Florida in his rearview mirror

John McCain won the Florida primary yesterday by five points. It was the first closed primary, so the talk that McCain could only win when independents and crossover democrats could take part is now put to bed.

McCain is not the choice of many of the “establishment” Republicans, for example George Will and Rush Limbaugh. Swallow hard boys and take your medicine.

It looks like Rudy Giuliani will pull out of the race today and some reports say he will endorse McCain.

McCain was all but left for dead a few months ago – just a carcass along the political road to November 2008. McCain’s all the way back and Mitt Romney is in trouble. It is far from over, especially when Romney has a personal ATM. It all depends on how much Romney wants to spend to buy the nomination.

Also, Romney’s sons may have to “deploy” more often from their luxury hotels and serve their country a few more hours a day. Super Duper Tuesday is looking like a fun day.

Grow Up

Speaking of Super Duper Tuesday, the Montana GOP and Lt. Governor John Bohlinger are at odds again. Now the Montana GOP will not let Bohlinger vote in the Republican caucus on February 5, because the ticket in 2004 only listed the top of ticket’s party affiliation and that was a Democrat (Brian Schweitzer). Bohlinger is a Republican and served many years in the legislature as a Republican. On the Schweitzer/Bohlinger campaign website, Bohlinger is listed as a Republican. Note to Secretary of State: Maybe you should change the ballots as there will be more of this in the future.

Anyway, the GOP says Bohlinger can’t vote in the caucus as a state-wide elected official, and he did not sign up as a precinct person to vote either (neither did I).

Special Comment: It’s time for the Montana GOP to grow up just a little. This tune has been played over and over and it’s getting very old. You may win this little battle, but you are losing the public relations war…and voters. We know Bohlinger ticked many Republicans off when he signed on with Schweitzer, but it is time to get over it.

There seems to be a lack of experience and thought put into some of the statements coming out of your HQ and it’s time to unbutton the tent flaps just a hair, and embrace more moderate Republicans and recruit conservative Democrats to win elections.

Stimulate Me

The House passed the stimulus package yesterday 385-35. Seems as though when you get that many House members to agree on anything, it’s a wonderful day. The House bill will cost $161 billion. So, the bill goes to the Senate where Max Baucus gets to play. Baucus wants his own stimulus bill. Basically Baucus wants to give people less money, but spend more ($191 billion) and give rebates to rich people. Some have called Baucus’ ideas on this bill “absurd” and Harry Reid said, “it causes me to want to gag.” Heck, that’s just the senate Democrats! The House Democrats dislike his ideas even more.

(Psst – it’s his reelection year and what’s better than buying votes with taxpayer money?)

Something that has only been lightly reported is that all the illegals in this country who paid taxes will supposedly get the rebates, too. Is this a great country or what? And I thought Christmas was over.

Baucus was not invited to participate in the negotiations. That had to hurt his feelings. Now he’s making his fellow Democrats mad. If he would just suck it up and accept the fact that he’s not as powerful as his press releases contend, the Senate could be voting on the House bill today, and the checks would be in the mail faster. Then we could all be stimulated just a little sooner.