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Home » The Republican field: is it a bed of weeds?

The Republican field: is it a bed of weeds?

The New Neo Posted on by

The Democrats are happy. As the Republican field shapes up, it looks either weak or strange, or in some cases both.

Mitch Daniels has now pulled back for whatever reason—perhaps the fact that his family has decided they would be inevitably trashed a la Palin and the prospect does not exactly please them. So in destroying Palin, the left has gotten a twofer (or perhaps a threefer or fourfer or morefer), discouraging most sane people from entering the fray.

At the moment we are left with—according to Michael Barone:

In, in alphabetical order: Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Gary Johnson, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum.

Probably in: Michele Bachmann, Jon Huntsman.

Probably not in: John Bolton, Sarah Palin.

Out: Haley Barbour, Mitch Daniels, Mike Huckabee, Mike Pence, John Thune.

Declared out but still being wooed: Chris Christie, Rick Perry, Paul Ryan.

I think the wooing of the latter three is going to be completely unsuccessful, although nothing would completely surprise me with politicians, who sometimes play hard to get and are not known for reluctance to change their minds. Of the other “outs,” the only one I really liked and am therefore disappointed in is Mike Pence. John Bolton and Sarah Palin, both of whom I think courageous and with whom I often agree, I consider to be polarizing figures who cannot and will not appeal to enough voters to win (I know, I know; many of you differ very strongly, especially about Palin).

As for the rest—at the moment, Pawlenty seems the best bet to me. But none of them are especially familiar to the American people with the single exception of Mitt Romney. And there is still a year and a half before the election.

A long year and a half, I’d say.

Comments

The Republican field: is it a bed of weeds? — 59 Comments

  1. Just a couple of observations.

    1. When a generic Republican is neck and neck with Obama, then I guess you could say it’s our weed against their weed.

    2. I’ll take some of that strange weed, if you please.

  2. The search for the “one” to defeat Obama is self defeating. The MSM and establishment will move heaven and earth against any GOP candidate with excessive charisma (see S. Palin). More important is a competent candidate (with out sexual hijinks in the closet) that can explain and steadily support a coherent platform.

    The Dems are already showing their immaturity by falling back on the scare tactics on SS and Medicare, but larger groups of people in the middle class will be receptive to adult discussions. We need to have a mild mannered Marine Drill Instructor kind of candidate (Chris Christie?) to continually remind people that they can be responsible adults.

  3. I heard Cain speak, and he perked my interest. I see that people are already trying to destroy him over foreign policy issues. This is ridiculous. No one in the entire world can understand foreign policy issues. One of the few places people seem to have even the tiniest clue are the posters on Belmont Club.

    I look for good character in my politicians. Especially now since so many of them seem to be cheating on their wives. Also, any one who uses the words “social justice” is automatically crossed off my list.

  4. I think all of them would make a decent President. Maybe we’ve just fallen prey to the media narrative of Obama the rock star that must be countered with one. Obama may be a rock star but lots of folks are taking notice that his music doesn’t live up to the marketed image.

  5. I don’t see anyone in the present field of GOP candidates that have much of a chance to beat Obama.

    I hasten to add that I’ll enthusiastically support and vote for whoever emerges victorious from the GOP primaries.

    But I think the GOP will retain a majority in the House and hopefully elect a majority in the Senate – thereby blocking at least some of the Obama agenda.

  6. I’ll second Promethea. I listened to Cain’s announcement speech this morning. He hits all the right notes in terms of his policies, does it with that southern baptist cadence, and with humor. Most impressively, he did it all without notes or a teleprompter and spoke in complete, well-formed sentences. Best takeaway line: “We need a leader, not a reader!”

  7. If this country re-elects Obama it is doomed. It deserves what it gets. All capacity for self government will have fled..

  8. Pawlenty appears to be electable if he drives a conservative platform and raises the heat. Tim could use some of Herman Cains fire and cool.

  9. Palin is perceived, rightly or wrongly, as a whackjob. I hope she stays out. I honestly don’t think it’s going to be as hard to beat Obama as the MBM would have us believe. I think we need to elect a credible candidate, that people won’t find unacceptable. I think MANY people don’t want to vote for Obama, they just need a good alternative. I think Pawlenty would fill that role nicely. While he’s not my favorite candidate, so would Romney.

