1 One of the best things about Thune is that he sent Tom Daschle packing.

2 Why would trying to get a potential rival into another position be consistent with not running in 2012? (yes, I'm that guy who wants him to run...to Stephen Kruiser's eternal dismay...)

3

Thune.

That's fun to say..

4
THUUUUUNE!

5 My Delusion:  Romney is assembling a network of politicians, Senators, governors to support his 2012 bid: Whitman, Brown, Thune, Lazio (good luck with that one...)

6 Thune.  It's how Barney Frank says "soon."

7 I like Thune, but putting a Senator into the White House is usually a bad idea.  Look at the jackass in there now as an example.

Find a governor or ex-governor instead.  We're going to need someone who knows how to administrate to fix the mess we're in.

8 Mitt is an empty suit.  Nice guy, but not what we need.

9

Thune.

It's like little Cindy Brady sayin' tune.

10 I'd rather Thune had more executive experience. Nominating governors are how Republicans win.

11 I am originally from South Dakota so I know about Thune. Let me tell you, he is the best one out there. I have been hoping he would run for president ever since he knocked out Daschle. He is a tried and true conservative.

12 In other campaign news, Dan Coats is coming out of retirement to challenge Bayh. Very good news.

13 #8, you may find him low-charisma, but having done phenomenally well in the business word, saved an Olympics, and been a somewhat conservative governor in MA, and been instrumental in Brown's victory is "empty suit"?

At least call him flipper, or something.  Something!

14 I hear David Brooks likes hell out of Thune.

15 Sehr interessant.

16 How creased are his pants?

17 Sehr?  WTF is that?

18 What is Romneys position on abortion today? or on the state running healthcare and bankrupting it? Just asking lol.

19 How creased are his pants?

It depends on his mood.  I hear he can crease them just by winking at pretty ladies.

20 Yeah, but Mitt really is low on charisma, to a point where it does really make him nearly unviable. Part of it, maybe, was that he was so CONTROLLED as a candidate he always came off as inauthentic. Supposedly, according to Scott Brown, he's loosened up a lot, so maybe he can beat that. Look, charisma is part of this, don't fool yourselves.

21 Yeah, charisma is a huge part of this.  Exhibit A:  Bobby Jindal = Epic Fail.

22 Okay faggots. If not Romney, then who? Christ, I don't see any morons deserving of the nomination for the Presidency. Fuckabee? When pigs fly.

23

Yeah, but Mitt really is low on charisma, to a point where it does really make him nearly unviable.

Part of it, maybe, was that he was so CONTROLLED as a candidate he always came off as inauthentic. Supposedly, according to Scott Brown, he's loosened up a lot, so maybe he can beat that

Isn't that sort of an "Al Gore" effect?  Coming off completely wooden and robotic as a candidate, but all the people who talk to the guy in private just swear that he is the most vibrant funny and personable guy you will ever meet?  I think they claimed Bob Dole to be the same.  Their supposed charisma just doesn't ever appear in public.

24

Part of it, maybe, was that he was so CONTROLLED as a candidate he always came off as inauthentic. Supposedly, according to Scott Brown, he's loosened up a lot, so maybe he can beat that.

And when Romney does loosen up to be more authentic:

http://tinyurl.com/yr7bw5

Bad. Things. Happen.

25

Inauthentic-check.

When I think of Mitt, I envision this guy always smilin' and what not.

26 If not Romney, then who?




I'll throw my money and time Paul Ryan's way.

27 #20, et al, he was controlled as a candidate?  Controlled by whom?  Hey, he isn't cool.  But if you want cool, I think Obama is your man!

28 I just don't think Romney can either win the primary or unite the party, should he eke a win. A lot of social cons (and other cons, too) just seem to consider him pure poison. It's not even that they disapprove of him; they seem to hate him. I don't know how you get from here to there with Romney. It just seems to require something like "Okay, everyone who despises him agrees to think he's okay," and I don't see that as very likely. Mind you -- I'm not a Romney basher. I always thought it was okay and then, when up against McCain, I heartily supported him. But I've always had these doubts that the was The Guy.

29 If not Romney, then who?

Mike Pence

30 If it's Romney or Mccain of Huckabee, of course I support the flip flopping Romneycare pretty boy.

If it's Romney or Giuliani or Thomson or Palin or Thune or Perry or Cantor or Frist or Liz Cheney, Romney is dead last.

He is not a good candidate, despite the fact that he is better than Huck or Mccain.

31 Mike Pence? A representative? Since 2003? Come on. You're making it too easy for Obama now.

32 Congressmen Pence and Ryan are great.  I could vote for either.  But executive experience is huge to an effective administration.  May the best man, or woman run and win.

33 When you say executive experience, Obama will easily claim he has 4 years of executive experience (failure) under his belt anyways and say these guys have none.

