Boz
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Post by Boz on Apr 30, 2011 18:07:48 GMT -5
It looks like Romney made an aggressive play to hang with the Barbour constituency today. Romney clearly misspoke and stumbled around apologetically for about ten seconds because he clearly didn't want to be interpreted as using violent metaphor or the dog whistle context of "hang him". If anything I give him credit for his bumbling there because he clearly didn't want to say that. Contrast that with elected members of his party who would have absolutely no problem with purposefully stating what he said by accident. Yes. Contrast that with all of the denunciations you heard from Democratic legislators when liberal protesters LITERALLY talked about stringing up Clarence Thomas. .....crickets. But maybe they were saving their energy to shout down Crazy Cat Lady Louise Slaughter when she stated explicitly that Republicans were elected to kill women. Oops. It's all about the "new tone," I suppose. |
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on May 7, 2011 10:15:33 GMT -5
Computer geek throws some gasoline on the birther fire:
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on May 9, 2011 10:41:55 GMT -5
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Bando
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Post by Bando on May 11, 2011 13:15:59 GMT -5
Well this is going to be awesome. Let's see if Fox News treats him the same way they John Edwards for doing the exact same thing Edwards did. Wait, Newt works for Fox News? |
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Bando
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Post by Bando on May 11, 2011 17:47:38 GMT -5
Gingrich 2012: He will always love America. Unless it gets cancer.
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Boz
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Post by Boz on May 11, 2011 20:19:28 GMT -5
Gingrich 2012: He will always love America. Unless it gets cancer. Is Obama gonna' steal that slogan too? |
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rosslynhoya
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Post by rosslynhoya on May 12, 2011 8:52:56 GMT -5
I want to prognosticate a bit and try to figure out who Newt hurts by entering the race. The problem is that I honestly can't fathom who his natural constituency is supposed to be (and I say this as someone who can see the respective appeal of Trump, Palin, Huckabee, Romney, McCain, good Cain, Santorum, TPaw/Mitch, Paul, and Johnson).
It seems that if there is some positive aspect of Newt's persona that appeals to you, you would prefer an alternate candidate already in the mix who has the same trait in spades, and um, isn't a thoroughly detestable human being. If any potential Republican voter/detached observer has a plausible explanation, I am all ears.
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EasyEd
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Post by EasyEd on May 12, 2011 9:04:47 GMT -5
Newt will not survive the primaries. Too much personal baggage. However, what he does offer is a keen mind and a gift for explaining his positions. Won't see it but would love to see him debate President Obama.
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TBird41
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Post by TBird41 on May 12, 2011 9:08:57 GMT -5
Newt will not survive the primaries. Too much personal baggage. However, what he does offer is a keen mind and a gift for explaining his positions. Won't see it but would love to see him debate President Obama. I think this covers it. Newt, obviously, is going to overlook how bad his baggage actually is (hey, he's a politician, that's what they do) but he's as good as anyone in terms of policy and crafting a clear explanation / message of that policy. I think he'd be getting a lot more support w/o the personal life stuff. Hopefully, however, he's able to influence / improve the debate in the primaries before he gets dragged down / knocked out. |
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rosslynhoya
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Post by rosslynhoya on May 12, 2011 9:23:39 GMT -5
Newt will not survive the primaries. Too much personal baggage. However, what he does offer is a keen mind and a gift for explaining his positions. Won't see it but would love to see him debate President Obama. I think this covers it. Newt, obviously, is going to overlook how bad his baggage actually is (hey, he's a politician, that's what they do) but he's as good as anyone in terms of policy and crafting a clear explanation / message of that policy. I think he'd be getting a lot more support w/o the personal life stuff. Hopefully, however, he's able to influence / improve the debate in the primaries before he gets dragged down / knocked out. Fair enough, thank you both for the quick response. However, don't the later primary debates at least tend to put some kind of polling threshhold in place to screen out the Larouchies and other fringe candidates? I can't see Newt cracking even 5% in a 6+ way race. If Newt really wanted to "influence the debate" with his mad policy skills, it would seem to make more sense to start a blog or something so that all of the candidates could benefit from his treasure trove of brilliant ideas. Or perhaps he should be the moderator for these early debates and give them a real Bill O'Reilly no-spin grilling! Actually participating in his own right leaves me to think that he'll ultimately do more damage to the other GOP candidates, including the eventual nominee, than they could remotely do to him in turn. |
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theexorcist
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Post by theexorcist on May 12, 2011 9:42:06 GMT -5
I think this covers it. Newt, obviously, is going to overlook how bad his baggage actually is (hey, he's a politician, that's what they do) but he's as good as anyone in terms of policy and crafting a clear explanation / message of that policy. I think he'd be getting a lot more support w/o the personal life stuff. Hopefully, however, he's able to influence / improve the debate in the primaries before he gets dragged down / knocked out. Fair enough, thank you both for the quick response. However, don't the later primary debates at least tend to put some kind of polling threshhold in place to screen out the Larouchies and other fringe candidates? I can't see Newt cracking even 5% in a 6+ way race. If Newt really wanted to "influence the debate" with his mad policy skills, it would seem to make more sense to start a blog or something so that all of the candidates could benefit from his treasure trove of brilliant ideas. Or perhaps he should be the moderator for these early debates and give them a real Bill O'Reilly no-spin grilling! Actually participating in his own right leaves me to think that he'll ultimately do more damage to the other GOP candidates, including the eventual nominee, than they could remotely do to him in turn. The thing is that we're still months away from the field solidifying. Most of the good talk is about Mitch Daniels, who may or may not run. Almost everybody at this point has huge amounts of baggage and lots of good candidates are waiting until 2016. If I'm Newt, and I have the desire to be president, I take a look at this group of current challengers and think "Hey, I'm not going to get a better shot than now". He could do well in a debate or two, catch fire, and, if not win, at least make things really interesting. And, let's be honest, very few reporters are famous after a decade or three. Even the loser of a presidential race can be a Politics and Pints trivia question - Newt obviously wants that fame, and blogging or moderating isn't going to cut it. I still think it would be better for him to link up with another candidate and get some White House position - he probably can't win the top job, but he can do a lot behind the scenes. |
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Boz
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Post by Boz on May 12, 2011 11:35:45 GMT -5
I am really biased toward Newt, so I probably shouldn't comment.
