2012 Presidential Election Thread......

[hoyainspirit]

The GOP Purity Test

Even Christie would face a daunting task getting the nomination in today's GOP, which sucks, btw. (not so gratuitous shot ;D)

EXCERPT:
But if Christie actually jumped into the race—that is, if he could explain why he spent so many months insisting he’s not “ready” to be president—he, too, would fail the Purity Test. He believes, for instance, that “climate change is real” and “human activity plays a role in these changes.” And when critics savaged him for nominating as a judge a Muslim who defended suspects after the 9/11 attacks—they were later cleared—Christie said he was “tired of dealing with the crazies” and that “this Sharia law business is crap.”

For a Republican to take a stance that breaks with party orthodoxy—whether toward illegal immigrants, uninsured patients, or Muslims—could attract swing voters in a general election. But first the candidate has to win the nomination, and in that arena, being impure remains a cardinal offense.

Those crazies he's talking about just happen to constitute a large part of the GOP base.

OK, usual suspects, your turn.

[rosslynhoya]

[quote author=hoyainspirit board=offtopic thread=17280 post=454211 time=1317234272
OK, usual suspects, your turn.
[/quote]

Hey, aren't you supposed to be marchin'?

I agree with the facts if not your interpretation. There's a definite longing on the GOP for *someone* to step up to the plate and be the perfect candidate. If Christie or Rubio or Ryan or Zombie Reagan puts his hat in the ring, he'll be torn down as quickly and efficiently as Perry has been.

I'll make the same complaint I do every four years -- debates are a particularly stupid way to choose a leader. This isn't Jimmy Stewart's Washington people. Presidents and even senators don't do their jobs by debating people. You might as well have an acapella sing off or evening gown competition to determine who's the most capable of governance. The last two presidents have done a splendid bipartisan job of proving that any oratorical ability is utterly unnecessary.

[hoyainspirit]

I finally watched that Fox/Google debate. IMO, the best one yet, though it still sucked. And you're right, these debates are, in large part, not enlightening.

2-1 after three (tough) games. I'm marchin'. Who dat!

[kchoya]

Sept 28, 2011 13:49:31 GMT -5 hoyainspirit said:

I finally watched that Fox/Google debate. IMO, the best one yet, though it still sucked. And you're right, these debates are, in large part, not enlightening.

2-1 after three (tough) games. I'm marchin'. Who dat!

You're racist. It's spelled marching.

[hoyainspirit]

Sept 28, 2011 14:07:11 GMT -5 kchoya said:

Sept 28, 2011 13:49:31 GMT -5 hoyainspirit said:

I finally watched that Fox/Google debate. IMO, the best one yet, though it still sucked. And you're right, these debates are, in large part, not enlightening.

2-1 after three (tough) games. I'm marchin'. Who dat!

You're racist. It's spelled marching.

So is rosslyn! ;D

[Boz]

The Republicans are most likely going to nominate Mitt Romney -- a guy who has flip flopped on a number of conservative issues, not to mention implemented an utterly UN-conservative health care solution in Massachusetts -- as their candidate for president in 2012.

Tell me again how Chris Christie or Ronald Reagan couldn't get the nomination?

Of course candidates get torn up in the primaries. Anyone recall the Democratic primary in 2007-8? It wasn't exactly what I would call "bloodless."


As for the debates, well, we're all Song of Ice and Fire fans here, aren't we?

"Words are wind."

[Cambridge]

Sept 28, 2011 16:03:11 GMT -5 Boz said:

The Republicans are most likely going to nominate Mitt Romney -- a guy who has flip flopped on a number of conservative issues, not to mention implemented an utterly UN-conservative health care solution in Massachusetts -- as their candidate for president in 2012.

Tell me again how Chris Christie or Ronald Reagan couldn't get the nomination?

Of course candidates get torn up in the primaries. Anyone recall the Democratic primary in 2007-8? It wasn't exactly what I would call "bloodless."


As for the debates, well, we're all Song of Ice and Fire fans here, aren't we?

"Words are wind."

Just a sampling of things that would potentially derail a Christie primary push:

Gun control
Climate change
Appointed a muslim judge
"Obamacare" (NJ is NOT among the 27 states who have filed suit)
Oh and then there's the fact that Chris Christie has a Madoff in the closet...

I say that as someone who finds him to be the most appealing candidate.

[kchoya]

Sept 28, 2011 14:53:38 GMT -5 hoyainspirit said:

Sept 28, 2011 14:07:11 GMT -5 kchoya said:

You're racist. It's spelled marching.

So is rosslyn! ;D

No, you're the racist because you were quoting him.

[Boz]

Sept 28, 2011 16:37:32 GMT -5 Cambridge said:

Just a sampling of things that would potentially derail a Christie primary push:

Gun control
Climate change
Appointed a muslim judge
"Obamacare" (NJ is NOT among the 27 states who have filed suit)
Oh and then there's the fact that Chris Christie has a Madoff in the closet...

I say that as someone who finds him to be the most appealing candidate.

No offense, but I think you are missing the point.

I don't deny that Chris Christie has some conservative "impurities," if that's the term some would like to use. And yes, it's possible that some of those things could derail his candidacy, just like support of the Iraq war resolution (among other things) was something Hillary Clinton had to overcome. And speaking of Hillary Clinton, I'm trying to recall all those positions Obama took that strayed very far from the left during the 2008 election. How come I didn't hear anything about a liberal "purity test" back then? Do you think a Democrat could've gotten nominated or elected who took the position that, say, keeping Guantanamo Bay open was a necessary component of our national security? (before reality set in, that is).

