I guess this goes with my last post…with Romney’s endorsement of McCain…does that mean if I vote for Romney in the WI primary I’m really voting for McCain?

I’m not quite sure what to think of that…

Reuters is reporting that Mitt Romney will suspend his Presidential Campaign…still developing…

Romney to suspend president campaign: party source

I have been asked by a number of people how all this delegate stuff works and why would Romney and Huckster stick it out when they “really don’t have much of a chance.”

So here is how things shake out:

McCain needs to win @59% of the remaining delegates (@988) to secure the delegate count, not an easy task since he was only able to secure less than 55% of the delegate count on Super Tuesday.

Romney or Huckster would need to pull off a miracle needing to secure 95% and 102% of the remaining delegates respectively.

However if Romney or Huckster were to drop and pledge their delegates to the other…and all the delegates were to go to that candidate…they would only need to secure 25% of the remaining delegates!!!

The numbers are on the side of the conservatives but who would drop? Huckster? Probably not...but if he did most of his delegates would flow to Romney. Romney? Not likely…but if he did would his delegates flow to Huckster…what is the difference between McCain and him? Not much so I’m not sure if the flow would be entirely secured for him.

So that is how the numbers break down and my analysis of things…what do you think?!?

I will admit that had I been home last night I would have watched the debates but not being there meant that I was only able to catch the replay late last night and by that time I just wasn’t all that interested.

However, I did get to see Romney call McCain out on the lies the McCain camp spread about Romney wanting a timetable for Iraq.

What I found interesting was that McCain’s only retort about the lies was that Romney had “negative attack ads” playing against McCain and Huckabee’s record.

So let me get this straight:

An ad showing that your opponent voted against a tax cut = “negative attack ad”

Lying about your opponent = acceptable politics

Hmm, good to know for the future.

I’m not really happy about the results but I think the exit polls put things into perspective:

43% of people polled said Abortion should be Legal and 45% of them voted for McCain.

42% of people polled said the Crist endorsement was important and 54% of them voted for McCain.

32% of people polled said that they had a Negative Opinion of Bush and 45% of them voted for McCain.

11% of people polled said that they were Liberal and 49% of them voted for McCain.

28% of people polled said that they were Moderate and 43% of them voted for McCain.


On the reverse side:

50% said that the highest priority for the President is Cutting Taxes and 35% of them voted for Romney.

61% of people polled said they were Conservative and 37% of them voted for Romney.

50% of people polled said that Issues were important to their vote and 35% of them voted for Romney.

40% of people polled said we should Deport Illegal Aliens and 38% of them voted for Romney.

68% of people polled said that they had a Positive Opinion of Bush and 35% of them voted for Romney.

44% of people polled said that they attended Church Weekly and 31% voted for Romney.

52% of people polled said that Abortion should be Illegal and 35% of them voted for Romney.


So tell me…who is the conservative candidate? Why would we nominate McCain to represent the GOP this fall?

Well I thought for sure that Romney would win Iowa and that the poll numbers were just inflated due to last minute media hype of Huckabee. I even thought that Huckabee would even come in third…well folks I was wrong.

I was right when it came to my co-worker…who I hope is reading this right now…Thompson didn’t stand a chance. As of 9:51 PM CST good ‘ole Fred is in third (10 points behind Romney who came in second!!!) and is slowly loosing ground to the fourth place candidate, McCain.

New Hampshire is 5 days away…will the polls prove to be correct again and McCain win the state? God I hope not!

Today Mitt Romney answered some of the questions that people have been wondering about him, his faith, and the Presidency.

You can find the entire speech here but I have selected a few excerpts I particularly thought were worth while.

EXCERPTS FROM:

Thursday, Dec 06, 2007
"Faith In America"
Remarks As Prepared For Delivery
The George Bush Presidential Library
College Station, Texas

"Let me assure you that no authorities of my church, or of any other church for that matter, will ever exert influence on presidential decisions. Their authority is theirs, within the province of church affairs, and it ends where the affairs of the nation begin.”

I think I can speak for anyone of any faith and say that is why we love America…their will be no Sharia Laws passed in this country!!

"When I place my hand on the Bible and take the oath of office, that oath becomes my highest promise to God. If I am fortunate to become your President, I will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause, and no one interest. A President must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States."

Again I can’t say it any clearer…this is what I would expect from any elected official here in the States.

"Religious tolerance would be a shallow principle indeed if it were reserved only for faiths with which we agree."

Try telling that to those who believe the nativity scenes and menorahs don’t belong in public places!!!

"There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and explain his church's distinctive doctrines. To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the Constitution. No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. For if he becomes President he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths."

I think this defines Romney the best. He is making sure that we understand that to determine his (or anyone else) fitness for office based on his religious views goes against everything this country stands for. He should not have to explain his religion to be president anymore than a person should be asked why they are married to their spouse! Although I think someone should really corner Hillary with this question…I can for the life of me understand that marriage!!!

"No religion should dictate to the state nor should the state interfere with the free practice of religion. But in recent years, the notion of the separation of church and state has been taken by some well beyond its original meaning. They seek to remove from the public domain any acknowledgment of God. Religion is seen as merely a private affair with no place in public life. It is as if they are intent on establishing a new religion in America – the religion of secularism. They are wrong."

AMEN to that!!!

"I will take care to separate the affairs of government from any religion, but I will not separate us from 'the God who gave us liberty.'"

I think he’s there…

"Americans acknowledge that liberty is a gift of God, not an indulgence of government. No people in the history of the world have sacrificed as much for liberty. The lives of hundreds of thousands of America's sons and daughters were laid down during the last century to preserve freedom, for us and for freedom loving people throughout the world. America took nothing from that Century's terrible wars – no land from Germany or Japan or Korea; no treasure; no oath of fealty. America's resolve in the defense of liberty has been tested time and again. It has not been found wanting, nor must it ever be. America must never falter in holding high the banner of freedom."

For those on the Left please re-read this last quote, remember it always, we have not conquered those we have fought in the last century but aided our fellow man. We have done these things not for power or glory but because it was right, it was just, it was moral. We do not ask to be revered or praised but offer up the freedoms that we have as a model for all people.

"The diversity of our cultural expression, and the vibrancy of our religious dialogue, has kept America in the forefront of civilized nations even as others regard religious freedom as something to be destroyed."

Can you say Islamic Jihadist?!?!?!

"And so it is for hundreds of millions of our countrymen: we do not insist on a single strain of religion – rather, we welcome our nation's symphony of faith."

Well said.

I would encourage all to read his speech in its entirety; it is well worth the time. I do believe we are looking at the next President of the US.