Because I Said So…

Presidential candidate Alan Keyes might be leaving the GOP.  In a conference call with supporters last week, Keyes apparently said staying in the Republican Party would be “an occasion of sin” and he is ready to bolt.

Keyes really dislikes John McCain, in addition to every other candidate, so the Bizzaro World Obama wants no part in selecting the “type of deodorant we need to make a stinking candidate acceptable to conservatives.” A Keyes supporter who took part in the conference call confirmed to Radar that the former Reagan administration official said, “he could no longer remain in the Republican Party.”

But never fear.  The Keyes campaign will not die.  He hinted in January that he might go for a third party bid and an e-mail sent out by the campaign after the call includes a link for supporters who “want to vote for Alan as your 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice on the Constitution Party presidential poll.”

A Keyes message board commenter who claims to have been on the conference call last night said regarding the possibility of a Constitution Party run that, “Alan asked us to pray about it. That’s what he is doing as he is considering these things. He did not say he’s definately [sic] going to do it, but from the tone of things I am going to say it’s very likely.”

Lucky for Keyes, I have the Pope on speed dial.  Well, actually that’s Chili’s, but while I’m waiting for the Pope to get back to me I can put in an order for an Awesome Blossom.  I can’t say it enough:  God bless America.

Looks like Ron Paul’s presidential campaign is ending now that the GOP has spoken and wants 100-year-war McCain as its leader.  To continue beyond this point would be ludicrous, and we all know Paul has run a sensible campaign until this point.

Jesse Benton, Paul campaign’s communication manager, said Friday that the Texas congressman is ending his run for the White House:  “We are acknowledging that Ron will not be the nominee and that we are winding down the campaign.”   

Paul already hinted the end was near in a video to supporters posted on YouTube on Thursday:

Oh, Paul.  Though you will never be the U.S. president–unless it blew up and you were sole survivor and even then you’d have some competition with Michael Jackson’s former pet Ben–you will always be the president of our Internets.  The obscure politician with fringe politics used the Web to raise a staggering $30 million dollars.  At one point, Ron Paul’s YouTube videos accounted for five of the top 10 candidate videos, with the largest overall viewership of any candidate.  So, farewell Mr. Internet.  Hail, to the chief. 

Chris Dodd endorsed Barack Obama’s candidacy Tuesday.  The Connecticut senator became the first former candidate in this year’s Democratic campaign to endorse a rival.  He urged Democrats to unify behind Obama and warned against bitter party-dividing attacks.

“It is now the time to come together as a Democratic party,” Dodd said at a morning press conference, adding a few moments later, “I don’t want a campaign that is only divisive here. And there is a danger of it becoming that.”

Now, you may be going, “Who the hell is Chris Dodd?  Is that the guy from ‘American Idol.’”  No, he’s not Daughtry.  In fact, if Dodd were as popular as the rocker he might have fared better in this campaign.  However, while the public may not care who Dodd is supp0rting, his opinion may pull some weight with the Democratic delegates.

[Dodd] has considerable potential influence within the party’s political establishment to make the case that other party leaders need to throw their weight behind Obama to bring the contest to a close. A 27-year veteran of the Senate and a leader of the party’s liberal wing, he came within one vote of becoming of the Senate Democratic Leader in 1994 and served as general chairman of the party during the mid-1990s.

Dodd may not be a dud afterall!  At least not to Obama’s camp.  Sen. Hillary Clinton on the other hand–not so happy.  Although Dodd deflected questions from reporters asking if he is suggesting Clinton withdraw from the race.  Instead he veiled his yes by slyly stating that Bill and Hill:

“have made significant contributions to our country,” Dodd said.. “And I believe very deeply and sincerely this morning that Hillary Clinton will continue to make a significant contribution to our nation in the years to come. But it is now the hour to come together.”

If only I could have listened in on the uncomfortable conversation between Dodd and Clinton Monday night when he told her he decided use his influence to Xerox some more delegate votes for Obama.  Aw…kward.

While Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama duke it out for primary election wins in Ohio and Texas, one congressman who dropped out of the Democratic presidential race will be fighting for his seat on Capitol Hill.

Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) now faces a common problem: primary challenges built largely around the notion that his long-shot presidential bid and celebrity status have put him out of touch with voters back home.  He will be wetting himself until the reckoning election on March 4, when Ohio holds its primary.

Kucinich admitted his House seat was in trouble when he abandoned his presidential bid in late January according to the Wall Street Journal.  He told his hometown paper, “I want to continue to serve in Congress.”  Read:  This is the only way I can get back to The Hill, please don’t forget about me in the upcoming election.

So nervous is the Democratic House representative that Kucinich agreed to debate his four opponents– a rare concession for a safe incumbent. Check out his urgent appeal message here.

Reality has hit Ron Paul hard.  The Texas congressman basically admitted he’d never get the GOP nod.  I mean unless a house fell on John McCain and Mike Huckabee ran away with the Lollipop Gild.  Paul posted a letter on his website at 10:14 p.m. yesterday saying, now that Mitt Romney had dropped from the race he’d be scaling back his campaign. 

