Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Thanks Rudy! [Rich Lowry]
That's what McCain should be thinking right now, even if Rudy weren't going to endorse him. McCain was very lucky in the candidate he had to compete with for the same pool of voters.
Rudy pulled out of the early states, leaving them to McCain. Rudy's descent in NH tracked McCain's resurgence there almost exactly. By the time it came to the crucial state of Florida, Rudy faded as well, handing crucial voters to McCain. The Arizona senator was always the main threat to Rudy, but Rudy never engaged him—as if he respected him too much to fight him (by the end, Rudy may have been protecting his reputation in what he knew would be his soon-to-be post-presidential candidate career). Then, another benefit to McCain: Rudy changed the big Northeastern Feb. 5 states to winner-take-all, likely handing huge numbers of delegates to McCain. Why shouldn't Rudy endorse McCain? It'd be his final favor.
Romney, meanwhile, had a tougher competitor for his pools of voters in Mike Huckabee. The former Arkansas governor not only competed in the early states, he won Iowa convincingly. And he relished attacking Romney, acting as McCain's wing-man in his battle against Romney. Now, Huckabee lives on to take delegates from Romney in states where he otherwise would project to do well. So, after expressing his gratitude to Rudy, McCain will have to turn around and say, "Thanks Huck!"01/29 09:56 PM
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