Where We Stand

South Carolina proved to be anything but a surprise as the Real Clear Politics poll averages played out pretty much down the line. Thompson will stay in through Florida but will need a miracle. Hunter is out, Giuliani is damaged beyond reclamation, Huckabee is weakened leaving McCain and Romney to duke it out for the title.

I find Thompsons lack of strength inexplicable. The political junkies were behind him by a wide margin. It's hard to argue he isn't the most solid conservative on the ticket yet he never real gained the big mo. Why? The only answer can be that a plurality of the electorate didn't feel he could win and therefor wrote him off for a more moderate candidate that they thought could defeat the Dem in the general.

Thompson was the last hope of the GOP to produce a concensus candidate that could win the general. Romney may win the nomination but so many evangelicals will sit out the general that he can't prevail, If McCain wins the nomination, so many core conservatives (including this one) will simply not vote for him that he also can't possibly win. Bottom line, the GOP lost the Presidential election of 2008 last night.

There are quite a few folks that feel that a Thompson pull out will benefit McCain. That's precisely wrong. Thompson's supporters will go to Romney 3 to 1 as most Fredheads list Romney as their second choice. They know McCain's not a conservative they still hold out the remote hope that Romney might could be.

Romney has managed to do extremely well with some of the worst press any modern candidate has had to endure and that I do respect. His pandering, however, has become so insufferable that it's initiated my gag reflex on almost a daily basis. I'll vote for him with an industrial strength alligator clip on my nose when the time comes.

The Evangelicals have really shot themselves in the foot on this one. They have virtually assured a Clinton III Presidency. They wielded their power in a ignorant and misguided frenzy to nominate a self righteous liberal Gomer who can't possibly win and in doing so forced the best man out. One consolation....they'll have the next 4-8 years to contemplate their folly.

Update: Occasionally their is a comment so good it's worthy of being published main page. This thought by Redrider is such a comment. "Nothing cures bleeding heart syndrome like having 4 or more years of liberal leadership."

And therein my friends lies the silver lining.