All eyes on the Sunshine State: Update: CNN, Fox call it for McCain; McCain to Associated Press: “It shows one thing. I’m the conservative leader who can unite the party”
Update 9:49pm Eastern. McCain’s speaking and rejoicing about his win in an all-Republican primary. McCain thanks Charlie Crist, who looks orange. McCain thanks “my dear friend, Mel Martinez.” Crist is doing a lot of double-pointing and mugging to the crowd. McCain “offers my best wishes to Gov. Romney and his supporters…the margin sure isn’t big enough for me to brag enough and for you to despair…McCain thanks Huckabee for his ‘good humor and grace’…and thanks his ‘dear friend Rudy Giuliani’…” McCain is wrapping up his teleprompter stump speech, making obligatory references to Reagan and conservative principles and judges, and promising he’ll win in November.
I said Romney has an uphill battle. It’s Mount Everest-ian.
Update 9:42pm Eastern. Reader Zoso e-mails his reaction to the Florida primary results: “Conservatism is dead.”
Update 9:34pm Eastern. Romney’s speaking. He phoned McCain to congratulate him. “What kind of nation will we leave our children and our grandchildren?…Washington has failed us…We’ve asked them to fix immigration. They haven’t. We asked them to maintain high ethical standards. They haven’t. We asked them to balance our budget, fix Social Security. They haven’t. Washington is fundamentally broken. We’re not going to change Washington by sending the same people back just to sit in different chairs.” He’s pumping up the crowd.
It’s going to be an uphill climb for Romney.
Update 9:22pm Eastern. Rudy’s speaking and channeling McCain’s talking points: “Elections are about fighting for a cause larger than ourselves…we ran a campaign that was uplifting…Americans deserve a return to honor and substance…We are the party of freedom. And we’re a big party. And we’re getting bigger. I’m even in this party! This is a big party.” He’s giving a cheerful stump speech. But he is past tense.
Update 9:14pm Eastern. CNN calls it for McCain with 54 percent of precincts reporting. Fox calls it for McCain.
And now McCain calls himself the conservative who can unite the party. Do you agree?
“It shows one thing. I’m the conservative leader who can unite the party,” the Arizona senator said in a brief interview with The Associated Press.
Allah always finds a way to make me smile even in dark moments. He cracks: “SECOND LOOK AT STAYING HOME!”
Update 9:00pm Eastern. Say hello to McRudy. “Conversations” are underway between the McCain and Giuliani camps for an endorsement sometime tomorrow in California.
Update 8:57pm Eastern. Mike Huckabee’s addressing supporters in Missouri. He had a dismal showing in Florida. I’ll say this: All of those fear-mongers who decried the co-opting of the party by the evangelical Right should be preparing a bit of baked crow right about now. Huckabee will settle for some broiled chicken–no skin.
Also: Ron Paul = 3 percent.
Meanwhile, a number of readers are asking me why the official Florida vote tally is slower and lower than the vote tallies being carried on the cable nets. I don’t know the answer. If you do, let me know.
(A reader e-mails: “Simple…one is being run by government workers.” Heh.)
Update 8:40pm Eastern. Conservatives are still not supporting McCain. So sayeth exit polls: “John McCain has long had trouble courting the most conservative members of his party, and exit polls of Florida Republican primary voters show a sizeable number continue not to support him. According to the exit polls, 62 percent of primary voters identified themselves as conservative and 37 percent of them voted for Mitt Romney, compared to the 27 percent who went for McCain.”
Update 8:32pm Eastern. Wolf Blitzer seems tickled by the possibility of a recount. Lot of TV people appear to want to relive 2000. Tom Brokaw was warbling about it on MSNBC as well.
Update 8:22pm Eastern. McCain has an 18,000-vote lead. CNN reports that Romney’s running in a dead heat with McCain in Orange County, where he needs a big win. Collier County in southwest Florida has 92 percent votes counted and Romney’s winning big there. CNN exit poll data here. In the conservative panhandle, Romney’s running well in several counties. McCain’s counting on Miami-Dade. Only 7 percent reporting in there yet.
