State of the GOP

[0:18]" All of this at the peak the Chesapeake primary of the Potomac probably heard somebody raised -- peak -- like to pick up speaking to members are being that the public we don't work that out with them later but if we got that kept people pelvic primary. I coming up what do they -- you know."

[0:35]" Interesting was that Mitt Romney had an incredible ground game here in Maryland in fact the odds are very high that he was going to win the state on Tuesday of the vast majority of elected officials and party leaders were in his camp with a with a great deal of organization on the ground -- on number of them -- rather stunned today but that the reality is we pick up we move all we reorganize regrouping we go out -- we get the vote."

[1:02]" Okay don't what do you think happened Romney was up here back home in Boston yesterday. -- my daughter ahead on hockey game in the rank next to Romney's headquarters. And when her team pulled up to the hockey and they -- all the local television -- outside. And I tried that you mentioned that they they with the of the broadcast the high school hockey in the girls were by and that -- by now now none and then I had to explain it was sort of on that I told them was the Romney death watch -- quite understand that -- about explain to those big story. Now he walked out of here at last night saying hey he's going to the convention what do you think happened."

[1:35]" Well I think what happened was. You bet they've sat down and looked at the numbers the pathway to the nomination was just un doable there's just no way you could overcome your down by 300 -- so delegates eight you know. McCain is halfway there at least a better. And the reality is we looked at the remaining states eat you know you just not going to get the number I -- McCain was good it was strong and a number of those states and and certainly. We you have proportional states which are very few for the GOP elect Democrats you you're still split the vote so the number was just difficult to overcome and the question them. Really become treat him do I want to write another check. And and I don't think I don't think mrs. Romney with a."

[2:24]" That all -- the kids. Half of them the five kids probably look at gift like guilt -- that legacy don't do that you know you get that -- so let's let's look at the speech today I watched the speech again you probably did as well it how do you think that's going to play amongst Republicans nationwide I thought it was almost a statesman like speech --"

[2:44]" It was at night that is that the time I was I went on the air was on there with fox sort of analyzing that was ability happening. And I think at that time it was a very powerful speech it was the best speech I've heard McCain given I've heard him give. -- Romney give and it was it was very I think it it that he knows that just think that -- the 32 speech. -- over the point twelfth speech and would he made the reference to 1976. And Ronald Reagan and what happened at that convention and and all that led up to Ronald Reagan not getting the nomination at that time. Four years later she was the nominee and he went on to it -- a great error for the GOP in the country. I got that sense from Romney in that moment. That that's what he was that was his focal point in that was that was the -- he was trying to impart to folks that I'll be back. And so won some folks that always keep presuming that you know McCain loses than Hillary wins or this fall but I don't think it was a -- I think you should say the future is still still there for me and for us. I'll be back with a very powerful."

[3:59]" Well what do you think the chances are that John McCain is gonna look at that situation the reaction that -- received from the group today and pretty good cross section of conservatives across the country would that he might turn to Mitt Romney at some point say hey I like you be my --"

[4:15]" He's okay he very well may I became Romney pick it would be a very strong ticket indeed I think you know between the editorial in the executive experience the foreign policy in the business experience I think would be very dynamic combination and that remains to be seen we don't know what -- that we're talking about when they when they finally got together to talk yesterday apparently this sort of begin to lay the groundwork for his departure from the states but. I'm sure that that that is the thought in their minds in the course now that the whirling dervish is and bets on who would be the number two we're gonna start. The key thing for the party to understand right now. Is that we have we have settled on a nominee in this is not take away from my friend governor Huckabee. But the reality for him even harsher in terms of getting that happy -- that pathway to the nomination so so McCain is the guy he's got 600 plus delegates right now the only -- another 500 which you'll get very easily. As so the reality the reality is the party now have an opportunity based on the speech that he gave today. Where I felt that he basically became the head of the party he took over he took control of the Republican Party today and he said look. We have we have fought hard together we have worked hard to get that we not always agreed. But I am prepared to be your standard bear and I am prepared to leave the conservative movement. That reinvigorate the party and re ignite the flame that Ronald Reagan and so many other stores and like you know lit for America. At about the very powerful moment and we'll see what how people respond to that. And I thought. That in combination will what Romney said really put me at peace in the in a certain sense says the conservative. Here in Maryland which is rather oxymoron it but we do exist."

