 7, 2008
After a Super Tuesday Let-Down, Romney Bows Out of the Race
Today is a sad day for me. Though this blog began merely because of a class assignment and I had no previous attachment to Mitt Romney, I was really beginning to like him. Researching his campaigning tactics and voting tendencies allowed me to gain some insight into his political life. On Monday (Feb. 4), I was able to attend a Romney rally in Long Beach, Calif., which made me more excited about his campaign. It even made me feel like I had connected with him personally. Surrounded by his family and friends, Romney seemed a candidate as good as any to be elected to the White House. (Pictures of the rally will be posted here soon.)While I don't necessarily agree with all of Romney's beliefs, the race was heating up and I loved reporting his every move.
But that's all over now. Romney suspended his campaign today (Feb. 7) during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington. At approximately 1:00 p.m. EST, Romney announced that his campaigning days were over.
Romney did not do as well as he and his supporters had hoped on Super Tuesday (Feb. 5). He expected to be in a close race with McCain during the primaries and caucuses but must have been sorely disappointed when the results were finally totaled. CNN's Delegate Scorecard shows that Romney won six states on Tuesday but only upped his delegate total to 286 while Senator McCain surged ahead with 714 delegate votes.
Reports claim that Romney had personally spent $35 million while trekking along the campaign trail. Throughout the campaign season, Romney was viewed favorably as the candidate with the most sufficient funds. But money can't buy votes, and that was made evident on Tuesday.
It was difficult for Romney to remove himself from the presidential race. In his address at the CPAC, he said, "This is not an easy decision for me. I hate to lose. My family, my friends and our supporters ... many of you right here in this room ... have given a great deal to get me where I have a shot at becoming president. If this were only about me, I would go on. But I entered this race because I love America."
CPAC attendees were shocked by Romney's decision to suspend his campaign. Most seemed unaware of Romney's choice until he voiced it during his address. Some Romney campaign staffers were even seen crying as he began his speech. (Check out this great play-by-play of the events leading up to Romney's speech at the CPAC along with a variety of excerpts from the address as he delivered it.)
Romney's decision to drop out leaves the GOP right where it started: Completely befuddled, confused and concerned. Romney did not endorse Senator McCain, only mentioning him in his speech by saying that he disagreed with many of his competitor's beliefs. Although Romney's campaign suspension ultimately provides John McCain with an easy rode to the Republican nomination (even though Mike Huckabee has announced that he is still in the race, he lags behind in number of delegates), many Republicans are outraged that the Arizona senator is their only option left. Though the GOP has essentially overcome the obstacle of selecting a candidate, many Republicans think that McCain is not conservative enough to represent their party.
In today's issue of the Los Angeles Times, Stephanie Simon and DeeDee Correll wrote a front-page article about conservative voters who think that having McCain as the Republican frontrunner is detrimental to their party.
"We're in a political dilemmas, as well as a personal dilemma," said Jessica Echard, executive director of the conservative advocacy group Eagle Forum. "What will we do? What can be done?"
Other interviewees expressed their concern that Republicans will be selling out if they vote for Middle-Ground McCain. Still others acknowledged that they would also be selling out if they didn't vote at all, creating an easy path to the White House for the Democratic nominee. This leaves many Republicans in a predicament: Should they support a Republican candidate who is not very appealing or essentially support a Democratic candidate by deciding not to vote at all?
Many CPAC attendees booed McCain while he was giving his speech, which was delivered a few hours after Romney announced the suspension of his campaign. McCain spent his time highlighting the differences between himself and Democratic candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, claiming that "I know I have a responsibility, if I am, as I hope to be, the Republican nominee for president, to unite the party and prepare for the great contest in November."
Critics think that McCain is too liberal to unite the GOP. Many also say that Romney and Huckabee successfully cancelled each other out because many of their policies and ideologies were similar. Had only one of them run, the voters would have only had one strict conservative to choose from, possibly allowing that candidate to surge ahead of McCain. Now, though, McCain is probably going to secure the Republican nomination for the 2008 presidential election and many voters don't know what to do or how to feel. With Romney out of the race, McCain will have to focus all of his energy on rallying Republican die-hards, proving that he can represent them just as well as he can represent less conservative members of the GOP.
