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.
Pingback by Hot Air » Blog Archive » Huckabee wins West Virginia caucus — despite surprisingly strong showing by Mitt? Update: Or weak showing? Update: Team Mitt whines about “backroom deal” on 2/5 @ 3:15 pm #
[...] Update: Karl says the Romney spin is obligatory to remind voters of Huckabee’s stalking horse posture. [...]
Comment by Spiny Norman on 2/5 @ 3:18 pm #
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.
Comment by McGehee on 2/5 @ 3:45 pm #
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.
Comment by McGehee on 2/5 @ 3:45 pm #
…before Fred dropped out, I mean.
Comment by happyfeet on 2/5 @ 3:47 pm #
Hucakabee and his copious loose skin and his ugly babies … um, what are we talking about?
Comment by Brainster on 2/5 @ 4:06 pm #
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.
Comment by happyfeet on 2/5 @ 4:19 pm #
Ok and we’re the petulant ones.
Comment by Karl on 2/5 @ 4:25 pm #
Brainster,
When McCain tells his people to back Huckabee as a second choice, your hypothesis seems… counter-factual.
Comment by Brainster on 2/5 @ 5:10 pm #
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.
Comment by B Moe on 2/5 @ 5:14 pm #
Except if it were a Monopoly game those two pinheads combined couldn’t hang with Mitt more than about a dozen turns.
Comment by McGehee on 2/5 @ 5:16 pm #
The problem with your formulation, Brainster, is that Huckabee is no longer a contender. Depending on the outcome today, Romney could be.
Comment by JohnAnnArbor on 2/5 @ 5:18 pm #
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.
Comment by rhodeymark on 2/5 @ 5:28 pm #
McGehee – that was none other than Allahpundit, on several occasions.
Comment by McGehee on 2/5 @ 5:52 pm #
Thanks. For some reason I was thinking either him or Ace, and I didn’t want to slander either one by naming the other. ;-)
Comment by McGehee on 2/5 @ 5:53 pm #
…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.
Comment by psycho... on 2/5 @ 5:56 pm #
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.
Comment by happyfeet on 2/5 @ 6:16 pm #
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.
Comment by mojo on 2/5 @ 6:30 pm #
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.
Comment by serr8d on 2/5 @ 6:52 pm #
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!
Comment by McGehee on 2/5 @ 8:21 pm #
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.
Comment by JD on 2/5 @ 8:33 pm #
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.
Comment by Ric Locke on 2/5 @ 8:48 pm #
::snarl::
So November comes down to Clinton vs. McClinton.
Somebody lend me a time machine. I want to shoot George Washington.
Regards,
Ric
Comment by Obstreperous Infidel on 2/5 @ 9:34 pm #
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.
Comment by JD on 2/5 @ 9:41 pm #
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.
Comment by Darleen on 2/5 @ 10:07 pm #
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.
Comment by happyfeet on 2/5 @ 10:13 pm #
McCain could beat Obama. He’s the fucking antiChrist is why. I’m glad now this apartment doesn’t allow pets.
Comment by B Moe on 2/5 @ 10:17 pm #
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.
Comment by happyfeet on 2/5 @ 10:19 pm #
Bloodbath see? On some level you know.
Comment by JD on 2/5 @ 10:19 pm #
hf – McCain would lose to Barry O’ in the same manner in which Mondale took it in the poop chute from Reagan.
Comment by JD on 2/5 @ 10:20 pm #
Bloodbath see? On some level you know.
Comment by Darleen on 2/5 @ 10:46 pm #
JD
I see it more Dole/Clinton. Clinton was so engaging and Dole so cranky even my bleed-Republican-blood parents voted for Clinton!
Comment by happyfeet on 2/5 @ 10:52 pm #
Whatever. What’s ironic is that the nanny always gets it first.
Comment by JD on 2/5 @ 11:04 pm #
Darleen – You are probably right. Not 49 states. Maybe only like 46, or 47 states.
Comment by Darleen on 2/5 @ 11:21 pm #
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?
Comment by Brainster on 2/5 @ 11:23 pm #
“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.
Comment by happyfeet on 2/5 @ 11:26 pm #
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.
Comment by Darleen on 2/5 @ 11:51 pm #
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.
Comment by JD on 2/5 @ 11:54 pm #
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.
Comment by happyfeet on 2/6 @ 12:08 am #
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.
Comment by McGehee on 2/6 @ 1:39 am #
No, I don’t think so.
Comment by Carlo on 2/6 @ 3:35 am #
Well, I’m not so much interested of his winning. Just do what he needs to do.
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