Romney Waves "Buh-bye!"
The last chance for Republicans to break the "old, white Christian guy" streak of nominees is planning to "suspend" his campaign. Romney's announcement is expected this afternoon at some conferences for old white Christian guys.
Whether you think Romney was a flip-flopper, a true conversion case or just politically practical, his exit pretty much delivers the Republican nomination to McCain. His ability to cast himself as a conservative alternative to McCain was stymied by his position changes on abortion and Iraqi timetables, and probably a little evangelical fear of the Latter Day Saints. Not to mention his record as Massacusetts governor, which saddled him with burdensome achievements like making it the first state with universal healthcare and gay marriages. Why wasn't he running as a Democrat again?
Romney had won 290 delegates, compared to McCain's 714 and Huckabee's 180 (so guesses CNN).
Romney, drops out
I wonder if the stock market tumbles brought an end to his campaign faster than his desire to save his conservative brethren from the "global jihad"? Thank you for bowing out, Willard. You really made me uncomfortable.