clipped from www.takimag.com

In his message to supporters on Friday, Dr. Paul declared his intention to continue campaigning, but with less intensity since, in the first place, “the chances of a brokered convention are nearly zero,” and in the second, he wants to put more effort into his own congressional campaign. He also promised, “I am committed to fighting for our ideas within the Republican party, so there will be no third party run.”

John McCain must have gone down on his knees to give thanks on hearing that. A Ron Paul third party candidacy would have given a home to the many, many conservative Republicans who cannot imagine voting for McCain. A Jan. 29 Rasmussen poll found that, for example, a third-party Ron Paul would get 11 percent of the vote in a McCain-Obama general election. Practically all of that 11 percent would come out of John McCain’s hide. As hard as the media and the Republican establishment have tried to ignore Paul, he remains a potent force.