  10. I say it’s probably best that we don’t have a front-runner at this point. If there was one, the media/Comedy Central/SNL would have already begun their hardcore character assassinations. When Trump looked like that figure, look at how quickly they dialed it up from 1 to 11–even Obama was pulling out all the stops with the birth certificate release and giving the go-ahead on Osama in the span of a week.

  11. I think Cain is the best candidate so far, because he limits the Left in what they can smear him with.

    They can’t say he’s stupid, lest come off looking like racists.

    They will have a strong urge to play the “Uncle Tom” card, but that could backfire spectacularly.

    Their main methods of attack against Cain left would be:

    a) Attacking him on his lack of experience (though he could throw that easily back in their faces regarding Obama 4 years ago–at least Cain has worked an actual job).

    b) Attacking him as a “racist” for speaking honestly about Islam.

  13. I don’t think Palin is a whack job. Neither does her very large and considerable base. A vote for Palin is a vote against the dominance of a lying and slanderous media, entertainment industry and academia. I can’t think of a single better event than electing Palin to continue the process of reforming the political culture of this country.

    Frankly, I’d like to put it to the test. If there are enough people to elect Obama, given his performance, then the only thing that will cure this nation is a serious stretch of suffering.

  14. Palin polarizing?

    The media started the “Palin is polarizing” meme and it surprises me how many people believe it as true. In reality, majorities agree with Palin on virtually every issue. How that can be “polarizing” is a mystery.

  15. What little I’ve heard from Rick Perry I like. He seems like a real, limited government conservative. I heard a pundit say he’s not well liked by the establishment GOP, especially the Bush people, which also makes him appealing to me. I have no clue what skeletons the Obama campaign will pull out of his closet if he chooses to run.

    I dread a Romney candidacy. He’s flipped on abortion and flopped on gun rights. He likes mandatory health insurance for people who live in Boston, but not for people who live in NYC, Chicago, LA, or Houston. Obama’s team will shred him on all his flip-flopping.

    Finally, this clause, “the left has gotten a twofer (or perhaps a threefer or fourfer or morefer)”, made me smile.

  16. Palin is PERCEIVED, as a nut job, and a polarizing figure. Perception is reality. I agree with Palin almost across the board, but I think she would hand the election to Obama. If you really think I’m wrong, look back to 2008. Initially, McCain got a huge bump after announcing her as VP candidate, but it evaporated quickly. I spoke with many people who didn’t vote for McCain, because they “didn’t want Palin a heartbeat away from the presidency.” How many people believe the “Russia from my front porch” quote. That NEVER happened, the one who made that statement was Tina Fey. I personally think she has gotten a bad rap, but she’s damaged goods. Whether I think that’s right or wrong, doesn’t matter. And seriously, that nasally, screechy voice has GOT to go!

  18. . John Bolton and Sarah Palin, both of whom I think courageous and with whom I often agree, I consider to be polarizing figures who cannot and will not appeal to enough voters to win

    If a noodle was running, the press – which has been in service to the Democratic Party almost form the party’s start – would vilify it so quickly otherwise intelligent people would call the noodle polarizing. The time has come – in fact long past – to stop being led around by the nose by the LSM; instead, we must take a stand for reasonable conservatives such as Palin and counteract the influence of the Democratic Party’s lapdogs.

    If the conservative portion of the blogosphere will not stand up, then it is useless: it is merely a steam vent.

  19. I personally think she has gotten a bad rap, but she’s damaged goods.

    This is cowardice.

    Any Republican who steps forward will be damaged goods within forty-eight hours.

    You might as well snap the ankle shackles on your legs all by yourselves.

  20. I got it the first time, Tom. I just disagree that people think Palin is a nutjob. Sure the zombies do. But they ain’t people. You don’t think Palin is a nutjob. I don’t think Palin is a nutjob. Neo doesn’t think Palin is a nutjob. There’s three of us.

    And let yourself warm to the screech. Think not how the screech irritates you, but think how it irritates the zombies.

