AT THIS LINK has gone full bore steamed up (not a contradictory phrase as could refer to a steam engine's tank) mad over the current state of the GOP's campaign.
Newt Gingrich is tossed under the bus after having been supported. He, Gingrich, is now apprently, just a stalking horse for Romney via Adelson's money;
First, a brief word on Newt, who I endorsed. Get over it. Adelson may be happy to use him as a stalking horse for his second choice, Romney, but I'm not. I understood the warnings going in and accepted them, but in South Carolina, Romney got under Newt's skin and he self-destructed.
We all saw how erratic and ego driven he became. He looked frumpy and angry in the debate and gave a flat, wonky speech at CPAC that I gave a solid A on policy, but an F, politically. I don't care if he gets another $10 mil and has a good week, or two. Once bitten, twice shy and he'll never pull enough people back to be competitive. There's no point in backing a guy who very well may self-destruct again a week, or a month later, let alone never survive a general election. There's now no reason to believe he could ever do that, especially against Team Obama.
Romney is well beyond the pale, and "shouldn't even be on the ballot" a position even the most partisan supporters of the various other candidates have not come to. I noted Riehl concludes that nobody takes any interest of whom bloggers support, but that hasn't stopped him from unleashing fire and brimstone today on all and sundry.
Sundry includes those with the temerity to question Santorum's, as he describes them, religion based comments "what is wrong with you people?" he asks. Those with the temerity to do so are called "spineless, clueless" and can kiss his ass for good measure.
I honestly wish I could write like that. I certainly can get the passion up but I just can't rev up to the next level of vitriolic bashing and crashing as the likes of Riehl and the wonderful Stacy McCain can do. I guess that's why they have huge followings and I don't.
People like to be entertained, challenged, and have their prejudices confirmed in strong language-or like to get riled up at those who attack their prejudices. I am to old, with the sanguinenessness (sic) that comes with that, to do so, even if I was so inclined.
So am just grateful for the occasional reader who likes reasoned argument ( no matter how valid it may or may not be) but I miss the angry comments that come with such Riehlian (sic) fire and brimstone.
Anyway, Riehl does not endorse Santorum whilst vigorously defending his religious conservatism, which begs the question; what then? Whom should we support for the nomination?
At that point Riehl turns to the Mike Allen's "Playbook" column at Politico AT THIS LINK where Allen comments on the statement by the mystery senator, that if Romney can't win Michigan "we need a new candidate".
Riehl picks up on Allen's showcasing an analysis of what might happen if a "Hail Mary" candidate emerged after Romney lost Michigan. The analysis showed that a successful candidate in the remaining primary elections could garner enough votes to ensure a brokered convention:
Our friend handed us a printout of FEC deadlines for ballot access, with five of them circled and starred: California (March 23), Montana (March 12), New Jersey (April 2), New Mexico(March 16) and South Dakota (March 27). The point: Even after Feb. 28, it might be possible to assemble a Hail Mary candidacy that could garner enough delegates to force a CONTESTED convention (a different nuance than BROKERED, which implies that someone is in charge).
Under RNC rules, the delegate count builds slowly: just 15% before Super Tuesday, March 6; 19% through Super Tuesday (brings you to 34%); 17% in the rest of March (brings you to 51%); with 48% in April, May and June (21%, 12%, 15%).
The mystery senator considers Jeb Bush would be such a "Hail Mary" person. That concept brought gales of ridicule from around the conservative blogosphere, with the general response being that anyone who thought the country was ready for another Bush had serious problems.
Who then? the "progressive" hate site Daily Kos AT THIS LINK gleefully considered the options from the enemy point of view and can't find anyone.Thune being the best they could come up with, which was shot down immediately because of some supposed affair he had.
Thus with the firebrand right rejecting Romney/Gingrich and not even mentioning Paul and not willing to endorse Santorum I struggle to see what the end game, is except for only voting down ticket. I await Riehl's further comments with interest despite his humility in saying he has no influence (he does of course).
Frankly, if there is to be a Hail Mary candidate I can only think of one who could unite the base and drag an unwilling but finally accepting establishment GOP to the altar. Only one having the name recognition to gain enough delegates from the remaining post Michigan states-and she has already announced she would be willing to do the job if needed.
No comments:
Post a Comment