He will likely bail out over the weekend.

No way he bails before Tuesday night. I could see him staying in just to irritate the other 3. If he stays past Tuesday, I just might have to send him a donation.

There is no way that I would vote for Ron Paul because of his position on the Iraq War. Of all of the remaining candidates, I believe that he is the only one who is actually serious about quickly withdrawing our troops from Iraq. I have more respect for Paul than any of the other candidates because he has been most consistent in his positions and I believe him to be an honest man.

I have still not made up my mind. Romney or McCain? Will wait and see.

I think Huckabee's support will begin to wane as conservatives rally behind the only candidate with any shot at stopping McCain.

 

Interesting to hear Hannity tonight essentially say that if Huck was a good Republican he would bow out so that Romney could get his votes instead of splitting votes and having McCain win. The establishment is going full bore against McCain.

I still don't see how any viable Republican candidate, especially McCain, gets around the Iraq issue in a head-to-head vote against the Dem nominee.

 

Sen. McCain making comments about staying for "100 years" is going to cause many to pause before they say he's the one.

The war will not be the main issue unless something changes drastically in Iraq during the next few months. Events will dictate the main issues of the campaign but I expect the economy and illegal immigration to both be bigger issues.

 

It will be about Iraq because that's exactly what the Dems are going to be saying every day 10X per day. You heard Barack address the issue tonight when he was asked about "it getting better in Iraq" and he responded that its just now getting back to where it was when it was just "really bad."

 

It will be THE issue IMO.

Interesting to hear Hannity tonight essentially say that if Huck was a good Republican he would bow out so that Romney could get his votes instead of splitting votes and having McCain win. The establishment is going full bore against McCain.

:confused: McCain seems to be picking up another endorsement from the Republican "establishment" every few hours. Gov. Crist of Florida, Rudy Guiliani, Governor Perry of Texas, Governor Schwarzenegger et al. I don't think that a Republican candidate could hope for more establishment support this early in the process than picking up endorsements from the governors of California, Texas, and Florida.

 

Hannity is probably in the minority at FNC. Most of their political commentators seem to lean toward McCain. However, most conservative talk radio hosts obviously are opposed to McCain, and for good reason, IMO. If a well respected conservative runs on a third party ticket, Republican turnout this fall may be much better than expected.

If a well respected conservative runs on a third party ticket, Republican turnout this fall may be much better than expected.

 

...and it would hand the election to the Democrats.

Interesting to hear Hannity tonight essentially say that if Huck was a good Republican he would bow out so that Romney could get his votes instead of splitting votes and having McCain win. The establishment is going full bore against McCain.

 

 

 

 

Maybe Hanny needs to realize, that Huck may very well be McClain's running partner. And if this is something Huck and McClain have already discussed, then it would be silly to bow out. Good move on their part.

It will be about Iraq because that's exactly what the Dems are going to be saying every day 10X per day. You heard Barack address the issue tonight when he was asked about "it getting better in Iraq" and he responded that its just now getting back to where it was when it was just "really bad."

 

It will be THE issue IMO.

I think Democrats are smart enough to focus McCain's many glaring weaknesses and his position on the war is not one of them. Obama and Hillary did not spend much time answering Iraq questions this evening. If Hillary is the nominee, she definitely will not want to draw unnecessary attention to her votes in support of the war.

 

I do not believe that either Hillary or Obama are stupid enough to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory if they are elected. They will find new reasons to justify delaying the withdrawal that they are promising.

...and it would hand the election to the Democrats.

If we turn out in record numbers and vote for McCain, we would be handing the election to the Democrats. The difference is that the party might be more careful in picking nominees for 2012 and beyond if they see large numbers of their base voting for a third party candidate.

 

S

en. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was close to leaving the Republican Party in 2001

, weeks before then-Sen. Jim Jeffords (Vt.) famously announced his decision to become an Independent, according to former Democratic lawmakers who say they were involved in the discussions.

 

In interviews with The Hill this month, former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and ex-Rep. Tom Downey (D-N.Y.) said there were nearly two months of talks with the maverick lawmaker following an approach by John Weaver, McCain’s chief political strategist.

 

Democrats had contacted Jeffords and then-Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.) in the early months of 2001 about switching parties, but in McCain’s case, they said, it was McCain’s top strategist who came to them.

Democrats say McCain nearly abandoned GOP

I think Democrats are smart enough to focus McCain's many glaring weaknesses and his position on the war is not one of them. .

 

To the conservatives? Its not a weakness.

 

To moderates, its a big issue and one that they're not convinced that he's right.

If we turn out in record numbers and vote for McCain, we would be handing the election to the Democrats. The difference is that the party might be more careful in picking nominees for 2012 and beyond if they see large numbers of their base voting for a third party candidate.

 

S

en. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was close to leaving the Republican Party in 2001

, weeks before then-Sen. Jim Jeffords (Vt.) famously announced his decision to become an Independent, according to former Democratic lawmakers who say they were involved in the discussions.

 

In interviews with The Hill this month, former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and ex-Rep. Tom Downey (D-N.Y.) said there were nearly two months of talks with the maverick lawmaker following an approach by John Weaver, McCain’s chief political strategist.

 

Democrats had contacted Jeffords and then-Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.) in the early months of 2001 about switching parties, but in McCain’s case, they said, it was McCain’s top strategist who came to them.

Democrats say McCain nearly abandoned GOP

 

 

It will be interesting long-term to see the effect of this election. There are many (me included) who do not want either party's extreme members to drive policy. McCain winning will either make it a requirement for future candidates or solidify the extremists' role in picking their party's candidate.

Clinton

To the conservatives? Its not a weakness.

 

To moderates, its a big issue and one that they're not convinced that he's right.

Recent polls do not place the war at the top of the issues. If the situation in Iraq continues to improve, Democrats would be foolish to make it the top issue in the campaign. If the economy continues to decline, Democrats would be foolish not to make it their top issue.