  21. T-Paw can and will defeat BO. He’s an almost perfect candidate. He’s practically the Anti Obama. After “The One”‘s term is over, this country will be looking for someone who, has real experience, is not an egomaniac, has a proven record of fiscal restraint etc etc. Can REALLY communicate (as opposed to just read a monitor), has clearly defined principals, Is not merely a canvas upon which people project… you could go on all day. The guy’s almost perfect.

    Romney is the 800 pound Gorilla and I think fatally flawed in the eyes of the Tea Party. And you won’t get the nod without them.

  23. Promethea – I agree completely. I was very impressed with Cain when I heard him on Bill Bennett, and I think he’s a much more formidable candidate than he’s getting a rap for at the moment.

    The foreign policy critique of him is a bit mind-boggling, and I guess what people mean to say is that he should find some way to sound like he’s got a “plan” for everything. I expect he has good advisors and can bone up pretty quickly, in any case, on things he should know about, such as the right of return. Otherwise, his refusal to provide what he calls “instant grits” responses is something I find refreshing.

    The one thing that bothers me enough to withhold complete support from Cain is his support of the fair tax. In reality it doesn’t matter, because it will never be implemented so long as the 16th Amendment survives – and survive it most certainly will. But if he pushes the fair tax, he’ll lose. He should know that. Pawlenty and the others will have a field day with him, as they should, and the press will eat him alive. He will become a “kooky extremist” in no time flat, and the whole dynamic of his support will change from grabbing people like me to grabbing only a sliver of people who feel intensely about an absurd and impossible policy proposal on taxes. (Besides these messaging considerations, I think the fair tax is a bad idea too, for what it’s worth).

    Mr. Cain, please – drop it like it’s hot.

  24. For me, I like Cain. He has a Reaganesque quality about him. We Republicans have a problem communicating our message. As a business man he understands the value of getting our message across and minus Christie, he’s the best thing we’ve got. We may lose the election, but at least Cain gives us a shot. Pawlenty reminds me of a wishy-washy (weak) politician.

  25. So call me a racist but, from what I have seen, Cain is not that educated or articulate, and not forceful enough. Col. Allen West seems better to me but–to be honest–I think that Obama has damaged the “black” brand so badly that it will likely be several election cycles before American voters in significant numbers will again trust or vote into office a black candidate.

    As for Palin, do we go with her accomplishments, common sense, guts, and conservative positions or, do we just let the MSM and comedians rule her out and dictate to us who we are to elect?

    Congressman Ryan look good as well, but time will tell.

    Chris Christie is starting to look less Conservative than he was initially billed to be, perhaps it was the Leftist opponents he was being contrasted against that made him seem more conservative than he has actually turned out to be; a phenomenon that seems to have happened in the case of Scott Brown as well.

    Remember, it is still “early days ” and a whole Hell of a lot can happen in a year and a half.

  26. If Prosser can beat Kloppebgavsdoijfiapburg in liberal Wisconsin with all of America’s progressive resources brought to bear, then surely Palin can win.

  27. yark – Pawlenty is actually pretty solid on conservative principles (he had a brief screw-up advocating cap and trade), and he did a really good job in Minnesota.

    I’m not sure that you meant to say he was a squishy conservative, however, as opposed to an unfortunately milquetoast kind of guy – in which case, if you meant the latter, I’d have to agree. I want to support Pawlenty, I really do, and I would have no problem at all voting for him if he’s the nominee. But by Jove his presentation leaves a little more than something to be desired. Last election I called him a cracker without salt (you can get away with saying stuff like that about white guys, even though I didn’t mean anything racial by it – just that he is the blandest possible “food” imaginable in politics).

    I honestly don’t know if he can beat Obama – and that makes me very apprehensive about going all in for him. But if it’s between him and Romney, then I don’t care – T-Paw all the way.

  28. Sheesh.
    We’re discussing candidates as if it matters.
    What matters is to rid ourselves of Obama and as many of his running dogs as is legally possible….which assumes a fair vote count will occur. Good luck with that.

  29. The really depressing thing is that we’re all obsessing over federal politics 24/7. No sooner does one election end that we’re already discussing the next one.

