US no longer Super Power?

According to Iran, the answer is no. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in yet another bizarre twist on reality, has claimed that Iran is the greatest and most powerful country in the world.

"Iran is the number one power in the world," Ahmadinejad said Thursday in a
speech to the families of those killed in his country's war with Iraq more than
20 years ago. "Today the name of Iran means a firm punch in the teeth of the
powerful and it puts them in their place..." He continued, "You can see how some people here... try to materialize the plans of the enemies and by showing that Iran is small and the enemy is big,"

Let me finish by referring to my cartoon: "But as you can see by this chart, it is Iran who is big and the enemy is actually small"

Iran, a country in a region of great historical value, is headed by a mad-man. As if his recent comments about peace by wiping Israel off the map weren't enough, or his claims that his nukes will be peacefully used to wipe Israel off the map... ummm, I mean for energy... Then this is clear evidence of delusions of grandeur!

Wikipedia helps us dissect what is going on with the Iranian Leadership:

Megalomania (from the Greek word μεγαλομανία) is an historical term for behavior
characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, genius, or omnipotence - often generally termed as delusions of grandeur. The word is a collaboration of the word "mania" meaning madness and the Greek "megalo" meaning "very large", "great", or "exaggerated", thus combining to denote an obsession with, either in the form of irrational perceived need for or preoccupation with in one's own estimation having and/or obtaining, grandiosity and extravagance (especially in the form of great fame and popularity, material wealth, social influence or political power, or more than one or even all of the aforesaid) and accompanying complete desirous and bombastic abandon; a common symptom if not the key diagnostic feature of megalomania.

It is often symptomatic of manic or paranoid disorders.

Little Hitler is clearly mad, and hell bent on starting a war. Should he have it his way, it will be a war of the nuclear type. A war in which Israel cannot recover... and it is true that should Israel (whose total population is 7 Million) get hit with a single nuclear bomb, killing 200,000 (3% of their total population) she could not recover.

We Didn't Start the Fire...

Images of Polar Bears frantically attempting to cling to vanishing sea ice haunt the dreams of children around the world. Though polar bear populations are on the rise, they have become the cuddly face of the Global Warming debate.
Yes... I said debate.

I say debate because though there is evidence that there is a warming trend of 0.14 Degrees Celsius per Decade, there is no evidence supporting an accelerated increase in temperatures. That is to say that for the last 100 years, there has been a steady rate of global temperature rise at 0.14 degrees Celsius per decade.

We didn't start the fire... The earth goes through natural temperature fluctuations.

And as a matter of debate, the ice at the southern polar cap in the antarctic is actually increasing because antarctic temperatures have continued to decline over the years. All part of a cycle.

Should we be better stewards of the environment? Absolutely!

Do we cause harm to the environment by way of strip mining and strip malls? You bet!

But as we move forward with this debate and discussion, we must remember that the earth does more to affect itself than we do. Don't believe me? Look at the number one source of pollution in the United States... No, not Hummers, or Exxon Mobile... It is geologic in origin... Mt St Helens outputs more greenhouse gas per year than we tiny beings could ever hope to attempt. Take into account the major geological sources of greenhouse gases, such as Yellowstone, the many northwest volcanoes, and even the methane fields bubbling up off the coast of Florida. More air pollution than we could bat an eye at!

So why the hysteria?

For instance, an Eskimo village in Alaska is suing the oil industry because their village is losing land due to erosion... the cause of erosion? Man Made Global Warming, of course! The village, well, it is built on a barrier reef that has been eroding for over 100 years... but forget taking responsibility for poor location... it is easier to blame and attempt to sue than to take personal responsibility or personal action to save the land from erosion. Here is a look at the great location of the village:


Let me interject here for one moment... anyone who knows anything about living near water knows that water trumps land every time... and erosion is the end result... be it along a river bank or a sandy beach. Water carries a lot of energy able to move rocks. These people have done little to stop the erosion... no attempt to make breakwaters, no attempt to build sound sea walls... Nope. It is easier to place blame and sit back waiting for that check to come in! Put me4 on that island! I would personally carry rocks, one by one if I had to, to create a breakwater capable of stopping the erosion and surviving the winter ice flows. I don't see that happening here!

So why the hysteria about Global Warming?

The Global Warming fascists use tools of ridicule and demoralization to silence any voice of opposition or dissent. What are they afraid of finding if we should be allowed to debate?

Why all the hysteria?

Ok... I'll tell you, but you won't like the answer: Money and Power.

Environmentalists and Global Warming hacks (and legitimate scientists) operate through government grants, largely. If a consensus appeared that "Actually, Global Warming is not that bad", how long do you think they would be employed? Not long... their funding would end.

BUT, if they raise red flags, if they convince the governments of the world that we are solely responsible for our own demise... well, that might be something worth looking into...

So money is thrown into research, funds are raised on behalf of saving the planet... and then the crazy side effect... people start believing what they are hearing, and ignoring all reason and logic (not to mention historical trends), they begin to panic. And behold, who is there to bail them out? Ahh... big brother... solving all our problems for us... Doesn't that make you feel cozy?

Listen to logic, listen to reason. The earth's temperature is never constant... never has been. There is nothing constant about the earth. We are part of a dynamic system, influenced from both within and from outside our planet. From solar energy to earth's own energy, the planet oscillates around some median point, but is never constant. The earth will warm, the earth will then cool. The earth will take care of itself.

We could benefit ourselves more as a human race by adjusting to the changes rather than trying to reverse them. Instead of trying to stop the one straw from breaking the camel's back, couldn't we just remove some of the other straws? It is easier... makes more sense!

We didn't start the fire... it was always burning since the world's been turning. We didn't light it but we're trying to fight it...

Let us be reasonable... yes, clean up the environment... yes, focus on clean energy... yes, do all we can to live in harmony with our planet, creatures, and fellow man.

But blame and admonish ourselves for that which we do not control... come now... let us reason together here!

Sarah Palin, 45th President of the United States?

As McCain closes in on the magic number for locking up the GOP nomination, the conversation of Vice Presidential picks is in full swing. We all know John McCain's shortcomings. We have discussed the battle conservatives face with McCain. And we are very aware that it must be the new battle cry for conservatives to ensure that McCain's veep is acceptable, and an appropriate choice for the movement.

