Santorum Drops Out

Rick Santorum has suspended his presidential campaign, leaving Mitt Romney the sure Republican nominee. Sorry, Newt Gingrich, you never had a chance anyway.

But far more important than the GOP race now becoming the foregone conclusion which it really already was, in reality if not in actual fact, is the reason Santorum is dropping out. His young daughter Bella has been having health issues, and he wants to be able to see to them.

It is exactly that sort of fatherly compassion which has set him apart from Romney and Gingrich. Santorum is the kind of conservative who cares about the whole person, even in areas where some person would say his concerns are not part of their personal vision. It came out in his speeches and campaign appearances, and it resonated with right wing Republicans in ways which Gingrich's bravado and Romney's slickness did not. Gingrich may be one of us, but he's too brash and divisive. Romney is probably not one of us, appealing to conservative values only to win a nomination. But Rick Santorum was the real deal, not unlike the great Ronald Reagan. Conservatives saw and could relate to that.

The cynics will say that the decision was prompted by recent poll numbers suggesting Santorum was headed towards defeat in his home state of Pennsylvania, whose primary is upcoming. Let them say it. They are the kind of people you cannot influence anyway. As to the rest of us, we owe Mr. Santorum thanks for allowing us to believe that a real Republican could express conservative passionately and literately, and to see that there is still hope for American even today. Even though the election has now become between Obama and Obama lite.

Good luck and Godspeed for your family and your future, Senator.

Detroit Districts and the Michigan Primary

The first maps for the seven City Council districts which must now be set up in Detroit according to the City Charter revisions which were approved last November, have been released. Once everyone has had their say, they almost surely will not be the final map. But the real problems with Detroit will not be solved by political gerrymandering. They will be solved when the people elect good representatives. Draw all the lines you want, but remember, a rose by any other name...

Newt Gingrich has won South Carolina. Now we have had three Republican contests, and three Republican winners now that Rick Santorum has proven the actual winner of the Iowa Caucuses. We can now safely discount the Romney win in New Hampshire: it was in his backyard and everyone figured he'd win it anyway. We shouldn't put too much faith in Gingrich's win Saturday either. Sure, since 1980 the Republican who won South Carolina has been the eventual nominee, but that really doesn't mean anything. It as likely as not is just a statistical anomaly.

It is probably safe to count Ron Paul out. Yes, he could shock the GOP, but our money isn't on it. The occasional surprise notwithstanding, he'll poll his 10-15 percent and that's all he'll poll. But having said all that, where does this leave the Republican Party?

Apparently with a more wide open race than it anticipated. It may even be such that the Michigan Republican Primary, slated for February 28th, might actually be in play. The Michigan vote might matter. Farther down the line, there's even talk of the first real convention battle since Ford and Reagan in 1976.

It's all just talk right now, but still, the primary election season may be worth watching after all. Stay tuned.

The Latest from Iowa

Herman Cain is out of the race, and Newt Gingrich is moving up. Ron Paul finished second in the most recent Iowa Republican public opinion tally, while presumed man to beat Mitt Romney wound up third in the field. What does it all mean?

It means that you shouldn't put your money on someone named after a piece of baseball equipment.

Seriously, what does it mean? Really, especially when we are talking about something only two-ninths of the players use? Catchers and first basemen wear mitts; everyone else has a glove.

Okay, enough of the silly banter. Everyone knows that a glove has fingers while mitts have a spot for the thumb while everything else is extra padding.

Really, seriously now, what does it mean?

It means that Herman Cain had a message which resonated among the Republican field, yet he had too much baggage, fairly or unfairly, to continue his run. It also means that Ron Paul has followers who will go to the end of the Earth for him, but probably not enough for him to actually become the GOP standard bearer. It means that Newt Gingrich has been able to take advantage of his Johnny come lately status and has sprung to the top before Republicans, reporters, poll watchers, debate aficianados and plain old voters have had a chance to re-examine his views and his person. It means that Mitt Romney is still considered a player but folks are checking out other options while there seems to be time to do it.

And that's all it means. Nothing more, nothing less, nothing else until the actual Iowa caucus. Until then, we got nuthin' except a mitt.

First base or catcher?