And what will happen to Romney? Will we see him again on the campaign trail? It's highly unlikely that McCain will ask him to join his ticket as his Vice President and it's even more unlikely that Romney would accept such an offer. We might see Huckabee accept such a proposal, though. Previously, there has been speculation that Huckabee will run for VP off of McCain's ticket. Now that he is so far behind the Arizona senator and there is little chance of Romney running for VP, seeing Huckabee on the Republican ballot is something that wouldn't surprise many analysts.
Though Romney won't continue on, my blog will. I'll spend the rest of the primary season following McCain and Huckabee as they progress closer toward their goal of seeking election to the White House. The rest of the campaign season is sure to be full of surprises but there is one thing I know: Romney, you will be missed. At least by this blogger.
But that's all over now. Romney suspended his campaign today (Feb. 7) during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington. At approximately 1:00 p.m. EST, Romney announced that his campaigning days were over.
Romney did not do as well as he and his supporters had hoped on Super Tuesday (Feb. 5). He expected to be in a close race with McCain during the primaries and caucuses but must have been sorely disappointed when the results were finally totaled. CNN's Delegate Scorecard shows that Romney won six states on Tuesday but only upped his delegate total to 286 while Senator McCain surged ahead with 714 delegate votes.
Reports claim that Romney had personally spent $35 million while trekking along the campaign trail. Throughout the campaign season, Romney was viewed favorably as the candidate with the most sufficient funds. But money can't buy votes, and that was made evident on Tuesday.
It was difficult for Romney to remove himself from the presidential race. In his address at the CPAC, he said, "This is not an easy decision for me. I hate to lose. My family, my friends and our supporters ... many of you right here in this room ... have given a great deal to get me where I have a shot at becoming president. If this were only about me, I would go on. But I entered this race because I love America."
CPAC attendees were shocked by Romney's decision to suspend his campaign. Most seemed unaware of Romney's choice until he voiced it during his address. Some Romney campaign staffers were even seen crying as he began his speech. (Check out this great play-by-play of the events leading up to Romney's speech at the CPAC along with a variety of excerpts from the address as he delivered it.)
Romney's decision to drop out leaves the GOP right where it started: Completely befuddled, confused and concerned. Romney did not endorse Senator McCain, only mentioning him in his speech by saying that he disagreed with many of his competitor's beliefs. Although Romney's campaign suspension ultimately provides John McCain with an easy rode to the Republican nomination (even though Mike Huckabee has announced that he is still in the race, he lags behind in number of delegates), many Republicans are outraged that the Arizona senator is their only option left. Though the GOP has essentially overcome the obstacle of selecting a candidate, many Republicans think that McCain is not conservative enough to represent their party.
In today's issue of the Los Angeles Times, Stephanie Simon and DeeDee Correll wrote a front-page article about conservative voters who think that having McCain as the Republican frontrunner is detrimental to their party.
"We're in a political dilemmas, as well as a personal dilemma," said Jessica Echard, executive director of the conservative advocacy group Eagle Forum. "What will we do? What can be done?"
Other interviewees expressed their concern that Republicans will be selling out if they vote for Middle-Ground McCain. Still others acknowledged that they would also be selling out if they didn't vote at all, creating an easy path to the White House for the Democratic nominee. This leaves many Republicans in a predicament: Should they support a Republican candidate who is not very appealing or essentially support a Democratic candidate by deciding not to vote at all?
Many CPAC attendees booed McCain while he was giving his speech, which was delivered a few hours after Romney announced the suspension of his campaign. McCain spent his time highlighting the differences between himself and Democratic candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, claiming that "I know I have a responsibility, if I am, as I hope to be, the Republican nominee for president, to unite the party and prepare for the great contest in November."
