Many have wondered about the state of the conservative movement leading up to today, Super Tuesday, February 5, 2008. The previous 24 hours gives us an answer.
Meltdown.
Yesterday afternoon, Rush Limbaugh argued that a President John McCain would not be any better on Iraq than a President Barack Obama or a President Hillary Clinton.
Last night, Bob Dole wrote a letter to Limbaugh defending the Arizona senator from criticism leveled at him by, among many others, Rush Limbaugh. "I believe our major candidates are mainstream conservatives and that our nominee will address our concerns by keeping taxes low, reducing corporate taxes, protecting and assisting the vulnerable, strengthening our traditional values, and above all, keeping America strong militarily, whatever the cost. ... Whoever wins the Republican nomination will need your enthusiastic support."
Early this morning, in an appearance on the Fox News Channel, Mitt Romney was asked about the letter. He said of Dole, the 1996 Republican nominee: "Well, it's probably the last person I would have wanted write a letter for me."
McCain immediately put out a statement noting that Dole is a war hero deserving of respect. His critics accused him of distorting Romney's words.
Several hours later, Romney offered a clarification, an odd thing to do for someone whose words needed distorting. He called Dole a "terrific guy."
Not long after that, Romney placed a phone call to Dole and said that he would "love" to have Dole's support. He added, according to Lisa Lerer at Politico.com: "I believe I was a contributor to his presidential campaign. ... If I wasn't, I should have been." He was.
In a matter of hours, then, Mitt Romney said that Bob Dole was the "last person" whose support he would want and also that he would "love" to have Bob Dole's support.
As I write this, normally clear-headed conservatives are claiming that this is not, in fact, a flip-flop.
Meltdown.
