And Then There Were Seven ...
Saturday December 22, 2007
Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo officially dropped out of the Republican Presidential race Thursday (Dec. 20, 2007), according to this story at CNN.com, and now the field of GOP candidates is whittled down to seven.
As the first 2008 presidential primary on Jan. 3 has crept ever closer, it was only a matter of time before the campaign's dead weight began to drop off. Tancredo has run nearly (if not mostly) dead last in every poll since September, so it was a natural reaction to jump ship and try to save face before the official results come in. In what must have felt like an incredible betrayal to his benefactors, Tancredo admitted in his announcement that he was basically only running to "put illegal immigration on the national agenda." That he has done. Quoting Newsweek, Tancredo said, "The Tancredo campaign has already won." The same can almost certainly be said of his next run for Congress, unless cruel and ugly skeletons emerge from his political closet, and that seems unlikely. After all, there are very few vetting machines better than a run for US president.
Besides sparking the national debate on immigration, Tancredo has described himself "as a solid pro-life, pro-gun, small government Republican." Noting this, conservatives everywhere must be wondering why this otherwise conservative lawmaker would throw his support behind former Massachussetts Governor Mitt Romney. Romney has waffled on just about every issue except immigration reform. From abortion to gay marriage, his views have become more conservative the closer we get to Jan. 3. In all fairness, he has remained relatively consistent on the issue of gun-control, but this really shouldn't be seen as evidence of his conservative credentials. With the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party as its calling cards, Massachusetts is the state responsible for the Second Amendment.
Still, why would Tancredo back Romney? Others on the slate supported his immigration reform proposals. What's so special about Romney? According to CNN, Tancredo wants to back a winner, and he believes Romney can win it all.
Just last week, I warned conservatives about making moves like this. Conservatives shouldn't be picking candidates simply on the basis of who they think will win. That's one step away from the casino. Conservatives should be selecting candidates who genuinely reflect their values. Clearly Tancredo didn't get that message. So do we really want a decision-maker like this as our president anyway? I think not.
As the first 2008 presidential primary on Jan. 3 has crept ever closer, it was only a matter of time before the campaign's dead weight began to drop off. Tancredo has run nearly (if not mostly) dead last in every poll since September, so it was a natural reaction to jump ship and try to save face before the official results come in. In what must have felt like an incredible betrayal to his benefactors, Tancredo admitted in his announcement that he was basically only running to "put illegal immigration on the national agenda." That he has done. Quoting Newsweek, Tancredo said, "The Tancredo campaign has already won." The same can almost certainly be said of his next run for Congress, unless cruel and ugly skeletons emerge from his political closet, and that seems unlikely. After all, there are very few vetting machines better than a run for US president.
Besides sparking the national debate on immigration, Tancredo has described himself "as a solid pro-life, pro-gun, small government Republican." Noting this, conservatives everywhere must be wondering why this otherwise conservative lawmaker would throw his support behind former Massachussetts Governor Mitt Romney. Romney has waffled on just about every issue except immigration reform. From abortion to gay marriage, his views have become more conservative the closer we get to Jan. 3. In all fairness, he has remained relatively consistent on the issue of gun-control, but this really shouldn't be seen as evidence of his conservative credentials. With the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party as its calling cards, Massachusetts is the state responsible for the Second Amendment.
Still, why would Tancredo back Romney? Others on the slate supported his immigration reform proposals. What's so special about Romney? According to CNN, Tancredo wants to back a winner, and he believes Romney can win it all.
Just last week, I warned conservatives about making moves like this. Conservatives shouldn't be picking candidates simply on the basis of who they think will win. That's one step away from the casino. Conservatives should be selecting candidates who genuinely reflect their values. Clearly Tancredo didn't get that message. So do we really want a decision-maker like this as our president anyway? I think not.
More on Tom Tancredo and the 2008 Presidential Campaign:
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