But back to the point, yes, Christie has some moderate or less-than-completely-100%-conservative positions. Are you trying to tell me Mitt Romney doesn't?

Hell, even Rick Perry does, as we have seen. About the only candidate who doesn't is Ron Paul, and as much as I admire Ron Paul for always standing on his principles (not all of which I agree with), he'll never get the Republican nomination.

Primaries are a test. They're supposed to measure a candidate's ideological and leadership credentials.

There is no perfect candidate. This is all a meme to try to paint the party as a whole as radical.

Those who are perpetrating it, frankly, have an agenda and people who fall for it are, frankly, dumb. Perry is not flagging because of immigration or HPV. He is flagging for the reasons pointed out previously on this board that he's not putting any substance behind his rhetoric. (I wonder who the intellectual giant was who pointed that out ;D ).

And, really, I don't even remotely consider Howard Kurtz the arbiter of Republican conventional wisdom anyway.


Also, I don't know why we have to put "Obamacare" in quotes. Obama himself has said he doesn't mind the term.

[Elvado]

Barry channels Jimmy as he announces during a TV interview that "America has gone a little soft". What next? Perhaps he'll cop to "lust in his heart" and be attacked by a killer rabbit while canoeing. I've got news for you Barry, the only thing soft is the brain matter of those who continue to support your failed Presidency.

[AustinHoya03]

Cover of the upcoming Rick Perry book:

yfrog.com/nw20077070p

[TC]

Now Huckabee wants in too? How come so many people are excited to run around all over the place in order to lose to Mitt Romney?

[AustinHoya03]

bit.ly/qiSVSM

[Boz]

Was that the final, final, final, final, final "No"?

Or is there still one more final, final, final, final, final, REALLY final "No" in our future?

[TC]

It isn't a real "no" if you don't play Cat Scratch Fever with Ted Nugent immediately after announcing it.

[Bando]

Romney is having a string of political luck I haven't seen since, well, Barack Obama. Take these two timelines:

Obama:
- Senate primary opponent quits after allegations of spousal abuse
- GOP opponent quits after his divorce papers to a B-list (but hottttt) celeb come out
- GOP replaces Ryan with performance artist Alan Keyes, Obama easily wins Senate seat
- Presidential primary opponent Clinton hires a staff that doesn't know the actual rules for acquiring Democratic delegates
- Economic crisis hits a month before the election, McCain haphazardly reacts, Obama wins presidency

Romney:
- Jindal, the anti-Romney, embarrasses himself on national TV, doesn't run
- Pawlenty, the anti-Romney, fails to launch
- Bachmann, the anti-Romney, embarrasses herself on national TV, dives
- Gingrich continues to be Gingrich, never makes a dent
- Perry, the anti-Romney, embarrasses himself on national TV, dives
- Ryan and Christie don't run
- Palin doesn't run, if she does it will be too late

Now obviously you need to be positioned to take advantage of good fortune, as Obama did with a great organization and Romney did with the experience you can only get by running for president already. It's just interesting to watch.

[DFW HOYA]

Good luck is a virtual prerequisite in campaigns. Recall Bill Clinton, 1992:

--Favorite Mario Cuomo decides not to run
--Al Gore decides not to run
--Bill Bradley decides not to run
--Medal of Honor winner Bob Kerrey fades after a pair of gaffes
--Bill denies/lies about Gennifer Flowers on national TV, but strongly supported by Hillary on 60 Minutes interview
--Denies drug use at Oxford: "he never inhaled"
--Jerry Brown fades after publicly offering VP slot to Jesse Jackson
--Actually lost in NH to Paul Tsongas but advisor James Carville proclaimed him "The Comeback Kid" and the perception carried through Super Tuesday

[GIGAFAN99]

Oct 5, 2011 13:03:16 GMT -5 DFW HOYA said:

Good luck is a virtual prerequisite in campaigns. Recall Bill Clinton, 1992:

--Favorite Mario Cuomo decides not to run
--Al Gore decides not to run
--Bill Bradley decides not to run
--Medal of Honor winner Bob Kerrey fades after a pair of gaffes
--Bill denies/lies about Gennifer Flowers on national TV, but strongly supported by Hillary on 60 Minutes interview
--Denies drug use at Oxford: "he never inhaled"
--Jerry Brown fades after publicly offering VP slot to Jesse Jackson
--Actually lost in NH to Paul Tsongas but advisor James Carville proclaimed him "The Comeback Kid" and the perception carried through Super Tuesday

You forgot one: economic recovery came too late to help the incumbent.

That one might be applicable to Romney as well.

[Boz]

I realize it's early and anything can happen when people start to actually - you know - vote, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say I think this'll put a nice little bow on the nomination for Romney:

dailycaller.com/2011/10/11/romney-%E2%80%98still-the-one%E2%80%99-christie-endorses/

[Bando]

I'm still kind of baffled that Cain is in the lead in most polls. I mean, this guy barely has a campaign staff, and he's not spending any time in Iowa or New Hampshire. It's like Fred Thompson's strategy, but it's actually working. My working theory is that Cain is just a holding place for the anti-Romney vote at this point, and his support will wither once a credible challenger comes along.