The die has been cast

John McCain's 5% win over Romney, with Giuliani a distant third, makes it a two man race with McCain the odds on favorite. Although many leaders in the conservative movement are very outspoken critics of McCain (i.e. talk radio), Romney simply isn't the guy to whom conservatives will rally. He talks a good game now, but he's flipped flopped more than John Kerry. Also, McCain is an American warrior to whom conservatives will naturally gravitate.

Kudos to Pat Buchanan for the best line of the night, whom I paraphrase: "McCain tells people that the (manufacturing) jobs aren't coming back, the illegal immigrants aren't going home, but dammit we'll fight some more wars."

For the record, McCain will beat Hillary in the general election.