Everyone knows that Sam Brownback’s presidential campaign is pretty much over — he may not be confirming it, but he’s also not denying it (which of course he would be if it weren’t true). The activists at the Values Voter Summit, presumably, include Brownback’s core supporters. It seems to me that Brownback missed an opportunity this morning to time an endorsement for maximum impact.

Of course, I’m assuming that he’s planning on making an endorsement more specific than “anyone but Giuliani.” If he’s interested in actually defeating Giuliani, the smart play would be to encourage his constituents to pick one candidate rather than remain divided — but perhaps Brownback prefers to hedge his bets as long as possible, the better to maintain good relations with any future administration.