Posted on 10/18/2007 7:18:44 AM PDT by mission9
The Republican Party of Florida is conducting its premiere event of 2007 this weekend in Orlando - Presidency IV. Every Candidate, from Giuliani to Thompson, will be there. On Saturday, there will be lunch speeches and socials. On Sunday night, there will be a Nationally televised debate. No candidate will be left behind, and all will have a full opportunity to plead their case.
As many are aware, the leadership of the Florida party is moving to the left, in a calculation to triangulate support from disaffected Democrats. As led by Governor Charlie Crist, in a major change from Jeb Bush, our party has increased the paid staff by a full order of magnitude. The level of fund raising by this more full-time party is unprecedented. This will inevitably result in friction between the grassroots volunteers, and the "professionals."
The State legislature is currently controlled by Republicans. However, in what seems to be a repeat of the Denny Hastert/Bill Frist Congress, these Republicans have been unable to deliver meaningful tax or insurance reform. The State Legislature is so dysfunctional, that they have tallied a historic first - a fourth special session in one year. But when I compare our legislature to those in other states, ours is one of the best.
This partisanship within the party is taking a toll on public opinion. Officially, the State Party is ostensibly neutral in this National Race. The notable exception being Attorney General Bill McCollum's support for Rudy Giuliani.
I have not yet made up my mind, I have reservations about every candidate. I have watched this Presidential race unfold, I have studied the candidates, and their campaigns. In my judgment, the candidate most capable of uniting the Republican Party, mounting a national campaign and defeating Hillary Clinton is Mitt Romney. I have a strong predilection for Fred Thompson, but he has yet to show leadership qualities that eclipse Mitt. McCain, Ron Paul or Giuliani are non-starters. As a leader, I respect Duncan Hunter, but I judge him incapable of mounting a National campaign. As for all the rest, they are all honorable gentleman, and patriots, and I would not want to disparage any of them in any way.
I have been a subscriber to both the Fred ping list and the Romney Ping list. But in the end, there will be only one President, and as for me, this is my inclination at this time. Are there any final words from my fellow Freepers that I should consider?
Oh, by the way, the event is sold out, but since my wife had to cancel, I have one guest slot available. This is a $250.00 ticket.
Florida’s answer to Gray Davis.
>This is a $250.00 ticket
ping
bump
“Global warming is just common sense...” a Crist-i-sism
Nobody asked........
That is good.
>I have watched this Presidential race unfold, I have studied the candidates, and their campaigns. In my judgment, the candidate most capable of uniting the Republican Party, mounting a national campaign and defeating Hillary Clinton is Mitt Romney.
Can't agree there, but I like Mitt in many ways.
> I have a strong predilection for Fred Thompson, but he has yet to show leadership qualities that eclipse Mitt.
Okay
> McCain, Ron Paul or Giuliani are non-starters.
Wouldn't it be nice if the front runner is a non-starter? Ahem.
The rest are less than zero with respect to their chances.
Were my name clinton, I would be calling up the moving companies and arranging the furniture for my return to the WH.
Fred has a chance, but only a chance.
The electoral votes are there for any dem unless someone steps in and takes them from hillary, and we are in deep trouble in 08.
| It is nigh time to plan for the very, very real possibility for a National disaster in 08. |
I openly predict that the dems may very well win 57 seats in the Senate alone and we will lose in the house as well.
IOW, we are going to get beaten like a drum unless the nominee can carry some of us on his coattails.
This will give the clintons free reign and carte blanc for any program that hillary wants and I would prepare for it unless Fred can really kick some serious ass during this campaign.
Rudy is a proven loser to hillary, can't even deliver his own state, and will lose in a landslide to hillary.
I heavily discount the possibility of Mitt getting the nomination. Ain't happening.
A major change was never needed and, by the way, Jeb was well liked by a lot of Democrats (except the really rabid liberals) and he didn't have to pander/triangulate to try and appeal to them.
That can't be repeated enough.
The old rule "always plan for the worst" (and pray for the best).
Because the pragmatist has such a flexible belief system then anyone who doesn’t share in the spirit of compromise is guilty of electing Hillary Clinton. The common thread seems to be that if the pragmatists ask the question often enough, then at some point the intractable faith voter will change his mind, or failing that, painted into some intellectual corner, and shown to be ill informed or a hypocrite.
The real question is how could any sane Republican vote for a candidate that they know will ostracize an important constituency of the GOP? These same pragmatists would never advance a former Klansman and expect blacks to vote for him, as the Democrats expect of support for Robert Byrd. So why would these sophisticated, urbane pragmatist Republicans think that the invocation of the bogeyman, Hillary Clinton, would stampede or persuade faith voters to play ball with a candidate that is never, ever going to command the vote of the values voter?
I am pleading with my Republican friends, choose a leader for the party that we ALL will support with the fewest reservations. When we are united, defeating the Democrats will be less hard. No candidate is perfect, but some will definitely divide the party.
Giuliani is a nice man, he may be a capable leader, but he will divide the Republican Party.
If you slam your Mercedes into a brick wall, please do not blame the brick wall, blame the driver who the wrecked car.
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