Critics think that McCain is too liberal to unite the GOP. Many also say that Romney and Huckabee successfully cancelled each other out because many of their policies and ideologies were similar. Had only one of them run, the voters would have only had one strict conservative to choose from, possibly allowing that candidate to surge ahead of McCain. Now, though, McCain is probably going to secure the Republican nomination for the 2008 presidential election and many voters don't know what to do or how to feel. With Romney out of the race, McCain will have to focus all of his energy on rallying Republican die-hards, proving that he can represent them just as well as he can represent less conservative members of the GOP.
And what will happen to Romney? Will we see him again on the campaign trail? It's highly unlikely that McCain will ask him to join his ticket as his Vice President and it's even more unlikely that Romney would accept such an offer. We might see Huckabee accept such a proposal, though. Previously, there has been speculation that Huckabee will run for VP off of McCain's ticket. Now that he is so far behind the Arizona senator and there is little chance of Romney running for VP, seeing Huckabee on the Republican ballot is something that wouldn't surprise many analysts.
Though Romney won't continue on, my blog will. I'll spend the rest of the primary season following McCain and Huckabee as they progress closer toward their goal of seeking election to the White House. The rest of the campaign season is sure to be full of surprises but there is one thing I know: Romney, you will be missed. At least by this blogger.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Florida Results Disappoint but Strong Performance at Debate Helps
Florida was Romney's chance to surge ahead of McCain in terms of number of delegates earned. A win in the Sunshine State on Tuesday (Jan. 28) would have undoubtedly aided Romney in securing the presidential nomination but that chance didn't come for him. McCain beat him slightly by scoring 36 percent of the Floridian vote. Romney came in a close second with 31 percent of the vote.
At this point in the primary elections, it seems that the Republican nomination has come down to a race between Romney and McCain. In initial primaries, the GOP was struggling to identify a candidate or two who could truly represent the party. Florida signified a possible emergence of two potential presidents. Huckabee lost noticeably in Florida, earning only 13 percent of the vote. He's still in the race but it seems that his support is dwindling. Giuliani dropped out of the race on Wednesday (Jan. 30). After spending all of his time and money to campaign in Florida, Giuliani was still well behind McCain and Romney with only 15 percent of Tuesday's vote. He realized his time had come and bowed out of the race. And in the Republican Debate on Wednesday (Jan. 30), Huckabee and Paul (wait, he's still in the race?) were definitely left out of most of the night's conversation as tension heated between Romney and McCain.
Giuliani's declaration of support for McCain came as another blow to Romney supporters. His endorsement was announced a few hours before the Republican Debate on Wednesday. Giuliani's withdrawal from the race doesn't come to much of a surprise to voters but speculation has arisen over whether or not he may now try to join McCain as his Vice-President if the Arizona senator secures the nomination. This leaves voters also wondering what, if anything, is in store for Romney.
But Romney remains positive, which is a positive testament to his character. After the election on Tuesday, he rallied support from conservative voters, asking them to stand by him on Super Tuesday (Feb. 5). He delivered a personal address littered with anecdotes in an attempt to establish himself as a friend to his supporters. Romney reminded voters of all that he was willing to do to protect them and to initiate change in Washington.
Romney has held on to his "outsider" tactic by encouraging voters to support him since he has yet to work in our nation's capital, a point that he thinks sets him apart from other candidates. He pits himself against McCain by pointing out that the Arizona senator has spent much of his time in partisan Washington; conversely, Romney never served in Congress, which he believes gives him a fresher perspective on how to rid the capital of corruption and political selfishness. In his post-Florida speech, Romney encouraged voters to stand by him in order to elect to the White House a candidate with a new point of view that was never tainted by Washington-style old politics.
The Republican Debate at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA, gave Romney an opportunity to make his point directly to McCain's face--and to thousands of television viewers and potential voters. During the debate, each candidate had his moment of making good points but Romney was particularly eloquent and composed. Though McCain was able to respond to Romney's digs in a dignified manner, he often seemed clumsy and contrived in his answers. Romney presented a Republican platform that most members of the GOP can relate to while pointing out that some of McCain's ideas push him outside of the conservative mainstream, alienating him from some voters.