34 OT:  Hewitt just referred to DOL faking/cooking unemployment figures; anyone got any info on this

_{^{(Hewitt has season tickets to any Romney thread so I asked here...)}}

35 From the New York Times today:  Paul Ryan's Moment

http://tinyurl.com/yz7ccla

36

Mike Pence? A representative? Since 2003? Come on. You're making it too easy for Obama now.

You cannot be serious. I whole-heartedly believe we could run a friggin' blow-up doll named Not Obama and win in 2012.

 

37 crap

Thought I made that link hot - sorry

38 #34: We taught them Mike's Nature trick so they could hide the decline in employment.

39 PA covered the fudged (? -- not sure that's the right word) unemployment figures earlier today, like at 1 or 2.

40 It is a sad fact that charisma plays a huge role.  I supported Phil Gramm's brief foray into presidential politics.  I rooted for Fred Thompson.  I thought Cheney should have been at the top of the 2000 ticket. 

It's disappointing that serious, thoughtful, and, perhaps, boring people have no chance to be elected president in this culture.

41

Thune and Romney are fag lovers. They will always fight for who gets the reach around.

JEB BUSH!!!!;p

42 Pence is my favorite right now too.  However, I do like governors generally as presidential candidates, so maybe that dude from Indiana.

43 Someone with military experience.

44

Unfortunately, Thune is from South Dakota and that doesn't bring enough automatic electoral votes.  Maybe if he got a VP candidate from PA, OH, or FL...

He's smokin' hot, though, which doesn't hurt.  Romney's probably bucking for a cabinet position which wouldn't be a bad idea.  I would personally vote for anyone who'd make Jim Inhofe Secretary of State.

45

Someone with military experience.

I disagree.  Reagan didn't have military experience.

46

Correction: Reagan was in the Reserves, he didn't have combat experience.  Sorry about that.

47 Romney pretty much won all the debates even as the candidates ganged up on him. The only bad thing the opposition could say about him was that he had his dog on his car roof. He is the best educated, proven intellectual and the only one with real business experience. But hell he can't sell you a used car or a shamwow so screw him.

48 Romney is not an empty suit.  He's extremely bright and capable, and you only need to read about his accomplishments in the private sector to agree.

My problem with Romney is that he, like Bush wants a "legacy".  He wants big government to get things done. 

Bush engineered two new big government programs.  No Child Left Behind was a complete flop.  The prescription drug entitlement was unaffordable and irresponsible.  Like Bush, Romney established his own legacy with health care reform in Mass.  Both are built on "compassionate conservatism", or whatever you wish to call it.  Romney's time has passed.

Mitch Daniels is another really bright guy like Romney, but he has more ties to movement conservatism (Reagan administration, conservative think tanks),

49

Correction: Reagan was in the Reserves, he didn't have combat experience.  Sorry about that.

Posted by: barbelle at February 03, 2010 06:41 PM (qF8q3)

All I ask is they have a working understanding of the culture.

Murtha and Kerry prove it isn't foolproof, but I'd prefer it.

50

All I ask is they have a working understanding of the culture.

Murtha and Kerry prove it isn't foolproof, but I'd prefer it.

I'm with you on that.

51 Pawlenty is the man. A midwesterner, a former governor, and a right nice guy. Sarah as VP to bring in the party faithful and TPaw will draw the independents.

(Disclosure: I barely know a thing about him but he's kinda my guy at the moment.)

Uh, you want to expand on that one, Ace? And what's all this talk about a stalker?

52 We should draft someone who doesn't want to be president.

53 A legacy for Romney? How about de-socializing ObamAmerica. He has the skill set. He even has a family auto background to try and reprivatize GM. He has the perfect skill set. Also, how can I put this...hasn't Obamas exquisite religious background made Romneys a much smaller potential issue?

54 Romney is going about this the right way- build a team, help candidates, mend any broken fences. By 2012 this country is going to be dying to vote for anyone but King Barry and his workers paradise economic toilet we'll be living in. If Romney can make a speech like he did at the convention and later at CPAC a couple of years ago, he's got a real shot. But by 2012, anyone might.

55

Pick a qualified candidate who can win...Pick him early...Go like hell!  My advice for Republicans...I hope we don't field another nine candidates who beat the hell out of each other doing the work for the democrats and the MSM before we ever get to the general election...

56

By 2012 this country is going to be dying to vote for anyone but King Barry and his workers paradise economic toilet we'll be living in.

I keep seeing this sentiment and it very much concerns me, mainly because it's not true.

The "Anti-The Other Guy" vote is not going to get the voters to the polls in 2012.  I've said before I wouldn't vote for someone like Lindsay Graham just because he's running against Obama and I'm not the only one out there.  If the RNC runs a Amnesty Lover, you might as well resign yourself to another 4 years of Obama.  Not only will such a choice keep the Republican base at home, it opens the door, wide, for a devastating Third Party Choice which will condemn us all.