[6:09]" Try to Massachusetts oh I know. Now I look I've I've met I've met European Europe legislative delegation but that's."

[6:17]" They're good guys is a lot of good guys that trust -- guys that you and I'll go to ball game with a have a beer with but there around that they've they've they're they're pretty pretty liberal as."

[6:26]" They aren't they aren't the but I thought I thought about the very important moment today for our party. And now will they have I've been saying for a while the next step after this C -- speech for McCain. -- to have -- come to -- meeting with the conservative leadership of the party in the sit down and to really hone in on how we're going to do this together. And and begin to put in place the strategy in the foundation for. Those troublesome issue that we have with the -- immigration for example and how that how we move forward all of those issues. To really alleviate any concern in the base may have that this guy you don't want to get in the White House will forget how we got there."

[7:15]" So BB we gotta get too quick break -- and and hold you may be just about a hurry up get up which a couple of phone -- one over the phone lines of 6172541030 in by the way Michael we get into Maryland quite a bit. We get in about 38 states that happened on the east coast so maybe. Some of your former constituents in Maryland you could very well be listening -- this broadcast that would be tremendous anyone from Maryland the call to put to the head of lists 617254 1030 is is the phone number let me ask you this without making specific reference to a lot of the national the talk show hosts were you know CBS station up here that that everybody knows their names many of whom have you have not only -- on fox but some of the other nationally syndicated folks. Have really seem to get themselves into a position with McCain. Where that the blood is really bad. Do you think that conservatives are gonna reconcile themselves with -- McCain now -- or do you think. That you're going to have some folks are gonna sit on the sidelines -- sit on the hands this year."

[9:36]" We will have a heck of a hard time running against him. Because you see how everybody tiptoed around the race issue with them now which she. Very well very effectively inoculated himself with you know and it -- as I -- myself in the undo it if you position actually defending the clintons and that whole episode because we go back and look at the sequence of events. It wasn't Hillary who started that it was actually. One of one Barack surrogate who started and so they got a got caught up and they've done a great job inoculate themselves. So the question for Republicans become. How do you want to give that guy that the -- scrutinized to the press won't challenge and that you know everybody in the world thinks you know the rock star. So I -- the other day why if you can nominate just called election -- get on."

[11:06]" You know what's you know what's funny about that I pointed that out of the number of occasions. I've said you know in either -- up and up and down Jesse Jackson won five states you know when he ran and yet when I -- I guess it wasn't taken as racial. But if he says that it did and that's."

[11:23]" My point is not a racial comment I mean that the fact that we didn't say anything that was factually incorrect. Then you can interpret it you can misinterpret it but the reality evident that the fact."

[11:33]" I got Michael Steele on here defended Bill Clinton I don't know I don't."

[11:37]" You know it in -- that my point I've been I've been the victim of the race card a million times. And I know what I see it and that is what the net and in the reality of it is I mean it is -- his -- politics is the fact of factual statement. And you know stupid that they at the ways that it in in the context in which you said it would allow this to act ethically to what it is. But the reality of it is it is the undercurrent in this campaign and I just find it somewhat interesting. That you know Hillary can get being in being and there's not an anti female component. But when you when you go the other way."

[12:16]" so my emails Michael on the -- area."

[12:19]" Yeah I got out everything that's really it just an interesting fascinating aspect of American politics today. And that it wouldn't in the GOP has got to figure out how they're going to do presumably running gift of a woman or black come November. And you better have your game -- on and have a have a strategy to deal with that. To be able to put out the fact that if it Iraq you're talking about a two term state senator. Who's spent the last two of his three years in the United States senate running for president"