“New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s decision to sit out the presidential race removes one of the last big unknowns from the 2012 Republican nomination fight and opens the path for Mitt Romney, the GOP front-runner for most of the year.
“Even before Mr. Christie told a televised news conference Tuesday in Trenton, N.J., that ‘now is not my time’ for a presidential run, some of his more fervent supporters were already switching their allegiance to Mr. Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who has moved back ahead of Texas Gov. Rick Perry in recent polls.
“‘The search is over. It’s time to step up to the bat and galvanize around one person,’ said John Catsimatidis, a New York-based supermarket magnate who was among many wealthy donors clamoring for Mr. Christie to enter the race. He is now backing Mr. Romney…
“Mr. Johnson, along with Romney finance director Spencer Zwick and others, called about 300 financiers who are still sitting on the fence. After the calls, Mr. Johnson said he was confident that about 20 ‘well-known funders’ had been pulled onto Team Romney.”
“Crowed Romney adviser Ron Kaufman: ‘This is the end of ‘Waiting for Superman.”…
“One Romney official said that before 4 p.m., he had gotten calls from six senators, four members of Congress, former Cabinet secretaries and governors.
“‘Five calls a day is a lot — well, quadruple that,’ the official said of the incoming calls. ‘The time for choosing is about here — that’s the basic message.’
“Added another plugged-in Romney backer: ‘The D.C.-New York corridor was waiting for today. Over the next two weeks, you’ll see people finding their home.’…
“‘People are going to start to realize that either Mitt Romney or Barack Obama is going to be the next president of the United States,’ said chief Romney strategist Stuart Stevens…
“Added Cole: ‘If I were Mitt Romney, I’d probably be popping champagne corks right now.'”
“The central problem is that Mitt Romney doesn’t fit the mold of what many Republicans want in a presidential candidate. They don’t want a technocratic manager. They want a bold, blunt radical outsider who will take on the establishment, speak truth to power and offend the liberal news media…
“The question is: Are they right to want this? Well, if they want an in-your-face media campaign that will produce delicious thrills for the true believers, they are absolutely right. But if they actually want to elect an effective executive who is right for this moment, they are probably not right…
“It’s exciting to have charismatic leaders. But often the best leaders in business, in government and in life are not glittering saviors. They are professionals you hire to get a job done.
“The strongest case for Romney is that he’s nobody’s idea of a savior.”
Via Mediaite.
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