Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are each airing factually-challenged commercials accusing the other of being insufficiently "pro-life." In truth, neither one of them has a track record for condoning abortions, though Romney was once pro-choice and then converted.
The thing that bothers me about this is that I don't think either one of these guys particularly cares about the issue except that if you want Republicans to vote for you, you have to say these things. The premise is that the social conservatives of the party elect you to eliminate abortions…then you do just enough in that area to keep them happy and use most of the clout they've given you to try and eliminate the capital gains tax or the inheritance tax or any regulation that gets in the way of rich folks getting richer.
This is the reason a Rick Santorum or a Michele Bachmann couldn't possibly win the nomination. The party is controlled by the Newt/Mitt kind, the ones who wouldn't object to banning abortion or gay marriage…but they sure don't want a candidate who'd place those goals above union-busting or protecting CEO salaries. And of course, they won't let Ron Paul get the nomination because he doesn't seem eager enough to bomb other countries.
It's odd how we're now hearing talk about how Romney just about has the nomination sewn up. Not that long ago, we were hearing that this was going to be a battle that might rage on until just before the convention which is at the end of August. We've had one caucus and one primary and in neither one was the winner unexpected…but suddenly, Mitt's about to rake in all the chips.
Barring some stunning scandal or some really, really stupid gaffes, I think Romney will be the nominee. But I also don't think the losers in this contest are going to sit there for seven months and accept that. It used to be that folks who lost would quote the eminent man of aphorisms, Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra and say, "It ain't over 'til it's over," then fight on. These says, it's more like "It ain't over 'til it's over and it ain't even over then." Besides, we still have the campaign to get Romney to pick a running mate who'll make Sarah Palin look like a Commie wimp.