Edwards Drops Out

In a STUNNING development, John Edwards will get out of race today. He is doing this becasue he knows he cannot win and wants to help SOMEONE win next week. The ProConPundit's best guess is that he will endorse Obama. It would make no sense for him to endorse the Clinton's given his consistent, harsh criticism of them. His withdrawal will help the Clinton's among southern white voters but will help Obama in California, New Jersey and even New York.

Where does the Edwards vote go? Three points:

1. Edwards will want it ot go to Obama.

2. Edwards votes are generally anti-Clinton.

3. Wild card: Edwards support mostly among lower income white voters. Hillary has been doing better with them than Obama.

If the Edwards vote breaks out mostly to Obama, that should be enough to put him over the top next Tuesday. This development leaves the first one-on-one debate Thursday between Obama and the Clinton's.

The timing of this withdrawal negates the conventional wisdom that Edwards was staying in the race to be the kingmaker in a photo finish between Obama and Clinton delegates. There is either a deal in place. Or, the health of Elizabeth Edwards has been the factor.

More later.

McCain and the Clinton’s Win Florida
Nancy Reagan To Host Giuliani Endorsement at
Gipper’s Grave & Library

John McCain won Florida by 5 % in a GOP only primary. His victory may be attributed to the late breaking endorsements of Florida Gov. Charles Crist and Sen. Mel Martinez. He was conciliatory to Mitt Romney, saying, "The margin of my victory is not enough that I should brag about or enough for you to despair." He spoke words of eloquence to Rudy Giuliani, who will drop out and endorse him tomorrow, thanking him for his leadership and for putting his heart and soul into this race. and kindness to Mike Huckabee. Tim Russert has rightly asserted that McCain is dangling the vice-presidency in front of Huckabee, "Don't leave me now,

Hucky, I need you."

McCain's victory was both narrow and decisive. He won without independents or Democrats. He won all over Florida and, as a warrior, was voted for in large measure by people who consider the economy the largest issue. He is definitely on his way but he has to close the deal with hard core conservatives who don’t like him. This will be made easier by endorsements and establishment Republicans falling into line behind him. Romney is not to be discounted, at all. He is formidable and self financed. He is helped by entertainers like Limbaugh, Buchanan and Scarborough who hate McCain. The next week will be rough. McCain is helped to have Giuliani on his side and Huckabee’s VP run.

Even though the Democratic Party will not accept the Florida delegates and the candidates did not campaign there, Hillary and Bill Clinton beat Obama by 20% in Florida. That is significant. Obama needs help to close the deal in the next week. The "unofficial" Democratic primary is not a done deal. Those delegates will continue their fight to be seated and counted at the Democratic convention. It may matter if the count is close. Florida all over again. Stay tuned.

Fasten Your Seat Belts...

The Next Week Will Be a Wild Ride

It so ironic that Rudy Giuliani has been fighting his entire life, fighting tough at all times and fighting dirty when necessary or for the fun of it, and in the fight of his life time, he lost by playing it clean. He beat everyone he ever seat out to beat, including cancer and a couple of wives (emotionally) but he lost the GOP primary by running too slow and nicer than ever. Whatever you think of him, and the ProConPundit loved him as a New York’s mayor but never thought he had the muster to be president, hats off to an American leader–and legend.

Rudy represents a lot of ethnic Americans who were traditionally Democrats but felt "left" out or left behind. He brought a lot of good positions to this race and the prospect that a Republican need night be a right winger. Good for him for giving it a whirl. He will now endorse John McCain and probably do McCain some good on Super Tuesday in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware. Also, Illinois which will be heavy for Obama on the Democratic side next week, would have likely gone for Rudy on the GOP side but will now line up in the McCain column, bank on it.

Thompson helped McCain narrowly beat Huckabee in South Carolina and Huckabee helped McCain narrowly beat Romney in Florida. Huckabee will continue his race for VP and, praise Jesus, the bible man will take votes away from Romney on February 5.

The next week will be ugly. Romney vs. McCain and Clinton vs. Obama is not going to be pretty for the next week. And I wish I could call it or have some sense of how it will finish. I don’t. My gut tells me that, ultimately, McCain will be the GOP nominee and the Clinton’s will be the Democratic nominees. Incidentally, that was conventional wisdom a year and a half ago.

It should all fall into place on Tuesday, February 5 when these states vote: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah. If not, it may all get decided on March 4 by Texas and Ohio.

ProConPundit to Gore and Carter:

You can call me, Al–and Jimmy

C’mon guys. The gig is up. John Kerry and the Kennedy Clan have fessed up. They hate the Clintons. No one hates than more than you do, Al and Jimmy. Hillary and Bill are still up 10 points nationally to Obama. One week from tonight on Super Tuesday, the race will likely be resolved. Carter and Gore are conspicuous by their silence. Even Al Sharpton has stepped up, proving that even a broken clock is right twice a day. He acknowledged himself as one of the most outspoken people in America and then said, "Bill Clinton needs to shut up."

Al and Jimmy, now is your moment–step up. Obama needs to pick up 10 points in the next week or else your nemesis’ will be on stage for the next eight years. Put your Nobel peace prizes down and win one for the–Gipper? Well, not the Gipper, but you get the point. C’mon guys–you know what needs to be done.

ProConPundit to Ted Kennedy:
Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?


My conservative friends may hate me for this, but I love Ted Kennedy. I’ve had my differences with him and I am much more moderate, middle of the right, and yes, certainly, much more conservative than Ted Kennedy. The first vote I ever cast was for him...in 1980 when he ran against Jimmy Carter. I've always believed that his brothers became heroes, and saints and statues in death while Ted had to live in reality. Their foibles were ignored or glamorized while his were front and center. Whatever you think of liberals, whatever you think of Ted Kennedy, I have always given him credit for being an incredibly wealthy man who has spent his life fighting for people less fortunate than himself. Minimum wage, health care, union workers, veterans, and the disabled have all been people Kennedy has been willing to be ridiculed over giving a damn about.

The ProConPundit is flabbergasted and ebullient at the, forgive the phrase, PROFILES IN COURAGE that are the Kennedy’s, Ted, Patrick, and the ever-delightful Caroline, in endorsing Barack Obama. Some of you may think that this fits in with my common theme of being against the Clinton’s. Its more than that. The Clinton’s have been breaking rules, crossing limits of decency, lying, and getting away with it for longer than I want to take the time to recall. Their disgusting interjection of race in the Democratic primary finally went too far: the far left and the most prominent American political family (sorry Clinton’s and Bushes) have said enough is enough.

Piling on various other injuries and insults, Bill Clinton dismissed Obama’s South Carolina victory by saying that Jesse Jackson won there also. He could have said John Edwards won there four years ago and hasn’t won so much as a door prize since. But no, he reached back 20 years to compare Obama’s candidacy to that of Jesse Jackson. Most Americans regard Jesse Jackson as a joke. All Americans know that he never, ever remotely in serious contention for his party’s nomination. Whatever you think of Obama, and I have serious doubts about his experience given the state of our union, I think he’s a bright man and a serious candidate and that the Clinton’s have behaved shamefully.