Super Tuesday will host 21 GOP contests on the ballot, with a total of 1,023 delegates at stake. Romney believes that even though he suffered a loss in Florida, the contest illustrated that he's capable of earning a significant number of votes from extremely conservative Republican constituents. Claiming that "Washington is fundamentally broken," Romney hopes to secure the support of voters who will help him fix our nation's capital.
At this point in the primary elections, it seems that the Republican nomination has come down to a race between Romney and McCain. In initial primaries, the GOP was struggling to identify a candidate or two who could truly represent the party. Florida signified a possible emergence of two potential presidents. Huckabee lost noticeably in Florida, earning only 13 percent of the vote. He's still in the race but it seems that his support is dwindling. Giuliani dropped out of the race on Wednesday (Jan. 30). After spending all of his time and money to campaign in Florida, Giuliani was still well behind McCain and Romney with only 15 percent of Tuesday's vote. He realized his time had come and bowed out of the race. And in the Republican Debate on Wednesday (Jan. 30), Huckabee and Paul (wait, he's still in the race?) were definitely left out of most of the night's conversation as tension heated between Romney and McCain.
Giuliani's declaration of support for McCain came as another blow to Romney supporters. His endorsement was announced a few hours before the Republican Debate on Wednesday. Giuliani's withdrawal from the race doesn't come to much of a surprise to voters but speculation has arisen over whether or not he may now try to join McCain as his Vice-President if the Arizona senator secures the nomination. This leaves voters also wondering what, if anything, is in store for Romney.
But Romney remains positive, which is a positive testament to his character. After the election on Tuesday, he rallied support from conservative voters, asking them to stand by him on Super Tuesday (Feb. 5). He delivered a personal address littered with anecdotes in an attempt to establish himself as a friend to his supporters. Romney reminded voters of all that he was willing to do to protect them and to initiate change in Washington.
Romney has held on to his "outsider" tactic by encouraging voters to support him since he has yet to work in our nation's capital, a point that he thinks sets him apart from other candidates. He pits himself against McCain by pointing out that the Arizona senator has spent much of his time in partisan Washington; conversely, Romney never served in Congress, which he believes gives him a fresher perspective on how to rid the capital of corruption and political selfishness. In his post-Florida speech, Romney encouraged voters to stand by him in order to elect to the White House a candidate with a new point of view that was never tainted by Washington-style old politics.
The Republican Debate at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA, gave Romney an opportunity to make his point directly to McCain's face--and to thousands of television viewers and potential voters. During the debate, each candidate had his moment of making good points but Romney was particularly eloquent and composed. Though McCain was able to respond to Romney's digs in a dignified manner, he often seemed clumsy and contrived in his answers. Romney presented a Republican platform that most members of the GOP can relate to while pointing out that some of McCain's ideas push him outside of the conservative mainstream, alienating him from some voters.
Super Tuesday will host 21 GOP contests on the ballot, with a total of 1,023 delegates at stake. Romney believes that even though he suffered a loss in Florida, the contest illustrated that he's capable of earning a significant number of votes from extremely conservative Republican constituents. Claiming that "Washington is fundamentally broken," Romney hopes to secure the support of voters who will help him fix our nation's capital.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
A Zero-Sum Week?
The primary race keeps getting crazier and crazier. Not only did Democratic candidates Hilary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards almost engage in a full-fledged brawl during last night's (Jan. 21) televised debate but things are completely askew for the GOP as well. With every primary election revealing a new winner, it seems that Republicans have no idea who they want to represent them in the White House.
Romney's absence in South Carolina on Saturday (Jan. 19) was hardly noticed. The primary election held there was essentially a race between McCain and Huckabee, and a close one at that. McCain secured a victory by earning 33 percent of the vote, while Huckabee won 30 percent of the vote, losing by just 3 percent.
So where was Romney? Taking a much-needed vacation in Las Vegas? Not quite, but almost. The senator was in Nevada but not to hit the casinos in Sin City. He was campaigning to win votes in Nevada's primary election. The former Massachusetts governor won easily in the largely uncontested caucus, ignorning his defeat in South Carolina and the gains his competitors made on the East coast.
