There is something particularly desperate about Gingrich vowing to stay in the race until the convention. When he’s up in the polls, he claims the voters are exercising their democratic rights. When he’s down, he says voters are having the “party establishment” forced down their throats. You see, Republicans, it’s Gingrich’s world, and apparently we all have to be subjected to it. Gingrich is an avid lover and student of history, yet with all of his knowledge—and despite what you think about him, Gingrich is a very smart man—he still doesn’t want to see the writing on the wall and concede defeat after Florida.

If Gingrich loses Florida and doesn’t concede sometime soon after, he doesn’t get to publicly cry that he is selfless and fighting for the Reagan Republicans and the honor of the party. He doesn’t get to act like he is fighting some noble cause. Gingrich was never meant to make it this far. I personally never believed he was entirely serious about running until he started winning. He mounted a surprisingly lengthy campaign, but did he really expect to emerge as the Republican nominee? After today, what scenario can he logically present that leads him on a path to beating Romney and becoming the GOP nominee?

Tonight is really a time for him to start thinking of the greater good of the party and maybe start petitioning for a position in Romney’s cabinet. At the end of the day, all that matters is what Republican voters want. There is no prize for second place. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Gingrich will leave the Republican race with an honorable exit. In classic Gingrich fashion, he’s probably going to make sure he wreaks as much havoc and drama as possible.