As I said, with a great deal of uncertainty in how the caucuses will work out, endorsements like this could make a difference:

The best candidate — and the one who would give the party its strongest chance in the fall — is former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Romney is a successful businessman who showed his ability to get voters to cross party lines when he won the governor’s office in Massachusetts, home of the Kennedys, Michael Dukakis and John Kerry. He left that office with his reputation and his relationships intact.

Romney’s most remarkable feat, however, was his stewardship of the Salt Lake City Olympics. He showed that he could bring disparate groups together, clean up a mess left by his predecessor, and to put on possibly the most successful games ever.

Romney’s No. 1 opponent since the New Hampshire primary is Arizona U.S. Sen. John McCain. McCain is a genuine war hero. But he’s also a government insider who has outlived scandal. But McCain is no friend to Nevada. In 2000, he joined with the NCAA to scapegoat Nevada sportsbooks for a point-shaving scandal in Arizona and was chief sponsor of a bill that would have banned betting on college sports, a business legal in Nevada. He also is a supporter of the Yucca Mountain project...

...Republicans need a candidate who represents conservative values, builds bipartisan support and signals change for a restless electorate.

Romney is that candidate.

As it is, McCain's support of Yucca is actually a bonus in the mind of this Nevada - I'm sick to death of our knee-jerk opposition to a program which could bring billions of dollars into our State coffers (thus freeing us from any State or local taxation) while the alleged risks are just that - alleged; and usually alleged by eco-fanatics who will gin up anything to oppose nuclear power in every way, shape and form.

That aside, Romney is the much stronger candiate for the fall, but I'm still sticking with my intention to caucus for Thompson tomorrow. For all of Romney's undoubted strengths - and he will have my enthusiastic support should he secure the nomination - Thompson brings the stronger conservatism plus, I believe, a better ability to connect with average Americans.

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