The Clinton’s are still playing the tired old dirty tricks of the past. Our country needs the kind of leader we elected in 1932 with FDR and in 1980 with Ronald Reagan. Both times we were in great need of hope and unity and competence. I am not sure if we have an FDR or Reagan type in the offing this year. One thing is for sure: The Clinton’s cannot deliver unity. In fact, the Clinton’s are the CATALYSTS of the lack of unity we now know as Americans. Huh?

The Clinton’s are not the cause of our disunity but they were the catalysts for it. Please consider these facts: In 1980, Ronald Reagan was elected president with 51% of the vote compared to Jimmy Carter’s 41% in a 3 way race. In 1984, Reagan was re-elected with 58% of the vote. In 1988, Bush I won with 54%. In 1992, in a three way race, Bush I and Perot had 58% of the vote to Clinton’s 43%. Bill Clinton became president with 58% of the American people voting against him. Clinton’s re-election in 1996 is always spun as a landslide. He had 49.2 % of the vote. Bill Clinton always had more people voting against him than for him. Between the Clinton’s rocky, inexperienced, corrupt beginnings, there remained a significant number of Americans who were against him, so much so that the Gingrich revolution was able to turn the congress to the GOP 2 years later. The Clinton years were seemingly prosperous years for America for various reasons, some to his credit, some not. He never was able to unify our country. When his weak, impotent vice-president sought election in 2000, we ended up with the most divided election ever and things have never been right since. The Bush years have not helped us come together and George W. deserves his fair share of blame for not doing better.

Elect McCain, elect Romney, elect Obama. Elect anyone but the Clinton’s. Watch their operatives on TV: Paul Begala, James Carville, Ann Lewis–they are all horrible. They lie, twist, manipulate. We deserve better as a country and its about time.

Whatever you think of the politics of the Kennedy’s, they love our country very much and have sacrificed dearly at the hands of assassins. People are very hesitant to cross the Clinton’s. For America’s most prominent family to rebuke the Clinton’s, Caroline said no president in her lifetime has inspired her the way people say her dad inspired them, is huge. It sends a signal far and wide to other Democrats. The Clinton’s are over. Its all over but the shoutin.

Good luck to Rudy tomorrow in Florida. He’s never been my choice but I like him.

ProConPundit to McCain:
Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

You never have to worry about John McCain when he is down and out, abused, dismissed, forgotten, written off. He will rise up out of the ashes every time. Its when McCain is on top that he will blow it. Don’t do it, Mac. I’ve been lovin you way too long to have you blow it now. I was with you in 2000 and before, and have been with you ever since. When everyone had you written off, I said–Mac will be back. I have been at the bus stop for 8 years waiting for the Straight Talk Express to pick me up. It’s here, I’m on it, and we are so, so close–to making it–or blowing it. Mac: Stop talking about 100 years in Iraq and MORE wars.

This election season is FANTASTIC. Its fluid and I am genuinely amazed at how fast things change. We go along thinking one thing is paramount and then the Dow plunges 400 points and our priorities change. I really admire and respect John McCain. Hell, I love the man. Needless to say, I want him to be our next president. He’s got to make the case and close the deal. Its now apparent that it’s a 2 person race between he and Romney. Giuliani himself said today that the winner the Florida primary tomorrow will be the GOP nominee. Not necessarily. McCain or Romney will win narrowly. The victory will be slim, the perception will give greater momentum going into Super Tuesday–in one week. Whoever wins Super Tuesday will be the nominee. My money is still on McCain, no hedge. I am in touch with the fact that it may be Romney. I don’t like him. I think he’s a phoney. The fact that he is a hugely successful business person who has some experience in fiscal/business turn around will be great experience should he be the nominee. Should he be the nominee, the ProConPundit will have to return to my previous condemnation and vow to not support him. In the meantime, Mac–give it your best, make the case, close the deal, and for God’s sake–Don’t Go Breaking My Heart!

Two Legendary Chicago Pols Die

Eugene Sawyer, (pictured bottom), Chicago’s second African American mayor, died Saturday night at the age of 73. Sawyer was a longtime Democratic machine Alderman in the Chicago City Council when we was elected mayor in 1987 following the sudden death of Harold Washington, Chicago’s first African American mayor. Following Chicago rules at the death of a mayor, the city council elects a successor until the next election. In a legendary, tumultuous, riveting all-night Chicago city council meeting that the ProConPundit watched on live TV, Sawyer narrowly won. He won building a coalition of old-school African Americans and white ethnic alderman. He beat Ald. Tim Evans who had the backing of Latino, progressive white and most African American aldermen. Sawyer's inauguration occurred in a restaurant parking at 4:01 AM on December 2, 1987.

He was an affable guy who did a decent job. He was much more low-key than Harold Washington. He was not as beloved by the black community and much more accepted by the white community than Washington. Although his tenure was largely uneventful and he was largely considered a chair warmer, he did manage to get more cooperation from the fractioned city council. When he sought election in his own right in 1989 he lost to then-States Attorney Richard M. Daley. Most of the white aldermen who got him elected in 1987 turned their backs on him for Daley, while the blacks who were against him in 1987 went with Evans who also ran in 1989. Sawyer was treated poorly by blacks who thought he was an Uncle Tom whites who turned their back on him.

John Stroger, (pictured top), a political ally of Sawyer’s, Daley's past and present and a REAL HEAVY WEIGHT in Chicago politics died Friday after a very long illness. Stroger was an ally of the late Mayor Richard J. Daley and rose through the ranks of Chicago politics. He was a longtime Chicago alderman, associated with the Daley machine and old school African Americans.

He was the first African American to serve as president of the Cook County Board, the second largest county government in the US. He was credited with bringing a lot of patronage jobs to the African American community and was a generally beloved figure among African Americans and well liked by all. He was the only person, to my knowledge, who ever named a hospital after himself.

He had a stroke in 2006 which prevent him from continuing or seeking re-election. The extent of his illness was kept secret for months until the Daley’s, the Stroger's and the other machine pols could engineer Stroger’s son, Todd, a dim bulb, to take over for him. Todd Stroger is the current President of the Cook County Board.

News you may really not care about...Two legendary black funeral homes in Chicago are handling these funerals. A.A. Raynor & Sons is handling the Stroger funeral while A.R. Leak & Sons is handling Sawyer’s. Both are south side funeral homes that do huge amounts of business. Raynor's historically has buried the elite in Chicago's African American community, as well as thousands of others each year. Leak was for decades the largest black funeral firm in Chicago. They may no longer hold that title, but they are the choice of plain folks Chicagoans thousands of times a year. Nice touch by Sawyer's family.