Learn, RNC, learn the right lesson.  Back a conservative Or Else.

57

Ahh, good ol' John "I'll burn this mufucka down before a base in my state gets closed" Thune.  Given his spastic fits in 2005, he *might* not be the best guy to run....

I worked in DC when he was still just a Rep.  Met some of his staffers at several events - they didn't exactly speak of him in the most glowing of terms.

Maybe he's better now, though.

58 Big Thune fan.

59 I don't know if this means Romney ... if he's building his credibility inside the party,

As far as I'm concerned, the only way he can do that is to stop going on TV and talking about what a great system the Massachusetts health care thing is.

Like that's ever going to happen.

60

Correction: Reagan was in the Reserves, he didn't have combat experience.  Sorry about that.

Posted by: barbelle at February 03, 2010 06:41 PM (qF8q3)

All I ask is they have a working understanding of the culture.

Murtha and Kerry prove it isn't foolproof, but I'd prefer it.

Carter was a "nucular" engineer in the Navy. Whatever that is.

61 60 Carter was a "nucular" engineer in the Navy. Whatever that is.

I think it involves whacking seagoing rabbits with a cricket bat.

62 #59, you might be right, or it might suffice, as is, essentially, Romney's position, that a state can decide to do what it wants to do, good, bad, or indifferent ("federalism").  I'm not saying this is the best strategy, but taking refuge in federalism, assuming it's really "refuge," may not be so stupid.

#54, Broken fences? Could you elaborate?

63 Protip: Palin is not going to be a VP candidate and her supporters think you're trying to con them when you say she should be the VP for your favored candidate.  If they need Palin, Palin is going to wipe the floor with them if she runs against them.

You either can get the support of the TEA peeps while running against Palin, or you go home.  There is no door 3.

64 #63 You're assuming a perfect storm.  In Blue and Purple States, Palin is either a negative, or at best, at best, a wash.  And that's assuming she can maintain the trajectory she was/is on can be maintained over the next 1.5-2 years, which will be tough.

65 #63 (I have previously written, and stand by the position that VP is Palin's ONLY path to the Presidency; and while I may be wrong, if I am clearly wrong, I would contend you are living in a kind of conservative la la land)

66 edited: #63 (I have previously written, and stand by the position that VP is Palin's ONLY path to the Presidency; and while I may be wrong, if you think I am clearly wrong, you are living in a kind of conservative la la land)

67 ParisParamus, for someone who makes up shit about what others as assuming, you sure to assume a lot of ridiculous shit.

I hope someone is capable of beating Palin in the primary if she even runs.  But they have to do it without her help.  So arguing that she can be their VP as some kind of retarded attempt to placate her supporters comes across as exactly what it is: weakness.

The VP is not a ticket to her being president.  That's stupid.  She's making her appeal to the people directly.  Either they believe in her or reject her.  Other candidates can either also make their appeal, or hope they can somehow run to her left and then attempt to get her to be their VP.

Palin would be an imbecile to let another campaign control her destiny again.  She would do more good right where she is today than as VP, and she knows it.

68 btw, not all that hot on Palin.

I think she should stay on Fox and Facebook.

BUT, I recognize the fucking tired and pathetic argument "in my dream, here's the bone I throw to Palin!  It's really in her best interest to be the VP!  it's the only way to give her the experience that you don't actually need to be president!  A useless position with no responsibilities worked out great for Gore!"

No.  Just leave that part of your dumb predictions out, and your appeal for whoever, Romney, Pawlenty, Huckabee, it automatically looks a lot better because you don't look weak and dishonest.

They either beat Palin the primary, or they don't.  And really, that's got everything to do with the TEA movement.  It's totally possible for someone to beat Palin without these stupid fantasies.

69 Palin would be an imbecile to let another campaign control her destiny again.  She would do more good right where she is today than as VP, and she knows it.

If she runs again she controls the campaign, not vice-versa.

70 Wigglesworth, I disagree.  There's no precedent for someone from a minor state with so thin a resume, with aspects thereof that suggest "flakey" (the resignation) becoming President. I'm not saying I wouldn't vote for her; just saying that many people feel that way.  Many people who would not vote for her for President might "not not" vote for a Presidential candidate, Romney perhaps, perhaps someone else, who chose her for VP.  And as VP, she could be very active, maybe Secretary of Energy, and reassure a good number of people.

What did I "make up"?  I expressed my opinions, hopefully educated ones, but in any case, opinions.

71 A useless position with no responsibilities worked out great for Gore!"

You want to have it both ways: you look to the past to conclude the the VP is a dead-end job (well, what about Bush Sr.?  Truman?) , but you don't want to look to the past to see that Presidents haven't come tertiary states without some national experience.  Gore, a VP, losing by a few hundred votes proves that he shouldn't have run?