I'll just say I think he is a man of brilliant ideas, but he definitely has some problems that stand in the way of him and the nomination and/or general election.
Personally, I don't think his marital history would hurt him as much as some think. But the political hypocrisy of his second marriage/affair, yes. Hell, Newt himself said just last night that if the election is about his personal life, he can't win.
In my honest opinion, some of his over-the-top comments in recent years as a political pundit will be more damaging to his chances than the personal stuff.
It is unfortunate, but I also agree with exorcist. If Newt is ever going to run for president, this has to be the election to do it.
If another Republican beats Obama, then you obviously have an incumbent next time around. And if Obama wins, 2016 looks for all intents and purposes to be the election that will see someone like Marco Rubio or Chris Christie (or even a Nikki Haley) as the leading Republican contender. In short, the next generation. It's either now or never, so I guess it's now.
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Bando
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Post by Bando on May 12, 2011 11:37:58 GMT -5
It seems Mitch Daniels is part-Arab. I'm guessing this isn't going to fly so much in the GOP primaries (Pam Gellar is already going crazy about it). |
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Boz
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Post by Boz on May 12, 2011 12:08:43 GMT -5
It seems Mitch Daniels is part-Arab. I'm guessing this isn't going to fly so much in the GOP primaries (Pam Gellar is already going crazy about it). You may have missed your calling as a caricature artist. |
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hoyainspirit
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Post by hoyainspirit on May 12, 2011 12:58:14 GMT -5
Gingrich 2012: He will always love America. Unless it gets cancer. Is Obama gonna' steal that slogan too? Here's one he won't steal: "I have two grandchildren -- Maggie is 11, Robert is 9. I am convinced that if we do not decisively win the struggle over the nature of America, by the time they're my age they will be in a secular atheist country, potentially one dominated by radical Islamists and with no understanding of what it once meant to be an American." To quote Norm Macdonald: Wait, what? |
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Boz
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Post by Boz on May 12, 2011 13:06:54 GMT -5
Hey, man. Do you mind?
Bando and I were having an nice, enjoyable little snark war. ;D
Also, I think you may have missed the bit just a moment ago where I specifically said it was exactly comments like these (more than his personal life) that would be Gingrich's biggest problem as a candidate.
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hoyainspirit
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Post by hoyainspirit on May 12, 2011 13:20:27 GMT -5
Hey, man. Do you mind? Bando and I were having an nice, enjoyable little snark war. ;D Also, I think you may have missed the bit just a moment ago where I specifically said it was exactly comments like these (more than his personal life) that would be Gingrich's biggest problem as a candidate. Like the snark war. ;D I'm just bored on a Thursday. |
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Boz
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Post by Boz on May 12, 2011 14:45:19 GMT -5
Yeah, this is basically Friday for me, as I have tomorrow off and nothing to do this afternoon except sign off on stuff. I am trying not to blow my brains out reading about Glenn Beck and Meghan McCain fighting with each other over....I'm sorry, what again? Sweet Jebus.  I'm not sure which is worse. That, or creepy Wolf Blitzer ogling at before and after plastic surgery pictures of Bristol Palin. Dammit, letchy media men!!! Fight in your own age class!!! It's gross!! |
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Boz
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Post by Boz on May 16, 2011 9:08:31 GMT -5
Ahhh, Newt, Newt, Newt.
... sigh ...
So disappointing.
You know what voters like even less than someone who might make an inappropriate or over the top statement from time to time?
Someone who lacks consistency.
What, did you think no one would remember?
This really bums me out.
Oh well.
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EasyEd
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Post by EasyEd on May 16, 2011 9:29:05 GMT -5
Theough the process of elimination, Pawlenty is starting to look better every day.
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