Mixed Victory for Democrats in Nevada

The Clinton’s won the Nevada caucus by 6% over Obama. He was expected to win with the Culinary Workers Union endorsement. Allegedly, there was a backlash by the rank and file who didn’t want their bosses telling them who to vote for. It could just be that the union endorsement didn’t eman that much or didn’t reflect the voting preference trend among its members. It was close. Obama, if I understand this correctly, won more delegates. The ProConPundit doesn’t understand that. If Edwards hangs on past South Carolina, he may deliver the nomination to the Clinton’s. If the Clinton’s come out of Super Tuesday, February 5, with a victory of more than 5 % over Obama, he will have a tough time overcoming that. Assuming Edwards gets more than 5%, which he certainly should, the change that he will be making is helping Hillary. He says he is in until the end. I am sure he will stay through SC. I think it will be embarrassing to come in third in his next-to-home state.

Nothing Could Be Finer
McCain pulls off narrow SC victory over Huckabee
Romney wins Nevada picks up 10 more delegates than SC

Reporting from Florida, make that Florida Orange Juice Time 6 a.m.
in Chicago with 5 degrees below zero.

First, a ProConPundit apology and correction. The ProConPundit swallowed the media line about how no one has ever won the GOP nomination without winning South Carolina. Well, yes, no one has ever done that since 1980. Remember when they used to say no sitting Vice-President has been elected in over 150 years? Martin Van Buren was the last sitting VP elected to the presidency in 1837 until George H. W. Bush broke that record in 1988. No son of a president, and that is SOP, was ever a president since John Quincy Adams in 1825, until Dubya broke that record in 2000. My guy won in South Carolina last night but can we agree on one thing folks? All bets are off. The old rules of thumb may be out the window. Also, no sitting member of congress has been elected president since 1960. Wonder if that one will get slashed, too? Anyway, I apologize for not having that fact checked.

Nothing could be finer than to see John McCain pull out a victory in South Carolina. Personally, I don’t think it is all that important. I bet that’s not what you expected me to say. This race is wide open. The beauty of the win in the state whose motto is "WHILE I BREATHE I HOPE” is that whether you like John McCain or not, whether you want him to win or not, he is a decent man who was trashed in South Carolina eight years ago, not by Carolinians but by the brain of George W. Bush aka Karl Rove. Come what may, the victory last night breathed in a bit of healing and a bit of hope. With only 40% of evangelicals voting for Huckabee, it also REDEEMED evangelical Christians from the stereotype that they would put theology over anything else. They don’t. The ProConPundit has been a tad rough on the Christian soldiers in that regard.

McCain won with 33% of the vote to Huckabee’s 30% given that Fred Thompson garnered 16% of the vote, there can be no question but that Thompson delivered a victory to McCain by taking votes away from Huckabee. Thompson will get out of the race, probably Monday or Tuesday and endorse McCain. Incidentally, Brownback endorsed McCain when he bowed out and Tancredo endorsed Romney. Anyone else who bows out at this point will endorse McCain.

The Huckster’s narrow loss in SC does demonstrate his ability to do well enough to be taken seriously as a running mate. In fact, his concession speech last night in SC was the re-installation speech of his real campaign—to be Vice-President. He was sickeningly effusive of John McCain, a man he had spent a week trashing. Face it Huckster. You’re only shot at VP is if Romney gets the nod, which is still very much on the table. The maverick warrior doesn’t like slick.

The ProConPundit wishes Thompson would stay in the race through Florida. With McCain, Giuliani and Romney all vying to be the establishment candidate, Huckabee’s populist message to under-employed and unemployed and Christian conservatives could pull out a victory if the other three split the vote. The ProConPundit has learned from well informed sources (that means I think it happened and really wanted it to) that the McCain camp has pledged money to Thompson to stay in through Florida. Thompson would do it except that his mother is gravely ill and wants to tend to that. Fred will say some poignant words in the next couple of days; the screen will go black and say, “PRODUDED BY DICK WOLF.” Thompson is a good man, the ProConPundit heart, cold as it is, goes out to him on the illness of his mother (and the great taste he has in wives.)

I got a couple of calls and texts last night from friends who thought I would think McCain is in the catbird seat now. Not at all. I was already backing off the significance of SC before the primary and the fact that my choice was the winner lends objectivity to my position that this game is far from over and that McCain has a lot of work to do to clinch this nomination.

The reality of the McCain victory in SC is that independents can vote in a Republican primary there and Thompson took votes away from Huckabee. That won’t be the case in most of the other states. The symbolism of his win is that he can be accepted by one of the major branches of the Republican Party: social conservatives.

Conventional wisdom is that there are three major branches of the GOP: social conservatives, fiscal conservatives and defense/foreign policy conservatives. I would add a fourth, sadly less significant, branch these days: the Libertarian branch of the GOP. Nobody beats McCain on the defense/foreign policy branch. He has to continue to make himself acceptable to social conservatives and seal the deal with fiscal conservatives. His real problem is not so much with social conservatives as with conservatives of all branches who HATE McCain for McCain-Feingold (campaign finance reform) and Kennedy-McCain failed immigration bill).

One of the reasons we have not elected someone from congress in 47 years is that we hold their records against them. Governors who farm peanuts, own baseball teams, and chase skirts are considered executives because they have run states. They can talk as tough as they want about fixing Washington because they have never had to try. Presidential candidates who have never been in congress can posit all kinds of scenarios to solve our problems. People in congress know who makes the laws and that with such a closely divided house and senate, bills have to be able, generally, to appease Trent Lott and Ted Kennedy.

The problem, if I understand it correctly, that the failed immigration bill aroused is that the “path to citizenship” was considered by many to be amnesty. I think McCain is right when he says we currently have de facto amnesty by doing nothing. I also think most Republicans would think Romney and Huckabee are tougher on illegal immigration than McCain. Why? Because Romney and the Huckster keep talking about illegals going back. Yet they have no plan to get them there. Huckabee says they will have to go back but that we won’t have to round them up. He says they got here on their own and they will have to go back on their own. Do you think they’ll need express lanes?

I understand where McCain is on this issue. The problem is that he has to square this with the tons of Republicans who don’t. His South Carolina victory insures nothing except that he has been given a little more credibility, symbolically; among people who once rejected him and that he has a REAL SHOT not at the nomination but at making his case over against Romney and Giuliani.

Is the one who is Pro & Con flip-flopping on Romney?

ProConPundit backing away from some of his previous vitriol toward Romney? Nah. While I have been a tad harsh on the Romster, I do think he may have a wining strategy of racking up second place finishes among different first place victors, along with winning one now and then.

Both parties have real challenges in nominating someone competent to lead this nation. The ominous twist in the economy underscores the importance of having the best person while, perhaps, causing us to be sure our priorities are well placed. For the GOP, obviously, I think McCain is the best person given all of our challenges. I am hard pressed to name a second choice on the GOP. I believe I’d have to rule the Huckster out all together. I think his track record on fiscal management is fuzzy (not to be confused with Al Gore’s math) and he is somewhere between deplorable and a moron on foreign policy. I think Romney would have to get a thumbs up on fiscal experience but everything else about him has either changed or is said to talk tough. That leaves Rudy. Hmm. More later.