With one win and one loss in the same week, simple math indicates that Romney adds up right back to where he started: Zero. But looking past the numbers may allow voters to understand how Romney is attempting to define himself. It seems that he is trying to establish himself as an outsider. One would think that Romney would focus on larger states that award winners large numbers of delegates, which is a tactic McCain and Huckabee are employing. But Romney says that he's trying to set himself apart from the others by targeting a variety of states and regions.
"I'm not looking just to get a couple high-profile victories," he said in an interview with WTOPnews.com. "I want to get delegates and I want to win this nomination."
But what's the real reason behind Romney's separation from the other frontrunners? Is he truly trying out a new technique? Or does he fear that he can't win the "big" primaries, like the most recent one in South Carolina?
It's possible that Romney's tactics may be working. Though he hasn't won any of the "major" caucuses (Iowa, New Hampshire or South Carolina), he has accrued a significant amount of delegates from winning Wyoming and Nevada and placing well in the other primaries. Unbeknownst to most, Nevada's caucus actually awards more delegates (31)to the winner than the more publicized South Carolina's primary (only 24).
Political analysts say that the breaking point for the candidates will be Florida. Romney's unique tactic of securing wins in small primaries seems to be working: He has won the most votes and the most delegates to date. Romney's wealth also affords (no pun intended) him the opportunity to continue writing checks to promote himself through events and advertising campaigns, which is an advantage he has over the other candidates.
Fred Thompson is out of the Republican race and as money dwindles and support wanes, other candidates are sure to follow suit. Romney's win in Nevada undoubtedly gives him a boost, as does his positive financial situation. But Republican Presidential Nomination polls pit him at third, with only 15.2 percent of the public's support, despite leading in delegate votes. Florida will be the ultimate test for Romney, revealing whether or not his trek to the White House should continue.
Romney's absence in South Carolina on Saturday (Jan. 19) was hardly noticed. The primary election held there was essentially a race between McCain and Huckabee, and a close one at that. McCain secured a victory by earning 33 percent of the vote, while Huckabee won 30 percent of the vote, losing by just 3 percent.
So where was Romney? Taking a much-needed vacation in Las Vegas? Not quite, but almost. The senator was in Nevada but not to hit the casinos in Sin City. He was campaigning to win votes in Nevada's primary election. The former Massachusetts governor won easily in the largely uncontested caucus, ignorning his defeat in South Carolina and the gains his competitors made on the East coast.
With one win and one loss in the same week, simple math indicates that Romney adds up right back to where he started: Zero. But looking past the numbers may allow voters to understand how Romney is attempting to define himself. It seems that he is trying to establish himself as an outsider. One would think that Romney would focus on larger states that award winners large numbers of delegates, which is a tactic McCain and Huckabee are employing. But Romney says that he's trying to set himself apart from the others by targeting a variety of states and regions.
"I'm not looking just to get a couple high-profile victories," he said in an interview with WTOPnews.com. "I want to get delegates and I want to win this nomination."
But what's the real reason behind Romney's separation from the other frontrunners? Is he truly trying out a new technique? Or does he fear that he can't win the "big" primaries, like the most recent one in South Carolina?
It's possible that Romney's tactics may be working. Though he hasn't won any of the "major" caucuses (Iowa, New Hampshire or South Carolina), he has accrued a significant amount of delegates from winning Wyoming and Nevada and placing well in the other primaries. Unbeknownst to most, Nevada's caucus actually awards more delegates (31)to the winner than the more publicized South Carolina's primary (only 24).
Political analysts say that the breaking point for the candidates will be Florida. Romney's unique tactic of securing wins in small primaries seems to be working: He has won the most votes and the most delegates to date. Romney's wealth also affords (no pun intended) him the opportunity to continue writing checks to promote himself through events and advertising campaigns, which is an advantage he has over the other candidates.
Fred Thompson is out of the Republican race and as money dwindles and support wanes, other candidates are sure to follow suit. Romney's win in Nevada undoubtedly gives him a boost, as does his positive financial situation. But Republican Presidential Nomination polls pit him at third, with only 15.2 percent of the public's support, despite leading in delegate votes. Florida will be the ultimate test for Romney, revealing whether or not his trek to the White House should continue.
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