Now there are five men running for the Republican nomination. By this time next week we could be down to four. John Huntsman could be the next to go, despite a big newspaper endorsement from the Boston Globe aimed at boosting his support in the Granite State.
We could see some nastiness in the days ahead. Newt Gingrich will calmly look into the cameras and say it is necessary for the good of the country. If he says it with a straight enough face, he may not come off mean-spirited. Question is, will it sway enough support from Mitt Romney to make any ultimate difference.
Rick Perry is looking beyond New Hampshire to South Carolina. He could limp into the Palmetto State hoping for a boost.
Ron Paul? Look for him to remain the choice of mischief voters. He will continue to glean support from those who find the whole game of presidential politics amusing.
And Rick Santorum? It is a big country. Can his pandering to the conservative wing of the Republican Party be calm enough to woo a consensus? Iowa is over and now he has to pull some numbers in real primaries.
Early primaries can be fun to watch.
On a side note: Getting on the ballot is as grassroots as political gets. While some may hire canvassers to collect signatures for ballot initiatives, should anybody really hire people to gather 10,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot in Virginia or anywhere else?
You set up an organization, you inspire volunteers and you work the streets. Money can't buy happiness. And in the Commonwealth of Virginia it apparently can't buy enough valid petition signatures. Hiring lawyers to try and override ta 100 year-old process is not going to sit well with some of Virginia's Republican Party Faithful.
I've been saying that it is important to hear what the other side believes, so, on the way home, I have started tuning in for about 15 minutes of conservative talk radio. Gotta see what the angry white male are ranting about tonight. Get to know the opposition well enough and the surprise just won't matter.
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