On the Democratic side, they have backed themselves into a real mess. Barack Obama is the first person since Bobby Kennedy to truly being hope and promise to the Democratic Party. He is, by any reasonable assessment, not experienced enough to lead this country given our current challenges at home and abroad. There is John Edwards, who Rush Limbaugh (not someone the ProConPundit finds helpful) calls "The Brett Girl." Edwards can’t pull it off. If he could, how good do you rate his experience? That leaves the Clinton’s. The Democrats have a problem in that the most qualified person remaining in the primary is someone 45% of the country will not vote for under any circumstances.

Can you say B-L-O-O-M-B-E-R-G ?

Huckabee Drinks Homebrew Cool-Aid

& Forfeits VP Slot

Romney Strategy Makes Sense

From South Carolina, make that South Chicago Heights

6 p.m. Central Coast Time /5 pm Mint Julep Time

Dirty Tricks in South Carolina. Truth be told, the push polling and slimy ads running in South Carolina are no worse than they have been anywhere else, they just get more publicity there. The only difference in South Carolina is that the slick-talking, bible Huckster is impugning the good name of John McCain through the 527 ads by his minions. McCain has responded with ads that say, "If you want to know the truth about John McCain, ask Mike Huckabee." The ad continues with quote after quote by Mike Huckabee giving adulation to John McCain.

One exception is that Huckabee has stooped very low in reopening the old South Carolina wounds around the Confederate flag. He did so for the sole purpose of disinterring McCain’s trouble with that issue in 2000. The Huckster is billing it as though McCain interfered with states rights by telling South Carolinians what to do (about their flag). Not true. McCain was asked his opinion and he gave it. Its really a shameless ploy on the part of Huckabee. Here are the ramifications:

1. Huckabee has been drinking too much of his homebrew cool-aid. He never ran for president thinking he could actually get nominated. He ran thinking McCain, Giuliani or Romney would get nominated and a Southern, right-wing conservative, and bible man to boot, would be a good asset on a presidential ticket. The nominee will, in fact, be McCain, Giuliani or Romney. He has burned his bridge with McCain and Romney and, as soon as he gets to Florida, will burn it with Giuliani.

2. Thompson is helping McCain by taking bible voters away from Huckabee. McCain will etch out a slim victory tomorrow in South Carolina unless the weather renders only Christian Soldiers onward to the polls. If the Huckster wins tomorrow, he will take another swig of the cool-aid, further deluding himself into thinking he can get nominated. He won’t play well in the majority of states.

3. SC Power: Here today, gone tomorrow? No one has ever won the GOP nomination without winning South Carolina. That gives SC a lot of power. Until 2000, no Republican ever won The White House without winning Illinois. George W. Bush became President in 2000 without it. Strange circumstances, yes, he didn’t win the popular vote. He did win the popular vote and electoral college in 2004 without winning Illinois. Things change. I’d REALLY like to see McCain win tomorrow in SC. If the winner tomorrow, whoever it is, doesn’t go on to get nominated, it will diminish the power of SC. That’s probably a good thing.

Of Confederate Flags and Race Bating. Whether the Clinton’s using race as a wedge issue against Obama or Huckabee using the Confederate flag as an issue against McCain, I am reminded of how much we need to turn a new page. This year is a great opportunity to do that and we need to really not allow politicians to manipulate us by using the same old divisive issues to further the paralysis in our land. The economy is in a tailspin and our national security/war issues are most disconcerting. We need to be unified as a people, not uniform, but together amidst our differences convened under the one American flag, leaving Confederate flags to the past and Mexican flags to the south of the border.

Mitt Romney’s strategy to forgo South Carolina for Nevada makes sense. There are 10 more GOP delegates in Nevada than South Carolina. He will lose SC, which he would have done anyway, but he will be able to lose saying he wasn’t really giving it his all. Nevada has much less buzz but will garner him more delegates.

Old Scars, Renewed Divisiveness
Chicago- ProConPundit Windy City Situation Room/Heartland Time 9:30 p.m.

If you’re wondering if we’ll ever arrive at a place where the old fights of the 60's won’t have to be fought anymore, where race will stop being used to divide people, the ProConPundit has an answer? Yes, we will. Or, as Obama says, YES, WE CAN. Our first step is to rid ourselves of the Clinton’s. They are the ones, along with their minions and surrogates, have tried to make race an issue in the election. It has no place. The Clintons are pigs as is Bob Johnson of BET, Congressman Charlie "Blackie Gleason" Rangel and the rest of the Al Sharpton wing of opportunism.

The ProConPundit has been courageously closely monitoring the Democratic debate tonight in Las Vegas. Fortunately I am operating a laptop and not heavy machinery as I forever eliminate insomnia and fight back vomitosia.

The debate has been relatively uneventful. They are seated at a table rather than debating from podiums. This tends to bode well for Obama who is at his best in settings where he is relational, bodes less well for Hillary who prefers to negate direct contact with the human race. Edwards is doing well. I think he may thin he is back at the lawyer’s table in court. He looks like he is fighting an urge to jump up and object. Its actually been a fairly substantiative debate in terms of content but the biggest news in it was that HILLARY CLINTON BEHAVED AS IF SHE WERE THE NOMINEE and that Obama and Edwards were the losers whose opinions she respected.

The Clinton's race bating, gender card, accusations of "pile-on" and crocodile tears has paid off--OBAMA AND EDWARDS HAVE BACKED WAY DOWN.

far, however, not earth shattering.

Who Votes on Super Tuesday?

Chicago- ProConPundit Windy City Situation Room/Heartland Time 8:30 p.m.

February 5 is Super Tuesday. The ProConPundit is delighted that Illinois is voting earlier this year. These other states are voting on February 5: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah.

Check out this website for a list of all primaries and caucuses:

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/primaries/

These poor states are at the suck wind end of the voting season:
May 6: Indiana & North Carolina
May 13: Nebraska & West Virginia
May 20: Kentucky & Oregon
June 3: South Dakota

Michigan Win Saves Romney, Helps McCain

South Carolina Likely King Maker

Chicago- ProConPundit Windy City Situation Room/Heartland Time 8:00 p.m.

He is the only Republican that I could not, would support, if nominated. Mitt Romney is a phoney. Be a liberal. Be a conservative. Be moderate. Be independent. But, please, be consistent. He’s a four star flip-flopper and a five star phoney. His win in Michigan is significant but not unexpected. He should have won and won big. He grew up there and his dad was a long-term, popular governor there. I hope his loyal Michiganders remember his promise to return the jobs, the precise jobs, that have been lost in the unfortunate event that he would be elected president. An otherwise moribund Romney campaign is kept alive by the Michigan win.

John McCain will finish 7-9 points behind Romney which is, disappointing to me, but a credible finish. John "Straight Talk" McCain told the truth in Michigan that the lost jobs will not be coming back and that we have to provide re-training and education opportunities for those who need to get their lives back on a track to prosperity.

