Romney: Giving up on McCain or just trying to raise money?

Has Mitt Romney given up on the McCain campaign?

A Romney email appealing for funds to back Kentucky Republican Senator Mitch McConnell has generated some talk that even high profile supporters like Romney have given up on the campaign.

Warning: Schumer alert

The fundraising missive warns that McConnell's opponent was "handpicked by [Democratic Senator] Chuck Schumer and will be a reliable vote for the Democrats."

"And as we face the very real possibility of an Obama presidency, that's the last thing we need," writes Romney. "It's more critical than ever that we have a strong Republican leader to act as a "firewall" against bad legislation, tax increases, and increased spending. And Mitch McConnell has proven he will stand up for us."

It's the "very real possibility" language that has people talking.

What'd he mean?

In a blog post called, "Top McCain surrogate Romney: Obama win likely" - the guys at Talking Points Memo read Romney's email to mean doom was all but certain for McCain.

In another sign that more and more GOPers are presuming an Obama victory, top McCain surrogate Mitt Romney confesses as much in a fundraising email he blasted out on behalf of GOP Senator Mitch McConnell.

They go on to say similar messages are going on all over the country as Republicans have adopted a new strategy:

Each says the other is going to lose on Election Day -- and each is citing that to win voter support for themselves.

McCain's doing it too

But this is similar to what John McCain himself is warning voters of. One party rule. He talked about it yesterday while campaigning in Cleveland.

"This election comes down to how you want your money spent," McCain told a crowd yesterday. "Do you want to keep it invested in your future or do you want to have it taken by the most liberal person to ever run for the presidency, and Democratic leaders who have running Congress for the past two years, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid?

"My friends, this is a dangerous threesome," he said.

It's Halloween

Responding to the charge, Pelosi called McCain's comment a "scare tactic".

"He certainly did not object when Republicans were in charge of the White House and the Congress for six of the past eight years," she stated.

Yeah, but that would be because the Republicans (the party he's a member of) were in charge. It's politics.

More, more, more

How's this all playing out across the country?

Monitor colleague Gail Chaddock wrote about what Republicans are doing to block a filibuster-proof Senate yesterday and colleague Linda Feldmann wrote the historical impact of one party rule today.