Romney Clearly Loves America

Perhaps he was only putting a positive spin on a decision made for more pragmatic reasons, but this is a darn impressive way to leave the race. From February 7, 2008 CQPolitics:

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney suspended his campaign for president Thursday, clearing the main obstacle from Arizona Sen. John McCain ’s path to secure the Republican nomination.

Romney’s departure, announced in a speech to conservative activists in Washington, came two days after a poor showing on Super Tuesday left him badly trailing McCain. He told the Conservative Political Action Conference that continuing his campaign would hamper his party’s effort to oppose either New
York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton or Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in the November general election.

“If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win,” Romney said.

“This is not an easy decision for me. I hate to lose,” he added.

Romney noted disagreements on policy with McCain but indicated that McCain’s views on Iraq policy and the war against terrorism were far superior than those of the two Democratic candidate.

“If this were only about me, I’d go on. But it’s never been only about me,” Romney said. “I entered this race because I love America. And because I love America, in this time of war, I feel I have to now stand aside — for our party and for our country.

I had some misgivings about Romney's sudden conservativism--and I have more than misgivings about McCain's increasing liberalism--but Romney clearly sees that the War on Terror takes precedence over his own personal ambition. I applaud Romney for that.

Resources that might have been spent on getting Romney the nomination can now be at least partly diverted to a McCain victory in November--and to try and get back control of Congress.

I'm not happy about McCain. But as I have pointed out previously, there is a real risk that McCain might do the horrible things that Clinton and Obama promise to do. Those conservatives who think we are better off with a Democrat picking the next two, three, or four Supreme Court justices, as well as hundreds of appellate and district court judges, are kidding themselves. Those who are prepared to risk more 9/11 attacks by electing Barack Hussein Obama, and thus putting a Michael Moore approach to foreign policy in play, aren't just kidding themselves--they are endangering all of us.
At this point, let's start worrying about the vice presidency. McCain isn't young. I would be surprised if his health has not been compromised by the torture he suffered at the hands fo the North Vietnamese. President is a hard job, and he might very well not survive the first term.

Romney for VP?