No it doesn't! Romney is the one candidate (besides Giuliani) who has nothing to gain or lose from Thompson's withdrawal. McCain could benefit, especially if Thompson endorses him, as it has been anticipated. Huckabee may also benefit seeing as Thompson competed for the socially conservative Southern evangelical vote. In fact some say that Thompson helped McCain win SC by stealing voters from Huckabee, and might even go as far as to say that Thompson's run was a Maciavellian scheme to help McCain by dividing the so-con vote.

I think Ron Paul may benefit the most. Especially in light of Thompson's constitutionalist, smaller government, federalist rhetoric. Considering that Thompson advertised himself as the "conservative choice" and was considered an heir to Reagan. If enough of Thompson's voters go to Ron Paul, and enough of Giuliani's voters (socially liberal, fiscally conservative Republicans) follow after Mayor 9-11 drops out, then Ron Paul may just have a chance.

The one person who will not benefit is Romney!

Well those comments sure seem kinder and more respectful than the bitterness coming out of the Huckabee camp.

Thanks, Mitt, for keeping it friendly.

Mitt, what about the conservatives who become conservatives so they can get nominated by the GOP? Are they a fourth group?

His talk of "foreign policy conservatives" is also ridiculous, as conservatism has nothing to do with foreign policy. But I guess we can't expect Flip Romney to no too much about an idealogy that he only started advocating so recently.

I hope Thompson endorses Ron Paul. Out of all the other candidates, Thompson knows this country is in trouble, real trouble.

Go Mitt! Absolutely, you are the real deal! Once Huckabee is forced out, it will be between you and McCain and that's a no-brainer!

Romney is the only candidate who has the leadership, experience, and morals we need to lead us. He is the man. He leads in delegates, popular vote, wins, and (TAKE IT TO THE BANK) will win Florida. He will be our nominee.
We support you overseas.

Romney/Thompson 2008!

Probably so Mike, his fade does benefit you. But it won't be enough until you pony up to a few bad policy choices you made in Arkansas, that while they may have worked for Arkansas, won't work for the rest of us, and OBTW, a few were bad no matter where you look at it. McCain learned how to get such bad choices behind him. It ain't by ignoring them, "my friend". You have a couple of issues to fix Huck. What's it going to be ?

NO Question Mitt Romney is getting a closer look and people are warming up to Mitt.

On the Economy it Romney he says JOBS JOBS JOBS.

McCain is Rambo still bitter over being a prisoner of War, he wants the contols to the nuclear launch button! Scary

GO MITT!!!! …but I DO hope that you'll pick Fred as your running mate…he's my 2nd choice after you, Mr. Romney and you two's strengths would compliment one another's weaknesses….and it would be GREAT for America!!!

ROMNEY for PRESIDENT in 2008!!!!!

ROMNEY ALL DA WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NO McCAIN-A DEMO IN REAL LIFE!!!

Fred Thompson dropping out will benefit America by virtue his supporters backing Mitt Romney. More and more conservatives are turning to Mitt Romney to lead the charge against the "abbestos pants suit" candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton and her angry husband Bill. Mitt Romney will take care of America being a good steward of its potential and resources.

The country needs someone in office who can turn around our economy. We need Mitt!!

GO MITT!!!

Romney is right. Thompson was a good, strong conservative. He just lacked the "fire in the belly" needed to campaign for the long haul.

Romney is the only real conservative left in the race. He is brilliant at turning around businesses and is a good family man.

McCain is the ultimate RINO (Republican in name only). He is a traitor to conservatives on fundamental issues like taxes, illegal immigrants, conservative judges and the 1st Amendment. He is campaigning with so many Democrats b'c he is, besides the war, one of them. His conservative ranking in Congress was 63, I believe the lowest of any Republican. He is very dishonest too about his "changes of heart" about tax cuts and immigration, but the press loves him because he's so liberal.

Giuliani is a strong leader, but he lacks the social conservatism and moral values to appeal to that important wing of the base. He is better suited as head of Homeland Security.

Florida will choose Mitt Romney and it will lead him to victory in '08, no matter what liberal Republican the media tries to foist on us.

Thompson won't endorse anyone. That would require some effort. Mitt benefits because he is now the only Republican left in the presidential race. ROMNEY 08!

Thompson won't endorse anyone. That would require some effort. Mitt benefits because he is now the only Republican left in the presidential race. ROMNEY 08!

McCain's not a true conservative. Romney's got my vote.

