Hannity: Could Super Tuesday Force Some Candidates to Drop Out?

The big win for Mitt Romney in Michigan could mean the end of the ride for other presidential hopefuls. Charles Krauthammer says he doesn't want to pronounce Newt Gingrich dead just yet, but that he must win in Georgia to stay in the race. Juan Williams says Rick Santorum would be easier for Obama to run against in the general election.

TRANSCRIPT:

SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS HOST: Now, Super Tuesday is less than a week away and the four remaining GOP presidential candidates, are they are hoping to walk away with big wins that night? And there is a lot in the line with more than 400 delegates up for grabs. Now, here is the count and how it stocks up at the moment. Now, according to the AP delegate tracker, Mitt Romney is leading the pack with a 167 pledge delegates. Rick Santorum is a distant second with 87 delegates and Newt Gingrich rounds out the top three with 32. Now, all of that can change in just a few days but admit Romney pulls out another impressive showing on Tuesday. While some of the other contenders be forced to ball out of this race.

Joining me now with answers are FOX News contributor, syndicated columnist, our friend Charles Krauthammer's back and the author of "Muzzled," FOX News political analyst Juan Williams.

By the way, Juan, I got -- first, before we go over there, I got to give the President a lot of credit for closing down Gitmo and building the $750 million soccer field, every American was really happy at the news today?

JUAN WILLIAMS, FOX NEWS POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes, that is pretty strange. I mean, I guess it's a matter of taking care of Guantanamo Bay and making sure the facility remains in place and up to standards.

HANNITY: Of course.

WILLIAMS: You know, the question is whether you are going to close it. That is not cheap open and improve it.

HANNITY: Yes, look, every person, they need a $750 million soccer field. This is, without it, I think it's fundamentally unfair. But let me move on to more important -- Charles, I see you want to weigh in.

CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Yes. Aren't we entering Gitmo in the Olympics?

(LAUGHTER)

HANNITY: Charles wins the day. Charles, let's start with last night, we have six days to Super Tuesday. I would say Mitt Romney, impressive come back again but also a good showing by Rick Santorum. I want to get your thoughts?

KRAUTHAMMER: Well, I think it was a good showing by Santorum, but given his position, given the lack of money. Given the huge advantage that Romney has, he has surrogates and established supporters, governors all over the country who can sort of rally for him and speak for him. While Santorum is essentially a pretty solo operation. Given all that. He really needed the win in Michigan because that would have been shattering. That would have really upset the Romney thing. You remember, there was one anonymous Romney supporter in the quote, unquote establishment, who said a couple weeks ago that if Romney loses in Michigan, we have to look for another candidate. So, that was his shot I think to break the mold. We're now back in the main narrative, Romney is the guy who keeps staying -- behind but always comes back while the pretenders and challengers rise and fall. And it's now incumbent on Santorum to show on Super Tuesday that that is not the case.

HANNITY: Do you think Charles if any chance, Newt comes back in Georgia and Oklahoma and Tennessee?

KRAUTHAMMER: Well, he's got to get Georgia, of course. But I think Oklahoma and Tennessee are the test. Right now he is not ahead in those. If he doesn't carry those and only carries Georgia. I think that's, well, look, I don't want to pronounce him dead again. I've done this too many times. I kept saying it. If I pronounce him dead once more, I'm going to lose my medical license. So, but I think he's got to win more than Georgia to be, I think a serious contender although I don't think he would drop out no matter what.

HANNITY: Juan, you know, it's interesting. The Democrats in Michigan where Democrats can cross over and vote in the republican primary. They tried their sort of reverse Rush Limbaugh operation chaos. Didn't seem to be successful. How do we interpret that? The fellow Democrats, do they prefer Rick Santorum over Mitt Romney, do you think?

WILLIAMS: Well, I think Santorum would be easier to run against. I don't think there's any question. But I don't agree with the premise of your question, Sean. I don't think that was any high jinx by Democrats in terms of an organized effort by the party. I think you had Democrats on the ground who tried to take advantage on the situation and have some fun. And I think, don't forget the robo-call came from Rick Santorum's campaign. So, he saw it as a way to get votes. And that is what he was trying to do. And to reiterate your earlier point, he only lost by three. It's a big win for Romney because he dodged the bullet. But, you know, you look at the numbers and conservatives, you know, people like you, Sean, still not enamored of the man who looks like he'll be the republican nominee.

