Darn! I've been praying that Romney stays in the race and uses more of his millions to destroy John McCain's reputation.

What about Romney running as an indy? Surely he has the money to do it. Is there enough animosity against McCain among you people to make it feasible?

CPAC should be blast this year. I can't wait for McCain's speech.

Darn! I've been praying that Romney stays in the race and uses more of his millions to destroy John McCain's reputation.

Some of that famous Leftist smearing? Romney attacked McCain's record, unlike McCain who resorted to putting words in Romney's mouth. But if your own record destroys your reputation I guess you guys consider that "swiftboating".

Looks like the liberals are excited about their real chance at killing surviving aborted babies, 2nd holocaust, and another genocide in Iraq. That 's on top of their socialist programs. These people will vote for the liberal extremist Obama over McCain because Obama is young and good liar. But I have to agree that the liberals deserve to gloat because they are united and pure in their extremism.

Some of that famous Leftist smearing?
------------------------------
Yup Barney starts the smearing of McCain 's age already. That 's why these liberals love Obama. He is a liberal extremist and he is a good liar for them.

Darn! I've been praying that Romney stays in the race and uses more of his millions to destroy John McCain's reputation.

Larkin

Romney can't spend enough money to accomplish what McCain has done so thoroughly with his own actions and behavior.
It is manifestly clear that Romney's political and financial demise is coveted by liberals ( Republican and Democrat), but in this instance McCain has done the deed to himself that no others can do for or to him.

Lovie, nice try but I never smeared McCain because of his age. Just add this one to your growing lists of lies.

It makes sense for Romney to withdraw now. With McCain's Super Tuesday gains, winning's going to be a really, really long shot for the Rominator.

Still, it would disappoint me. As unlikely as I am to vote for a Republican, I would really prefer to see a longer serious nomination contest so I can get a better look at the two candidates.

Yes, I realize John McCain has been running for this race since January 2001, and the Rominator's been running at least since the conclusion of his tenure as Massachusetts governor, but how these politicians behave during a long, hard campaign slog really tells you a lot about them ... and, I think, better prepares them for the general election and for the White House.

Plus, I wanted Romney to win the Republican nomination just for the Twilight Zone moment in which the Hillary Clinton campaign calls him a "Massachusetts liberal."

--|PW|--

Barncommie,
Oh you don't like Larkin logic then. Thanks for the confirmation. Start talking about McCain 's age, right. The point is the liberal left will not care one bit about McCain 's reputation. They will smear him. I will believe you when I see liberals advocate voting for McCain over Hillary or Obama. Otherwise, just be honest for once and admit that you would rather vote for Obama because he is a liberal extremist and he is a good liar.

Barcommie,
Here is what you wrote this morning. Can you be honest just for once?

http://wizbangblog.com/content/2008/02/06/super-tuesday-storylines.php#comments
Did you see his 96-year old mother on the stage last night? McCain really has some bad genes in his family

BTW, here is the first sign of the liberal smear
How Old Is Too Old?
Race, gender--they're both up for grabs in this presidential election. It's age that has become the new taboo in a vitality culture.

...
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?

Penny,
Romney should go on. Reagan didn't win in 1976.

Should Romney drop out, it would be interesting to see the conservative media quickly change their minds about Huckabee's liberalism.

Huckabee is simply more a liberal than a conservative. He is prolife, but he doesn't seem to care enough about that issue for his evangelical base. Otherwise, he would attack McCain more than Romney. McCain prolife trajectory has been in the wrong direction. It is suspected that Huckabee is angling for the VP slot with McCain. I don't trust Huckabee enough at this point.

I've started thinking of Huckabee as a "big-government conservative." That is, he tilts right on a number of the social conservative, rather than libertarian, issues -- abortion, for example -- and couples this with an interest in expanding government involvement on other issues.

--|PW|--

Penny,
Huckabee only supports one leg of conservatism: social, economic, and national security. He is liberal on economy (big gov) and national security (GWOT).

Don't know for sure, but it is difficult for a Rep candidate to win the presidency without the support of all three. The emphasis on each leg varies from time to time.

Boy are you stupid Lovie. My comment was sarcasm. You know if you have a mom that is 96-years old and in good health then you must have some really bad genes? Here is the comment I was responding to (which you conveniently left out):

"I certainly am not going to vote for a 72 year old man with a questionable health history who picks him as a his VP candidate.

