A Message from DNC Secretary, Alice Germond

The Republican contenders are trying desperately to run away from Bush's failed record by evoking Ronald Reagan as much as possible. They can try all they like, but the fact is they all offer just a third Bush term.

John McCain:

The last thing the American people want is a third Bush term, but that's all they'll get with John McCain. He has been one of the staunchest supporters of the war in Iraq from the start and has even gone as far as to say he would keep our troops in Iraq for 100 years.

How will McCain mend fences with the Republican base who distrusts him? Exit polls show that he did not get the support of white evangelical/born-again Christians receiving only 28 percent of the evangelical vote to Huckabee and Romney's 31 percent each. [CNN Exit Polls]

Even conservative voices like Rush Limbaugh and Hugh Hewitt have said a McCain nomination "is going to destroy the Republican Party" and "has a legislative record [that] is anti-conservative." The one time "maverick" has been driving his Straight Talk Express in circles as he has done whatever it takes to stay in the GOP race.

Among the things McCain tried:
Changing his tune on comprehensive immigration reformo Hiring staff notorious for engaging in the very campaign practices McCain once denouncedo Cozying up to religious conservative leaders he once called 'agents of intolerance'o Though he pretends to have opposed the failed Bush-Rumsfeld Iraq strategy, John McCain has consistently been one of President Bush's most loyal defenders on the Iraq war.

McCain will have to explain his flip-flopping on a key issue: immigration. While McCain was once the leading proponent of the Kennedy-McCain comprehensive immigration reform bill, he has backed away from it in the face of opposition from conservative Republican activists.
Given his military background, John McCain should be disappointed with the lack of support among veterans in Florida. Exit polls show McCain received 42 percent of the vote from Floridians having served in the military, and Romney was close behind with 35 percent. [CNN Exit Polls]

Mike Huckabee:

Unable to muster a win since Iowa, Mike Huckabee's campaign continues to stumble along despite running low on cash and failing to attract a broad base of support. Mike Huckabee is basically a one-constituency candidate. He consistently does well among evangelical voters, but has no appeal beyond that narrow base. Exit polls show that among non-evangelical voters and caucus-goers, Huckabee won 4% in Florida, 14% in Iowa, 8% in Michigan, 3% in Nevada, 6% in New Hampshire, and 14% in South Carolina. [CNN Exit Polls, 1/29/08]

The fact that Huckabee continues to draw so many social conservatives shows that the GOP base is fractured--and shows how concerned they are with a potential John McCain nomination. Results show 15% of Floridians would rather vote for Huckabee than vote for John McCain.

Mitt Romney:

Mitt Romney keeps racking up silver medals, but this time he didn't come with any delegates. Romney's last hope is that the right wing of the party is so concerned about McCain, they'll hold their nose and pick Romney.

Romney's latest last ditch effort is to re-brand himself one more time-- this time as an "authentic conservative." But if Romney is hanging his hat on authenticity after all the damage his flip-flops have done to his credibility he's in deep trouble. Exit polls in every early state have shown that voters who want a candidate who believes what he says are rejecting Romney. He got just 7% of those voters in SC, 14% in Iowa, 15% in NH, 19% in Florida and 24% in Michigan.

Even Republicans are rejecting Romney's message that he can bring change to Washington or be a good steward of the economy. They see his job cutting record in business and his mismanagement of the Massachusetts economy as governor and know that Mitt Romney offers a third Bush term on the economy