Romney is out... sort of

Spin Echo · Post by **Spin Echo** » 2008-02-07 12:23pm

link

(CNN) -- Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will suspend his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, GOP sources tell CNN.

Generally, when a presidential candidate "suspends" a campaign, he may keep any delegates he has won up to that point. If the candidate "drops out," he may only keep district-level delegates he had won and he would forfeit any statewide delegates won.

Hmm. What's the point of suspending his campaign?

FSTargetDrone · Post by **FSTargetDrone** » 2008-02-07 12:27pm

Maybe he doesn't want to throw away any more money?

Anyway, Romney is apparently about to make this announcement himself, very soon.

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2008-02-07 12:29pm

Was that wet sucking sound I just heard Sean Hannity breaking away from sucking Romney's cock?

Gerald Tarrant · Post by **Gerald Tarrant** » 2008-02-07 12:31pm

Spin Echo wrote:link

(CNN) -- Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will suspend his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, GOP sources tell CNN.

Generally, when a presidential candidate "suspends" a campaign, he may keep any delegates he has won up to that point. If the candidate "drops out," he may only keep district-level delegates he had won and he would forfeit any statewide delegates won.
Hmm. What's the point of suspending his campaign?

I think he's hanging on to the delegates so he can trade them for something from McCain. Everyone was predicting that if Romney stayed in McCain would still win, and he would pick Huckabee as VP. NPR said the only way Romney could come back was if he did a "clean sweep" (I guess winning every othe state). Romney's campaign people must have done the math and decided it wasn't happening. So right now he might be negotiating with McCain for something or other (maybe the VP nod). The only leverage he has is his delegates. I'm not sure how much they matter though, since everyone is saying McCain has this in the bag.

Post by **RogueIce** » 2008-02-07 12:31pm

So if Romney is out, what would that mean for the theorized reason Huckabee stayed in: to spoil Romney and maybe get VP from McCain. If Romney is no longer an issue, would such a thing still hold?

acesand8s · Post by **acesand8s** » 2008-02-07 12:34pm

Spin Echo wrote:Hmm. What's the point of suspending his campaign?

Edwards did it so he could keep receiving matching federal funds and repay debts his campaign had incurred.

FSTargetDrone · Post by **FSTargetDrone** » 2008-02-07 12:36pm

And just yesterday he was "vowing" to stay in the race:

Flanked by his wife Ann and several of his five sons, Romney declared: "The one thing that's clear is that this campaign is going on."

"There some people who thought it was all going to be done tonight," said Romney. "But it's not all going to be done. We're going to keep battling, we're going to go all the way to the convention and we're going to win the White House."

Well, he may still go to the WH. As a visitor.

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2008-02-07 12:36pm

If McCain takes Huckabee as a VP he's shot himself in the foot because his cross party and middle of the road appeal ends there when Huck's more crazy fundie side starts getting more well known and publicized during the campaign. McCain needs either a younger unknown Conservative or Romney. Romney so that the Sean Hannity's of the world can have their bruised egos assuaged and appeal to the more conservative side of the party who just doesn't trust him (yet somehow trusts a confirmed "flip flopper" like Romney)

Jadeite · Post by **Jadeite** » 2008-02-07 12:38pm

And another one bites the dust...

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2008-02-07 12:45pm

So essentially this means McCain will get the Republican nomination, correct? To my knowledge, nobody else has anywhere near enough delegates to credibly catch up to him.

Darth Raptor · Post by **Darth Raptor** » 2008-02-07 12:46pm

A McCain nomination is almost certain at this point.

Guy Smiley wants to run in 2016 (or 2012, White American Space Jesus willing). I'd be surprised if he accepts a VP slot.

Gerald Tarrant · Post by **Gerald Tarrant** » 2008-02-07 12:56pm

McCain's probably thinking hard about his VP right now. If Romney stayed in Huckabee was the safe bet, so he could cement the nomination. Now that Romney is out McCain doesn't need Huckabee's delegates. McCain has a few more choices. Giuliani dropped out early and endorsed McCain, which may make him an appropriate VP choice. The only catch is the Conservatives already think McCain is too centrist, and they similarly distrust Giuliani's "Big City" Social Liberalism (IIRC he's pro-choice, and an advocate of gun-control). McCain's people have to be worrying about whether or not Conservatives will stay home this election day. Romney would give him delegates and some "Conservative cred." Thompson would give him more, and probably bring the conservative base back to the polls. McCain has to be balancing that against his "Maverick" persona which appeals to independents. A weighty decision, that I expect to come soon, McCain is known to make snap judgements.

[R_H] · Post by **[R_H]** » 2008-02-07 01:02pm

What about Ron Paul as McCain's VP? According to BBC he's still in the race.

That NOS Guy · Post by **That NOS Guy** » 2008-02-07 01:06pm

[R_H] wrote:What about Ron Paul as McCain's VP? According to BBC he's still in the race.

You're kidding right? Then man comes with just as much, if not more, issues as Huckabee.

Gerald Tarrant · Post by **Gerald Tarrant** » 2008-02-07 01:07pm

[R_H] wrote:What about Ron Paul as McCain's VP? According to BBC he's still in the race.

Hmm. McCain has spoken highly of Ron Paul before. The quote I saw was to a Congressional intern for Paul: "You're working for the most honest man in Congress."

