Time To Close Ranks
February 8th, 2008 by JonNow that I’ve had some time to process the fact Mitt has now exited stage right in the 2008 Race for the Oval, I’m ready to look ahead to what awaits in the remaining months before the conventions and the general election this November.
I’ve seen the various reactions to Mitt’s “stepping aside” as pundits, bloggers, and everyday people make their feelings (good, bad, and indifferent) known. I must admit that I find troubling the number of people who declare steadfastly that, now that Mitt has taken himself off the field, there is no way they will ever support the candidacy of John McCain.
People, this is the way politics work. Sometimes your guy wins, many times he does not. Either way, once the squabbling and primary brass knuckle fights are over, there comes a time when you need to look at reality and get behind the candidate who comes nearest to your values.
I have made no bones about my disagreements with Senator McCain. I could go into great detail about where he and I differ on policy, strategy, and overall Republican-ness. I do not believe he’s the best qualified candidate for this nation’s highest office. The best candidate, in my mind, is Mitt Romney. Mitt stepped aside, so while McCain may in fact be a Maverick SOB, now he’s my Maverick SOB.
Some of you reading this are probably too young to remember the 1976 Republican primary contest. I was only five-years-old, so what I know about that contest I read from history. The long and the short of the story is that Ronald Reagan fought Gerald Ford tooth and nail, state by state, all the way to the Kansas City convention. Ford narrowly beat Reagan on the first ballot, and Reagan gave a speech endorsing Ford which in fact overshadowed Ford’s own address.
Reagan had a way of overshadowing everyone. But I digress.
There was no love lost between Reagan and Ford. The two had deep differences and Reagan could have just as easily left the stage and gone home. He didn’t. He put his heart and soul in to campaigning for Ford. When the convention dust had settled, Reagan knew Ford would have been better for American that Carter ever would be. He was right.
There are those within the Republican Party who believe four years of wandering in the wilderness dragging the two-ton anchor of a Hillary or Obama presidency would teach the Republican Party and American a lesson. They look back to 1976 and see the intervening Carter years as penance America paid for leaning too close to the left side of the political spectrum. They see Reagan’s 1976 loss as a “strategic defeat” which enabled the Reagan Revolution to start with a bang in 1980.
History always provides a 20/20 hindsight view which is unavailable until you’ve already been there. 2008 is not 1976. Let’s quickly review the Carter legacy – most of which we still have to deal with.
1. The High Water Mark of the Misery Index.
2. The hollowing out of the American military.
3. 444 Days and the rise of Islamic Extremists.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the electorate, we are still dealing with the after-effects of the Carter years some 30 years after he was driven from the White House by the Reagan landslide. I’m pretty safe in saying Reagan would have preferred to have beaten Carter before he had a chance to run America into the ground.
November is fast approaching. The United States cannot afford (literally) to place the reigns of power in the hands of a man or woman who will run the white flag up in Iraq and other fronts in the Global War on Terror. If either Obama or Hillary cut and run from this war, you can rest assured their successor will be forced to send many more of your sons and daughters to fight the same battles again – this time at a much higher cost which will be measured in blood.
While I may have my personal differences with John McCain, like Mitt I know that for him, surrender is not an option. That’s enough for me. If we lose this war, the domestic stuff won’t matter much. It’s hard to have a thriving economy when cities are on fire.
Mitt made the decision to stand aside based on the belief that both Hillary and Barack are unacceptable options to lead this great country in time of war. Take special note of this line from his speech:
If this were only about me, I would go on. But I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America, I feel I must now stand aside, for our party and for our country. (Emphasis Added)
Simply put, dear reader, if you sit home to “teach this country a lesson” and thereby hand the White House keys to Hillary or Obama, you’re putting your pride above what’s best for this nation.
I know for a fact there’s no other titled (aside from that of husband and father) that Mitt would rather have than “Mr. President”. I saw him yesterday swallow his pride and ambition in order to do what he thinks is best for this great nation. This country means that much to him.
This isn’t about Mitt. This isn’t about you. This is about America. Mitt made that clear yesterday.
That’s good enough for me.
It’s time to close ranks and move forward.
