On primary days, unlike primary evenings, the political news pickings are slight. Robert Kagan weighs in here on the politics of the surge and Mitt Romney’s calculated language last year when the new policy was at risk. Stephen Hayes reaches the same conclusion I do on the flap about Justice Alito. Otherwise, the lack of heated Democratic responses to the State of the Union is a telling sign–there was not much there, there and even less new there. The last year of the Bush presidency appears to be guided by the Hippocratic Oath: do no harm. If President Bush can block any tax increases, prevent Democratic interference with Iraq policy, and maintain a measure of fiscal discipline, then conservatives and the potential Republican presidential nominees will no doubt be pleased.
Topic: Stephen Hayes
Game Day
A couple of final Florida polls indicate a very small advantage for John McCain, with Rudy sliding further behind. However, neither side seems entirely confident.
In the final hours last night before zero day the final jabs were taken. Mitt Romney says he would not be McCain’s Vice President. Well, given the recent expressions of disdain from McCain, I don’t think Romney need worry about being asked. On the issue of the surge, I would agree with Stephen Hayes, and find it remarkable not more has been made of Romney’s prior evasions on the surge policy.
Although Romney last night on an appearance on Fox News said that the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation would vouch for his fiscal record as Governor of Massachusetts, this group, the McCain folks are happy to remind us, actually attacked Romney for a calculated $700M in increased fees and “loophole” closings. Finally, Professor Stephen Bainbridge offers up some helpful research on McCain’s prior support for Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.
At this point, all that matters is who turns out to vote and how many of those half a million early voters each side banked.
