I hear your argument, AIT.
However, here is mine.
I want to know what a candidate really thinks. For me to do that means that I have to let the candidate engage in his own decision.
That, to me is more valuable than preventing a Romney nomination. If I know that Cain is a Romney supporter and backs him in this crucial race, then that tells me quite a bit about Mr. Cain, doesn’t it?
If Mr. Cain is wobbly, I want to know that now. I would prefer that over writing to him and convincing him that it’s not in his best interests to endorse Romney.
I hope you see where I am going with this. If he wants to endorse Romney - then we should let him go and do it. THEN we make it clear to him, after the endorsement, that he will be taking that walk alone.
That is, denying Romney the nomination of the party, just as we now know how disastrous it was to get McCain nominated four years ago and the stuffing beat out of us as a result, because there was not a clear enough distinction between him and Obama, and I think at the end, finally, like Dole (1996) and Bush Sr. (1992), he just did not want to win, I mean really truly want to win. His only true saving grace was Sarah Palin on the ticket.