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Newt was defiant in his speech last night. One thing I liked about it was that he struck tones of party unity AND drew bright lines of contrast with his GOP opponents. I'm glad that he wants to have the foreign-policy debate with Dr. Paul, even if I want Paul to win it. Newt has a reputation for being arrogant and prickly, and I doubt that will change. There is also his disturbing tendency to suck up to the liberal intelligentsia (see Global Warming, Ryan plan). But his virtues as an intellectual and a debater are of great value. It pleases me to think that if he were magnanimous and generous after this phase of contest, he'd be pleased to help the nominee (if not him) in debate preparation.
Here's the grist for whomever wants to get to the anti-statist right of Rick Santorum. I have tons of sympathies here, but I've decided that I will vote for a big government Christian technocrat over Obama. It strikes me as unlikely that despite their unwillingness to re-think American foreign policy--as Paul suggests--that these candidates will make it any worse. Not only did Obama make it worse on the very grounds upon which he secured my support, he was immeasurably worse on the issues I knew we already disagreed (like abortion). I was wrong. It's even possible that the avowed warmonger McCain would have been less bad on that point. I freely admit, I utterly dislike him. I always have. McCain has all the willingness to pander without the charm of Huckabee, the brains of Gingrich, or the demeanor of Romney. That said, if Romney wins, it will be the last time the GOP even pretends to be pro-life. I think we'll get 4 David Souters, and Roe v. Wade will be the law of the land forever. I don't believe anything Romney says about abortion or judges at all. Have fun with that, USCCB.

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