Update 8:15pm Eastern. The Naples Daily News has local exit poll results putting Romney ahead of McCain, 130-91.
With 29 percent of precincts reporting statewide, it’s McCain 34, Romney 33.
On the Dem side: Hillary takes Florida, as expected. She didn’t “win” anything, though.
Update 7:55pm Eastern. Reader Richard in Tampa e-mails: “We have a property tax ‘reform’ measure on the ballot, which no doubt accounts for the higher than usual voter turnout.” Polls in the Panhandle are still open.
Palm Beach Post commenters share their voting experiences. A sample:
By Barry Liner
January 29, 2008 10:43 AM | Link to this
Those of us who recently began voting in Florida were not aware of the rule that prohibits primary voting unless you declare a party affiliation 30 days prior to the election. As a result thousands of votes wills not be counted. At my polling place alone atleast 4 couples left without voting during a 5 minute period. Most were very upset. We all beleived that we could vote by declaring at the polls and then remain registered that way until we changed our affiliation after the general election. Our stupidity perhaps but a hugh loss of votes to someone.By Joy Lynn Wilson
January 29, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this
I was 11th in line at H.L. Johnson Elementary School in RPB. Doors opened a few minutes past 7:00am and as I was watching the staff “try” to program the voting cards it was apparent there was a problem. A simple problem…no one turning the machines on. Other than this everything went very smoothly.By E
January 29, 2008 11:28 AM | Link to this
I work at a public library. Early voting ended at my library Sunday. There is no further voting here. Numerous people came here yesterday wanting to vote. Today, Election Day, is half over and already numerous people have come in expecting to vote. What does this say about American Democracy (and mental acumen and, while we’re at it, Palm Beach County) when these people don’t even know when and where to vote?! PALM BEACH COUNTY IS FULL OF IDIOTS and sadly they want their retarded voices to be heard.
Update 7:14pm Eastern. Oy vey. Problems at the polls.
Update 7:10pm Eastern. Megyn Kelly on Fox reports that late-deciders are almost evenly split between McCain and Romney. The Crist endorsement mattered to 43 percent; 53 percent said it didn’t affect their votes.
***
Polls close tonight in Florida at 7pm EST and at 8pm in the 10 westernmost Panhandle counties. The Miami Herald reports that “Anyone still in line when those deadlines arrive will be allowed to vote. Some winners likely will be declared soon after 8 p.m. EST, though a few key outcomes might not be known for hours.” Early exit poll results are trickling out, but take them with a grain of salt. Remember that some one million early and absentee votes were cast in the Florida primary. With that caveat, AP reports:
•Eight in 10 Republican primary voters were white and a little more than one in 10 were Hispanic — about half of whom were of Cuban heritage. There were few blacks on the GOP side. In the Democratic primary, two-thirds were white, about one in five were black and a little more than one in 10 were Hispanic.
• About one in seven voters in each party’s primary described themselves as independents.
• About three in 10 Republican voters called themselves moderates. Slightly more Democrats identified themselves as moderate.
Also: “Given four choices, nearly half of Florida Republican primary voters said the economy is the most important issue facing the country. Terrorism, Iraq and immigration each were picked by fewer than two in 10.” Hmm. Dan Riehl wonders about those results.
Jim Geraghty has leaked exit poll numbers showing McCain 34.3 percent, Romney 32.6 percent, Giuliani 15.3 percent, Huckabee 12 percent.
Allah notes Fox results: “McCain wins among seniors and veterans — but only by a point(!) — and crushes Giuliani among Hispanics, 50-26. Romney wins on immigration, 45-26, but on the key issue, the economy, McCain wins by four.”
Cuban-American conservative voter George Moneo at Babalu Blog casts his ballot for Mitt Romney and has a message for Democrats:
The day has arrived where Republicans in Florida get to select their nominee for the office of President of the United States. This election season seems to have started years ago, or so it seems since it’s been non-stop politics since the mid-terms elections of 2006. I have been very wary of who would run. I wrote then that I was not happy with the direction of the Republican Party, away from its core principles of conservatism, and I’m still not. But, we have made our bed and we are sleeping in it, tossing and turning uncomfortably.