As I said, a VP Palin who is also Secretary of Energy is a the plausible path to a Palin Presidency.

72 President Thaddeus McCotter - Has a nice ring to it, I say.  McCotter/Thune with Palin as Sec of Energy. 

73 LOL, if Obama had enough experience to convince the voters... if Abraham Lincoln did too, then Palin does.

All I'm saying is it is a major turnoff... it's totally unpersuasive to say your favored candidate is going to give a nod to Palin.  She's smart enough to say now, but that's not the point.  The point is that your whoever is going to have to win the nomination on their own strength.  Pissing on Palin fans with this demeaning promise is totally counterproductive.

If you are trying to hurt a candidate, though, go ahead and say he'll give Palin the VP slot.  that's basically the only way it makes sense to do so.

Palin, doing what she's doing right now, is making far more headway towards a presidential ambition than she would be in the VP slot attending dumb funerals.  Imagine if Palin was the VP for Mccain today... would she be managed by a pack of people who will throw her to the wolves?  Of course.  With the exception of Dick Cheney, that's what WPs are for.

Sorry, charlie.  Palin isn't going to be VP.  The idea that this completely empty job would help her appeal to voters is ridiculous unless the president she serves for is amazing.

74 #73   You may be correct, in which case Palin will never be President.  Or Vice President.

75 Palin wasn't going to be president when she endorsed McCain.

76

#36:

I totally agree. From last year I was predicting we could run Mickey Mouse against Obama and the mouse would win.

There might be some confusion with the Acorn people, seeing as how they already registered the Mouse as a democrat........

77 I don't trust any politician from a state north of the Mason-Dixon Line, and certainly not one from Massachusetts, regardless of his  political affiliation. An endorsement by Mitt Romney is equivalent to one by Kerry or Kennedy.

78

Romney is brilliant but just now going to get the votes needed in 2012. 

 

My guy is also Thune, but maybe in 2016 with Marco Rubio.

 

Thune/Rubio 2016.  Sounds good to me....right now.

79 #78  The consensus is that Romney could win if he can get the nomination; the nomination is the harder part.

80 If Thune wanted to be taken seriously for President, he'd be running for governor now. As things presently stand, he's unopposed in his re-election bid. Palin isn't going to be President. She's perceived as lacking the necessary experience. The current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. reminds us everyday why on-the-job training for a President is a bad idea. I say this as somebody who thought she was more qualified than the community organizer, and voted for her in the hope that McCain would croak on the job. The Republicans are unlikely to nominate a sitting Senator. We only elect one every other generation or so. And then only to remind ourselves why it's such a bad idea in the first place. Obama's vulnerability is more apparent than real, simply because we don't have an obvious challenger to rally around. Maybe it'll be Pawlenty, maybe Romney. And maybe by 2012 it won't matter because Obama will have succeeded in blowing the country to hell and gone, and anybody with a heartbeat and an R next to their name can beat him; in which case it'll be Mrs. Rodham at the top of the Democrat ticket.

81 I think our best bet is to do everything we can to bring about the Zombie Apocalypse. Only Zombie Reagan has what it takes to unite the living and the dead against the collectivist menace.

82 The consensus on Romney is that he's a flip flopping douchebag.  He isn't a contender.  He's just good at raising money.

This guy couldn't beat John Mccain.  Hell, he probably couldn't beat Huckabee.  He isn't a very skilled politician, and he's so inconsistent.  anyone who can't attack Obama's healthcare approach is simply going to have a real hard time in the primary and would be a gift to Obama. 

I don't think he has what it takes.

I also am concerned that Palin doesn't have the chops for the campaign.  People think Obama is surely going to lose.  Hell, some idiots think Romney would smash him.  Obama has a hell of a powerful machine, and in 2012 he will have executive experience that the GOP candidate almost certainly will not be able to match. 

We think the economy is going to suck balls in 2012.  It won't. The same assholes who collapsed shit in 2008 will make sure they get the economy looking pretty good in 2012.

so can Palin beat this machine?  It's really hard to say.  Taking a VP job, a job where you take a lot of attacks but accomplish absolutely nothing and look like a boob, won't help.  She's making her case to the people for fiscal conservatism.  If they buy that she will uphold that ideal, she will be a powerful force no matter her experience level (though she's got more successful executive experience than Romney... after all she improved her state and actually did a good job without betraying every principle she claims to stand for today).

I think Palin has a hard time with media.  Yes, even today.

But we have a good amount of time for some people to step forward.

83

what if we could some how convince gen. david petraeus to run in 2012? maybe by appealing to his sense of honor and duty , and to his officer's oath ; " to  defend the constitution against all enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC"  the man has a proven record of getting hard things done. what a welcome change that would be.

 

,

84 =<, health insurance quotes . =[[ life insurance quotes