Posted by
Jed Merrill, ConservativeRepublicans.com on Friday, February 08, 2008 12:57:10 AM
I'd like to take a moment to compare two men, one Governor Romney of Massachusetts, the other Governor Crist of Florida.
Not two weeks ago, Governor Crist sold out his State (Florida) and his Nation's economy in hopes of getting a cabinet position. That precise deal may or may not be the case, but he had to know his State was in trouble economically and that his friend John McCain was in no way qualified to save it. Crist saw a chance to be a kingmaker, and he took it, in hopes of reaping some reward. (Romney was up 6% over McCain in Florida, hours before the endorsement.)
Now, today, we see Governor Romney lay down his hard fought campaign, which despite its uphill nature would give him a decent shot at a brokered deal at the Convention later this year, had he continued.
Mitt was the one hope of Reagan conservatives, those who value social, economic, and national defense conservatism, and earned the passionate endorsements of Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, Bill O'Reilly, Paul Weyrich (National Right to Life), and silently, to some degree, the hope of James Dobson (Focus on the Family.)
As of last week, Mitt was favored to win Texas, and he had enough money coming in to move on to the Convention without spending another dime of his own money.
Why, then, did he make this sacrifice?
Because Mitt loves America. Because Mitt values victory in the war, meaning the success of the Republican Party over the anti-war Democrats first, more than the cause he poured $30 to $50 million of his own money and a year of his family's life into; a cause for which he has served his entire political career to date without pay, and for which his entire life since seeing his father run has in some way been about preparing for.
Were his advisors telling him to quit? Not in the least. Some cried when he made the announcement, and the conservatives gathered at CPAC, and me when I read about it the minute the first article hit the web, were shocked, stunned, even dismayed.
Does Mitt believe John McCain is the man to do the job?
I think if he did, Mitt would not have been running all this time. But he also recognized that conservatism is not a one man job. We can only bring change and remain a power for good when we unite, and in the name of both peace and unity (two virtues some have questioned his allegience to), and also in the spirit of conservatism, Mitt Romney passed on his mantle to none other than the not so conservative John McCain, who looked none too uncomfortable wearing the responsibility in his speech to the same audience not long after.
WIll other conservatives follow Mitt's example? Some of us. Not me, maybe, but I admire the heck out of Mitt for doing it. I gave my word that I would vote for Hillary if McCain won the nomination, and it looks like I will have to follow through. (If Obama doesn't kick her butt.) But I can support unity, if McCain picks the right VP and takes his job seriously.
I doubt McCain will, but let him prove me wrong.
The question now is if McCain will take his inspiration from those who sacrifice their State for power, like Crist, or those who sacrifice their power for their State, like Romney.
God bless Mitt Romney for his service and for his sacrifice, and I hope to hear more speeches and see more success from this great American in 2012!
Click
here to read the full text of the speech.
Jed Merrill
ConservativeRepublicans.com
http://www.conservativerepublicans.com/