More Early Post-Florida Comments

Here is a sampling of some comments from some of my favorite bloggers:

Riehl: “If McCain channeled anyone when he spoke tonight, it wasn't Ronald Reagan. It was Lawrence Welk. What an unmitigated disaster this guy would be in November…While it's prudent to never say never, as things stand, if McCain gets the nomination, I would work towards his defeat in November before I'd vote for him. The party out of power tends to pick up seats in an off-year election. I do not believe America will embrace a Leftist agenda in the White House. So, either way, we get a liberal in the White House come November with hoped for checks by the Congress…They will tell you conservatism is out of vogue. That is false. Otherwise, Fred Thompson would not have sky-rocketed to the top before he even entered the race. What conservatism lacks right now is leadership. John McCain cannot provide it. Mitt Romney can. But if Romney doesn't still win it, and he can, it will be time to re-build and not surrender.”

Riehl: “It'll be a tough fight. But he needs our support. This is becoming a conservative base versus the establishment election. And we can't quit now.”

Nancy French of EFM: “Regarding the Republican vote, Rich Lowery points out: Romney won it 33-31 according to CNN exits. Even in Florida, independents were McCain's margin of victory. Kind of incredible.”

Nancy French of EFM: “Yes, Huck should drop out. But here's another question (since we know Huck will drop out after he's had the chance to sing the praises of John McCain a little more loudly). It seems there are several Christian leaders who hoped the good people of Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, Florida, Nevada, and South Carolina would weed out Sen. McCain. (They dislike him, especially because of McCain/Feingold's assault on free speech.) Do you think any of them will come forward this week and make a bold endorsement of Gov. Romney? It's time.”

Hugh Hewitt: “The combination of his win in Florida and Rudy's expected endorsement make John McCain the front-runner, but not the nominee. The exit polls that show Romney winning by significant margins among conservative and very conservative voters set up next Tuesday's races as the moment when the GOP will chose to stop the Arizona maverick or concede that it is his turn. The shadow of the '96 Dole campaign will fall on McCain now, and the prospect of an Obama-McCain fall campaign will be the key consideration for Huckabee voters over the next seven days. Huck's voters are conservative or very conservative, and if they stay with Huck because they like him better than Romney, they hand the nomination to McCain.”

For you Californians, check out this post on this week’s events in the Golden State: http://www.mymanmitt.com/mitt-romney/2008/01/right-coast.asp