If a candidate quits the race in a forest...

By Edward Copeland

...and no one is there to hear the withdrawal, does his departure make a sound? Not if it's Jim Gilmore, who's decided that he doesn't stand a chance at getting the GOP presidential nomination, though he's blaming a "late start" to his campaign instead of the fact that even most Republicans don't know who the hell he is. At least McCain can breathe a sigh of relief that he won't be the first GOP hopeful to quit:

Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore ended his long-shot campaign for presidency on Saturday.

The 57-year-old Republican said in a written statement that his late start, near the end of April, and the front-loaded primary schedule "have made it impractical to continue."

Gilmore is the first of the 10 GOP presidential candidates to drop out. He barely registered in the polls and his latest financial disclosure report showed him with about $90,000 in cash on hand. Gilmore also underwent emergency surgery for a detached retina last month, which forced him to cancel at least a week's worth of campaign appearances.

**********

Update (for those who care): See also the Post, the L.A. Times, and The Politico. -- MJWS