DUNCAN HUNTER: "I'M STAYING IN"

Rep. Hunter joined us on my radio program last night for 30 minutes and assured my audience that he would continue to work hard for our votes in his bid for the White House.

He also chastised ABC and FOX News for excluding him and other qualified candidates from their debates, observing tongue in cheek that maybe he didn't spend enough time rubbing elbows with the TV execs on the 30th floor.

Following on last night's interview, today's lead story at Michelle Malkin's site is Duncan Hunter's announcement that he's in to stay.

Duncan Hunter to make an announcement; Update: He’s staying in, blasts media “knuckleheads”

By Michelle Malkin • January 7, 2008 12:48 PM

Update 2:38pm Eastern.

Rep. Hunter is staying in the race. He blasted “knucklehead, arrogant” TV execs at ABC and Fox for excluding him from the presidential debates this weekend. Good on Rep. Hunter for sticking it out. As he noted, he picked up one presidential delegate in Wyoming. That’s one more than many of the prez candidates who were allowed to sit at the debate tables.

Here’s CNN’s brief dispatch on the announcement: “”So here’s my answer: I’m not going to quit. I’m staying in.”

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Rep. Hunter has been a stalwart advocate for strict immigration enforcement, border security, and a strong national defense. If he withdraws, which seems likely, his presence will be greatly missed by grass-roots conservatives. I’ve never been able to answer questions from readers about why his campaign never caught fire given his excellent credentials and expertise (compared to, say, Mike Huckabee’s). Politics is weird and inexplicable like that.

Question: Will Hunter throw his support to one of the other candidates? Which one?

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Rep. Duncan Hunter spent considerable time with us at the Conservative Leadership Conference in Reno last October. Left to right: Ed Morrissey, Rep. Hunter, Andrea, Ken "Blue Collar Muse" Marrero and Kathy Marrero.

Ed Morrissey pays tribute:

Hunter faced the same problem as anyone else running from the House: a small constituency. Hunter has never had to conduct a campaign outside of his Congressional district, and that makes a big difference when running for President. He couldn’t carry California, which isn’t as big of a handicap — for instance, no one thinks Mitt Romney will carry Massachusetts in a general election — but the lack of notoriety that comes from being one of 435 instead of 1 of 100 or one of 50 becomes a big burden to overcome.

I also have to mention that he is even more impressive in person than on television. He is warm, engaging, and sharp. Hunter needed no scripts at the CLC to chat with us over dinner about policy or electoral strategy. He has a personality and a sense of humor that gets shortchanged in the debate formats used in this cycle, and although it probably wouldn’t have made a lot of difference in his traction, it would have been nice to see more people get to know Hunter better.

If Hunter leaves, the rest of us should hope that a Republican winner will find room for Hunter in the next administration. He would make an excellent Secretary of Defense, or perhaps the head of Homeland Security, if he’s crazy enough to take it. This man still has plenty of service left to give our nation; let’s hope someone puts him to use.

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I wouldn't discount a surge forward for Hunter as the campaign unfolds. There is HUGE support for him in the military community, which is working quietly and steadily behind the scenes. Remember the Swiftboats and what they were able to accomplish? Stand by...

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