I once again challenge my readers to look into the history and prospect for VP that Sarah Palin represents. She currently holds the seat of Governor of Alaska, and won the seat by upsetting the incumbent corrupt Republican Governor. She is 44, has a son in the military, and is an activist for the Pro-Life movement as a member of Feminists for Life.

The American Spectator has written an interesting article focusing on her juxtaposition to McCain's "old coot" feel. An excerpt:

Gov. Palin could become the Republican Party's Segolene Royal, the French Socialist Party's glamorous leader known for her heels and political bite. She is the perfect antidote to Sen. Obama's cheap thrills, and would help rejuvenate conservatism.

If Camille Paglia or the huffers on Huffington Post are anything to go by, the standard line that will be repeated often against John McCain will be that he's an "old coot"; a vintage George C. Scott-style warmonger; old; hypocritical; and just plain odd.

As McCain's advisers most surely know, the best way to combat that line of attack is to choose a running mate who in no way can be seen as old or as a "coot."

MRS. PALIN IS most certainly not an "old coot." She has enchanting, fresh charisma and the credentials, too, to win back and motivate a lot of conservatives, disaffected Republicans, and independents tired of government corruption and Republican degeneracy and sheer idiocy.

McCain needs someone who like Sen. Obama physically represents a departure from the past, who also oozes vibrancy and intelligence, will motivate die-hard conservatives, but what's more, who will also let the Arizonan take advantage of his age and enable him to be the playful and charming Reagan-esque grandfather figure that Americans always fall in love with. In other words, Sen. McCain, like President Nixon in the 1968 election, needs an opposite number -- that's Sarah Palin in the flesh.

Sarah Palin is quickly moving to the top of the short list of favorites for McCain's VP for the reasons above and so many more. But the most important reason is that she is intriguing, intelligent, well spoken, and soundly conservative. She is a fresh face that can challenge the platform and experience of the Democratic fresh face, Obama, who's lack of executive experience, foreign policy, and radical left ideology are just begging to end his national political career.

Similar to Mike Huckabee's appeal in the early days of his campaign, the more people who look into Sarah Palin the more they like her as the VP for the GOP. (Speaking of Huckabee, I am not abandoning support for what Huckabee means to the race, and he is on my short list for VP... but Sarah Palin makes the GOP ticket more well rounded).

And the Democrats should fear Palin. I often hear the left attack the GOP for failing to support women or minorities within our ranks (quite a false attack, I might add). The GOP, in fact, has a number of amazing political leaders who fit this mold, Michael Steele and Sarah Palin among two of my favorites. Sarah Palin would shock the general public who have bought this profiling of the GOP hook-line-sinker, and would open their eyes to the true nature and openness of the GOP to minorities and women... (just without pandering to false "social needs" of these groups... The GOP believes that we can all be equally successful if we focus on free market and the founding principles.)

The Liberals fear Palin because she is a staunch ethicist... she represents the broom that the GOP needs to clean up our leadership. She took down corruption in the Alaskan GOP, and she could do the same in DC. She represents the resurgence of morality within the party.

The Donkeys fear Palin because she is young, energetic, intelligent, and attractive... all the things that Obama is running on... but she has substance! The Mules know that if Palin gets the nod, the race will clearly be a face-off of Obama v. Palin... McCain will be the grandfather making the calls, but Palin will be the rally cry for the youth movement within the conservative base of the party... the very base that has pledged not to support McCain.

Palin, in my humblest of opinions, is the best choice for VP... and I will continue to build the case for Sarah Palin for VP.

Your thoughts and comments are appreciated.

Cry 'HAVOC', and Let Slip the Dogs of War...

This post is equally inspired by three men: William Shakespeare , Winston Churchill, and Steve Emmerson.

Recently, the The Archbishop of Canterbury declared that Sharia Law should be allowed as an alternative to British Common Law. Meanwhile, across Europe, the most common male name for new births is Mohammad. Muslims are rioting in the streets of France, Saudi's are threatening to destroy Britian, and Muslim children in America are signing up for summer camp... but not at Camp Happy Scout... rather at Camp Jihad!

There is a war against peace, a war against freedom, and a war against humanity.

London is burning, metaphorically. And within two decades, Britain will be a Muslim nation. They have done nothing to stop the Muslim population growth, they have an unarmed populace to fight a Muslim British Army, and they have leaders who are thwarted by the threat of violence and instead opt for capitulation and appeasement.

The US is traveling the same road. But it will take much more effort to turn the United States from a freedom loving nation into a Muslim nation. First, the people of the United States must be disarmed. Secondly, the United States children must be re-educated. Thirdly, the Constitution must be amended or destroyed. And finally, the will of the American freedom loving people must be annihilated.

I sit in wonder on many occasions as to what will be the breaking point for America. when will enough be enough when it comes to Radical Muslim appeasement? How late is too late? What fights are we putting off that our children will inherit... and will my soon-to-be-born little girl spend her adult life in Sharia Appropriate garb?

To answer the last question: Not as long as I have air in my lungs.

Is it too late for Britain? If the words of Shakespeare can speak to one drop of English blood in our hearts or our British brothers... if there are British men, women, and children who still love their country as is descirbed in these words... I echo the words of Chruchill: We shall fight in the air, we shall fight on the sea. We shall fight on the beaches and in the streets... We shall never surrender!

And I leave you with these words from Shakespeare's King Henry:

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Let pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a galled rock
O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, on, you noblest English.
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof!
Fathers that, like so many Alexanders,
Have in these parts from morn till even
fought And sheathed their swords for lack of argument:
Dishonour not your mothers; now attest
That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you.
Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
And teach them how to war. And you, good yeoman,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I
doubt not; For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'

National Space Society, Mike Huckabee, and a Weekend Out

Last night was a very interesting night! I was part of a panel of experts discussing topics related to Human Exploration of Space for the National Space Society. I have some video and pictures that I will be adding later. Unfortunately there was not a larger crowd. All of the presenters had great things to say!

Tonight, as I am participating in the Leadership Program of the Rockies' Leadership Retreat, I have the opportunity to sit down for a good two hours with Mike Huckabee and discuss politics, followed by an hour long speech and Q&A session during dinner. Needless to say, tonight is going to be a great night.