Sphere: Related ContentPosted in 2008 presidential campaign, mitt romney |
February 8th, 2008 at 10:38 am
I’ve been telling myself all along that my vote will be cast for Mitt… or the democrats. I could not feel good about supporting John McCain, and I still can’t. You have a point here… and when I read what Mitt said in his speech, I felt such loyalty and trust in his views and decisions that I will follow the direction he has illuminated… even as he bows out for the presidency.
Truly, he is a great leader. I’m in tears as I try to accept the fact that he is out of the race. McCain may have won, but he did it dirty…
And we all know now who the better man is. What a sad day for our country.
February 8th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
I humbly disagree with my co-blogger.
See, it’s not that I’m disappointed that my candidate dropped out, or that my guy didn’t win. I’m disappointed that the only alternative is a guy that I have actively disliked for the past 8 years.
I could detail my McCain Disdain, but you already know my thoughts on Senator Squish.
So, I disagree that I am the one who needs to “close the ranks”. If anyone needs to close the ranks, it’s John McCain. He needs to give me some valid, solid reasons to vote for him. I’m not going to settle for “It’s me or Hillary/Barack”. I know why I don’t want them in office. Tell me why I should want YOU in office.
I freely admit that the War on Terror is a good start. But he’s got a lot of road to cover between now and November.
To simply claim the Reagan mantle, as McCain has laughably done, is not enough. This guy needs to stop falling back on his Vietnam-ness and dodging questions of his flawed Senate voting record. In the end, I’ll probably end up voting for him. But if the election were today I’d stay home simply because he has not proven to me why he’s worthy of the office.
Yes, it’s time to close ranks. I await Senator McCain’s efforts to do so.
February 8th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
For 50+ years I have only voted Republican. I will never vote for McCain or Huckabee. They are dishonest, lie and will corrupt the Government.
February 8th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Yet again, Phil’s comment has been edited. As, yet again, he has been unable to string two coherent sentences together without making a bigoted or otherwise offensive comment, this notice is all that’s left.
Memo to Phil: You’re unwelcome here. Find some other blog to pimp. In short: Go. Pound. Sand. End Memo.
February 8th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
I have to say that I am very disappointed at those who have folded their conservative tents and are going to “swallow their pride” and vote McCain. Those with this notion are not just swallowing their pride, they are making a destructive move for our country. McCain is not a conservative, and no matter what he says now, he has proved it through his history time and time again. He will prove it even further when he is president. We wouldn’t be just swallowing our pride, we’d be swallowing a lot of garbage to believe that McCain has “seen the light” and he will now be conservative after years of proving otherwise. This candidate is a snake in the grass. I don’t give a hoot that he supports the war on terror. He has no economic know-how and thus the war is a moot point. He will bankrupt our country with this war, and will further threaten the existence of the middle class by taxing our fuel to solve global warming. Don’t buy into the lies that we have to support McCain now because he is the projected GOP nominee. Don’t buy that we have to unify against the dem’s by supporting McCain. If you support McCain, you are supporting a dem win. Some 65% of Americans don’t support the Iraq war and even more are tired of the ideologies of the Bush admin. on this. That is McCain’s big fighting point. It doesn’t ring true with people any longer. We all want to fight terrorism, but this nonsense in Iraq was a farse from the beginning and continues to be so. God bless all the families who have sacrificed loved ones in the name of fighting Osama Ben Laden and finding weapons of mass destruction. I would encourage you to look at the other GOP candidate. Look him up on YouTube. Look up his speech at CPAC. I know he is not Mr. Charismatic. He is a speaker of the truth, a man of the people and our concerns. We have had charisma time and time again, and found that it is only a front to win an election by making inspiring promises and then breaking them once in the oval office. Ron Paul has something more powerful than charisma - he has integrity in a solid voting record, and he cares enough about the welfare of this great nation to tell us the truth and not pander to every whim and fancy that the day brings. Please consider.
February 8th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
[…] from Blogs For Mitt: Time To Close Ranks “Now that I’ve had some time to process the fact Mitt has now exited stage right in the […]
February 9th, 2008 at 10:40 am
Romney’s speech has really made a good point for voting McCain. This post has really emphasized the point. As a free thinker (unlike the Dems would say of us Repubs), I’m still on the fence as to whether I will show up in Nov. I am probably going to switch party affiliation to Dem so I can put Hillary on the ballot instead of Obama. McCain really has no chance against either, but I have more trust in an anti-Hillary vote at this point. (My state hasn’t voted, yet.)