HANNITY: You know, I love how people right this about me and interpret my position. I made a decision very early on in this process, Juan. And I know you think you can read my mind. And I really wanted to provide a forum for this audience so that they can hear from the candidates on a regular basis. You know, Charles, I'm anybody but Obama. I don't think the country can afford four more years, this type of death, this lack of experience. I think the country could do better. Forty seven million Americans in poverty. I like all of our candidates, I don't buy the narrative that they are weak. I want to get your thoughts on it.

WILLIAMS: Yes. Hang on a second. Let me just interrupt and say, Sean, you are a conservative. I hope you are aware of that. OK. And when you, Sean Hannity have trouble identifying a candidate, I think it really is implementing.

HANNITY: No, no, no, no.

WILLIAMS: .of a larger disquiet on the republican side. You bring fear. You say, I'm going to let everybody, you know, have my audience but the fact is, Sean, you are having trouble picking any of these guys.

HANNITY: You are misinterpreting my strategy here.

WILLIAMS: OK.

HANNITY: No, no, no. Here is the point. I first of all have faith in the American voters. I am a registered conservative. And I don't want to include Charles in this conversation but just to be clear, I think any of these candidates are infinitely better than Barack Obama. And that is my point. I will tell you this. I have watched this process. Charles, you've seen it up close and personal. I'm really impressed how all of them have grown. How, you know, in the case of Mitt Romney coming back, it was ten points down ten days ago. Wins Michigan is impressive to me. He's had his, you know, back against the wall a number of time, and he's fought back. I think Newt has been impressive on the debates. I think Rick Santorum has shown himself conducted himself well. I don't buy the narrative that the Republicans can't win, Charles.

KRAUTHAMMER: Well, no, I think right now, it's a coin flip. I think it's about 50/50. But I do think given where the Republicans were say, six months ago, where it looked like, you know, a pretty slam-dunk, probably around two to one. Obama's numbers have improved. There is a slight improvement in the economy. But that is not the only reason. I think it is the process as designed. It was designed to be unlike 2008 when anomaly was found quickly and the decision of the Republicans was too quickly we got the wrong guy. We got crushed in the general election. So, we should draw it out. Have more deliberation, proportional representation. I think there was a miscalculation, however.

When you do that against an incumbent president who doesn't have a challenger, who doesn't husband his resources because he is not spending any money. The Republicans are not just spending a lot of money that they could otherwise use against Obama, they are providing ammunition for Obama and their negatives are going up. Romney's negatives with independents have been driven up by 20 points. That could destroy him in a general election. I think he'll recover but I think the prices has diminished the brand. I admire all the candidates, but the process is a vicious one. You are under the microscope every day because of the news cycle, internet, cable TV. You obviously are human, you are going to make mistakes. And that is why I think they've hurt themselves.

HANNITY: Yes, I think that's.

WILLIAMS: Yes. I don't think there is any questions. I think, you know, and the thing is, you said Romney has come back. He is outspent everybody by zillions and he's got the establishment of the Republican Party...

HANNITY: Listen, Juan, a win is a win. No matter.

WILLIAMS: I agree. Wait a minute.

HANNITY: You've got to give him credit when his back is against the wall, his back was against the wall in Florida. He fought back. Then, you have to give Santorum credit, just like he give Newt credit in South Carolina, Santorum comes back and wins three states. Now Romney steps up and wins two states. You know, I think Charles is right in terms of the risk is great, but I do think the eventual nominee is that much stronger and they'll going to need that strength going up against President Obama.

WILLIAMS: Well, no, I think at a point, there was point where you were making people stronger. But right now when Romney's back against the wall, his wallet falls out and then the money goes everywhere, and you see all these ads and attacks and he drags down the other conservatives and makes fun of them. You know, I think it does damage the brand as Charles was saying. But you know, what? I think if you look right now at the margins in Michigan and Arizona, more and more conservatives are saying they can accept Romney as the nominee. And that's the good news for Romney coming out of Arizona.

HANNITY: Listen.

(CROSSTALK)

WILLIAMS: People are just saying, OK, he is the guy.

HANNITY: But I do remember a guy by the name of Bill Clinton saying about the Obama campaign, they played the race card on me. Things got pretty vicious within the democratic circles and all right, Charles, always good to see you. Juan, I still love you. I don't know why.

(LAUGHTER)

WILLIAMS: I don't know why. Hang in there, buddy.