Our speaker tomorrow during lunch is the Wall Street Journal's John Fund!

And after all is said and done I should have some great stories, great pictures, and great videos to share with you all!

AP reports end of world?

In reading about the impending doom to the US Military Satellite this morning I ran across an interesting and cataclysmic prognostication:

Because USA 193 is already so low, the risks of the planned shoot down creating
more space debris are minimal. Most of the pieces would burn up Earth's
atmosphere. (sic)

Now I have spent the last week on blogs and YouTube videos trying to talk down the crazies who are preparing their foil hats in preparation for this event... only to have the AP give them just cause for crying: "conspiracy!"

I can see it now... "was the AP's story foretelling the impending doom of this event?" "Is there more that the government knows but they aren't telling, and this was a message from the AP to those who know what to look for?"

Of course, this posting is in jest. I now fully understand the importance of proofreading... and the importance of the word "IN".

Enjoy the fireworks today!

The end of Castro's Cuba

I have waited my entire life for this news. Fidel Castro is officially stepping down after half a century of rule over the Cuban people. But with Castro's brother likely to get the nod, one must wonder how things will change.

Will the embargo end after all these years? Will the people of Cuba be the inhabitants of a freer Cuba? Will we see an end to families sailing to America in refrigerators and other make-shift rafts? Will Cubans be free to travel the world without the Cuban government wondering if they will come back to their island prison? Will the free market take hold on the Caribbean Island, allowing lower prices and more selection of goods?

Time will tell.

I have been waiting for the day when the Cuban markets are open to the Americans for one reason: Cars.



Cuba is chock-full of classic cars straight out of the heyday of American automobile era! Rust buckets or not, opening this market to investors will allow a huge new inventory of well kept automobiles! And soon thereafter, these cars will make a new appearance on the streets of America… a homecoming of sorts!



Cuban cigars… pfft. I am looking forward to the cars!



And what better way to help boost the economy than with the flood of the Cuban Economy with the US Dollar in exchange for their automobiles!

The US economy will see a boost as well. Auto traders will be looking for replacement parts, kits to revive the old beauties, and of course mechanics will be in high demand.

But back to the more serious issue of freedom. If the Cuban market is allowed to be free, the people will have the opportunity to thrive. If the people can be successful in a free market, they have something to fight for, and the Island will strengthen itself as a free nation. If Cuba becomes a free nation, Cubans will be less likely to flee the country in search of freedom in America. The increase in wealth will spark the increase in education and health, and of course leisure. Cubans will be free to once again explore the world as free people, without fear of returning home. And foreigners will be free to visit the island, strengthening their tourism market, and creating jobs.

This could be the perfect example of the importance of a free market society, and the benefits thereof. We would not have seen such a turn around since the fall of the Berlin wall… so this will be a great example for our youngest generation.

And the possibilities for Cuba are endless.

Cuba needs no real army. The only nation to invade or attack them in 50 years has been the United States. They can reduce their armed forces spending, and in turn reduce taxation of the Cuban people. I am sure the US would be more than happy to provide military defense of the island nation.

Cuba is a great place for the space industry to flourish. Florida is nice, but Cuba is better! Cuba’s more southern location makes it a better location to launch into GEO orbit. The closer to the equator the less fuel required to stabilize the orbit, and the less money required to launch. Cuba could market itself as the hub to the space tourism market, providing low cost and highly accessible launches to space tourists on their way to honeymoon in orbit, or eventually on the moon itself.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s wait and see who the new president of Cuba will be, and if the successor has the foresight required to bring his country to the forefront of the developed nations.

Democrat's disarray not as bad as Conservative blockade

Clinton is in the fight for her political life. Should she lose to Obama she will have little chance of ever running another successful campaign for the White House. This is her one and only shot... all eggs in the basket. And Obama knows it. He knows it, and he is loving every minute of his trouncing of the Clinton Machine.

Should Obama lose the nomination, either by votes or by super delegates, he has just cause to run again. He is a first term Senator, youthful, and inspirational. The party knows this.

They also know that they are watching their party devour itself. The polarizing Clinton is polarizing the Democrats as much as she would the country. Obama is picking up supporters from the Clinton campa dn the undecideds... and Clinton is about to take a major nose dive.

The perfect storm for Republicans?

I think not.

Democrats are so motivated to support whomever their nominee is... the rest is just liberal drama.

I have yet to hear any Democrat say "If Obama wins the nomination I am voting for McCain"

I have yet to hear any Democrat say "If Clinton wins, I just wont vote"

Their party is enjoying the bloodbath, but it has all the intention to rally behind their nominee, whomever that may be.

Enter the Conservative blockade. The very blockade that is bringing us the "I'll never vote for McCain" naysayers... or the "I just wont vote" group.

Granted, I am watching McCain very carefully as he continues his race, and especially as he selects a VP. But as long as McCain picks a good solid conservative like Palin or Huckabee, I will have no problem holding my nose at the poll. In fact, I could honestly say that I would still be voting FOR conservative values...

I am still pulling for a brokered convention... but should McCain win before hand, and should he select a suitable running mate, I do not see the problem.

With Democrats amped to end the era of Bush, and likely to rally behind any candidate promising leadership for their party, they are going to swarm the booths on election day, and if they out-swarm the GOP as the conservative block promises to protest... we can expect 4 years of Clinton or Obama.

To come later: What would a Clinton or Obama White House look like for America?

Elections in the North East - States won update

Below is an update of the states won by each candidate. Romney is out, McCain and Huckabee are soaring in the polls as the last two contenders... and state after state is dishing out delegates. Mike Huckabee continues to win in the southern states, and McCain edges out Huckabee in Washington state by 200 votes. Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC vote today, likely to be a sweep for McCain. But perhaps the Potomac region has some tricks up it's sleeves?

I will continue to update this map as results come in.

As well, Democratic results are below. With these two candidates fighting for a majority, and in a very clear delegate tie with the potential for legal battles to come up should Hillary lose, The Democratic party is not in a good position. They spent the early part of this campaign season berating the Republicans for a hotly contested seat, but now find themselves in the only non-civil contest at risk of dividing their party. The Potomac contests seem to favor Obama, in another round of the Clinton machine self-destructing in the public forum.