The Huckster will come in third place with about 15% of the vote. Mike Huckabee will only do well among those who believe the world is flat, that God created the world in 6 days, rested on the 7th and has been sending the vast majority of people to hell every since. In recent days, the Huckster was calling for the constitution to be amended to "come more in line with the will of the Living God." Among other things, he thinks the constitution should be amended so that children born here to illegals are not automatically citizens. Putting aside the mean spiritedness of his cockamamie proposal, isn’t it strange that a man who takes the bible literally (i.e., the world was created in six days), doesn’t think it should be understood in light of modernity thinks that the constitution should be changed to eradicate something it has always said was true: people who are born in America are Americans?

All eyes turn to South Carolina as the likely major indicator, if not king maker, of the GOP nominee. John McCain is actually pleased that Romney won Michigan. That keeps Romney in through South Carolina. That is good news because the anti-McCain or right-wing or bible belt vote will be divided among Romney, Huckabee and Thompson. That’s better news for McCain, potentially, than if Romney was out of South Carolina. The goal of the ProConPundit and all that is decent among humanity is for Huckabee to lose South Carolina and, if possible, please God!, is for McCain to win South Carolina. From there we go to Florida, where Rudy has bet the ranch on launching his rise to the nomination, and then onto Super Tuesday on February 5.

Sidebar: John McCain spoke to a crowded room of supporters in South Carolina, where he is already working hard in the military laden state. Standing behind him were Joe Lieberman and Lindsay Graham.

Sand images welcome the candidates to Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Post New Hampshire

Republican Reality/Perception Check
Myrtle Beach, SC Fox News Debate

Analysis from ProConPundit Central Coast War Room-9:30 p.m. Heartland Time

Romney, McCain & Giuliani all did a good job. Romney seemed particularly on top of his game. McCain and Giuliani both seemed tired. Thompson was at his best.

In some hyper-patriotic melodrama, Huckabee said that if Iran ever wants to mess with one of our ships, they better take a good look at that vessel, "because the next thing you see will be the gates of hell." In replying, Thompson somewhat agreed saying that if they mess with us, "They may just get introduced to those virgins they are looking forward to meeting." Huckabee was a little weird but Thompson brought the house down.

Thompson, fighting Huckabee to win South Carolina, really took him on through the course of the debate. His opening salvo was that Huckabee "is a good Christian man but liberal on everything else." Thompson went through a stinging, compelling and indicting litany of liberal positions of Huckabee. He is against abortion, evolution and gays, and in favor of the second amendment, even to the point of liberally arming city dwellers with hand guns. On everything else, he is liberal. He received the endorsement, Thompson pointed out, of the National Education Association for his opposition to vouchers. The ProConPundit will never support him if he is against vouchers...unless his opponent is Hillary Clinton.

Fred Thompson would make a superb running mate. If Rudy or Romney gets nominated, he’d make sense. If McCain gets nominated, he’d need someone younger than Thompson. If Huckabee gets nominated, he’d need someone more northern than Thompson.

Huckabee was asked a question about his embrace of a Christian scripture that calls for women to be submissive to their husbands. (Ephesians 5:22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.) He first responded by saying that its ironic how the subject of religion is off limits unless its his. He gave a brief but touching and accurate analysis of the text. He went on to get rousing applause from the house for stating that he would never impose his religious views as president, just as he never did as governor, but that he would also not apologize for his religious views. The ProConPundit shares some religious beliefs with the Huckster and differs on others. He has been FAR MORE criticized for his religious faith than has Romney.

Huckabee, Romney & Thompson all criticize McCain for not being tough enough on illegal immigrants. They each think the 12 million illegal immigrants should go back to Mexico but have no plan on how to get them back there. Huckabee said, "The notion that the government wound round these people up is absurd. They got themselves here and they can get themselves back to the end of the line." Really? Good luck with that.

Ron Paul for all of the criticism of him he made a great point when he asked why, if Israel is such a good friend of ours, why are we arming all of it’s enemies? He pointed out that the US gives 3 times the aid it gives to Israel to its Arab neighbors. The ProConPundit likes Ron Paul. Sometimes he seems wacky but other times he speaks a truth no one wants to hear. He was questioned to whether his views are really Republican. His response was prophetic. He said, "What is Republican about borrowing 10 million dollars from China to give it to Musharraf?" He also said, "Republicans used to call for the elimination of the Department of Education and now we’ve doubled it."

Before the debate...
Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council and Patrick Toomey of the Club for Growth (a former PA congressman who unsuccessfully attempted to unseat Arlen Specter) sparred on Hardball tonight as to which GOP contenders would be palatable to all three legs of the GOP stool: fiscal conservatives, social conservatives and defense/foreign policy conservatives. Huckabee is really unacceptable to fiscal and defense conservatives and Giuliani is totally unacceptable to social conservatives. McCain was the only name that they both agreed could be acceptable, if not optimal, to all Republicans.

Conventional wisdom is that Romney must win Michigan. However if he keeps coming in second while various people come in first, he wins the nomination as no one’s first choice. His ad buy pull back signals that he is not going to spend good money after bad if his ship is sinking. McCain did well in Michigan in 2000 but it is the state of Romney’s birth and upbringing, and where his father was a three term governor and one-time presidential candidate. I predict Romney will drop out of he loses Michigan. He once would have held-on through South Carolina, but Huckabee is rising there–and is currently leading in Michigan.

Huckabee’s populist message is rare for a Republican but may take hold, particularly in Michigan which is financially depressed and where many jobs have been lost and more will continue to be lost. He has a great commercial, a jab at Romney that says, "Working people will vote for a guy who reminds them of the guy they work with instead of voting for the guy that reminds them of the guy who laid them off.

Even given that Giuliani has a national campaign strategy, he should have done better in Iowa and New Hampshire. His national numbers are going down. He’s not to be counted out, at all, but he’s got a rough road ahead.

Hillary Clinton Liberates Women To Be Human!

The ProConPundit will share these quotes and let them speak for themselves. Sorry about the picture, I couldn't resist.

On Hillary Clinton’s emotional moment:

1. Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-Ill.), said, "...there were tears that melted the Granite State. And those are tears that Mrs. Clinton cried on that day, clearly moved voters. She somehow connected with those voters. But those tears also have to be analyzed. They have to be looked at very, very carefully in light of Katrina, in light of other things that Mrs. Clinton did not cry for, particularly as we head to South Carolina where 45% of African-Americans who participate in the Democratic contest, and they see real hope in Barack Obama. We saw something very clever in the last week of this campaign coming out of Iowa, going into New Hampshire, we saw a sensitivity factor. Something that Mrs. Clinton has not been able to do with voters that she tried in New Hampshire. Not in response to voters -- not in response to Katrina, not in response to other issues that have devastated the American people, the war in Iraq, we saw tears in response to her appearance. So her appearance brought her to tears, but not hurricane Katrina."

2. Hillary Clinton on her emotional moment, or if you are older than the ProConPundit, her Muskie moment: "Maybe I have liberated us to actually let women be human beings in public life."

3. My favorite, Tucker Carlson’s reaction to Hillary Clinton’s liberation of women to be human: "If there is a more grandiose statement that has been uttered on this continent in the last century I don’t know what it is."

