Boston Globe: Don't Count Mitt Out

An interesting perspective based upon some experience and more than plausible. Bottomline: Mitt just has to survive Super Tuesday and the dynamics could swing in his favor. Until now, it's been a sprint and McCain is positioned to the Left of Mitt. After Tuesday things slow down. If Republican voters have more time to consider McCain's real record, as opposed to what he's selling today and the national front runner nonsense fades from the headlines, could be advantage Mitt for the rest of the Republican primary.

So, does Mitt survive Tuesday?

THERE'S A side of me that resists giving career advice to rich successful guys with good hair. That said, there's still hope, Mitt Romney.

There's a big difference between the Super Bowl and Super Tuesday. At the end of the Super Bowl, the champion is crowned and the season is over. At the end of Super Tuesday, only half the delegates will have been chosen, with 16 weeks to go.

Comments

[docweasel]

Hmm, maybe, but looks like Mitt has already given up on Mitt:
http://www.rogerlsimon.com/mt-archives/2008/02/has_romney_thro.php

Has Romney Thrown in the Towel?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080202/ap_on_el_pr/romney;_ylt=AhmccFIupuUPf86VswwBMx.s0NUE

Well, maybe. Sorta... This paragraph from the latest AP campaign coverage tells us something:

This week the multimillionaire former venture capitalist authorized only a modest $3 million advertising buy, after committing $35 million of his own money last year in an effort to lock up the nomination early with back-to-back wins in Iowa and New Hampshire.

More clues appear further down the column:

If Romney wins the winner-take-all states he visits and McCain won the others, the Arizona senator would outscore him on delegates, leaving Romney with the choice of either quitting or dumping more of his own money in a protracted battle for delegates. He has said that he and his wife have set a limit on their personal contribution to the race, although they have not divulged the figure.

Romney's only public appearance of the day was a rally in the jam-packed showroom of a Denver Ford dealer. He mentioned McCain only once as he sought to contrast his 25 years as a businessman with McCain's four terms in the Senate.

Hmmm....

[Dan Riehl]

That's actually a pretty weak analysis - if you're throwing in the towel, you don't drop 3 million for the hell of it. Plus Romney's target areas are less expensive in some cases - the far mid-west, for example. It looks low because he isn't throwing money away in the Northeast. And he doesn't need it to get to where he needs to be after Tuesday. He couldbail after Tuesday, but it's far from a done deal - which makes the header kind of silly. That he's spending any money at all meanshe hasn't "thrown in, etc" Geez, use your head.

[docweasel]

I was quoting Simon, that wasn't my headline, plus to be fair it does have a "?" on it. Just grist for the mill. It does appear Romney is not going all out. ONE friggin' public appearance yesterday? With less than a week from Super Tuesday? No criticism of McCain? He's sure not going to win by softballing.

No, there's a shift going on. Romney is waiting to see if a miracle happens Tuesday, and he's not doing a lot to push it, obviously. Yes, if he had a burning desire to go for it, he'd pump howevermuch he could into Tuesday. Why not? He has been gearing up for the race for years, now, at crunch time, arguably his last shot, he backs down?

Eh, you ABMcCainiacs have gotten stuck with a bad default choice. If it had been Fred or even Rudy, you'd have been in a better situation. At it is, you're stuck trying to justify defending a very flawed individual over McCain, even to the point of accepting Hillary, which is really silly, I mean, come on.

[Henry Martin]

Would Huckabee settle for the VP? McCain certainly does not need him, but a Ticket of Romney-Huckabee might have many advantages, demographic, religious among them. In which case Huckabee is either VP and young enough to follow Romney, or the front-runner in 2012. It may play well to his ambitions. If McCain is nominated and loses then Romney is the candidate next time and Huckabee is the Ron Paul of 2012.
I voted for JHWB in 1988 despite reservations. I might well do the same for Huckabee in 2016.

[Henry Martin]

I live in Denver. Last night I was nauseated by a McCain commercial at every break. The gist was "I was a POW, give me your pity vote". I saw at least 2 Ron Paul commercials, but not a single Romney. We are a caucus state, public appearances don't win primaries, schmoozing the local precinct leaders does. I also live in Tancredo's district. It will be interesting to see the Colorado voting Tuesday evening.

[seekeronos]

"--- Last night I was nauseated by a McCain commercial at every break. ---"

Same here in NY. I wonder from which Chinese donor.... erm, pardon me, from where is Johnny Mac getting the cash for the advertising blitz (not too mention the McCain banner ads in my hotmail account and elsewhere on the internet tubes...) ?

Not a lick of Romney, much less and Huckabuck or Ron Paul adverts. It's all about the Angry Mudslinging Grouch McCain.