Marriage, the Government, and Liberty

As an advocate for traditional marriage, I often ponder my role in the marriage debate. In fact, I find myself considering anyone's role in the marriage "debate". And time and again I find myself coming to the same conclusion: It's the constitution!

The Establishment Clause of the 1st amendment to the United States Constitution clearly states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibit the free exercise thereof".

Marriage has always been a religious or spiritual bonding of two people together. Under the guise of being in the best interest of the general social welfare, US states began issuing marriage licenses. The purpose was to protect spouses from STDs (which is why some states still require blood tests), to keep accurate historical records, and to provide the couple to be married ample tome to consider the bond which they are making (with divorce rates upwards of 50%, I think this last one has lost meaning!). So with good intent, the states had intervened and begun regulating marriage.

Enter the federal government. Tax code, all 60,000+ pages of it, mention marriage. Since the states had found a way to regulate marriage as a non-religious and purely record keeping process at the state level, the US government took clear advantage. This was the key to skirting the Establishment Clause. The US government regards marriage as little more than a business contract, and as such has made tax laws regarding this business matter.

C'mon... we all know we got married for the tax benefits, right! And that is why we will have kids too... another deduction, yeah!

Instead, what has happened is the systematic undoing of the most sacred and spiritual bond that two people can make to one another. And this state regulation of religion into some form of a business matter has allowed the federal government to not only make laws respecting an historically religious event, but now there is talk of a marriage amendment to the constitution.

Please allow me to apply the brakes gently for a moment.

The very people who are fighting to "save marriage" are playing into the hands of those have destroyed it's original intent... and the original intent of the constitution for that matter!

To use the constitution to define marriage is to acknowledge that marriage is not a religious or spiritual bond. If you believe it to be, then the 1st amendment would not allow such an amendment to exist... unless, of course, you intend the Constitution to regulate our religion in this nation. And again, as with the 18th amendment, the constitution would be used to limit liberties.

If marriage is as sacred as those fighting to protect it believe it to be, they should start by fighting the tax codes/laws respecting this religious bond. They should fight a legal battle challenging the US government's laws regarding this religious right. They should further fight the state's regulation of marriage, and limit the state's role from "granting marriage licenses" to "recording marriage for historical accuracies". The efforts of the defenders of marriage are doing little more than attempting to establish a religious rule in the Constitution, and is doomed to failure under a truly free society.

The constitution is a means to say the government cannot impose themselves on us in these manners, and should warily be used to say we want the government to impose themselves upon it's people in these other manners. It is a document who's intent is to limit government, not create cause for increase and regulation of our lives BY government.

It is well known that the right thing is often the hardest thing. For those fighting for a marriage amendment to the US Constitution, look into your hearts and find why this is right. Are we a society that limits the liberty of our fellow citizens, and do we want to be a society where the government is allowed to regulate our religions? When you answer these questions, you will find the answer... and it is not in a liberty limiting amendment.

Space, and the private sector

Following the inaugural flight of Spaceship One, in which Branson's rocket plane officially won the Ansari X-Prize, congress went to work placing restrictions on the public exploration of space. The government controls were touted as public safety measures... because we don't want a crazy astronaut Farmer incident taking place now do we?

But recent events have taken place that cause me to wonder if congress wants a private sector in human space flight, or if the government's idea of human space flight is a series of non-exploration high cost missions. I am left wondering if the government entities that be do not wish for human kind to become a space faring civilization.

One example of this comes from one man's obsession with creating a new and useless lifting vehicle, with little to no advantage over the current lifting technologies. That man is Mike Griffin, head of NASA. His obsession is with the ARES launch vehicles. The development costs are astronomical (pun intended), and the program time for a new complex launch vehicle is on the order of a decade. So why the obsession?

Griffin is a self-proclaimed visionary... He often comes up with his own solutions to problems, and insists that his engineers make them work. A great example outside of the ARES vehicles is the last minute change in the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle's Launch Abort System (LAS). The LAS was having some minor engineering design issues, and instead of counting on the council of his highly skilled NASA engineers, Griffin took out a piece of scratch paper, drew some new design and said "Do this". It has been a hit to cost and schedule... but the army marches forward to his drum.

The Ares launch vehicle Ares I is a 5 segment solid rocket booster, with a small segment of liquid propellant and the Orion CEV aboard it. It is the first of two launch vehicles being designed for the over budget and behind schedule Moon Program. The problem: solid rocket motors vibrate at such an extreme frequency that without damping, Humans cannot survive, let alone the space vehicle riding on top. Once these vibrations were apparent in analysis, it was suggested that the costly ARES program be abandoned for a less costly and already existent Atlas V, from United Launch Alliance (a Boeing and Lockheed Martin joint effort). Little work would be needed to convert the once human rated launch vehicle back to a human launch vehicle... alas, Griffin has refused... opting instead to push forward with his legacy building candlestick.

Focus now on the private sector, where Bigelow Aerospace is planning on all but putting NASA out of business. Bigelow is listening to the reports on the Atlas V, and intend on using the launch vehicle to build their space hotel, and use the vehicle to shuttle space tourists to and from the inflatable space dwelling. Bigelow has survived, in spite of the increased rules and regulation from the US government when it comes to Space and the private sector. Other companies have not been so lucky... see Kistler Aerospace's issues with the K-1, and how they had to make a deal with Australia to launch as the US would not allow them to cost effectively launch in the US.

I give much respect to private space businesses. They are the explorers who are forging humanity onward into the next great frontier, much to the hesitation of the government.

Overregulation has done much to undermine the private sector in everything from plumbing to medicine... and now, before the industry has an opportunity to boom, the government is attempting to regulate the sector to death.

As good conservatives, we should all work together to end overregulation of private business by the government. We should support private space exploration, and demand that the government allow the start-up operations to research, develop, test, and fly without costly intervention by the bureaucracy of Washington. Without a private sector in the space exploration industry, we are left catering to the whims of whomever may be the visionary of NASA on any given day.

Conservative Coalition to take down McCain?

McCain can lock the GOP nomination by securing 54% of the remaining delegates.

Huckabee needs an impossible 91% to do the same.

However, if McCain does not lock the nomination, we go to a brokered convention.

Should Huckabee pull within 100 - 300 delegate votes of McCain by the end of this thing, Romney and Thompson may consider endorsing Huckabee, asking their pledged delegates to vote Huckabee at the convention, and we could see the Conservative Coalition take down McCain.

