[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/images/01/30/art.romneyfl1.gi.jpg caption=" Mitt and Ann Romney in St. Petersburg, Florida."]
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
It's too soon to compare him to Secretariat, but as John McCain moves toward the backstretch in the presidential horserace, he's beginning to open up a lead that will make him tough to catch.
Giuliani's gone, a casualty of one of the biggest miscalculations in American politics. Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul are still around but are irrelevant. Only Mitt Romney has a shot, and it's a bit of a longshot. Nevertheless, Romney is vowing to carry his campaign into the 21 states where Republicans will vote on Super Tuesday next week.
In his concession speech last night, Romney called on conservatives to support him - as he promised to cut federal spending, end illegal immigration, and teach children "that before they have babies, they should get married."
With the Republican field now smaller, Romney's campaign thinks they'll be able to better highlight the differences between his business background and McCain's Washington insider status.
But Romney's got his work cut out for him. Heading into Super Tuesday, McCain now has momentum, and he has the most delegates. And it's possible Huckabee could hurt Romney by staying in and drawing some conservative voters, especially in the South, away from him.
This all means the next week will probably get even nastier between McCain and Romney than it's already been. Look for it to start tonight at the Republican debate in California.
Here’s my question to you: What does Mitt Romney have to do to catch John McCain?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
James writes:
Jack, Apparently talk more about terrorists. Here in Florida, every ad I've seen by McCain starts with him saying, I know Floridians are worried about radical Islamic terrorism. Personally that’s the last thing I'm worried about with all these other problems facing the nation but apparently he was right, because he won Florida. Romney should tell us how afraid we are of terrorists and then publicly support Bush in everything he does just like McCain and maybe he has a shot.
Ruth writes:
Bring up his stand on the war and the war and the war.
Kevin from Illinois writes:
If Mitt Romney wants to catch McCain, he needs to switch parties and be Obama's vice president.
Dan writes:
I disagree with the premise of the question. Paul and Huckabee are far from irrelevant, and this race is far from over. See you at the Republican Convention, Jack.
Dennis writes:
Jack, there's nothing Romney can do. The writing is already on the wall: McCain/Huckabee is the only ticket that can give the Democrats a real run for their money. McCain knows it, Huckabee knows it... it's time Romney realizes it.
Beth writes:
Mitt should stop the attack routine on McCain and simply stress his decent business record and how he would help our country economically.
Diane from New York writes:
Maybe he could let some of that hot air out of his over-inflated ego!
Karyn writes:
Romney will never appeal to most Americans as long as he keeps touting his "managerial" experience. Do you love your boss? I didn't think so.