Romney Wins Big in Michigan

Here are some quick thoughts just after the Michigan GOP primary:

Romney is re-energized by his huge victory and is now a better candidate. He now knows the economy is his issue and he needs to speak to the voters’ anger and angst by using his 30 years as a turn-around expert in the business world. It worked in Michigan , and he’ll be smart if he uses it in other depressed areas such as South Carolina.

Romney is now in the race to stay. That means he’ll open his substantial personal check-book to keep spending for his campaign while his GOP competitors limp along financially.

He is aiming to be the alternative to Huckabee, who is the religious candidate in the race. Romney beats McCain among non-evangelical GOP voters. Now if Rudy and Thompson leave the race, likely after Florida, those voters may come to Romney.

McCain suffered a huge defeat in Michigan. With all the free media coverage from his buddies in the so-called mainstream media, he couldn’t repeat his 2000 Michigan GOP primary victory.

McCain only does well with cross-over voters: independents and Democrats who can vote in some states’ GOP primaries. But among registered Republicans, McCain is a loser. So, as previously stated here, he cannot be the GOP nominee if rank-and-file GOP primary voters don’t want him.

South Carolina is McCain’s key state: If he wins it on Saturday then he’s alive; but if he loses it then he will be seen as a one-state (New Hampshire) wonder and his presidential hopes will be finished. Kaput. Done.

The Jimmy McCain satellite photo story is certain to grow today and tomorrow in South Carolina and many political observers believe McCain will blow his top over it. His anger and temper are, after all, his Achilles heel. (Go to www.USveterandispatch.com to read about it.)

Thompson is on life support. He must do surprisingly well in South Carolina to survive; he did do well in last week’s debate but now he needs to get some real votes. If he doesn’t he will withdraw next week.

Rudy of course is betting everything on Florida. If he loses by one vote there he, too, is finished. If he wins, he lives through Super Tuesday. But have you looked at the polls around the country? Rudy has shrunk into single digits. His support has gone to others.

So, South Carolina on Tuesday is huge for McCain and Thompson. Huckabee, too, needs another victory and is poised to win the Palmetto State. If he does, he gets new momentum and he finishes McCain off. Romney does not need to win South Carolina; he is aiming at winning next week’s Nevada caucuses.

Romney, by the way, has the most GOP delegates so far with Huckabee second. McCain is a distant, and fading, third.

Let’s hope we can rid ourselves of this arrogant, awful little McCain this weekend. He has treated too many people badly to earn the nomination of the Republican Party.