I don’t have a candidate that excites me and gives me hope for our party. I am involved because I fear that the alternative is so much worse than I can imagine, that not getting involved would be suicidal. I am sorry Fred dropped out of the race, and I am sorry that Rudy has faded. Despite my misgivings about Rudy’s liberal positions, I like him. And I “liked” Fred, too. And “like” is an important factor, that warm and fuzzy that a candidate gives you in addition to the positions you have in common. I don’t think I “like” any of the remaining candidates.
With that thought in mind I will go to polls in about ninety minutes and cast my vote for Mitt Romney. Of the remaining candidates he seems to be the one that echoes my core conservative principles the best. He’s not an ideal conservative by a long stretch, and he’s far from being an ideal candidate for me, but he’s the one that I feel will do the best job considering the alternative(s). His curriculum vitae, businessman (read: capitalist) and governor, at least tells me that he can manage large, complex organizations. The others don’t have this “real world in the trenches” experience, they are professional politicians. I am tempted to write in a vote for someone I would truly want to lead this country, but I swore to myself that I would never waste a vote again.
So there you have it. I am not happy about it but we make the best of what we have. If you are in Florida go out and vote. If you’re a Democrat, well I’m sorry to say your party doesn’t give a s**t about you since the Dem delegates in Florida don’t count. But vote anyway. It’s your civic duty and the least we can do in this great country we live in.
Worried about the intra-party spats among Republicans? Ralph Reed isn’t:
The conservative political activist, best known as the first executive director of the Christian Coalition, showed up at the Tampa event for Romney. (Although he hasn’t endorsed anyone officially.)
“Don’t over-interpret the healthy intra-family, back-and-forth in a party,” said Reed. “I’m a big believer that competitive, hard fought primaries as long as you can get back together again afterward are healthy they’re good for the party. What’s wrong with having a nice vigorous, competitive primary? It’s good.”
See what others have said
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Trackbacks
- Stop The ACLU » Blog Archive » McCain Sings Streisand: Rush Limbaugh Parody on McCain
- The Jawa Report
- Blatant Reality » Blog Archive » Live Blogging Florida Primary Results
- CNN, Fox call it for McCain; : BigMouthFrog
- McCain Wins Florida - Giuliani Rumored to Endorse Him « An Angeleno’s View of the World
- Right Voices » Blog Archive » UPDATES ADDED: Florida ..Who Will It Be? Looks Like Hillary and….CNN Projects McCain W/ 62% Reporting?
- Right Wing Rebel
- Neocon News » Barring divine ballot intervention McCain wins Florida.
- Webloggin - Blog Archive » Update - McCain Declared the Winner in Florida, Left is Upset With Hillary Clinton AGAIN!
- The Daily Conservative
- Keith Burgess-Jackson » Politics
- Michelle Malkin » John McCain vs. the Right: No easy peace
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Categories: 2008 campaign
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Let’s just say that I haven’t yet voted. But anyway, that argument doesn’t work because of two things:
A) If other conservatives/GOP voters feel the say way that you do, then they will vote for the best “conservative” candidate. You trust that your fellow GOP voters will make the right choice if you feel that the majority of the people in your party agree with you.
B) Also, a lot of the candidates who dropped out did so because of lack of funding. They simply couldn’t keep their campaign afloat. No matter what state you live in, if you have the proper financial backing, then people can donate to president campaigns through the campaign websites.
I am sure that a lot of people think that the primary system is working just fine. Sen. McCain (who, may I add, was given up for dead by MM and others on this site) is doing just nicely nowadays.
Oh beloved far right McCain haters! Didn’t you get the memo?
Suck. It. Up!