This should be the new focus of the campaign... Conservative Coalition.

For those of you who claim that Huckabee is not a conservative... remember, there is Social conservative, Fiscal Conservative, and Military conservative... That is Huckabee, Romney, Thompson... The three of them working together could derail the McCain Express.

Conservative Coalition anyone?

Huckabee/Palin, Huckabee/Thompson, Huckabee/Romney with top cabinet posts for the coalition...

Conservative Coalition!

(I think I am the first to propose this: 12:30 MT - let's see if it catches on)

Mitt Romney Out

Mitt Romney made a shocking announcement to the CPAC crowd today: I'm Out.

That leaves the clear frontrunner, John McCain, and the clear underdog, Mike Huckabee, to duel it out over the next weeks/months.

The question stands: Does Huckabee follow suit and hope for the VP nod, or does he attempt to rally conservatives and do the impossible... picking up 91% of the remaining delegates for the win.

Also, Could conservatives conspire against McCain and block his 54% needed of the remaining delegates, only to pool their delegates against McCain at the convention?

If Huckabee stays in the race and picks up Romney voters in the remaining states, Huckabee could very well block the McCain innevitibility, allowing for a conservative coalition to come together at the convention... Could we be looking at a Huckabee/Romney ticket? Excuse me while I clear my throat... but perhaps.

Thoughts?

Through Super Tuesday, County Results

Hat tip to Suitably Flip for providing this map!
And of course, Flip provides a hat tip to Wikipedia for providing the early version of the map. It is interesting to see the counties where each of the GOP candidates received the win. In the south, excluding Florida, Romney's only support are in a few dense urban areas... The same seems to hold true for McCain in the South. This should come as no suprise to anyone, as Southerners tend to rally behind their Southern Brothers... and as such, Huckabee pulled the upset in the southern states.

The results I find most interesting are in Wisconsin and Montana, where the campaigns had little time to organize state-wide efforts. In effect, you see an accurate representation of what grass-roots only states look like. It is beautiful!

The Super Tuesday Hangover

Forget the Monday morning after Super Bowl hangover... this is the Wednesday morning after Super Duper Tuesday hangover! Though I would say that it is less of a hangover, and more of a bloggers buffet! There are so many stories to discuss, it is hard to know where to start.

We could discuss the Clinton Spin. How she won only 8 of 22 states up for grabs in the Democratic Campaign, though claimed that because she carried New York and California that she won the day! Let me put it this way, Hillary: You lost big time, yesterday! You lost Middle America in a HUGE way. And if you can't carry those states in the primary, you clearly have no chance of swinging those states from red to blue! And I want to mention the numbers: Where Obama won, he won by HUGE margins. Where Clinton won, she eeked out a victory over Obama. That is very telling that Clinton is in very serious trouble.

Next, we could discuss the Republican strategy. If Clinton is in as much trouble as we could imagine, the GOP strategy is in shambles. Dick Wadhams, Colorado State Party Chair for the GOP, has declared that his plan to retake the state is to make Hillary a monkey on the back of everyone running at the lower level on the ticket. But without Hillary at the top of the ticket, could the GOP be in trouble?

What about Obama's stirring speech, and the trouble it could bring for the GOP. A pundit said it best last night on CNN... "it is easy to beat a man, but near impossible to beat a movement". The very movement that is undoing the Clinton inevitability is a danger to the GOP.

It is necessary to discuss the tactics of the conservative talking heads. Out of one side of their mouth they decry the Huckabee campaign of dirty politicking with push polling, while at the same time, and to national audiences no less, they were using fear tactics of "a vote for Huckabee is a vote for McCain" while challenging callers on the national stage who where Huckabee supporters... They also went as far as to declare Huckabee's campaign an insurgency campaign, directly accusing anyone who supports Huckabee as being a terrorist! There is not an American, or human for that matter, alive who does not make the following association: Insurgent = Terrorist. It's the war, stupid! Such actions are repulsive, and hypocritical.

What about discussing the news desk's reaction to the GOP race. Very strong statements like: Tonight’s biggest loser is clearly Romney; We were wrong, this is clearly a three man race; Is McCain the breakaway nominee for the GOP?

• Romney was a big loser yesterday. In every state that was actively challenged, he lost. He outspent, but was outvoted. This is sending shockwaves through the campaign, and through the pro-Romney pundits. Bill Bennett exclaimed this morning: Romney is the right guy, I don't know why America is not getting our message. Dr Bennett, perhaps it is the candidate, perhaps the message, perhaps even the tactics. The American people wholly rejected your talking points, and Romney suffered in this contest.
  
• I told you some time ago that this was a three man race. Huckabee is the true and consistent conservative on issues like 2nd amendment, life, marriage, and 10th amendment. There is something to be said for a consistent record... and Huckabee is a clear choice, not just a way to vote against Romney... it is a vote FOR these conservative principles. This is, and will continue to be a three man race to the finish.
  
• McCain is going to be hard to catch at this point. The best we can hope for now is a Howard Dean yell... There are some big contests coming up. Texas, where Huckabee had been strong until after SC. Perhaps yesterday can provide a Huckabounce to stop McCain in Texas. Washington state, which is a MCCain stronghold, may be up for grabs if other campaigns can spend some time and money there. McCain is not a lock for the GOP, but he is clearly and undeniably the front-runner.

Today is a great day for political junkies! There are headlines abound. What we need to look for is what stories the press go with, what spin they apply, and which candidates they are favoring or crutching. Stories are abound... like I said, a blogger's buffet!

My Caucus

We had expected 30 people to attend our precinct's caucus... 70 voting members arrived. This was a logistical nightmare, and an embarrassment as a party officer.

Our saving grace was the ability for the party leaders on sight to organize, move to a larger space, and conduct the meeting in an ordorly fashion. The GOP did not make any friends in our area tonight.

The good news is that the Democrats in the area were also overwhelmed, and were equally unprepared for the large number of voters. So we are not alone.

My precinct voted 47 votes for Romney, 12 for McCain, 10 for Huckabee, 1 for Tancredo.

I was able to have a voter take pictures, which he will be sending my way, and I will gladly share.

