ABC News has officially called the race as a battle between Mitt Romney and John McCain for first, meaning Rudy is at best a third. I suspect his inclination would be to support the man he said he’d favor if he were not running, John McCain. The most effective way to do that (which of course would avoid the prospect of further losses in New York and New Jersey) would be to do so quickly. Regardless of the outcome tonight, that will further strengthen McCain in the Tri-State area plus Illinois, Minnesota, Delaware and a few other states. There are many strategic and more fundamental reasons one can point to for Rudy’s lack of success, but simply put, McCain and Rudy could not both succeed in this race. Once McCain’s campaign revived and he claimed the national security mantle, Rudy’s campaign had no room for error, which of course is an impossibility in presidential politics.