Romney speaks neither to social conservatives (he has been pro abortion) nor national defense conservatives. He is solely a fiscal conservative candidate, and based on the fact that he has hemorrhaged more money in during his campaign than any other candidate he doesn't appear all that fiscally conservative. The only thing Mitt has going for him is that Bain Capital (who is a silent partner of) now owns clear channel communications who happens to be the employer of conservative media personalities who happen to spend all of their time attacking John McCain and Mike Huckabee.

Romney said it well. I love how the headline twists Romney's quote of:

"I speak to those three groups. I think Fred Thompson did as well and in some respects his departure from the campaign I think inures to my benefit. . . I will miss Sen. Thompson's humor at our debates, he is a delightful character. . . "

into:

"Thompson dropping out benefits me"

Doesn't really have the same tone to it. That's why you have to read the actual quote. It has been great to see Romney do so well despite the subtle media diggs.

Demo in real life? You mean champion of gay causes, liberal gov. Romey? Do some research on your "conservative".

That's correct, David C.
The media's agenda is to get a Democrat into the White House and I fully believe they fear people looking seriously into Romney. Especially if Hillary wins the Dem nomination.
The media has not been a friend of Romney on one occasion and are clearly distorting things to try to show him in a negative light. I even doubt they put this entry on the page.
Still, Romney speaks to people, they listen and little by little, they begin to think for themselves and then support him. There's nothing the media can do but try to get in America's head and push their agenda.
We're smart enough to see it, right David? Thank goodness! Spread the news!

Romney has the momentum now. I wonder if he'll give Fred the nod for Veep? Hunter?

McCain is looking old and confused, and Huckabee never had a chance.

Let's stop splittin' the Party and get behind Mitt.

no MORMONS please

Let's get a guy in office that has the energy and enough wisdom to get the job done right. Go Romney.

I like Romney. I agree that the media has an active bias against him. He stands for truth, family, morality, and fixing our deteriorating society. The mainstream media seems to have other interests.
I thought Thompson was great, but I believe most of his followers agree that Romney is the next logical choice.

Vote Mitt Romney for President and you will have contributed to America's success! Romney/Thompson a winning combination.

I read that it was Huckbee that made that comment . Since surfing the net and reading comments from CNN reporters I noticed a lot of comments by the canadates twisted around. Please stay accurate. McCain is the biggest liar of all yet you don't say much about him.

Sure PRETTY BOY Mitt the FLIP you love yourself !!! RON PAUL is for us and OUR COUNTRY !!!! SAVE AMERICA VOTE RON PAUL!!!

Great news!

Now Mitt can throw even more of his personal fortune away in his quest to finish second, either in the primaries or the general election.

Go Mitt!

Mitt has my vote!

McCain can't even beat the Viet Cong, much less win an election - tired old fart!

Thank you Duncan Hunter for your insight, you too are a man of distinction and integrity. Mike Huckabee is the only candidate that has a chance in the General Election. Mike Huckabee inherited a fiscal nightmare in Arkansas; the infrastructure was on the verge of collapse. Let us not forget, "read my lips, no new taxes" after which was that largest tax increase in history. The American people have to realize that in order to recover from the last 7 years that sacrifice will be mandatory. The difference will be that Mike Huckabee will be honest and straight forward with the American people, which is what we expect from our President.

Mike Huckabee is the only candidate running, from either party, that will place people above politics. With our troops being shot at and killed on foreign soil, I don't want my candidate taking pot shots at opponents; stick to the issues or stand down. Neither do I want my candidate having a short fuse while focusing on long term solutions and goals for the Country.

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb debating on what to have for lunch, Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
"Benjamin Franklin"

Ron Paul is the only candidate to consider.

Read the Comptroller General's warnings about the economy to see why Ron Paul is the only candidate that can bring America back again.

Romney? McCain? these guys are not conservative, and barely even count as a true republican… Anyone but Ron Paul, and we are done with…. Mark my words.

PS: Dick/Bush - Prison 2008

I doubt that this will give much of a boost to Romney. I think that it will give more of a boost to Huckabee. I just don't think that there would be more going to Romney, but some will. There might be some that also go to McCain from the remains of the Thompson campaign. It is clear that the supporters of Thompson aren't all going to go to one place.

Romney cannot win the general election. He's the same kind of "the truth is less important than winning" candidate that Hillary is. I have never voted democrat in my life but Mitt Romney will NEVER get my vote, even if he is the eventual nominee. If I end up with a choice between Romney and Hillary I will likely waste my vote on an independant candidate as I simply cannot in good faith cast a ballot for either of them.

Romney is just one last choice left for real conservatives. To choose a less evil, we have to elect him. His flip-flopping equal to McCain's "I got it…" on immigration issue, but Romney is a businessman , not a military minded POW as McCain. We need a real fiscal conservative in the office, not an another "clone" of G. Bush.

