Mitt Romney's “victory” at the Iowa Straw poll yesterday is only a hollow rising.  None of the other top tier candidates competed against him.  He ran in a race against himself and against the second tier.  His Ames victory is as solid as the cotton candy he could have purchased at the Iowa State Fair.  The real winner, if any, in yesterday's Straw Poll is Mike Huckabee.  

Moreover, the small and feckless turnout in the Straw Poll confirms that conservatives are waiting for a true and courageous conservative to emerge.  At present, who that candidate may be remains to be seen.  However, at this point in time, if we truly believe in what reality is rather than what we wish it to be, it must be said that the favored Republican candidate is definitely not Mitt Romney.  

During his first 11 years under public scrutiny, Romney could not stand by his own convictions regarding protecting human life (Google and view his recorded statements on "You Tube" regarding abortion from Oct. 1994 - May 2005).  Obviously fearing a potential coming backlash, Governor Romney made this very "admission" against interest on the record at the Republican debate on August 5, 2007, wherein he stated that: “My greatest mistake was when I first ran for office being deeply opposed to abortion but saying I'd support the current law, which was pro-choice and effectively a pro-choice position.”  It’s obvious that he became “effectively” pro-choice in order to run for senator and governor of Massachusetts.  Jimmy Carter was also once “effectively” pro-choice, even though he personally opposed it.  

If Mitt Romney could not stand up for “life” in favor of his own stated convictions for 11 years, how can we expect him now to stand up for essential conservative principals in a general presidential election?  Further, how could such a candidate withstand the coming brutal attacks of the democratic machine and the MSM without demoralizing the base of his party?  The necessity of a large GOP turnout in the 2008 election cannot be over emphasized.   

We, as conservatives, would be foolish to nominate a candidate for President in the general election who has unequivocally demonstrated that he is incapable of showing the courage of his admitted convictions regarding one of the most important issues of politics, culture and public policy  – the sanctity and intrinsic value of human life.

A reality check regarding Romney’s hollow rising is now essential.