Apparently, Paul was banking on a brokered convention to propel him to the White House:

Let me tell you my thoughts. With Romney gone, the chances of a brokered convention are nearly zero. But that does not affect my determination to fight on, in every caucus and primary remaining, and at the convention for our ideas, with just as many delegates as I can get. But with so many primaries and caucuses now over, we do not now need so big a national campaign staff, and so I am making it leaner and tighter. “

  Never fear though, Paul won’t abandon the GOP and try for a third-party bid because he is “committed to fighting for our ideas within the Republican party.”  Perhaps this change of heart has less to do with Paul actually having his hopes for the Republican bid for president dashed and more to do with him realizing he can losing his House seat if he doesn’t start campaigning to his constituency in Texas for the congressional primary:

I have constituents in my home district that I must serve. I cannot and will not let them down. And I have another battle I must face here as well. If I were to lose the primary for my congressional seat, all our opponents would react with glee, and pretend it was a rejection of our ideas. I cannot and will not let that happen.

Looks like Paul’s ruby red slippers are on the fritz so he is retreating to Texas (what is with all the Republican nominee rejects squatting in Texas?) to make sure he has a place on the Hill after all this hoopla.  Give ‘em hell on the inside is what I always say.  And what does Paul say?  “The neocons, the warmongers, the socialists, the advocates of inflation will be hearing much from you and me.”

Oh, Dr. Paul.  You had me at neocons.  Now what to do with all of your supporters?  We’ll just let them keep believing their $30 million didn’t go to waste.

Former Cleveland mayor Dennis Kucinich may have abandoned his White House bid on Friday, but he is not ready to stop campaigning.

The long-shot presidential candidate during a press conference said, “I’m directing my energies to being re-elected to the Congress of the United States.”

The Ohio congressman has now spent two of his past three congressional terms running for president, so he might feel heat from critics who feel he has not effectively served his constituency while chasing the Oval Office.

Kucinich has declined to rule out or confirm any future runs for president, but I know I will miss his under-supported campaign and his being ignored by the media and Democratic party.

In memorandum, here is a YouTube video that compares Kucinich’s efforts to those of aliens running for president in a season eight Halloween episode of “The Simpsons.”  Goodbye, Kucinich.  Your whirling without strings will be sorely missed.

Actor and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson dropped out of the Republican presidential contest Tuesday afternoon.  Duh.

The inevitable withdrawal comes after a late entrance into the crowded Republican presidential field.  Some considered his September jump into the ring too late. 

Still, Thompson continued his uphill struggle until a disappointing third place finish in the South Carolina primary on Saturday.  Since then, it has been a matter of when, not if, Thompson would announce his withdrawal.

Thompson chose to bow out quietly.  There were no media conferences or formal releases to the press.  Instead, the “Law & Order” alum opted to post a statement on his website:

“Today I have withdrawn my candidacy for President of the United States. I hope that my country and my party have benefited from our having made this effort. Jeri and I will always be grateful for the encouragement and friendship of so many wonderful people.”

 Arthur Branch fans might be mourning his early exit, but Mike Huckabee probably hasn’t been this happy since he lost all that weight.  Huckabee said “he expects Thompson’s withdrawal will boost his support among conservatives.”  Thompson and the former governor of Arkansas both competed for the same conservative voters. 

“Mr. Huckabee said Tuesday that he might have come in second in South Carolina precisely because Mr. Thompson had siphoned off much of his support, permitting Senator John McCain of Arizona to win.”

With more elbow room in the Republican presidential field Huckabee can afford to have a slice of pie before his next jog.

R.I.P. Thompson campaign:  September 2007-January 2008

Do you remember the season finale of “Law & Order” last year when Nicole Bailey, the ex-wife of a prominent former senator is found brutally murdered at home?  The senator cooperates with Detectives Ed Green and Nina Cassady,  but of course they question his innocence after finding the widower in a compromising position with another family member’s dead body.  A media frenzy insues after his indictment for both murders.

In the episode, District Attorney Arthur Branch, played by Fred Dalton Thompson, advises the prosecution in the high profile case.  Wait, is that the same Fred Thompson who is the fourth place Republican candidate in the presidential race?  The one and the same.   Thompson served as the fictional district attorney from 2002-2007.

I have a feeling Thompson may be reevaluating his decision not to renew his contract with the long-running series.  His poor showing at the South Carolina Republican primary Saturday has spurred talk that he might retire   from the race soon.  The former U.S. senator from Tennessee and Law & Order alumnus obtained only 16% of the vote behind John McCain and Mike Huckabee.  Traditionally the winner of South Carolina goes on to win the party’s nomination, but with the GOP not yet having a clear front-runner, Thompson might be sticking around for a couple more contests.  He is expected to say something definitive on Tuesday.

But Bruce Oppenheimer, a Vanderbilt University political science professor, said Thompson’s candidacy at this point was only to help McCain.  The two were close allies while they served in the Senate.  Others point to Thompsons defeated sounding speech after South Carolina as an indicator that the primary was the final curtain call for the former actor:

“My friends, we will always be bound by a close bond because we have traveled a very special road together for a very special purpose,” Thompson said.

Case closed?  Pundits are saying look for Thompson to say something more definitive Tuesday.