When we opined that much of the conservative establishment hates John McCain, we knew we were sort of stating the obvious.

But Ann Coulter has really upped the ante.

The conservative pundit even says that, should McCain be the GOP nominee, she’d back Hillary Clinton instead - even campaign for her.

Is this for real, or just “stirring the pot” as Ann Coulter says she likes to do (we could think of some alternate descriptions)?

Watch the clip and see for yourself…

Ann did not comment on a potential McCain-Obama race.

We know that sounds obvious, but bear with us for a moment.

Yesterday we said Hillary Clinton would be a better opponent from John McCain’s perspective, as he could unite Republicans against her.

But that doesn’t mean a McCain-Barack Obama race wouldn’t get combative - or force voters to grapple with provocative policy issues.

It would be perhaps the most compelling race in history.

After splitting hairs between “good-enough” candidates for so long, America would not know where to start with this matchup. The Chicago Tribune throws out a few ideological debates we’d see:

• Will Barack’s guarantee of eligibility for any health care, expansion of Medicaid, and generally bigger government seem necessary? Or are John McCain’s ideas - portable coverage, efforts at cost control and compensation of providers - more reasonable?

• Are John McCain’s support for the Bush tax cuts, repealing the alternative minimum tax and all but killing the estate tax fuel for massive deficits? Are Obama’s calls to reduce the cuts, keep an estate tax and raise capital gains taxes classic Democratic foibles?

• Would McCain be seen as the military visionary whose call for a troop surge defined the way to win the Iraq war? Or would Barack Obama be vindicated as the only war opponent from the start, and whose policy of withdrawal looks like the only way to wind down what has become an interminable quagmire?

For all the millions the presidential campaigns have spent, it’s pretty hard to sway public opinion away from the pre-existing basics.

Hillary Rodham Clinton? Female, feminist… a Clinton. Barack Obama? Inexperienced. Mitt Romney? Mormon. John McCain? Military service.

And old.

Yet McCain, the Arizona senator who has won the past two GOP primaries, has turned that around and become his party’s front-runner.

No one has been better at shaping public opinion so far in the 2008 race than McCain, especially on the Republican side.

According to an AP-Yahoo poll released Friday, John McCain, 71, is widely seen as experienced, strong, honest and decisive.

On the flip side, nearly half of those polled could not say anything when asked to describe McCain’s primary remaining rival, Mitt Romney.

Surprising, especially for Mitt Romney (pictured) who spent $40 million (much of it his own) to get his name and message before voters.

The survey shows people largely drawing their views of the candidates from contenders’ personal qualities and traits.

Even many Democrats have little bad to say about McCain.

Continue reading this article on voters’ political pulse …

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney accused rival John McCain of adopting underhanded tactics from Richard Nixon.

Nixon, of course, resigned in disgrace in 1974.

With the Ronald Reagan love-fest that goes on each and every time these guys get together, is Mitt trying to employ the negative version of the same strategy by linking McCain and Nixon?

“I don’t think I want to go back to that kind of campaigning,” Romney said in response to McCain’s recent remark that Mitt favors a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq.

Mitt Romney dropped the N-bomb (Nixon) on John McCain.

Mitt Romney denies this and most media analyses have concluded that Romney wasn’t using “timetable” in the same way Democrats have.

McCain’s decision to level the timetable charge this week without leaving Romney time to rebut it before Florida Republicans voted in their primary “was reminiscent of the Nixon era,” Romney said.

McCain ended up winning Florida Tuesday.

“I think he’s a man of character,” Romney said of John McCain, but added: “I think he took a sharp detour off the Straight Talk Express,” referring to the Arizona senator’s campaign bus.

More than a few conservatives around the U.S. are likely reconciling themselves to the fact that a man they detest is going to be the man they will have to find a way to support come November.

Now the favorite, John McCain has a ways to go before he wins the GOP nomination, but animosity towards him is no secret, and sets up a fascinating battle between the U.S. Senator and the machine.

Having gotten the most votes, McCain should the leverage. Should. But does anyone remember John Kerry? He knows it’s not that simple.

A lot depends on McCain’s Democratic opponent. Barack Obama is a less unifying enemy who also appeals to many independents and moderates.

Hillary Clinton, conversely, strengthens John McCain’s hand - even the fervent McCain haters within the GOP despise the N.Y. Senator more.

Regardless, McCain has not won 50 percent of the vote anywhere, so many more Republicans have voted against him than for him.

The power brokers - committee members, donors, activists - have major clout if they disagree with the maverick Arizonan on many of his focal points.