Having said that, I look forward to 2012 when Mitt runs again and dominates. And hopefully, he can put away the mess Carter, Clintons, and others have made.
To Kathy and Rick, I hear what your are saying. I would probably vote for the Huckster if he weren’t such a bigot. I think it might be time to close the ranks, but we are NOT going to just “shut up and fall in line” as the McCain people want us to do.
It’s so funny to hear the MSM say that all the Conservative talk show people are going to fold now… they have nothing to do or say, no support. It’s funny, because what has just happened will make their voices stronger and louder as the country devolves farther into a mess.
Okay, did I ramble enough? Sorry.
February 9th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Brokered Convention = a discussion about what it means to be a Republican.
1) Republican Brokered Conventions result in wins!
Abraham Lincoln – 3rd Ballot - Won Presidency
Rutherford Hayes – 7th Ballot - Won Presidency
James Garfield - 36th Ballot - Won Presidency
Warning Harding – 10th Ballot – Won Presidency
Dwight D. Eisenhower – “2nd Ballot” – Won Presidency
2) A Brokered Convention gives conservatives a voice. A Brokered Convention gives Mitt Romney a voice. A Brokered Convention keeps media attention on the Republican party for the next 6 months for free! If we just roll over and go to sleep the media will almost solely focus on the Democratic contest.
3) McCain has to win 467 more delegates (44% of remaining delegates) to secure the nomination. Huckabee needs 639 delegates (57% of remaining delegates) to force a Brokered Convention.
4) On Super Tuesday McCain got 42% of the vote in Blue States and only 26% in Red States. Over 60% of McCain’s delegates have come from Blue States. Do we really want our candidate picked by States that we have very little chance of winning in the Fall?
5) 71% of the remaining delegates are from Red States. If we unite we can force this to a Brokered Convention.
6) During the 10 days leading up to Super Tuesday, Mitt asked Huckabee to drop out and for conservatives to unite behind him. The Golden Rule asks for “you to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” For the sake of conservatives please support a Brokered Convention and encourage your supporters to back Huckabee. All of the Moderate and Liberal Republicans that have dropped out have endorsed McCain. Please gather the courage to rally your supporters to the conservative cause to push this to a Brokered Convention.
7) Conservatives Unite! There is still time! Win the Red States and we go to the convention for a discussion about what it means to be a Republican.
Hope this brings encouragement and hope. It is not over!
Spread the word. Feel free to repost this as a Blog Topic at will.
February 9th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Mitt was giving McCain a great run for his money, and many are sad to see him go. But don’t despair! A true conservative still remains in the race!
Watch Ron Paul’s address at Liberty University yesterday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek5uzGv1ijk
We can’t let McCain win unopposed! Keep up the fight!
February 11th, 2008 at 3:04 am
I have never voted Republican my entire life but Mitt Romney sure had my vote this election. I’m devastated, as are all of my other also “former democratic” friends that we have lost the best thing to have hit the White House in decades. What an honest,elegant and dignified man he is. He spoke of better things so truthfully FOR ALL THE PEOPLE…. for both parties. I’m a Michigander, old enough to remember his Dad very well…another wonderful leader. From my heart I have to say that our country has lost
hope for a better future when we lost Mitt in this race. He personified “ONE NATION UNDER GOD” each time he spoke…gave us reason to close ranks, join parties and get down to business on what this Country needs to do to put us back on level ground again. In my 62 years on this earth there is no candidate I can ever remember I BELIEVED IN more than I do in him. He “stands for” what this Nation needs. The next best thing to do is await his direction on who is the best candidate..and because I “trust him”; “believe in him”..then that is who gets my vote. Thanks for a great run, Mitt….Without a doubt your shadow will long be cast upon the next election day as THE GUY THAT WE WANTED AND NEEDED TO PUT INTO THE WHITE HOUSE. God Bless you and your family for the great campaign.
March 29th, 2008 at 5:50 am
A Mcaine/Romney ticket is the best bet to get the republican party back in the oval office. McCaine is not strong on solving the prolems this country has with the economy. Romney has excelled in both private and public as a sure winner in that area. I cannot imagine a more winning combination in the republican party. Not just for the party, but a draw that would pull democrats supporting Hillary Clinton or Obama. It would be the most positive waay to bring our republican party into power and would certainly have effect on votes for the Senate and House elections. Think and get fully involved in this movement.