    In my opinion, the main reason for that isn’t the 24 hour news cycle or the internet. It’s because the federal government affects every single aspect of our lives to an unprecedented degree.

    That’s what’s depressing.

  31. Most of us probably should do something better, but what are you going to do?

  32. All I am interested in is a nominee who is a true fiscal conservative who is willing to take the inevitable heat for putting the monster of DC back into the box delineated by the Constitution. I’m pro Cain. I’m pro Palin. I’m pro West. I’m also pro Gary Johnson. I could be pro Pawlenty or even Bachman with a bit of persuasion. Do they all have flaws? Do I have reservations about each of them? Of course.

    The key questions IMO are: a.) Does the eventual candidate have the will to prevail upon the battlefield of ideas and the ability to articulate core fiscal conservative principles? b.) Does he or she have the force of personality and the intrinsic instinct to take on BHO were he is vulnerable and throw back with a vengeance the inevitable attacks of the MSM?

    I’m more than ready to get behind a straight, articulate and experienced in the real world candidate. That said, I would pay in silver or gold to be in the audience when Cain debates Obama with no tele-prompters allowed.

  33. It’s hardly cowardice. In war, and if you believe this is anything but war, you prolly wanna take another look, people get wounded. Sometimes those wounds are so extensive, that they cannot continue to fight. It’s most often the bravest, strongest fighters, at the front of the fight that are seriously wounded. The challenge is to find new leadership, and follow, and continue to fight. Palin got hammered unfairly, but I think even some liberal women have come to understand that it wasn’t ok. If she moved the ball that far forward, I think she’s done a great service. I am just acknowledging the facts, and they are that Palin isn’t electable. I’d love to see a ticket like Pawlenty and Allen West. The level headed general, and the aggressive outspoken lieutenant. It accomplishes many things. It gives us a credible candidate who isn’t a real fire brand, but is competent, and will appeal to those voters have had enough of Obama. It gives us a rabid hardcore conservative, who as luck would have it, is black. Kinda hard to brand people as racists that way, isn’t it? Obama won’t be hard to beat, we just need to be credible and sincere.

  34. I submit that Palin’s branding is an asset. Much like Eisenhower used the myth that he was an old codger that played golf all day, so can Palin blind side her competition.

    Note well the fear that comes upon the other side when her name is mentioned. Palin generates publicity, energy, and passion. These are the emotional values which Obama hopes to use because he cannot win on intellect or record. Palin takes them away. When her optimistic attitude which focuses on what America does right is countered against Obama’s old saws which ratchet up his rickety coalition, the difference is going to be so stark and obvious that it will change people’s mind like the scene in “My cousin Vinny” when the guy cries out “I want him.”

    http://dailycaller.com/2011/05/23/the-myth-of-sarah-palins-stupidity/

  35. Haven’t had a chance to read all comments yet, but I must say that Jesse Jackson ruined that “southern baptist cadence” for me. I don’t ever need to hear it again, not one time.

  36. I’m still betting on Palin.

    Any Republican nominee is going to get trashed, big time, and it is perfectly understandable why Mitch Daniels has decided not to put his family through it.

    Romney has Romney-care as a milestone around his neck, although I think he would find that a bigger problem with Republicans than independents. Pawlenty is trying hard for a profile, but has a long way to go. Cain has come from nowhere, and unfortunately (and I think quite wrongly) comes across as a bit too much of a novelty choice, just like making Michael Steele head of the RNC. Cain would however be an interesting choice as VP running mate. Newt has already tripped over and isn’t a contender.

    Palin has been through hell, and its hard to see how she can go anywhere but up. Of course she is a risk, but so are all the other likely candidates. The big advantages she has are her ability to raise money and attract crowds, and her ability to go after Obama and his administration. She is smart, plucky and articulate — I see her giving Obama a hard time about the teleprompter addiction to mess with his mind. Give her a good running mate like (my three picks — in no particular order) Michele Backmann, Herman Cain or Marco Rubio, and it would be very competitive.