While the liberal establishment is somewhat divided between Clinton and Obama, it doesn’t have this problem. Both are highly regarded.

If McCain secures the nomination, he will be pushed to make concessions on immigration, campaign finance and who knows what else.

Will that cause independents and moderates who adore him to reconsider? With a man who’s every Democrat’s favorite Republican, all bets are off.

John McCain and Mitt Romney set their sights on next week’s Super Tuesday voting contests following a bitter sparring match Wednesday night over Iraq, immigration and the economy.

Tension between Florida primary winner McCain and runner-up Romney dominated last night’s debate in Simi Valley, Calif. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Texas Rep. Ron Paul also took part.

McCain, the Arizona Senator, again accused Romney of setting a timetable for withdrawal of the U.S. from Iraq, a charge Romney denied.

“I do not propose, nor have I ever proposed, a public or secret date for withdrawal,” Romney said.

John McCain also said “we may have to go further” to stimulate the economy, in connection with a statement about the stimulus packages making their way through Congress.

McCain and Romney sparred early and often.

Romney said he supported President Bush’s first-term tax cuts. “I believe in getting rates down,” he said. “I think that builds our economy.”

John McCain and Mitt Romney are locked in what has now become largely a two-man race for the Republican nomination.

Huckabee won Iowa’s caucus January 3 but hasn’t won another contest, while Paul remains in single-digits polling-wise. On Wednesday, former N.Y. City mayor Rudy Giuliani quit the race and endorsed McCain.

The intangibles would seem to strongly favor McCain here, but Romney has something in his arsenal McCain cannot match: money.

In Florida alone, Romney was able to air 4,475 ads compared to McCain’s 470 - and Romney’s air power is likely to dwarf McCain’s on Super Tuesday, an advantage McCain will try to counter with free media.

Today, McCain is beginning campaigning San Francisco. Later, he’s expected to pick up another endorsement - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger - then finish the day at a fund-raiser in L.A.

Mitt Romney, meanwhile, is canvassing the southern part of the Golden State with four appearances set for Thursday.

He won’t actually be going streaking, Old School style, if he falls flat in Florida (thankfully), but if Rudy Giuliani is shut out of delegates after pouring all his resources into that state, we feel this rite of passage is appropriate.

Back in college, After W staffers were made by fraternity upperclassmen to run laps around campus if they were shut out in pool or foosball.

Naked. The conventional wisdom was that while the humiliation was great, it was warranted if one couldn’t tally a single point.

Rudy Giuliani may not be blanked Tuesday, but the situation is grim as he has lost much support and now ranks third or worse in polls.

It’s good they’re foregoing paychecks, because Giuliani aides who advocated eschewing early contests to focus on delegate-rich Florida - only to be shellacked repeatedly and nosedive in polls - sure haven’t earned them.

John McCain, Mitt Romney and even Mike Huckabee have posted big wins early in the GOP race, rendering Giuliani irrelevant.

Whether it’s naked run time for Rudy or not, we’ll see if he even stays in the race after the Florida primary Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the New York Times has endorsed McCain for the Republican nomination over Giuliani, strongly criticizing the former mayor.

“Senator John McCain of Arizona is the only Republican who promises to end the George W. Bush style of governing from and on behalf of a small, angry fringe,” the paper’s editorial board wrote.

“The Rudolph Giuliani of 2008 shamelessly turned the horror of 9/11 into a lucrative business, with a secret client list, exploiting his city’s and the country’s nightmare to promote his presidential campaign,” the paper writes, describing Giuliani as narrow, obsessively secretive, and vindictive.

The Times also endorsed New York Sen. Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination. The paper praised Clinton’s chief rival, Barack Obama, but called Clinton more qualified for the job.

Frontrunner John McCain made a pitch to the military, Mitt Romney bragged about his economic credentials and Rudy Giuliani - his campaign on life support - talked up hurricane insurance Tuesday in the Sunshine State.

Welcome to the circus of the Republican presidential race, entering its final week before Florida’s crucial primary.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Romney, campaigning in Boca Raton, Coral Springs and Naples, used financial markets’ turmoil to make his case.

Giuliani, who banked on winning the delegate-rich Sunshine State after basically punting all states up until this point, is struggling to regain the momentum that once had him leading polls in Florida.

Ouch! Rudy Giuliani has fallen to fourth or worse in some polls.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who surged to a brief lead in Florida after his win in Iowa only to fade as his money has dried up, again spent much of Tuesday in Georgia before returning to Gainesville.

But at least he made it. Fred Thompson did not.

The former Tennessee senator needed a strong finish in South Carolina to stay in the race, and didn’t get it. He ended up with 16 percent - behind McCain and Huckabee, a point ahead of Romney - and quit the race.