It was a motivated base of Republicans at it's finest! The party may be looking for common ground, but the democratic process, and the will of the people, is strong!

Hi-Ho: Off to caucus I go...

I am off to caucus where I will be casting a vote in the Colorado Presidential Straw Poll for Mike Huckabee, proudly might I add!

I will be providing some more insight and opinion upon my return.

As I am leaving, Georgia is reporting 2% in their primary, and McCain and Huckabee are pulling away from the pack. 9 more states will begin reporting votes in moments, and I will be able to discuss all the results when I return tonight!

Happy voting! Happy Super Tuesday!

Sour Grapes

Romney supporters across America, and especially on FoxNews and Talk radio, are blowing West Virginia WAY out of proportion.

Looking at the numbers, McCain and Paul had 334 votes between them. With Paul out of the race, that left 118 voters up for grabs. McCain's 176 votes were in jeopardy as a potential third round would likely count him out altogether.

Huckabee gained 192 votes. That means that some Ron Paul supporters also came to Mike Huckabee.

Romney gained 57 votes. Suppose for a moment that some of those votes came from McCain supporters... That is most likely.

73 voters walked out of the convention, opting not to vote more than once.

In the West Virginia convention process, we all need to understand that a non viable candidate, like McCain and Paul in the first vote, will require that their delegates have a legitimate second choice. Their motivation to vote should not be called into question. That is called poor sportsmanship. That is being nothing more than a sour grape!

Romney gained votes on the second choice, but Huckabee gained more. It may be that some delegates were undecided as to their second choice, and were instructed that they should support Huckabee. That is the process in this type of venue.

To quote Romney himself: Quit Whining!

A loss is a loss, and that is what Romney took in West Virginia. Learn to lose with dignity, learn to lose with grace. Stop being sour grapes!

States Won: Super Tuesday - updated

Huckabee wins West Virginia!

CNN Reports that the second round of delegate counting is 100% complete:

Huckabee: 567 - 52%
Romney: 521 - 47%
McCain: 12 - 1%
Giuliani: 0 - 0%
Paul: 0 - 0%

Mike Huckabee takes first blood on Super Tuesday, and picks up 18 delegates from the state of West Virginia.

West Virginia Results - Thoughts - 2nd Round of Counting

Huckabee had a strong performance in West Virginia, but Romney faired better at the convention's first round count:

Romney: 464 - 41%
Huckabee: 375 - 33%
McCain: 176 - 16%
Paul: 118 - 10%

89 Delegates seperated Huckabee and Romney.

I have edited this post, because I was not previously aware that a candidate must win more than 50% of the delegates to win the state. Therefore, there is a second round of counting taking place, and a shuffle of delegates. There are promises and favors being flung this way and that at the convention as Huckabee and Romney delegates attempt to win the Ron Paul support and the John McCain support. McCain is still included in the second round, but because Paul was seen as non viable, his delegates must vote for one of the other three.

For starters, I feel like an idiot. I was unaware of the majority rule. I was starting to look at the state as a Huckabee loss.

The big question I must now pose is if the state recounts come in too late, will the winner of the early vote state get any sort of bounce?

Super Tuesday Predictions - updated with results

My Super Tuesday state count prediction is as follows:

REPUBLICANS:
Huckabee: +7 states: AL, AR, GA, MO, ND, TN, WV
McCain: +9 states: AZ, CA, CT, DE, IL, MN, NJ, NY, OK
Romney: +4 states: CO, MA, MT, UT
Paul: +1 state: AK

DEMOCRATS:
Clinton: + 11 states: AL, AZ, AR, DE, MA, MN, NJ, NY, ND, OK, TN,
Obama: + 11 states: AK, CA, CO, CT, GA, ID, IL, KS, MO, NM, UT

UPDATE: RESULTS
Romney has just won the WV Convention: Romney 41%, Huckabee 33%, McCain 16%, Paul 10% - Apparently, this was first round of voting results. To get the 18 delegates and the state, a candidate must get more than 50% of the votes. This contest is still open!
-Mike Huckabee wins in WV with 52% over Romney's 47% and McCain's 1%
-Obama is projected early winner in GA

Candidate Results are as follows: (state I called incorrectly in red)

REPUBLICANS:
Huckabee: +5 states: AL, AR, GA, TN, WV
McCain: +9 states: AZ, CA, CT, DE, IL, MO, NY, NJ, OK
Romney: +7 states: AK, CO, MN, ND, UT, MT, MA
Paul:

DEMOCRATS:
Clinton:+8 states: AR, AZ, CA, MA, NJ, NY, OK, TN
Obama: +14 states: AK, AL, CO, CT, DE, GA, ID, IL, KS, MN, MO, ND, NM, UT,

Thoughts on West Virginia Speeches

West Virginia is clearly a Huckabee / Romney state. The speeches were great, the crowd was pumped up... and now the delegates vote for this winner take 18 state.

I predict that Huckabee will win. He had the advantage of speaking last, jazzing the crowd, and speaking to the hearts of the delegates. That being said, Romney supporters had to sit through the lack-lustered McCain presentation by McCain's surrogate. The fact that Huckabee had the chance to wake this crowd up may pay big dividends!

WV gives out 30 delegates, but only 18 are being pledged today by the convention. Nine more are being handed out based on the Primary results in May... and three stay unpledged and belong to the state party... perhaps for bargaining tools.

The results should be out before 12:30 ET. That is one hour away... breath is officially being held!

Desperation in Romney Push Pre-Super Tuesday

Driving home through a mini blizzard, I decided that the best way to focus would be to listen to the AM radio, where Hugh Hewitt was having one of his Romney days.

One thing was said time and again from the ever full-of-himself Hugh, and it really upset me.

He claimed that a vote for Huckabee is a wasted vote, because "He doesn't stand a chance of winning anyway"

And he went on to take calls from McCain, Romney, and Huckabee supporters from Super Tuesday states, asking them why they support their candidate. Of course, every time a Huckabee voter was on the line, Hugh said: You know that you are throwing your vote away, and ensuring a McCain victory... Time and again, caller after caller.

HOW IS THIS ANY WORSE THAN PUSH POLLS?

FOR SHAME! Shame on Hugh, Shame on Romney's campaign for not calling in and asking him to stop, and shame on anyone who complained about groups push polling for Huckabee but who are going to remain silent in their hypocrisy! FOR SHAME!