To the NY guy who says he is a frequent visitor here and attacks us all as a small group: dude, I have never seen your name. FYI: we are not a small group. McCain barely manages to get a bit over 30% of the vote wherever he has managed to win (Mitt: 3 states; McCain: 3 states), no majority by any stretch of the immagination unless NY public schools teach you that 30% is a majority. Also, a lot of democrats and independents DID vote in the FL election by registering as republicans. As to the ones telling me to vote in Nov (i.e. for the lesser of 2 evils): NO WAY, never again, Did that with Bush, NEVER AGAIN. I will stand by principle and let the fools suffer their foolish selection of MCCain. I will not sell out or be fooled myself ever again. Bush Jr. #2 I cannot support.
Actually, “Suck. It. Up!”
is what President Hillary will do with our income.
I live in Idaho our primary is May 27. I will cast a protest vote against McCain but by May, by then a canadate (mccain) will have the Majority.
Now I am actually excited (if Mitt looses) to see McCain ripped to shreds by Hillary and the MSMs. I will help them every step of teh way, to sausage and Dark Night and other McCain supporters. You will not get our votes. Hillary will get my vote 1st, as a woman.
Someone asked why Florida seniors voters were so stupid. Well my take is that alot of them are simply voting for one of their own kind.
I mean, don’t:
…..Women vote for women
…..Blacks vote for Blacks
…..Hispanics vote for Hispanics
…..Jews vote for Jews
Well, many of these Floridian oldtimers are simply voting for one of their own. I mean Juan McCainez will be what 72 when he takes office. Those oldtimers aren’t stupid, and they see $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
I vote on my values. If a canadate does not support my values I dont vote for them. I also am not far right everyone else is far left while i am in the center.
My view:
Romney = “Win one for the Gipper!”
McCain = “Take it from Juan in the keister.”
As a CONSERVATIVE I hereby pledge that I will vote for no candidate who:
1. Refuses to build a wall on our southern border or insists that a “fee” or “monetary penalty” is an excuse to allow ILLEGAL aliens to continue to reside in our country.
2. Refers to Sen. Teddy Kennedy as “my good friend from Massachusetts.”
3. Tells us we need to “act now to prevent more Global Warming!”
4. Is called a “maverick” by the liberal-minded press for bucking his own party’s core beliefs.
The man who was dead-last in the GOP race, perhaps even behind Ron “Squirrely” Paul, is now our CONSERVATIVE LEADER? WTF?!?! Not only that but he wins the first state with a closed primary? Who in the freakin’ blue blazes was voting down there?
Having watched this all occur in slow motion over the last two weeks, now I’m a little sorry that FRED! bounced Huckabee so hard on his head in the South Carolina debate. I miss Fred already…
What a crock of sh*t!
I’m not on the far right.
I don’t support McCain.
It’s about principles, allowing free speech, common sense about the economy, fiscal restraint, judicious use of military power, enforcing existing laws, and encouraging the repeal of both bad laws and unnecessary regulations.
McCain will do none of that.
People are voting for him because the media has declared that he is the GOP’s best bet to win in November. No one wants to vote for a loser, right?
Self-fulfilling sound bites.
RealImmigrantChick, I’m not supporting McCain per se, just asking what those who supported Thompson, Hunter and Tancredo are doing now. This after they gave up McCain for dead!
So I’m just asking because it’s a question that’s going to be asked for the next 9+ months.
end the fairy tale politics–get real and vote for Mac.
BE ADULTS
The only way I will vote for McCain is if Reagan himself arose from the grave and told me to vote for McCain. Even then I would vote McCain only because I fear Zombie Reagan wraith.
DarkKnight
Your response proves my points entirely …
your statement (A) … there are plenty of folks that feel as I do … many right here … but there are no longer any true conservatives in the race because of the screwed up way the primary process is run … so we are left with RINOs and worse … FL is the first state where only Republicans could vote in the party primary … all the others had all kinds of “cross voting” and there were advertised plans to do that with the intent of affecting the outcome in those states … sorry … the primary should not be open to “changing” one’s registration to vote and then changing back before the general election … and independents have no right to vote in either a rep or a dem primary …
your statement (B) … regarding financial backing … yep … all the old guard that is so ensconced they can just buy the elections … this stupid primary started on November 8, 2006 … absolutely ridiculous … so millions of dollars spent to appeal to a few states that don’t even represent the concerns of the majority of the country … talk about a “sham” …
It will be nice to have a real liberal racist in the White House again. Taxes will rise, jobs will be lost, Bill will be diddling the interns, and we’ll soon be giving what little is left of social security to the ILLEGAL Aliens. If a miracle happened and McCain won there would be little difference.