'The RINO's will start jumping ship soon. The test between conservatives and the hanger ons who benefit only from certain things conservatism brings to the table are causing RINO's to rear their ugly heads. The party faithful won't be fooled though, and even Huckabee's evangelicals know which side their bread is buttered on. If Romney wins Florida, McCain is toast, and he knows it. His pandering ways with the veterans, fly only because of his war record, but are still in reality quite unflattering to the party, and our military, as I presume his presidency would also be. His loyalty to his party has been a self promoting roller coaster ride. Now he comes to his party with hat in hand and says, let me fool you one more time, and I promise everything will be ok. Forget that I was willing to destroy the party's coalition strength to further my own career. Or that I was willing to tag team the party's real conservative candidates with Huckabee to get my foot in the door. I promise to be a good conservative now. And the scary part is that the RINO's are saying, "yea, we can get get alot of conservatives to salute that flag, let's go for it". Time for the republican party to show it's real colors, red, or PURPLE.

I am one of the people that don't think flip flopping is such a bad thing. Here we have a president that does not change his game when he should know he is wrong. There is nothing wrong with a new guy like Mitt that remains analytical and is willing to change his mind in the face of new information that proves him wrong. That is what I want, someone that knows when to be firm and when to be flexible in the face of new information. Call him flip flop Romney all you want, but he has my vote.

Mitt Romney is the only candidate who actually can "change back" the American economy and world position of respect, deference and leadership. The other candidates are simply hyperbolic extremists who have not done anything great. Giuliani is the only other candidate, other than Romney, who possibly has the qualifications to truly move this nation forward in a positive direction. The issue with Giuliani is that he does not have the moderation necessary to reach compromises based on the status quo and fellow politicians. Romney comprises the ideal balance of intelligence, leadership ability, experience, attention to issues that are actually important to the success of the nation, and a real record of unbridled success. Who cares if he changed parties. People accused John Kerry of flip-flopping and Al Gore of arrogance, and look what they got.

A vote for Huckabee is a vote for a Bigot.

I am not surprised the mainstream media is ignoring the elephant in the middle of the room, but I AM surprised it doesn't come up more in online forums.

Huckabee probably would not have run, and certainly would not have had any support if not for the Romney Campaign. His backbone of support has been conservative Christians who hate/fear Mormons. They Jumped on the short-lived Huckabee bandwagon because of their bigotry. Huckabee has pandered to a few other groups here and there, like his endorsement of the Fair tax., but…

In the end, Huckabee's most resembles the last Arkansas Governor to become president. Instead of Slick Willy, they want Fast-talkin' Mikey.

Romney gets the so much negative attention from the media because they are terrified of Mitt Romney. He is so competant that they know he will get a lot done.

I wonder if anyone is going to connect the dots between the obvious lack of finacial stability and credibility in the campaigns of all the other GOP canidates and thier bold statements concerning thier ability to fix our economy. Ironic at best is that the one individual that has proven time and time again to be a financial wizard in both the private sector and the government is also the only one with an abundance of resources still. Mitt Romney, please save our economy. I'd also like to give credit to Mr. Romney for being the first canidate to realize that the economical issues plaguing us now are going to pale in comparison to the solvency crisis unfolding. Another shining example of his foresight into the true mechanics of our economy and how things will play out in the near and not so near future.

Ben, and idiot biggots like him are the problem for Mitt. The fact that he is Mormon is seriously hampering his campaign. That is a sad indicator that many Americans don't truly believe in freedom of religion, even though anyone with any religion should be very grateful for that freedom.

There has been so much hate speech all over the web for the past year about Mormons, and most of it has been from so-called Evangelical Christians. This type of speech shows nothing but ignorance and hypocrisy!

We are not electing a minister, we are electing a president. Mitt Romney is by far the best candidate FOR PRESIDENT we have as Republicans.

"Money Romney" would never get my vote. And to Daniel Mathews, you seem to be the bigot here. Nobody was even talking about Huckabee. Starting to sound like the democrats big fight about bigotry. Leave it there.

Mitt Romney for president. He's the most honest and capable candidate running for either party. He has the support of all his family, which is more than you can say for some of his opponents. If anyone can save this country, it is Mitt. He knows how to get things done. He has money because he knows how economy works. Go Mitt.

Thompson supporters need to support Ron Paul. He is the most intelligent, honest, and consistent candidate running. He is not part of the system that is ruining this country. Wake-up America. He is always right in the beginning. He said going to Iraq was bad idea. He has warned about the economy and knows what it will take to fix it and he is willing to do what is not popular in order to do what is right. We need something different and that is Ron Paul.