Let me explain one thing: A vote is something very sacred, very meaningful, and should require knowledge and courage.

A vote is NEVER thrown away, if you are voting in good conscience, and are casting your ballot for what you believe!

A vote, especially in the primary process, is a vote for what you truly want on the party platform. It is a vote for the direction of the country, the direction of the party, and the candidate that you feel best represents YOUR VALUES.

You should not be scared or pushed into voting for another candidate out of fear that another might win. I will come straight out and say it... If Mitt Romney was as good as Hugh and all the pundits claim him to be, HE WOULD HAVE ALREADY TAKEN THOSE VOTES FROM HUCKABEE!

And for Mitt Romney to claim that Huckabee should drop out, and that Huck's voters belong to him... FOR SHAME on Romney to assume that he knows more about how someone who supports Huckabee should vote than they do!

This is a last ditch, desperate attempt to drive Romney's numbers up. Yet one more sleazy reason why I could never back that kind of character! Politics as usual does not cut it for me. I need a candidate with true compassion, true conscience, true understanding, and the ability to reason.

Super Bowl, Super Tuesday

Coming from Seattle, I have been trained to have a natural disdain for anything coming out of New York. However, like any reasonably stable individual, I understand that there are times when one should support a team, despite their New York status.

Add to it that I just LOVE an underdog, and I will have to admit that I was pulling for the New York Giants to upset the Pats. Let's just say that it was a very vocal and entertaining Super Bowl party at my house yesterday! What an historic game, and a very dissapointing showing from the team that was crowned the victor before the show even began.

Which leads me into Super Tuesday. Granted, the house parties will be few and far between... but I am hoping for the results to be the same.

I am invoking the name of the Underdog... who's spirit is alive and well in the wake of the Giant's upset of the Pats.
When it comes down to selecting a candidate, electiblity comes with support... it is the message that matters! Anyone is electible, if they can overcome their hurdles... what is important is the consistency of the message.

This will be the big show for both the Dems and the Republicans... and where the Democrats once lauded the GOP for such a contested race with no clear front-runner, they find themselves up to their ears in the same mud!

Who will play the role of the phoenix? Who will rise from the ashes of Super Tuesday and claim victory? Will it be Obama over Hillary? Will it be Huckabee over McCain and Romney?

The first contest is in West Virginia, whos convention concludes at 12:30 ET tomorrow. According to this WSJ site, the West Virginia contest is still wide open between all three candidates. The way West Virginia is voting is a convention, where the candidates are granted 20 minutes each... if they decide to show up. They can use that 20 minutes to woo the delegates, and go for a first round win early in the day. Romney and Huckabee are leading the state, but most delegates are uncommitted. Any candidate who shows up, especially if uncontested, will likely win the convention.

The next state to close is Georgia. Huckabee must win in this state. Georgia is a pulse on how the other Huckabee sympathetic states may vote. Since Iowa, Huckabee has failed to win any states. South Carolina was a bad blow to his momentum, and since then his supporters have been looking for a sign that his campaign has not been critically wounded. Polling shows Huckabee up in Georgia, Tennessee, and Arkansas... though his lead has eroded away since SC and Florida. Huckabee needs to make headlines today if he plans to win tomorrow!

Mitt Romney is also battling the McCain monster across the US. In my previous post, I did not predict a strong showing for Romney... But Romney has some momentum, coming out of a Maine win... (yeah, Maine voted this last weekend... who knew?)... Romney's struggle is for the top of the ticket. I have said it a number of times, Romney has made no friends in the field of candidates... should he come out behind with delegates, he may as well throw in the towel, because he can't and won't get the VP nod.

McCain has the momentum, but it may be a little too sugar coated for a lot of voters. They still remember 2000, and then the bills that he led since then. Folks are heistant to support McCain because he truly is a Republican Maverick. Can a maverick lead the party, or levaae it in disarray?

And then there is Ron Paul. I had originally counted him out of all the state contests, but he is rising in the polls as an alternate to the three that are above him. He stands a decent chance to show strength in an independent state like Alaska... I originally was calling this state for the Independent minded McCain, but Paul is the only candidate with a campaign office in the state, and any real organization on the ground. Could Ron Paul pick up Alaska?

Of course, as I said, today is the day for the candidates to make some headlines. Press conferences are nice, but resounding policy speeches are better! Now is the time to be blunt, be presidential, and hope that you can pick up those undecided voters!

Super Tuesday is a Three Man Race

Pundits say what they will, but Super Tuesday is a Three Man Race... and as such, the GOP race is as well.

John McCain picked up the endorsement of Rudy Giuliani, Fred Supporters have moved into one of the other camps, or undecideds, and the race is marching on.

John McCain surely has all the momentum going into Super Tuesday... but to call the race over is very much a jump of the gun. Not even 10% of all the delegates have been allocated, yet everyone wants to throw in the towels.

To look at who could come out on top, we need to look at the next contest. As the contest is spread out over 21 states for the GOP, it is clear that the campaign with the most money can advertise in the most locations... and that is Mitt. Unfortunately, Mitt's coffers are about as dry as the other campaigns, so each candidate is focussing on states that they need to try and win.

If all three candidates (Huckabee, McCain, Romney) come out with equal states, regardless of delegates, then Super Tuesday is a wash. If one candidate can claim victory by overwhelmingly winning the majority of the states (not just delegates), then the balance of power may shift.

Remember, these three candidates ALL look great going into Super Tuesday... They are all hovering around 20% nationally, and all seem to have a few states locked in Super Tuesday... but the close races will make or break some campaigns!

Let's take a look at the states, the challengers in those states, and the expected outcome.

Alabama (primary)- 48 delegates: Huckabee v McCain
Neither candidate is campaigning hard in this state, but Huckabee has the advantage as a Southern Governor. If Rudy's 9% jump to McCain, McCain wins the state. If Romney supporters see McCain winning the state as a bad thing, they may decide to support Huckabee as a blow to the McCain campaign. Romney holds a distant third in the state with no hope of winning. I give this state to Huckabee.

Alaska (caucus)- 29 delegates: McCain v Romney v Huckabee v Paul
This state has conducted no polling that is on record. It is a tough state to call, as it is a truly independent minded state... so much so that as recently as 1990 it elected a governor from a third party: The Alaskan Independence Party... not Independant, but independence... The party pushing for secession from the Union... like I said, a tough state to call! But I give it to McCain.