The Bloomberg Report.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is mulling over a possible Independent run at the presidency. The most likely chance that he will run is if Hillary Clinton and Mike Huckabee are the nominees of their parties. The ProConPundit is impressed with Huckabee’s ability to come from nowhere with no money and do well, so far. His extreme social views coupled with a real lack of acceptance by fiscal conservatives would leave a lot of Republicans looking for somewhere else to go. Believe it or not, dis-spirited Republicans would go to the more liberal Obama over the Clinton’s. If the Huckster gets the nod, Bloomberg will be VERY appealing to Republican voters. Likewise, if the Clinton’s get the nod, there will be a TON of dis-spirited Democrats who campaigned their hearts out for Obama.

Remember the disheartened Deaniacs of 2004 who held their nose and voted for Kerry? Kerry didn’t bloody up Dean. If Obama goes down, it will be because the Clinton machine destroyed him. I think Hillary calls it "The Politics of Personal Destruction" or "Gotcha Politics." The Obama fans (and Edwards-turned-Obama fans) won’t go the distance for the Clinton’s.

Remember this-Bloomberg is a brilliant business success story. He doesn’t do things to fail. He won’t run unless he really believes he can win. He is no Ross Perot. He’s not in it for kicks or giggles or quirks. He won’t run if Obama is the Democratic nominee or if McCain is the Republican nominee. Chuck Hagel or Sam Nunn are possible running mates for him. Now that Lieberman is officially an Independent, he would fit right in. Seriously, Lieberman's position on the war would probably be a deal breaker. Not sure if an all Jewish ticket would play in Peoria, either, though the ProConPundit could support them.

Bloomberg will decide by March in order to make all the ballots.

Post New Hampshire
Democratic Reality/Perception Check

John Kerry’s endorsement of Barack Obama. As the change/insurgent candidate, Obama can really use some street cred with the establishment of the Democratic Party. Prior to Tuesday’s surprise victory by the Clinton’s, there was buzz everywhere about members of Congress preparing to sign on to Obama’s bandwagon. New Hampshire put the brakes on that–for now. John Kerry is to be credited for making this endorsement now, in the wake of the NH defeat. It sends a signal to others that they’d do well to look to the future of the party and not the past.

What does the Kerry endorsement mean–in reality?
Not as much as it should. The Democratic Party has a habit of turning their past nominees into jokes which denies them the statesman stature they’ve earned. The real benefit of the endorsement is establishment credibility. The other real benefit is that Kerry has a donor list of 3 million people. You may think Obama already has tons of money and donors. Yes, but Kerry’s mailing list consists of establishment money. It’s a boost for Obama. Not huge, but measurable.

Why did Kerry endorse Obama?
1. Kerry introduced Obama to people outside of Illinois by making him the keynoter at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. He likes him and knew him to be a comer. He timed the endorsement now on the heels of the Clinton’s slim but media-made-huge victory to make a statement that the smart money is still going with Obama.

2. Kerry can’t stand the Clinton’s. They through one of their lap dogs, Wesley Clark into the 2004 race, funded it and provided the campaign advisors, for the purpose of gumming up the works. They faintly supported Kerry in the general election all the while hoping he would lose and they would do exactly what they are doing now–trying to manipulate their way back into the White House.

3. What about Edwards? Some seem surprised that he wouldn’t support his running mate of 2004, John Edwards. Don’t be. Kerry and Edwards was a short lived marriage of convenience, never consummated. They never really liked each other. Kerry didn’t want Edwards as a running mate but chose him at the urging of party leaders. As much as Kerry has a reputation as a flip-flopper, fairly and unfairly, he found Edwards to be shifty and untrustworthy. Edwards announced his intention to run in 2008 without considering whether Kerry would run in 2008, let along waiting for Kerry to decide. That was poor form. Kerry’s selection of Edwards in 2004 and the money of the Kerry organization (and the Heinz ketchup you buy) helped put Edwards on the map. Edwards should have had more respect for Kerry. You’ll remember that Joe Lieberman would not announce for 2004 until Al Gore made his intentions known.

Kerry’s personal dissing of Edwards and Clinton were added dividends to his endorsement of Obama, not the reason for it. Beyond any ill will he has for Edwards, he wants to send a message to Edwards, other influential Democrats and Democratic voters: Edwards is dividing the anti-Clinton’s vote and needs to GET OUT. Edwards claims he is in until the end. He will have a hard time going on following his certain third-place loss in South Carolina. If he stays in beyond South Carolina, he’ll be toast on February 5 Super Tuesday.

Bill Richardson’s withdrawal. Bill had to drop out. His only reason for being in the race was to campaign to be Hillary’s running mate and with that now no longer a certain thing, its too confusing for him to suck up to Obama and the Clinton’s. He was widely touted as having a most impressive resume. The ProConPundit found his performance pitiful in the primary. All he did was self-promote. He seldom had actual plans or solutions and, when he did, they were frightening. His proposal to force Musharraf out, effectively leaving the nuclear arsenal in the most dangerous and, arguable, unstable country in the world up for grabs. The timing of Richardson's departure may help the Clinton's in Nevada. Richardson is popular with Latinos there and the Clinton's have been wooing Latino's more than Obama. Good that he’s gone. Now its Edwards turn.

Will Al Gore show some guts and endorse Obama over Clinton, who he despises?

The Prince of Darkness predicts McCain nomination

from todays's Chicago Sun-Times http://www.suntimes.com/news/novak/732002,novak010908.article

McCain shreds Romney’s plan, is likely nominee
Chicago Sun-Times January 8, 2008
by Robert Novak


MANCHESTER, N.H. — During four final days of campaigning after the Iowa caucuses, New Hampshire’s Republican primary was one on one between Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Because the winner would become the party’s most likely nominee, McCain’s decisive victory puts him in a commanding position after being counted out for much of the past year.

McCain won a majority of registered Republican voters here as well as New Hampshire independents who voted in the GOP primary (as he did in 2000 when he swamped George W. Bush). Romney’s attacks on McCain’s liberal immigration policies were popular with Republican voters, but did not resonate with McCain’s independent base.

Diminished by losing in Iowa, Romney entered the final weekend in New Hampshire some five percentage points behind. His strategists hoped the immigration issue would erase that lead. In fact, accusing McCain of advocating amnesty for illegal aliens had no more impact in New Hampshire than it had in Iowa.

Romney’s loss here was devastating. He planned to boost his modest national ratings with wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, where he led in spending, organization and polls.
At the beginning of December, Romney enjoyed twice as much New Hampshire support as McCain. The senator’s local supporters attribute his comeback to the endorsement here of independent Democratic Sen. Joseph Lieberman. But what propelled McCain’s victory was Romney’s loss in Iowa to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. The onetime Baptist preacher relied on Iowa evangelicals, an asset lacking in New Hampshire.

The next two weeks are filled with promise for McCain and peril for Romney. Michigan, where Romney grew up (the son of Gov. George Romney), is the next primary, on Jan. 15. But McCain is popular in Michigan, where he defeated Bush in 2000. Another loss for Romney probably ends his candidacy.

