Live Wire The Sage...(live from Charleston, SC)

80% reporting...Romney: 39%....McCain: 30%.....Huckabee: 15%.....Giuliani 3%.... IM "Marc Ambinder" or e-mail [e-mail] with tips

ROMNEY WINS

Michigan's home boy brings in a gold....

Says victory of "optimism" over "pessimism"....

On to South Carolina and Nevada
Romney does not use "gold" in his victory speech...
McCain calls Romney to congratulate...
Giuliani adviser: "Race is fluid..."
McCain adviser: "Anyone who wins two of the three out of NH and SC goes on to be the winner..." McCain jokes: "Thought this would get easier..."

Evangelicals made up 40% of the vote...Romney tied with Huckabee among them...

CBS News estimates HRC "win" in Michigan (but remember: no delegates, no opponents except for "uncommitted.".. Big win, though...more than 64%....uncommitted bid failed, despite radio ads from Rep. John Conyers and efforts by Obama/Edwards union allies in the state....

Early spin from McCain campaign adviser:

"Tonight’s outcome doesn’t affect our game plan. John McCain has the momentum and a consistent message that’s resonating in South Carolina and Florida, where we believe the nominee will be decided."

Las Vegas Review Journal endorses Obama...(but activist Dems don't like that paper....)...

ONWARD: McCain looks to Florida, South Carolina...

On Fox News, Romney spokesman Kevin Madden claims "Gold Medal" in Michigan....

Huckabee campaign opens first office in Florida... in Orlando...Wednesday...

Clinton campaign plans major phone bankling in South Carolina Wednesday.....highlighting women...

Clinton, Obama and Florida Democratic Party in memo-war... Obama campaign sends memo to "interested parties" -- i.e., the press -- urging them not to report Clinton's MI victory tonight as a victory..... Clinton campaign responds with memo noting that Obama team offered tacit support to those who pooled to vote for "uncommitted" against Clinton and that "The people of Michigan and Florida have just as much of a right to have their voices heard as anyone else." And Florida Dems project that 1,000,000 Dems will vote in the delegate-less Florida primary anyway.

Huckabee's "amend the Constitution to impose the Bible's will" remarks circulate through seculars...had been overlooked in the hub-bub....

Comments

"The people of Michigan and Florida have just as much of a right to have their voices heard as anyone else."

Wow. Very disappointing statement from Hillary. She knows very well that this was the fault of Michigan and Florida who broke the DNC rules about scheduling the primaries. This kind of rhetoric only leads voters to blame the Democratic candidates instead of their own elected officials for this. She obviously cares more about winning than helping the Democrats win in November.

Posted by Mike | January 15, 2008 8:28 PM

How does one overlook the most remarkable comment ever made by a serious presidential candidate!

Amend the Constitution to "better" fit God's will...WHAT?!?

This ought to be blasted on 4 networks and across the blogosphere...he's absolutely not ready for this job.

Posted by mike | January 15, 2008 8:37 PM

It'll be interesting to see how the Times will cover this:
http://acropolisreview.com/2008/01/rupert-murdoch-media-vs-journalism.html

Posted by Tina | January 15, 2008 8:49 PM

So far, Mitt has more votes, more delegates, more money, more organizational strength, more endorsements, and more prospects than anybody else in the race. He just beat McCain by 80,000 votes in a state McCain won by 100,000 votes last time out. He's within easy striking distance in both South Carolina and Florida, and is heavily favored to win Nevada. The 2 most lop-sided wins so far were Romney's wins in Wyoming and Michigan and he's never finished worse than a reasonably close 2nd. Romney is going to win the nomination....the only question being how long it takes before it's official.

Posted by Dave | January 16, 2008 1:09 AM

Looks like Clinton ended up rather at 55% than 64%, no?

Posted by John | January 16, 2008 1:37 AM

Food for thought from the exit polls:

42% of respondents in the exit poll reported that Romney's ties to the state were important factors in their vote choice. Romney won those voters decisively, 58% to 17%. Meanwhile, 56% of voters said that his ties to the state were not important factors. Interestingly, McCain won those voters, 39% to 23%.

Posted by Tyler | January 16, 2008 1:59 AM

Does anyone care about the Rep race? I heard the Huckabee amend the Constitution deal and it only raised an eyebrow...they're all looney an hopefully the rest of the country sees that.

To that end, I haven't seen any hard numbers about who voted in this primary and what the numbers looked like compared to the last national election...in short, Romney got 39% but 39% of what? 10 people?

And I loved the Dem side...good grief HRC runs without an opponent and still can only garner 50%? Wow...just wow!

And if Michigan and Florida voters deserve to have their voices heard why is her power structure in Nevada suing the good folks getting their voice there?

Whatever is politically expedient I guess...

Vote hope, not fear.

Posted by G Davis | January 16, 2008 2:56 AM

Where on earth did that 64% figure come from? She was only that high when around one-third of precincts had reported.

Posted by matthew | January 16, 2008 9:52 AM

Love the way your ticker-style list of results shows Giuliani while skipping over Thompson and Paul, both of whom finished ahead of him. Between that and your attempt to place him in the 'top three' I'm starting to think you're a closet Giuliani supporter.

Posted by bbartlog | January 16, 2008 10:12 AM