Continue reading in the Palm Beach Post …

Twenty-three U.S. governors have endorsed a presidential candidate at a time when their support matters most, lending their names, fundraising and organizing machinery to campaigns desperate for an edge in close primaries.

Among Democrats, Hillary Rodham Clinton leads with nine, including nods from New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Gov. Ted Strickland of Ohio - the swing state that sealed President Bush’s victory in 2004.

A governor’s endorsement can be campaign gold since governors have a built-in bully pulpit they can use to promote a candidate and their own grass-roots organizing and fundraising networks to share.

To the surprise of no one, Hillary Clinton pocketed the endorsements of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer and many other governors.

Come the general election, it’s natural for governors to support their party’s nominee, and voters take it for granted.

That makes governors’ backing important now, in the primary and caucus stage of the campaign, and especially this year, with races on both sides still very much up in the air. The Democratic tilt between Obama and Clinton in particular has become neck-in-neck - and is growing more heated.

The endorsement game started early.

One year ago, seven governors announced their support for candidates, including Indiana’s Mitch Daniels for John McCain, Missouri’s Matt Blunt for Mitt Romney and Illinois’ Rod Blagojevich for Barack Obama.

Continue reading this article here …

Who’s hot? Who’s not? Who’s personal life just keeps getting more interesting, and who can’t buy media coverage to save their life? The 2008 election may be 18 months away, but the race is in on. We’ve assessed the Democratic candidates and now, for the first time, we’re moving on to the even more wide open GOP field…

1. Rudy Giuliani, former New York City Mayor

The negative stories are beginning to flow, ladies and gentlemen, but his numbers stay high. Either the public simply doesn’t care about Rudy’s… shall we say, interesting personal life or they’re not paying attention.

One thing’s for sure: Every week Rudy Giuliani maintains a huge lead on John McCain makes it seem like a victory is a given and makes it tougher for anyone else to raise money against him. When’s he going to Iowa, though? Shouldn’t someone at his campaign HQ get on that?

2. John McCain, Arizona Senator

John McCain has a long way to go (though his NCAA picks weren’t as bad as we predicted). Something about his efforts so far seems forced, uninspiring. Of course, he’s still much more of an establishment candidate than the guy ahead of him, even if the GOP base is bored with him (the 2003 version of McCain would be a lock today). Still, he has a lot of things going for him, and a strong first debate effort against Giuliani could close the current gap considerably.

3. Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts Governor

The Mitt Romney campaign is somewhat of an enigma. Raising tons of money, scoring allies all over the place to back him, yet not gaining much in the way of traction among mainstream GOP voters. It all comes down to whether he can win New Hampshire and make it to February 5.

4. Tommy Thompson, former Wisconsin Governor

The man’s strategy is a good one. Focus all efforts on Iowa and try to win that first caucus, becoming the popular, mid-American alternative to the three frontrunners. Hey, it’s good enough for fourth in our rankings - but can he raise enough cash to make it happen? That;s another story.

5. Fred Dalton Thompson, former Tennessee Senator

Not sure what it says about the rest of the folks in this race that Fred Thompson merely mulling a run has him comfortably in contention for the Republican nomination. There’s already a sizable movement to draft him (see below). We still think an all-Law & Order, Sam Waterston-Thompson ticket would be tough to beat.

6. Sam Brownback, Kansas Senator

Any talk about Fred Thompson or Newt Gingrich kills Sam Brownback. Not that we’re complaining. With this twit, less is more. And with another Thompson (Tommy) now going full-bore in Iowa as well, the Brownback campaign could come to a screeching halt really fast.

7. Duncan Hunter, California Congressman

An enormously popular U.S. Representative who has served California’s 52nd district with distinction for 26 years. That will be it, though. He just can’t get traction in this race.

8. Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas Governor

A decent guy having trouble getting noticed in a large field. Guess America isn’t ready for another Arkansas governor (from Hope, believe it or not) in the White House. Either that or America just doesn’t heart Huckabees. Too much? Okay, sorry. Moving on.

9. Jim Gilmore, former Virginia Governor

We’re guessing his days are numbered. A hunch.

10. Tom Tancredo, Colorado Congressman

No matter how much it riles up some Republicans, immigration alone isn’t enough of an issue to get you noticed in a national campaign.

11. Ron Paul, Texas Congressman

Two first names. Always the kiss of death. That and never having renounced one’s membership in the Libertarian Party.

UNRANKED: Newt Gingrich, Chuck Hagel (although a sudden entry into the race from either means a berth in our top five).