That’s gotta hurt:
Mr. Romney spent his life as a moderate Republican, and he governed the Bay State that way after his election in 2002. While running this year, however, he has reinvented himself as a conservative from radio talk show-casting, especially on immigration.
And so he’s left with the talk-show hosts, who seem to have persuaded themselves these past few years that they are the GOP.
Within the margin of error. Gallup’s latest:
NASA broadcasts a Beatles classic across the universe. Lovely Rufus Wainwright video here.
And thinking Lincoln. A cool video of Steve Brodner’s artwork in motion.
"I think I should just be on the record that I disagree with the tone, tenor and substance of much — though certainly not all — of the anti-McCain commentary around here. It’s not that I object to a single post or comment — though there’ve been a few. It’s that I disagree with the overwhelming impression that supporting McCain is some kind of lunacy. I have serious disagreements with McCain. I think it is entirely right to disagree with him on all sorts of issues and entirely legitimate to think he would be bad for the party, bad for conservatism or bad for the country to have him as the nominee or the next president. I agree with some of those sentiments, disagree with others.
But this disaster talk leaves me cold. McCain wouldn’t be my first pick. Then again, none of the candidates were really my first pick. But I think the notion that, variously, conservatism, the country or the party are doomed if he’s the nominee or the president is pretty absurd.
And I find such claims odd coming from some people who’ve insisted for a couple years now that the war on terror is the #1 overriding issue of this campaign," – Jonah Goldberg, NRO.
Cuzco, Peru, 7 am.
I’m going to stick with my hunch and reiterate that last night was a key win for Obama. Why? Chuck Todd explains:
He proved that he belonged on the same stage as Clinton. And that’s an important accomplishment, because you keep wondering whether undecided voters are waiting to see if Obama can prove his mettle for the presidency. There’s a theory that believes just that. And if that theory is true, then last night’s debate could prove to be very important to Obama. The audience was undecided voters and former Edwards supporters, and we’re guessing these folks have a fairly low bar for Obama to prove himself to them, compared to the bar they have for Clinton since they are still not on board with the more well-known candidate.
It’s what Mark Blumenthal identifies as the "readiness" question. Last night, Obama made huge gains on that question. And Edwards’ withdrawal made it possible.
The Edwards vote appears to be shifting to Obama. The same dynamic appears at work in New Jersey, where her 17 point lead has collapsed to a mere six in ten days.
"When Sean Hannity says he’s voting for me, when Laura Ingraham says she’s endorsing me … Rush has been going after McCain pretty aggressively. Michael Reagan has been pretty aggressive. The world of conservatism is pretty solidly behind my effort," – Mitt Romney, today. He doesn’t sound like he’s conceded.
A straw in the wind in Connecticut?