Arizona (straw poll)- 53 delegates WTA: McCain (solid)
Enough said. This is McCain country!

Arkansas (primary)- 34 delegates: Huckabee(solid)
Again, enough said. Huck holds a commanding lead on his home court!

California (primary)- 173 delegates: McCain v Romney
McCain holds the advantage going into Super Tuesday, as the Governator and Rudy both endorsed him. Good news for Romeny (projected 2nd place) and Huckabee (projected 3rd) is that California is no longer a WTA state. It is a WTA by district, which means that Romney and Huckabee can both pick up some delegates... Emphasis on "can"... Huckabee does not have the funding to campaign in this state, nor the momentum to make up a 15% deficit.

Colorado (caucus)- 46 delegates: Romney v McCain v Huckabee v Paul
This is a red state turning blue... but independents and democrats would have had to have registered as Republicans at the beginning of December if they intended to participate in caucus. Romney holds a strong lead, and will likely win. Though, word on the ground is that Ron Paul has very strong grass roots in this state, and could come out big in the straw poll. This is a state that is tough to call, though I see Romney and Paul doing well here. That being said, Romney wins CO.

Connecticut (primary)- 30 delegates WTA: McCain (solid)
McCain has risen to leads of around 20%. This is his state. Winner takes all.

Delaware (primary)- 18 delegates WTA: McCain v Romney
Huckabee is not a contender in this New England state. This was a sure Rudy win, but now the state is up for grabs. Much of the state is still undecided, but I see McCain coming out ahead.

Georgia (primary)- 72 delegates: Huckabee v McCain
This is not a WTA state, but Huckabee seems to be getting all the votes. McCain has made strides in the state after South Carolina and Florida, but Huckabee looks good in Georgia. The delegates could split between them, but I see Huckabee winning the state and taking home these Georgia delegates.

Illinois (straw poll)- 70 delegates: McCain v Huckabee v Romney v Paul
Ron Paul has polled well in this state, though he will do nothing more than play a spoiler. To whom? That is left to be seen. With Rudy out, McCain will do well in this state. I see Huckabee finishing a strong second, with Romney close behind at third. This is a tight state that has fluctuated in the polls based on who is leading the national polling. I see it as McCain, Huckabee, Romney - in that order.

Massachusetts (primary)- 43 delegates: Romney v McCain
This is a New England blood match. Romney will come out on top, but he has not been as strong in his home state as Huckabee and McCain have been in theirs. This is very telling. This is a two man race in MA. The winner, Romney.

Minnesota (caucus)- 41 delegates: McCain v Huckabee
This state is a McCain strong hold. They usually are more liberal voters, and McCain appeals to their needs. McCain will win this state, with Huckabee finishing a strong second.

Missouri (primary)- 58 delegates WTA: Huckabee v Romney v McCain
Huck and Mitt both have this state in their must win bags. McCain is strong because of his recent big wins, but the state may be more inclined to follow Huckabee. I see Huckabee and McCain battling it out for the win in this state, with Romney taking third. For now, I give the state to Huckabee.

Montana (caucus)- 25 delegates WTA: Huckabee v Romney v Paul v McCain
This has not been a widely disputed state. The voters tend to be both strongly conservative and independent. Huckabee and Romney should do well in this state. Huckabee may win.

New Jersey (primary)- 52 delegates WTA: McCain v Romney
With Rudy out, McCain will win this state. Winner take's all, so Romney should spend his money elsewhere.

New York (primary)- 101 delegates WTA: McCain v Romney
The state that Rudy could not win, yet it was his home turf. Another WTA state, Romney is going to finish at least 15% back. Again, that is money better spent elsewhere.

North Dakota (caucus)- 26 delegates WTA: Huckabee v Romney v McCain
As another WTA state, Romney and McCain should seek delegates elsewhere. This is Huckabee country.

Oklahoma (primary)- 41 delegates: Huckabee v McCain
These delegates will be split between Huckabee and McCain. I predict a Huckabee win, as he has held up well against McCain despite the momentum of the Mac. Huckabee wins Oklahoma.

Tennessee (primary)- 55 delegates: McCain v Huckabee
Since Fred left this state wide open, Huckabee and McCain have both polled very well amongst voters. McCain will likely win, but not by much. I call this state a virtual tie between the top two contenders.

Utah (primary)- 36 delegates WTA: Romney (solid)
If there was any doubt here, the doubter was in trouble. Romney will take all the Utah delegates.
West Virginia (convention)- 30 delegates WTA: Huckabee v McCain
McCain will likely win this state, as it liked Rudy early on. Huckabee will do well, though he won't likely spend any money here... Romeny will finish third. Unfortunately for Huckabee and Romney, this is a winner take's all state.

My Super Tuesday state count is as follows:
Huckabee: +7 states: AL, AR, GA, MO, MT, ND, OK
McCain: +11 states: AK, AZ, CA, CT, DE, IL, MN, NJ, NY, TN, WV
Romney: +3 states: CO, MA, UT
Paul: +0 states:

There are surely some close races, but this is definately a three contender race! After Super Tuesday, Virginia and Maryland vote on Feb 12th. Both states look good for McCain. A week later Washington and Wisconsin will vote, which will go to McCain and Huckabee respectively (if ST goes the way I predicted). Then comes March 4th, with Texas, Vermont, and Rhode Island. Huckabee and McCain are battling it out for Texas. Huckabee has led Texas for some time, and will likely win if all goes as above. This is a huge state for Huckabee. Vermont and RI are are McCain wins, hands down.

The way that I see it, where Romney and McCain face off, Romney is not doing so well. Romney has a solid base in his home states, but I cannot see him making up in the polls in all of those states. There are many where he is not even close.

The Convention could still be brokered, even though McCain will go in ahead. Should Romney drop after a poor Super Tuesday showing, it will be McCain and Huckabee, and the ticket will likely be set-up in that order. Should Romney upset McCain in a shocking reversal of fortune on Super Tuesday, The convention will be very close, but brokered nonetheless. Should McCain go in ahead, I do not see him picking Romney as a running mate. The only hope for Romney is a full out win.