Romney on the ropes #6: Withdraw or be rejected?

The sense that Romney might really (have to) withdraw grows more likely by the hour.

And now it's looking like, even if he doesn't choose to do so, he might get pushed -- or dumped.

Here's what's coming out:

He has now given an interview to the National Review in which he acknowledges that Bain's Cayman Islands accounts were set up to allow foreign investors to avoid paying U. S. taxes on their investments with Bain.

Again, this is all perfectly legal. It's called "loopholes" that allow the wealthy to avoid taxes. But it's politically very damaging for the Repubs to have to admit all this.

And Romney is just stepping all over the party message.

I see it all unraveling for him. At this point, I'd give it a 50/50 chance that he will withdraw -- or they'll nominate someone else.

The Obama camp knew what it was doing. They made a big show about releasing the tax returns -- and then sat back and watched it all unravel.

So:   Who's next?     Tim Pawlenty.

Certainly the party powers would have the main say in this.  They'd never get behind Santorum, the last alternate.   Or any of the other also-rans?    Gingrich? (joke);  Perry? (riotous joke);   Bachmann or Cain?  (what comes after riotous joke?).

My God.   What a line-up.

Pawlenty is the man.   He has national experience early in the campaign.  So that gives him an advantage over the potential VPs.

Stay tuned.

Ralph