But some of Paul's positions are so divergent from mainline Republican views that I can't see Paul accepting (due to his ideology). Plus McCain's view on the Iraq war probably wouldn't let him have such an isolationist as VP or near any positions of executive power.

brianeyci · Post by **brianeyci** » 2008-02-07 01:08pm

McCain has to face the facts... no matter how much "appeasement" he tries he isn't going to win over the die hard conservative vote. So might as well go for Giuliani and hope to sweep the moderate states. It's like in Monopoly when you dump all your money into three properties to hope to break somebody... it's all in or fucking nothing. McCain needs to go for the win, and that means winning in Democratic strongholds rather than desperately trying to hold his crap like a beggar.

Much to the chagrin of the pure conservatives and deep south I'm sure -- their votes are irrelevant this election for a Republican President. Either they suck it up and vote for a Republican, or they don't vote at all and they get a woman or a black man. What a riot.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2008-02-07 01:09pm

Jesus what a spooge filled speach he just gave. Hannity is probably shedding a tear right now. Continue to fight there so they wont come here. Return to god. US was a christian country and can be again......

[vomit]

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2008-02-07 01:11pm

[R_H] wrote:What about Ron Paul as McCain's VP? According to BBC he's still in the race.

*rolls up a newspaper and smacks you on the nose with it*

NO! BAD MONKEY! We do not discuss Ron Paul, you hear me! We Do Not Discuss!

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2008-02-07 01:15pm

Knife wrote:Jesus what a spooge filled speach he just gave. Hannity is probably shedding a tear right now. Continue to fight there so they wont come here. Return to god. US was a christian country and can be again......

[vomit]

Ewww.

Anyway, Fox News seems a little slow on the uptake.

That story about Romney's campaign is only three hours old.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2008-02-07 01:21pm

brianeyci wrote:McCain has to face the facts... no matter how much "appeasement" he tries he isn't going to win over the die hard conservative vote. So might as well go for Giuliani and hope to sweep the moderate states. It's like in Monopoly when you dump all your money into three properties to hope to break somebody... it's all in or fucking nothing. McCain needs to go for the win, and that means winning in Democratic strongholds rather than desperately trying to hold his crap like a beggar.

True. Something I think die hards like Hannity forgot about the big tent party is that it was a big tent. Just because recent election cycles had the bible thumpers reigning king, doesn't mean there has been a shit load of fiscal conservatives out there holding their nose and going along with it. Now it would seem the so called conservative movment is loosing it's graps, they think it's the end of all GOPdom. Really funny to watch.

Much to the chagrin of the pure conservatives and deep south I'm sure -- their votes are irrelevant this election for a Republican President. Either they suck it up and vote for a Republican, or they don't vote at all and they get a woman or a black man. What a riot.

Again true, but it makes a couple of different situations in other places. Romney got 90% of the republican vote in Utah. Not surprising and yet Romney's treatment by the bible thumpers in the south have royally pissed off the mormon repubs a lot. Pretty much as the locals here see it, the fundies liked the mormon vote in Utah when it was a white southern babtist running but don't much like the mormon politicians when they run.

In a nut shell, the mormon repubs here feel betrayed by both Huck-a-nut and the republican machine in general. It's been funny as hell listening to the local talk shows bitching about it. Anyway, with this comes the chance that either enough Utah repubs stay home next november thus turning the state blue or more actively vote a protest vote against McCain (especially if he pays Huck back with a slot in his run) and vote Obama or Clinton.

Either way, the bible thumpers are getting their feelbads knocked around this year and I'm loving it.

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » 2008-02-07 01:55pm

I was watching his speech live on News24 - It has to have been one of the most sickening things I have heard in many years.

I just hope that bastard never gets to any prominent position in the White House.

Honorable Mention · Post by **Honorable Mention** » 2008-02-07 02:20pm

[R_H] wrote:What about Ron Paul as McCain's VP? According to BBC he's still in the race.

Besides irreconcilable positions on things like the War in Iraq, McCain has been a bit of a dick to Paul, particularly when he was barred from the Fox News debate. Even if McCain really does respect and/or like Paul, I reckon it's not mutual.

To be honest, I hope Huck stays in at least until the next debate. If it's just Paul and McCain, there won't be a debate. Huckabee holds at least enough weight to possibly get McCain to agree to another debate (and hopefully an invite for Paul despite is poor showing.) Sorry, I can't stand McCain and love watching Paul debate him.

FSTargetDrone · Post by **FSTargetDrone** » 2008-02-07 02:29pm

Here's his speech.

I enjoyed this part best:

"I disagree with Senator McCain on a number of issues, as you know. But I agree with him on doing whatever it takes to be successful in Iraq, on finding and executing Osama bin Laden, and on eliminating Al Qaeda and terror. If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror.

What a stand-up fellow.

Gerald Tarrant · Post by **Gerald Tarrant** » 2008-02-07 02:36pm

FSTargetDrone wrote:Here's his speech.

I enjoyed this part best:

"I disagree with Senator McCain on a number of issues, as you know. But I agree with him on doing whatever it takes to be successful in Iraq, on finding and executing Osama bin Laden, and on eliminating Al Qaeda and terror. If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror.
What a stand-up fellow.

The bolded section is him trying to make nice. Angling for the VP nod I guess. This looks very conciliatory, just what he'd need to do to get on board the "Straight-Talk Express."

Right after this speech Intrade had his probability of VP up to 20%, and Huck's %'s are falling.

FSTargetDrone · Post by **FSTargetDrone** » 2008-02-07 02:38pm

Gerald Tarrant wrote:The bolded section is him trying to make nice. Angling for the VP nod I guess. This looks very conciliatory, just what he'd need to do to get on board the "Straight-Talk Express."

Right after this speech Intrade had his probability of VP up to 20%, and Huck's %'s are falling.

I think you give him too much credit. He's sucking up by showing what a Patriot he is, nothing more. And he's no friend of McCain.

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Romney is out... sort of

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