6. Posted by OhioVoter | February 6, 2008 7:00 AM |"

You see, it was one you conservatives that brought up the age card. I was defending McCain by pointing out his 96 year old mom was up on the stage with John last night looking fitter and more alert than most 50-year olds.

You such a dumb ass.

Barcommie,
Thanks for the clarification. Given your dishonesty so far, so I misread it. I gave you a brownie point for that. OK, at least we agree that the liberal smear from Anna Quinlan is despicable then. She is not a poster on a blog even. AT least you agree that the liberal smear of McCain has started. I can expect to hear condemnation of such a smear from the left then.

Also thanks for confirming that you are full of the liberal sewage that you have to spit it out every time you cannot be honest about your support of the liberal extremist Obama. Are you going to vote for McCain now instead of Obama?

I think a fairer assessment of Huckabee's past leadership would be that of a "medium-government" candidate. He was not a slash-and-burn fiscal conservative, but he was not crazy with the fee increases either.

I'm not sure where one concludes he is "liberal" in his foreign policy. He is extremely inexperienced and that will be a huge liability if he finds himself in a one-on-one with McCain, but I don't think that totally disqualifies him.

I am simply hoping against hope that Romney does leave the race because I do believe the base will then rally around Huckabee. He cannot win the nomination outright, but it is not unfathomable that forces a brokered convention. From there, anything can happen and Romney's delegates play a role.

I guess I'm getting ahead of myself...

Alan,
Why can't Huckabee work with Romney to defeat McCain since they are both more conservative than McCain at least according to you? Romney has more delegates than Huckabee. Why can't Huckabee leave the race and encourage his supporters to support Romney if he really cares about the life issue?

Please... Romney bragged about his pro-choice stance as recently as a few years ago. This sudden conversion is very disturbing to true conservatives who understand this is simply not an issue you can flip on... six months before announcing your candidacy. It took Romney 60 YEARS to see the light?

Richard Land, the president of Huckabee 's own denomination can support Romney. James Dobson can support Romney. Rick Santorum can support Romney and can vouch for him now. Many other evangelical leaders can also vote for Romney on the life issue. Looks like they are convinced at least of his conversion here.

On the other hand, I have reasons not trust Huckabee. He claims to be a christian leader and you mentioned that he is a God-fearing man. So I assume that he is in this just to make sure the life issue of his evangelical base is covered. He is not qualified to be president given his lack of experience in foreign policy as you mentioned. The conservatives in Arkansas were wary of him now. He was naive in governing. If he is truly a christian leader and not in this for himself, he will do his best to defeat McCain for example. He would rather work with Romney to make sure the life issue is important. And he should apologize to Bush for talking about "bunker mentality" etc... which he doesn't really understand. Even though he cannot win this year. This good-faith effort will build good will for his run 4 or 8 years from now.

I called Hannity yesterday and actually got on the air with him on his radio show. I think I helped myself by telling his screener that I am a "Utah liberal". I asked him with all the despisement and hatred of John McCain from conservatives, HOW IN THE HELL HAS HE WON THE NOMINATION? I asked him who are these Republicans who are voting for him? He's won plenty of closed primaries. This isn't a liberal, independent movement. John McCain has conservative Repulicans voting for him, or he wouldn't be in the position he is in right now. He hemmed and hawed and came up with the old conservative bastion, THE MEDIA, has somehow propelled McCain to the nomination. And then he hung up on me. Let me tell you, if the media really had a liberal bias, they would push Romney or Huckabee, because McCain is the only Republican who stands a chance in November.

"The conservatives in Arkansas were wary of him now. He was naive in governing."

That 42-point primary win in Arkansas refutes your claim a lot better than I ever could.

Alan,
Huckabee also won across the South, not just in Arkansas. I suspected that he is exploiting the evangelical base for his own political ambition. There are substantial reasons why the evangelical base is fed up with the failure of the Rep party to deliver on the conservative agenda and Huckabee just took advantage of that sentiment. I am wary that he is using religion (christian leader) as a means for his own gain.

Ryan,
McCain lost in most of the South. He is winning in a year when the Rep field is fractured and Romney is at best a 2nd choice for conservatives to rally around. McCain is no conservative and no loyal republican. We all know that BOb Dole was a moderate republican, but he is a loyal one (not selling out his party). If you want to support McCain, it is fine, but let 's be honest about it. McCain is not a conservative. He is right on national security, so i may wipe my nose to vote for him and that 's it. Otherwise, he is liberal.