    I also think Palin running would increase the chance of Clinton challenging Obama in the primaries. My view there is if that happens, and Clinton loses, her base would largely move across to Palin, whereas if she beat Obama, the African-American base would drop out or possibly even shift to Palin. Either way, Palin almost certainly wins. I doubt Clinton sees it that way — I think she believes she could beat Palin regardless of how messy her primary win was (by pulling swingers and moderates).

    In 2008, the Democrats were able to make “it” about Palin to a fair degree. This time “it” will mostly be about Obama, and I don’t think he can handle the heat.

  38. Well, anyone who has been reading my comments over the past couple of years knows that I’m a big Palin supporter. My idea of a dream ticket is Palin/West.

    I’m just not excited about any of the other possible candidates so far. I think the Republican leadership and the media are going to try to saddle us with an establishment milquetoast candidate. The media wants to see Obama re-elected, while the R leadership wants business as usual. None of the elites wants to see things shaken up.

    But the Left’s fear of Palin is palpable. That’s been obvious to me from the beginning. Which is a great reason to support her.

    She’s the best we’ve got, and the future of our country is on the line. It’s time for a Hail Mary pass.

  39. Everyone here save me and probably Artfldgr seems to believe 2012 will be a normal election. Normal Repub primaries, normal amount of vote fraud, normal MSM bias.
    Just you wait.

  40. I would prefer My Pet Goat to Obama, who is not invincible. The Reps have criticized him, but not in a cohesive and comprehensive way at this point. That will come when the time is right. And, the economy is not his only weak spot. Just wait till Rudi starts his attacks on Holder’s Justice Dept. Just wait till articles like this start to be echoed in the foreign press and those foreign comments start turning up in campaign spots.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304066504576341212934894494.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_carousel_2

    I can just see the campaign ads talking about the foreign policy mess our candidate will inherit.

    I read a Gates address at Notre Dame this week in which it seems like he had to put the screws to Obama (very diplomatically worded of course) in order to get him to do the right thing militarily. I’m pretty sure that, candidate or not, West will turn up the volume about military issues.

    A lot of this stuff is still below the radar, but, believe me it will start coming out in force next summer. The economic issues will be handled OK by whoever wins the nomination if the conservative base in congress is strengthened and if we find someone who is not so stupid as to buck that base. The same is true on certain social issues. Obama is weak in precisely those areas where congress has less to say, so these are fertile areas for attack. I think we need to be very careful in how we discuss our potential candidates. We have to be careful to leave our losers with enough credibility to be part of the Republican attack team. No single person will be able to win against Obama if we send “him” out there alone. And please remember, we don’t have to win all the votes from Obama supporters. We just have to dampen their enthusiasm so they don’t bother voting.

  41. Don Carlos:
    You can include me in your list. I don’t have any illusions about the cleanliness of the next election.

  42. Rickl says, “My idea of a dream ticket is Palin/West.”

    I like that combo, there are others that are fine by me. I favor ‘outsiders’. Palin, West, Cain, and Johnson fit the bill.

  43. “Everyone here save me and probably Artfldgr seems to believe 2012 will be a normal election.”

    Name an election since 1956 that was ‘normal’.

  44. Parker:
    Good point. Nixon went to his grave believing that Kennedy, Johnson, and Daley’s Chicago machine stole the 1960 election.

    He didn’t make a stink about it because he thought the controversy would be bad for the country.

    Contrast that with the Democrats’ behavior after the 2000 election, and to a smaller extent, 2004.

  45. I meant “normal” as in “average” or “usual”. Average can span 1956 to 2008; fine with me. My concern remains. Just you wait.

  46. Rickl,

    I was a 13 year old farm boy in 1960. I sat up late into the night (next morning actually) with my folks waiting to learn the crucial tally from Illinois. Interestingly, the Chicago area tally came long after the rest of the state gave Nixon a solid, but small victory. Once the Chicago ‘results’ were announced JFK won the electoral college count. I’ve been cynical & skeptical ever since.

  47. Before anyone throws their support behind Perry you need to research his support for the Trans Texas Corridor- aka Nafta Super highway, not to mention his reported call in a speech in Mexico a few years back, as reported in the Houston paper, for “free flow of labor” across the border. I simply did not vote for govenor this time around in the general election-I held my nose in the primary and pulled for that female who might have had truther tendencies.