Take the path of the cut-and-run conservatives. Stay home on election night. I surely will.
I wonder what would happen if Nancy Reagan endorsed McCain.
DesertLover,
Have not exit polls indicated that there have been instances where there were GOP was the majority, and still the “conservative candidate” did not do well? In addition, even if you look at the “closed primary” argument, it wouldn’t make sense that 50% of voters either voted for McCain or Guiliani.
At any rate, we agree on the election season is starting earlier and earlier. It’s going to get to the point that people will start measuring their election chances (in four years) the same night as a president is elected. LOL
She will endorse McCain after the primaries.
America is just begining to pay the price for not supporting a patriotic satesman, Tom Tancredo. Those who called Tom a one-trick pony can eat their hearts, wallets, jobs and security out as McCaina nd “Dr.” open flood-gates to the “wonderful people” to loot, rape and murder Amricans, without that “one-trick” pony… Amricans now have a ’sell-out traitor’. Oh well…..
DK … I think they already have … the Dems have been obsessed with regaining the oval office since 2000 … and have made sure that Congress stayed in a virtual gridlock as far as any truly meaningful work getting done … then the past year the Reps gave them some of their own BS back and we still got gridlock …
too many old fossils taking up space in DC … they have no loyalty to this country or their constituents any more … just dedicated to retaining their own power … what a waste …
The most irritating thing about McCain is how he keeps saying “my friend”. It looks like all the establishment endorsements carried him over. Our country is in for a rough period, and talk radio will have the fight of its life.
Gridlock may be the country’s best hope. Less damage that way. The way things are headed, I don’t see much hope for good being done.
MDS (McCain Derangement Syndrome).
Self diagnosed.
Anyone know a good Austrailian Realestate Website???….I gotta get outta here.
I found a couple but they were so slow I couldn’t take it.
Being adult means abandoning principals? Sorry. Not gonna happen. For some people the “I’m never voting for McCain” was hyperbole. Not for this voter here. If someone’s going to eff up the White House, let it not be on our heads. I’d rather lose now so that 4 years from now I can point and laugh and say “I told you so” than ever vote for that pandering liberal in elephant drawers.
What good is having a Republican as President if he’s gonna screw me just as hard as a Democrat?
No, McCain. You are not my friend. No estes mi amigo. Something like that.
Exactly.
Goodbye GOP. Nice knowing you. Sorry you decided to leave us conservatives.
I didn’t leave the party, it left me.
Hey Guys, Somebody told me THIS was reported by Rush Limbaugh, Tuesday, Jan.29,2008:
And that INDEPENDENTS, etc, were voting in the CLOSED PRIMARY IN FLORIDA in far greater numbers than they did in South Carolina.
I thought it ODD that “CONSERVATIVES” voted in line with MSM opinions - this explains everything.
Has anyone else heard this???
AH! I SEE THAT MICHELLE IS REPORTING THIS TOO! THANKS, MICHELLE!
THIS restores my faith in HUMAN BEINGS. I KNEW the Conservatives could NOT be voting for McCain!!!
I KNEW something was wrong!
I hope the Mitt Romney camp has already been advised.
Someone should tell HANNITY a few things AS WELL.
I am sorely disapointed in him, my precious Seanie Boy, these days - MORE FOR WHAT HE DOES NOT SAY of which I know he KNOWS, than for what he DOES say.
If McCain is the “conservative leader,” God help us all.
If people are voting who were not allowed to, then the primary results in Florida either needsto be re-figured eliminating their votes or re-voted. PERIOD. ABOUT THAT THERE CAN BE NO DISCUSSION.
Sean Hannity is on my side:)