Sen. John McCain actually came in third, but by having his voters swing behind Mike Huckabee in the second round of balloting, he wins by getting the “Mitt Romney loses West Virginia” headline at the outset of Super-Duper Tuesday.
At HotAir, Allahpundit didn’t think much of Mitt Romney’s response, telling Camp Mitt to “get over it.” But the Romney campaign was already pushing the line that “a vote for Huckabee is a vote for McCain,” so it makes perfect sense for them to use the proof as counter-spin while the polls remain open in most of the other Super-Duper Tuesday states.
[…] Update: Karl says the Romney spin is obligatory to remind voters of Huckabee’s stalking horse posture. […]
I just heard a news report, quoting McCain delegates, that McCain himself had instructed them to vote for Huckster should he not win the first vote.
I didn’t pay much attention to it at the time, but some anti-McCain blogger somewhere was claiming Fred Thompson was a McCain stalking horse.
…before Fred dropped out, I mean.
Hucakabee and his copious loose skin and his ugly babies … um, what are we talking about?
Will the Romney people ever realize that a vote for Romney is a vote for McCain, and throw their support behind Huckabee?
Oh, sorry. I forgot that only works one way.
Ok and we’re the petulant ones.
Brainster,
When McCain tells his people to back Huckabee as a second choice, your hypothesis seems… counter-factual.
It’s like three kids are playing monopoly and the first kid gets a monopoly and the second one turns to the last guy and says, “Give me all your properties, that way he won’t win.” Not too hard to see that there’s not much in it for the last guy. So then the first guy says to him, “Here, I’ll give you the property you need to complete a monopoly.” It’s more than a little disingenuous of the second guy to gripe about the unfairness of it all.
Except if it were a Monopoly game those two pinheads combined couldn’t hang with Mitt more than about a dozen turns.
The problem with your formulation, Brainster, is that Huckabee is no longer a contender. Depending on the outcome today, Romney could be.
Romney has it right: it’s a standard political smoke-filled room maneuver, one that “maverick” McCain claims to decry. People can interpret that as Romney whining, as pointing out McCain’s hypocrisy, or both, but Romney is stating facts as they are.
McGehee – that was none other than Allahpundit, on several occasions.
Thanks. For some reason I was thinking either him or Ace, and I didn’t want to slander either one by naming the other. ;-)
…or slander either one by naming the wrong one, is what I meant.
Sometimes, my “way with words” likes to have its way with me.
Read this, you giving-a-fuck-about-the-G.O.P. types:
http://www.samizdata.net/blog/archives/2008/02/the_swing_voter.html
The post’s analysis is a little squishy, but the comments sort it out.
I think that graph says that McCain will lose if he gets the nomination because he is a douche and the electability trollops will look really stupid cause they were all rah-rah about a douche loser.
Well, I held my nose and voted Romney.
Also: presented my driver’s license to the poll worker -response: We don’t require ID!
Me: No, but you should.
I did the same, Mojo. Romney, that is, the little old lady Poll Worker seemed the wrong sort to startle, last legs and all.
But on my way out, exit poll! I took the Democrat’s version, and lied through my teeth.
Viva New Hampshire!
Now I know how the Democrats felt four years ago.
Well, except for the chronic inability to put two logical concepts to form a rational thought — but a couple of days ago I had that too.
I said if Fuckabee won any state today, you could find me wandering around naked in a parking lot, with my cock tuck securely between my legs, muttering to myself. It is a bit chilly, and tornadoes are in the forecast, so I shall refrain from doing so. Well, I am muttering.
::snarl::
So November comes down to Clinton vs. McClinton.
Somebody lend me a time machine. I want to shoot George Washington.
Regards,
Ric
JD, stay strong my man. Stay strong. And by strong I mean stay indoors with your cock securely tucked in a pair of hanes. Or not. Indianapolis may frown on that stuff. San Francisco may not, but I’m pretty sure Indianapolis might.
OI – You are right. But since it is raining sideways, and we have tornado strength winds, not many people will be looking out in the parking lot of the hotel. Every time I turn on the TV, my better half comes and turns it off, and says something about dangerously high blood pressure. Must go to a happy place. Will have to replay the last 2:00 minutes of the Super Bowl in my head over and over and over to make it through tonight.
I work with a moderate Democrat, we actually get a long having a lot of values in common. He couldn’t help but chuckle today that the Republican nomination of McCain will be like when the Dem party nominated Kerry …. “The Electable One” … we are where the Dems were 4 years ago, attempting to put a guy who defers to his military career every chance he gets and where a huge segment of the GOP will either stay home or will reluctantly vote but wont put up signs or contribute money.
Obama will roll over McCain like a tsunami. Even my Dem friend says Obama is a blank slate but that’s his appeal, he can be whatever the voters want him to be. McCain is very very old news Washington establishment.
McCain could beat Obama. He’s the fucking antiChrist is why. I’m glad now this apartment doesn’t allow pets.
Obama will roll over McCain like a tsunami.
I think so too, if Barry gets the nod. If McCain prevails, I would prefer he square off against Hillary. What a bloodbath that would be. Perhaps whoever survived would be too bloodied to do much harm. God it sucks that this is the best I can hope for.
Bloodbath see? On some level you know.
hf – McCain would lose to Barry O’ in the same manner in which Mondale took it in the poop chute from Reagan.
Bloodbath see? On some level you know.
JD
I see it more Dole/Clinton. Clinton was so engaging and Dole so cranky even my bleed-Republican-blood parents voted for Clinton!
Whatever. What’s ironic is that the nanny always gets it first.
Darleen – You are probably right. Not 49 states. Maybe only like 46, or 47 states.
McCain MIGHT win against Hill…her negatives are legend. But I don’t think he’ll be able to contain that infamous temper when Bill/Hill start impugning his honor in debates. He thinks he’s “friends” with Hill, after drinking bouts and such. He’ll pop a vein or something and say something so outregeous the Clintons will skate into Jan 09.
Huckabee hates Romney with a passion – considering the last few things I heard quoted from him blasting Romney I think it’s coming from a deep well of resentment. How DARE “that Mormon” be goodlooking, success and have great looking kids?
“The problem with your formulation, Brainster, is that Huckabee is no longer a contender. Depending on the outcome today, Romney could be.”
You might want to revisit that one, McGeehee.
Darleen that so nails it and I’d never seen that before. It’s the kids. Huckabee’s not so secret shame. It must just kill him.
hf
Recall McCains “patriotism not profit” sneer? Couple that with Huck and you have both resentment and a decidely NON-conservative kneejerk response to earned success and wealth.
Recall McCains “patriotism not profit†sneer? Couple that with Huck and you have both resentment and a decidely NON-conservative kneejerk response to earned success and wealth
Darleen – That really ties it up quite nicely, and succinctly.
I can really see him picking Huck. That has to be wrong, but I can see it. Huck has a place in a McCain administration for sure though. I think mostly though that sneer is going to pull a LOT of Dems into McCain’s camp. Especially if Hillary’s the nominee. But a LOT of latino voters if it’s Obama.
No, I don’t think so.
Well, I’m not so much interested of his winning. Just do what he needs to do.