  48. Don Carlos,

    I’m not discounting your ‘concern’. This issue is a constant in presidential elections ever since I can clearly recall (1960). Is it a serious issue? Yes. Can it be overcome? Yes, given a 55-60% republican majority vote that via corruption ends up as a 50.1 to 58% tally.

    We are not yet Venezuela or Cuba. As 2000 FLA demonstrates, only so much corruption can be allowed before the grownups step in and put and end to the fiasco. Can the BHO-MSM machine rig the 2012 election? Yes. But the whole country will be watching very closely. Is BHO favored in 2012? Yes, he is the incumbent and the MSM running dog lackeys are a big factor. However, I think there is a lot of moldering resentment out there that will manifest itself at the ballot box if only the republicans put forth the proper candidate.

  49. I LOVE Sarah Palin and Herman Cain.

    And I am sick of hearing that the Republican candidates are unelectable – no matter who we run that will be the meme that the Soros forces will push.

    The fact is a pet rock will be better president than Obama.

    EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR CANDIDATES HAS MNORE EXPERIENCE, MORE MORAL CHARACTER, AND MORE CONCERN FOR THE WELL BEING OF THIS NATION – NONE OF OURS WILL WORK TO BANKRUPT THIS NATION THE WAY OBAMA HAS.

    STOP being beaten back and beaten down.

  50. And Obama isn’t polarizing? Please.

    Not only that – he has people working overtime to make SURE you find our candidates to be flawed, polarizing and stupid…

    The Obama Machine and his paid trolls to deceive web readers

    We can’t win if we don’t try.

    And beating up our own weakens us going forward. Stay focused on the target. 2012, no second term.

    Focus on OBAMA’S record! Look – he didn’t do anything about the budget except rocket it to the moon until Ryan came up with a plan. Obama is too little too late, and that is where you have to focus.

    (And remember, Palin has been beating the crap out of him, armed with nothing more than Facebook. Dead on. Nary a misstep. Right on the money. Absolutely accurate. Death panels? Noooooo they don’t exist, but they got written out because of her – remember these things. Pay attention to Obama serving reporters now telling us why ‘death panels’ are a necessary and good thing, and who now gush admiringly that high gas prices are actually good for us…. Pay attention, and you won’t be calling Palin stupid or unelectable.)

  51. Look at what what Minnesota conservatives thought of Pawlenty. He’s a squish. A McCain-style appeal to the compromise grow-government gutless squish. He talks nice principles, but still handed out a baseball stadium. He’s O.K. with taxes as long as they’re called fees.

    In a broader sense, the whole proposition expects more from a President than a conservative should. The righties are supposed to about limiting government power. So maybe there are some (many) things that a President cannot or should not do.

    Cain’s time as a FedRes chairman is troubling. But I like that he says he doesn’t know everything.

    And everyone is operating under he assumption that there will be no challenge to Barry from the Dems or the Progs. That seems short-sighted. A month ago, Prog chatter was lamenting Obama as Bush’s third term. How many foreign wars and Patriot Act intrusions will it take to cripple the lefty ground game for primaries and the real election? How many more hamfisted snubs of allies like Israel and Britain will it take before Hillary sees her opening?

  52. Everybody seem to believe that this year and a half will be a “normal” year. This won’t be so. Middle East is a tinderbox ready to explode, and Obama plays fire with it. Who will benefit when a big war erupts, is everybody’s guess, but all our present political calculations are doomed to became irrelevant at election day.

  53. “”And I am sick of hearing that the Republican candidates are unelectable “”
    Rose

    Amen. The media desperately wants Americans to forget last November ever happened. Well it did and how we get any conservative as unelectable out of that seems to fall prey to a media narrative that is just one hell of a lot of wishful thinking by liberals.

  54. @foxmarks
    There will be no credible democrat challenge to Obama. The political machine that put Obama there would destroy any democrat that tried.

    @Rose
    Amen as well. Almost any Republican CAN beat Obama in 2012. It is unclear if any WILL.