South Carolina comes after that on Jan. 19, with Huckabee running in his first Southern primary. But there are substantially fewer evangelicals in South Carolina than Iowa. McCain’s South Carolina campaign is led by Sen. Lindsey Graham, who has recruited much of the 2000 organization.

If McCain wins South Carolina, it will be up to former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and his late-starting, big-state strategy. Giuliani leads in Florida’s Jan. 29 primary and the California, New York and New Jersey tests Feb. 5. But those leads may not survive McCain’s surge.

Advice to the candidates...
From Carol Marin's column in today's
Chicago Sun-Times:

To read entire column: http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/732012,carol010908.article

"I would respectfully offer some of my own ideas for change as these campaigns go forward:

To Obama: Time to listen hard to Mayor Daley’s warning to behave like an underdog until the last voter has voted.

To Clinton: It’s time to either be Margaret Thatcher or Elizabeth Dole. You can’t be both.

To John Edwards: Enough of being the angriest guy in the room.

To Mike Huckabee: It would be good to know more about foreign policy that you do about the guitar.

To John McCain: Age will be an issue, and saying “I’m old as dirt” might not be the way to attack it.

To Rudy Giuliani: Florida is a great place to retire.

To Mitt Romney: Newfound hair gel does not signal change."

Yes We Can.
Signed. Sealed. Delivered. He’s Ours.

ProConPundit War Room-10:15 p.m. Heartland Time

In 1992, Bill Clinton claimed the mantle of "Comeback Kid" after coming in 2nd Place in the New Hampshire Democratic Primary, 8 points behind Paul Tsongas. Paul Tsongas seemed inevitable until that primary and the Granite State was where the man from Hope was able to SPIN his way to ultimate victory. Clinton’s victory then is comparable to Obama’s second place victory now. Its only in the last 5 days that Obama was thought to win NH. He was always expected to lose and lose big to the Clinton’s. The Clinton’s pulled it out. They are self serving phonies and are not capable of honesty. The same media that prematurely wrote Hillary's political obituary are now saying she won and "historic, upset victory." She narrowly won an election she should have won big.

Barack Obama delivered his firs concession speech ever and did so to an electrified, exuberant crowd. He was gracious and is moving forward. His speech was presidential and inspirational. He threw in a Stevie Wonder song as a bone to the boomers, I trust. John Edwards and Elizabeth Edwards are to be credited for fighting the good fight and, Elizabeth, in particular, for spending the last quarter of her life for the dream of their lifetime. The ProConPundit endorsed Edwards in 2004 and, although I have been often and correctly critical of him this time around, its just not in the cards and no where to be found on the horizon where his campaign can go up from here. If he really wants the change he and Elizabeth have been fighting for, he needs to take a bow, drop out of the race, endorse Obama who would then easily and quickly defeat the Clinton’s, and then spend his time fruitfully caring for his lovely wife who has toiled so well and so hard for him.

Hillary Clinton’s victory speech was well done. The ProConPundit never finds her believable and seldom finds her speeches very good but this one was okay. She concluded with words of tribute to the now also-rans Joe Biden and Chris Dodd. Good that she did–they were more qualified than anyone else in the primary. She also read the names of the other candidates, mentioning Obama last. She can minimize him tonight. But not tomorrow.

NH Independents Vote For McCain Over Obama
Delivering Victory to Clinton's

ProConPundit War Room-9:30 p.m. Heartland Time

Hillary and Bill Clinton etched out a victory in NH that is narrow AND large. Narrow, in reality, because it will end up being around 3%. Large, because EVERYONE expected her to lose and lose big, including and especially her own camp. Her victory keeps the primary alive thus giving most Americans a say in who the nominee will be by February 5.

Make no mistake, be fooled not by the reason for the Clinton's victory. The Clinton camp and TV pundits are claiming that her shrilling performance in the Saturday debate and her tearfest yesterday caused women to deliver her a victory. The ProConPundit finds it distressing that so many people think American women are so gullible. Incidentally, Hillary Clinton didn't cry at her own father's funeral. The ProConPundit didn't buy her crocodile tears.

Hillary Clinton won because so many NH Independents voted for John McCain. These are people who may well have voted for Barack Obama had the media not wrongly predicted a blowout victory for Obama. People on the fence/Independents open to Obama or McCain broke for McCain because they had been led to believe McCain needed their vote more than Obama.

McCain Gives Lousy Acceptance Speech
Obama Closing Gap In Nail Biter With Clintons


ProConPundit War Room-8:30 p.m. Heartland Time


Lest the ProConPundit's endorsement, deep respect and adulation for John McCain be seen as lacking any objectivity at all, let me be clear: he gave a LOUSY acceptance speech in NH. It was too long and, as Howard Fineman pointed out, it sounded as though every adviser McCain ever had wrote one paragraph--each disconnected from the other--and McCain read them all. That speech will redound to his detriment moving forward. It was an old fashioned speech from a guy who does great on the stump and off the cuff.

Just as I write this, Obama narrowed the Clintons' lead to 2000 while it has widened again to 4000 with 46% of the vote in. It's still too close to call, but the Clintons' for certain runaway defeat will not happen, at least not tonight. She is holding on to her lead and I am having a hard time believing that she will not prevail--tonight.

Note: You may wonder why the ProConPundit has employed the plural use of Clinton, rather than singular. From now on, I will do that as it is clear that Obama is running against both CLINTONS.

Democratic Race Too Close To Call

Obama Blow-out Fading

ProConPundit War Room-8:00 p.m. Heartland Time

Bill Clinton has pathetically and unpresidentially called Barack Obama a kid and his campaign "the biggest fairy tale I have ever seen." Hillary Clinton is leading in NH, may win, and by any estimation will not lose big to Obama. DAMN IT ANYWAY. The ProConPundit doesn't do fairy tales but I do know a nightmare when I see one. The Clinton's are a train wreck waiting to happen AGAIN and the sooner they are derailed by Obama all the better it will be for our country.

McCain wins NH handily
Huckabee comes in third; race wide open

ProConPundit War Room-7:00 p.m. Heartland Time
John McCain has won the GOP primary in New Hampshire. At this writing, he will beat Romney by 8-10 points. This bodes poorly for Romney. No Republican has ever been nominated in modern times without winning Iowa or New Hampshire. That said, all bets are off in this monumental, fascinating presidential election. Huckabee coming in third in NH with about 12% of the vote is a great finish for the Huckster in a state he was not expected to do well in. Ron Paul, as of this writing, is a photo finish ahead of Giuliani and Thompson. Some of the pundits see this as good news for Rudy. The ProConPundit doesn’t see that except that Rudy wants Romney to go down. It’s good news for McCain but it is clearly a wide open race and the maverick warrior has a rough road to hoe to make it...but the ProConPundit is set certain in supporting him.

