At TPM, Josh Marshall finds it “weird” that the Washington state GOP put out a press release announcing McCain the winner based only 87% of returns, given that the 1.8% margin separating Sen. John McCain from Mike Huckabee.
It’s not weird at all. The party apparatus has gotten the message that everyone is to simply shut up and get in line behind McCain. Announce his victory now. If the vote count ultimately does not bear that out, it will be buried in some press release handed out after the media pack has moved on to another contest.
Update: FNC reports (3:13 CST) that Huckabee is calling for an investigation into the results of the Washington state caucus. Forget it, Huck. It’s over. Didn’t you get the memo?
McCain is kind of a poopyhead sometimes sure, but Hick is really really mortifying. Really it’s just past time he was trussed up like the gimp and put in the basement.
In that trunk.
That the Dems would complain about election hijinx in Washington is breath-taking. Also, Luap Nor and Fuckabee got a shit load of votes out there, so it speaks to the competency of the voters.
The NotMcCain vote should be seen for what it is — a barometer.
It’s a cut and paste, but it’s appropriate:
I had a kind of waking dream where Hillary! heaves her cankles up on a raised dais in front of a huge, darkened arena and begins to speak to the nervous, standing room only crowd:
“I have heard it said that many of you have felt, at times, that I or the DNC don’t really think your issues are important beyond what we have to say to benefit from your votes. Nothing could be further from the truth! In spite of scurrilous claims on talk radio, and in spite of the fact that it fell to Republican administrations to appoint African-Americans to prominent cabinet positions, or that the Democrat party of New York purportedly coerced an eminently qualified African-American to not run for the Senate seat I now hold,
(She raises her voice to the verge of her well known screech because a growing, enthusiastic roar from the next hall over makes it increasingly diffucult for her to be heard)
it is VITAL that you understand that YOUR interests are at stake as you go to vote for ME in your capacity as super delegates!….”
A voice from the hall interrupts:
“Madam senator? The Democrat super delegates and black folks are next door. We are the conservative minority of the Republican party. John McCain was supposed to be here to explain why we are supposed to vote for him, but we just found out he’s next door promising open-ended welfare benefits, restrictions on talk radio, and socialized health care.”
It’s a funny old world, aint’ it?
Huckabee has been written off too breezily by the media and many Washington conservatives, who underestimate the “not-McCain” vote. Now that he is clearly the only conservative in the race, I expect more states like Kansas and Louisiana over the next few weeks.
Oh, I think they can find enough of the right ballots in Washington. It’s not like they have no recent practice.
This is just the caucus. The primary is on 2/19. There are 40 delegates: 19 from the primary, 18 from the caucus (or vice versa), and 3 automatic delegates.
Screwed up system, I know.
[…] only does Huckabee refuse to face the electoral math, he has apparently decided to emulate a Democrat tactic by lawyering up over the Washington State primary. He’s […]
At this point the first person to give me $3000 tax free gets my vote. No shit.
Now if Huck were running as a Democrat, he might actually have a shot at the whole “recount” thing. It worked out great for Gregoire in 2004: “We need to make sure every vote is counted. At least until I win, at which point all counting needs to stop and you need to accept defeat.”
cardeblu is right… for some odd reason, the GOP decided to award 51% of its Washington delegates to the primary winner, and 49% to the caucus winner.
Refreshing to see such solicitude for Mike Huckabee around here. ;)
[…] reported earlier, by Karl, Republicans create their […]