Just a little food for thought.

According to a CBS/NYT poll most Republican voters (57%) want more choices for the ‘08 primary.  By my count there are eleven different Republicans (twelve if you now want to include Thompson) already running and still conservatives/Republicans can’t find what they are looking for in a president.  I think once Thompson decides that he could really win this thing then it will all be over, but if more proof were needed for a Thompson run then I can’t think of a more convincing argument.

Polls can say anything you want them to say and I take each one I read with a grain of salt.  That being said, I liked the results of this poll just fine.

That lines up fairly closely with other reliable studies of Americans’ political views.  The only caveat is, that there is a subset of Democrats that likes to refer to themselves as conservative, if only to make themselves feel better.  This small group wouldn’t move the results of the poll much, but it is worth noting.  So is the fact that they polled 47/43 Democrat/Republican and 65% of all respondents disliked the job that Bush was doing.

Who wants to tell me that a conservative Republican can’t get elected in ‘08?  Dream on, we are the majority pal.

Dick Morris made a regular appearance on Hannity & Colmes this evening and made the following points:

1. Conservatives are rallying around Giuliani because they realize they have to moderate their party in order to keep the Presidency.

2. Giuliani is the only candidate that can beat Hillary Clinton.

3. Conservatives have no true candidate to choose from.  McCain is fading.  Romney’s flip-flopping will tank him.  Gingrich’s candidacy is up in the air.  Fred Thompson won’t take, if he decides to run.

4. Ultimately, the nominees will be Hillary for the Democrats and Giuliani for the Republicans.

5. Hillary will end up picking Obama as her running mate and Giuliani should go with Condoleeza Rice.

I think Morris is totally wrong about number one.  The GOP clearly lost Congress because they weren’t being conservative, not because they had to be more moderate.  Also, I think conservatives are rallying around Giuliani because he is viewed as a sure thing and they don’t want to risk a Hillary presidency.

Point number two, I think Morris is wrong that Rudy is the only one who can beat Hillary.  Nothing will rally the Republican base more than the thought of another eight years of a Clinton White House.

Point three I think is accurate and I think there is a good chance he could be right about point four also.  If he is right about the who nominees will be, then point five is an interesting prediction.

The website, www.MassRepublicansforTruth.com which is still under construction, promises “The Romney Report” will assess Romney’s performance as governor in several key areas. “Perhaps the answers to these important questions are a secret in some parts of the country, but they certainly are NOT to the Republicans in his ‘home’ State of Massachusetts,” the site says.

It is not the first 527 group to make headlines in Massachusetts. The Patriot Majority Fund, fueled by union and Democratic cash, launched attack ads on former Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey during last year’s governor’s race.

Romney has lost the support of several Massachusetts conservatives, including state Rep. Paul Loscocco (R-Holliston) and former Massachusetts GOP chairwoman Jean Inman.

Romney aides have dismissed criticism from the hometown crowd, saying his message is resonating with voters nationwide.

“It’s a matter of trust,” Robichaud said yesterday. “When somebody changes their position on so many different issues - taxes, minimum wage, abortion, gay marriage, gay rights - you’ve got to start to wonder, where are his core beliefs?”

“If you don’t have any core beliefs, you shouldn’t be president of the United States,” she said.

Boston Herald

I honestly don’t believe that Romney is going to be able to escape the “flip-flop” stigma and in the long run I think this is going to sink his candidacy.

The establishment, of course, is threatening to pull no punches to prevent that from happening.

March 11, 2007– The Greater Boston Young Republicans today condemned the newly formed web-based “Massachusetts Republicans for Truth” group and called on its� founders to stop their negative campaign.

“We condemn the actions of the “Massachusetts Republicans for Truth” organization and call on its’ founders to end their divisive and negative tactics,” said Ashley Maagero, the group’s spokeswoman. “To ensure victory in 2008, it is critical that we maintain civility and foster an environment of constructive, open dialogue throughout our primary season.”

The Greater Boston Young Republicans also called on the campaigns of Sen. John McCain and Mayor Rudy Giuliani to decry the actions of this group immediately and pledge to run a campaign based on the issues.

“It is unfortunate that members of our own party have decided to use a 527 to attack fellow Republicans, instead of bringing out the truth about the real opposition—Hillary and Obama,” said Maagero. “As a party, we need focus on ensuring that our candidates are clearly articulating their positive vision for America rather than drowning in past and personal politics.”

The GBYRs also called on MassGOP Chairman Peter Torkildsen to investigate fully the use of this group’s use of the word “Republican” without a charter. If this group is found to be in violation, they should be ordered to immediately cease and desist. If they refuse, the matter should be referred to the Attorney General for violation of M.G.L. c. 56, sec. 40, as called for in the Bylaws of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee.

Greater Boston Young Republicans

I was very disappointed to see that Michael Steele joined Sen. Danforth and Gov. Whitman in forming a new organization for ‘fiscally conservative’ (read: loves pork, big gov’t, and taxes) and ’socially inclusive’ (read: we don’t like evangelicals)

 Meet the misguided folks here.

It’s so sad because they don’t even realize how irrelevant they really are. If what they cared about was fiscal conservatism then they’d be backing the club, which doesn’t take a position on social issues.

Sen. Chuck Hagel is making an announcement this morning about his political future amid speculation he may run for president.

The Nebraska Republican said in 2004 that he may make a White House run.

Associated Press

I wouldn’t support Hagel for dog catcher. We should be able to do a lot better than him in a state like Nebraska.

This is an annual event coming up next month, which unfortunately I have never gotten the time to attend, but from what I hear is excellent. I get the impression it is like a smaller version of CPAC, but for Pennsylvania conservatives. Being that I am moving out of the state at the end of next month, if I don’t make it there this year it is unlikely that I’ll get there in the future.

Laura Ingraham, one of the most widely recognized, and widely heard political and cultural analysts in America, will be this year’s featured speaker. Laura will speak at the conference’s Liberty Banquet on Friday, April 20, 2007 along with former Congressman Pat Toomey who is now president of the National Club for Growth. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich is also expected to speak during the two-day conference.

PA Leadership Conference