    Check the poll data. After you remove bias from the various samples Obama has lost his edge with independents (and moderates which are different); he has lost substantial support with hispanics; he has lost ground with white women; he has lost support with the elderly; he has lost support with voters under 30s. While he still leads with some of these (not independents nor moderates) his margins are down.

    Other than unions and democrat activist groups, key segments of his 2008 coalition are dispirited. With unemployment among recent college graduates around 25% the “youth vote” is suffering serious buyers remorse.

    His policies virtually guarantee that next summer the economy will still be in the tank and gas prices will as high or higher than they are now.

    Sergey rightly points out the potential of world or national events producing unexpected disruptions in our political calculus. But note how small and brief was the bump from taking out Osama. This administration has brought home to the American people the need be serious about our very real problems. Bread and circuses won’t cut it in 2012. There will be an accounting.

    If the Republicans unite behind their nominee and work their hearts out, Obama is very beatable.

  55. Foxnews.com (via Rep. Peter King) just posted that Guiliani is again thinking about a presidential run. That would certainly be interesting.

  56. Rose, you make very good points. None of the candidates are ideal. All have some negatives. That said, anyone of them would be better than Obama. Unfortunately, a moderate Republican probably has the best chances, mathematically speaking. We have to remember the 20% or so of the voters who are independents who are crucial to winning any election. Better to have a moderate who has no skeletons in his/her closet who is a strong fiscal conservative. The primary thrust of the next few years is to enact pro-growth legislation, get spending under control, neuter or repeal Obamacare, secure our borders, and vigorously prosecute the war with Islam. The social issues do not loom large when viewed in that context. I believe that moderates like Romney and Pawlenty, given a majority in Congress could do just that. Though I worry about both of them when it comes to issues of war and peace.

    Like most here, I would love to see a full blown, happy-warrior conservative like Palin become president. Unfortunately, the MSM has damaged her image for independents. As much as we hate it, they do make a huge difference in most elections.

    Herman Cain is impressive and I also like his ability to admit he doesn’t know everything. That is, of course, a great weak spot in the eyes of the MSM. They attack every Republican on whether they know foreign affairs or not. No one person can possibly know enough about all the issues to be an expert, that is what cabinets and advisors are for. However, the MSM manages to hold Republicans up as not experienced or knowledgeable enough with great success. It is disgusting that they can get away with this considering Obama’s weaknesses and lack of knowledge, but they do.

    The real key to getting smaller government is to elect conservative senators and representatives. Even a perfect conservative as president cannot accomplish much without the legislative body behind him. I hope we have a vigorous, clean (speak no ill of fellow Republicans), well run primary with an electable candidate emerging and that we will all close ranks and work tirelessly (in spite of our personal preferences) for his/her election. ABO! Anybody but Obama!

  57. Throwing the game since both sides are the one side..

    ie… when they came across the isle, they made friends and divvied things up.. a la FDR.. a la Yalta… you know, for the good of everyone (of course)

  58. The FBI has a fingerprint and forensic evidence linking al-Qaida’s top bomb maker in Yemen to a trio of explosive devices used in recent attacks on the United States, tangible reminders that Osama bin Laden’s death has not eliminated the threat from the group’s most active and dangerous franchise.

    Investigators have pulled a fingerprint of Ibrahim al-Asiri off the bomb hidden in the underwear of a Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a plane over Detroit on Christmas Day 2009, U.S. counterterrorism officials said. Investigators also determined that the explosives used in that bomb are chemically identical to those hidden inside two printers that were shipped from Yemen last year, bound for Chicago and Philadelphia.

  59. 1. With honorable exceptions like Paul Ryan, the Republican establishment’s strategy for 2009/2010 was to count on Democrat mistakes. Without the Tea Party, IMO, the GOP would have done far worse last November than it did. The Tea Party is too new to field multiple contenders of national stature. Hence the anemic GOP field.

    2. I believe Palin has made miscalculations and am no longer in her corner, but I don’t view her as a nutjob. Some of her supporters act like nutjobs, though.

    3. Gary Johnson has an appealing resume: self-made businessman, two-term governor of a Democratic state, fiscal conservative, libertarian. (My knowingly quixotic choice in 2008 was Fred Thompson, but Johnson is clearly better qualified than Fred was.)

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