New Hampshire Endorsements:
REPUBLICAN--McCAIN
DEMOCRAT--OBAMA

Reagan From Heaven To Huckabee: Go To Hell

Mike Huckabee is the best communicator the GOP has had since Ronald Reagan and is, frankly, a more skilled orator than Reagan. I give Huckabee great credit for winning in Iowa, for coming out of nowhere (also known as Hope, Arkansas) and for doing it without any money against the heavily self-financed Mitt Romney. I also give Huckabee credit for reminding the foolish conservative instinct that McCain is pro-amnesty by reminding us that the last person that gave us amnesty was the in-death-made-perfect Ronald Reagan.

McCain gets a lot of flack for supposedly favoring amnesty by way of the failed McCain-Kennedy bill he sponsored. McCain understands that presidents, and certainly not presidential candidates DO NOT make laws. Congress makes laws. In order for laws to pass they have to pass the Senate and the House. With such closely divided houses, an immigration bill has to virtually satisfy everyone from Ted Kennedy to Orrin Hatch.

The GOP portion of the ABC St. Ambrose College debate Saturday night was great. Everyone put Romney on defense and he was clearly unnerved by the pressure. He is a loser. The ProConPundit is hoping for a decisive enough New Hampshire victory for McCain over Romney that he can be ridden from the lineup ASAP. Huckabee may do well in South Carolina but his views, i.e., anti-evolution, hatred of gays, belief that the best way to be safe in a metropolitan city is to have a handgun, are whacked. If we can get rid of Romney, the race should, ultimately be a face off between McCain and Giuliani.

A McCain vs. Obama general election promises to be the quintessential experience vs. change election and the American people would be all the better for such a race.
ProConPundit choices for running mates? For Obama: Biden or Bayh. For McCain: Lindsay Graham or Joe Lieberman.

Daley to Obama: Win as underdog

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, a brilliant politician and effective city executive, offered this advice to Barack Obama on how to win....

"He's the underdog. He has to be always the underdog. ... Even though he won this, he still is the underdog. That's a great position to be in. ... In your own eyes, you have to feel like you're always the underdog," Daley said.

"You never think you won anything until you raise your right hand and that person says who you are. Put your hand on the Bible, raise your right hand, then you know you're in there. I think he understands that. He's always looked at [himself] as the underdog. Yes, he won Iowa. Yes, he did it. But he's going to go into it with the same spirit of each state and never be deterred by what result could take place later on."

Reprinted from Chicago Sun-Times.

How many delegates are needed?

Democrats
Total delegates: 4323
Total delegates needed to win: 2162

Republicans
Total delegates: 2302
Total delegates needed to win: 1152

A picture is worth 2162 delegates.

Look closely at the picture. What do you see?

Obama is applauding Richardson, Clinton & Edwards as they take their bow, wave goodbye

and exit stage LEFT.

The ProConPundit watched the ABC debates Saturday night at St. Ambrose College. On the Democratic side, Edwards and Obama teamed up as the energized, positive agents of change over against Hillary Clinton. She was shrill and nasty and cackled nervously. She’s a mess and on the skids. She claimed to have 35 years fighting the special interests and making change. She has been a senator for 7 years, first lady for 8 and before that she was a lawyer in Arkansas who made millions off the contacts she and her husband had. The only thing I believe she has done for 35 years is profit off the public troff and suppress bimbo eruptions. Bill Richardson is a buffoon. He is a lap dog for Hillary, is running to be her VP and has recklessly irresponsible ideas. Sidebar: If Hillary gets nominated, her running mate will be Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh.

Obama is on his way up and the ProConPundit couldn’t be happier. If Democrats will not nominate the most experienced candidate they had to offer, Joe Biden, then I am on the change band wagon. A word about Joe Biden. I am disappointed to see him drop out of the race as that signals the end of any presidential aspirations he has....unless Obama picks him as his running mate. Stay tuned.

Iowa Endorsements and Strategery:

REPUBLICAN--HUCKABEE
DEMOCRAT--OBAMA

Yes, The ProConPundit is endorsing Mike Huckabee in Iowa over John McCain. How can this be? Have I flip-flopped, turned tale and run, and abandoned my principles. FAGET ABOUT IT. No way. The Iowa caucus is about strategy. Make no mistake. Iowa is important in presidential nominations. But not because it picks eventual winners. Presidents Reagan, Bush I and Clinton all lost Iowa. My goal is to elect McCain. In order to elect McCain, Romney has to get beat. Huckabee serves a greatly useful purpose in helping that happen and, by most accounts, will do so tomorrow by beating Romney in Iowa.

Huckabee has taken off and become impressive. He is a better communicator than was Ronald Reagan, has gone a long way with no money, and the ProConPundit genuinely admires his ability to deal deftly with criticisms, attacks and hurdles. That said, he is largely a media creation and has a frightening lack of knowledge about world affairs. He also has a lot of very fundamentalist, narrow, judgmental views not only about Mormons, but Catholics, gays, etc.

My GOP strategy is--Huckabee beats Romney in Iowa, McCain wins New Hampshire, then McCain will be well poised to beat Romney in South Carolina and Michigan, Huckabee will have nowhere to go after South Carolina. By the time we get to states that Rudy expects to win, it should be a two person race between McCain and Rudy.

On the Democratic side, again my Iowa endorsement is not for my most favored person. Joe Biden remains the best shot the Democrats have at electing the most experienced person they’ve got during perilous war times. He does not appear to stand a chance. In the absence of nominating the most experienced person, the ProConPundit endorses the Obama: Change Agent and Illinoisan bandwagon. It is essential for Hillary Clinton to get beat–badly and early. If Obama beats her and Edwards comes in second, my hope, she will be badly bruised but not out.
It would actually help McCain if Clinton won Iowa. That would signal, rightly or wrongly, her inevitable nomination. That would leave Independent voters in new Hampshire to negate a Dem ballot in favor of their old maverick warrior, John McCain. Although that scenario favors McCain, the ProConPundit favors, nonetheless, an Obama victory in Iowa. If Obama wins Iowa, New Hampshire independents will be energized by him and he will win New Hampshire. If that happens, he will win South Carolina. If that happens, he will have a more than likely shot at clinching the nod away from Clinton.

So, in Iowa–lets go Huckabee and Obama.

"Watch for the most stirring political comeback since Harry Truman gave ‘em hell in 1948."
McCain rising

Isn’t the above quote great? It was said by President George H.W. Bush at the 1992 Republican Convention as he made a promise he did not keep–giving it his all to beat the upstart Arkansas Governor, Bill Clinton. That was back when Bill Clinton was arguing for change over experience. Bill Clinton has flip flopped but, rest assured, The ProConPundit has not. I argued for experience over change then and now.

I remain thoroughly committed to John McCain who I believe will make this great quote a reality. He is poised to come in third tomorrow in Iowa; a state he never planned to run in and certainly never expected to do even a credible job. I am excited about the likelihood and hope Mike Huckabee beats Mitt Romney in Iowa. The ProConPundit loathes Romney. He is an opportunistic, flip-flopping phoney. The sooner he is taken out of the race the better.