More indications that Republicans are simply not excited about their candidates for President comes from South Carolina, where turnout and enthusiasm among Republican voters appears to be low. Who can blame them, when you've got people like this running? The bad weather doesn't help either, but if Republicans were excited about their candidates, something tells me they'd grab an umbrella and turn out anyway. Another good sign for Democrats this November, as long as we don't tear ourselves apart before then.
P.S. The New York Times Caucus blog adds, "Turnout is expected to be low, due to both the weather and Republican dissatisfaction with the field."
UPDATE: NBC confirms "Light voter turnout has been reported throughout most of the state." Results should start coming in after 7 PM and are available here.
UPDATE: It's 7:01 PM, polls are now closed in SC.
UPDATE 7:27 PM: According to exit polls, John McCain looks like he won both men (31%) and women (33%) voters. Unless there's another gender I'm missing here (ha), looks like the exit polls have McCain winning, followed by Huckabee, Romney and Thompson. MSNBC says it's "too close to call." Exit polls indicate Huckabee edged out McCain among "White Protestant" voters, but got crushed among "White Catholic" voters. This is definitely not a sign that Huckabee is extending his appeal beyond his evangelical base.
UPDATE 8:00 PM: With 6% of precincts reporting, it's McCain 34%, Huckabee 29%, Romney 16%, Thompson 14%, Paul 4%, Giuliani 3%.
UPDATE 8:06 PM: With 13% of precincts reporting it's McCain 34%, Huckabee 30%, Thompson 15% and Romney 15%.
UPDATE 8:15 PM: With 22% reporting, it's McCain 36%, Huckabee 28%, Thompson 15% and Romney 15%.
UPDATE 8:21 PM: Fred Thompson MAY be pulling out of the race. Or not. Who knows with this guy?
UPDATE 8:30 PM: With 33% reporting, it's McCain 35%, Huckabee 29%, Thompson 15%, Romney 15%.
UPDATE 8:38 PM: With 43% reporting, it's McCain 33%, Huckabee 30%, Thompson 16% and Romney 15%. Tight race between McCain and Huckabee.
UPDATE 8:50 PM: With 54% reporting, it's McCain 34%, Huckabee 29%, Thompson 16%, Romney 15%.
UPDATE 8:59 PM: Duncan Hunter announces he's dropping out of the race.
UPDATE 9:00 PM: With 66% reporting, it's McCain 34%, Huckabee 29%, Thompson 16%, Romney 15%. Looks like it might be stabilizing, but we'll see...
UPDATE 9:10 PM: With 75% reporting, it's McCain 34%, Huckabee 29%, Thompson 16%, Romney 15%. Sound familiar? Time to call this thing or what?
UPDATE 9:20 PM: With 82% reporting, it's McCain 33%, Huckabee 30%, Thompson 16%, Romney 15%. Can Huckabee catch McCain with just 18% of precincts remaining?
UPDATE 9:23 PM: AP projects McCain the winner of South Carolina. That's a sweet victory for McCain after what happened to him in SC in 2000.
The Mittster has more money -- it's a question of how much of his sons' inheritances he wants to throw away on a losing bet. I believe there are a number of winner take all primaries on 2/5 that may tell the story here, but Romney is playing a savvy game here.
Go Mitt! (a.k.a. I'm Dreaming of a Blue Landslide in November)
Though McCain may be more conservative than me, at least he'd be competent. That way, we'd be safe regardless of the turnout in November.
At least, that's how I feel.
Think about it.
But that McCain sold out for the past four years, kissing Bush's ass/ring (that sounds dirty; I mean his ass or his ring) to try and get good with the Bush backers. He's sold out on tax cuts for the wealthy at a time of increasing and structural debt, he's gone crazy with respect to military and foreign policy (helping to filibuster the Webb/Hagel dwell time amendment, my #1 boiling point of 2007), he sold out on torture, and, as Lowell points out, he'd really further the conservative cause re: judges. Throw in him singing "Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran", etc., and he's proven that he's become a joke and fraud of the highest order. Most importantly, he's as big a backer of this stupid war as anyone.
I no longer see any of that hint of competence or independence that used to attract me to him -- he sold out, party and partisanship over country and constitution. That utterly disqualifies him in my view. I will 100% vote for HRC, despite my utter disdain for Clintonism, generally, and their group of lackies, over McCain, no questions asked.
I understand your point, but I just think you're seeing things that aren't there.
[BTW, just to be clear -- based on the "age" questions that were bandied about lately, I'm not suggesting naivete on your part or 'superior wisdom' of being a whole decade older than you. Just sayin', McCain ain't who he used to be, if he ever even was...]
It rained there.
The upcountry( Greenville-spartansburg) had mixed snow and Ice most of the day. Thats Huckabees rea. Seems like G-d almighty dont want huckabee to be president.