Friday Line: Ranking Republican leaders (WaPO ranks GOP leaders)

WaPO ^ | November 20, 2009 | Chris Cillizza

[yongin]

(To be clear, that is a relatively low bar. Republicans went into the political wilderness in a major way following Bush's re-election as he grew increasingly less popular and it became increasingly more clear that the party was either unable or unwilling to break with the chief executive in any major way. Polls suggest that the Republican brand remains badly damaged in the eyes of the American public with most people still trusting Obama far more than Republicans in Congress to solve the major issues of the day.)

With 2010 right around the corner, there is significant movement in this month's Line as we seek to rank the ten Republicans with the most influence in the future direction of the party. This is not -- and should not be read as -- a list of who is most likely to get the GOP nod in 2012. It's still too early for that kind of handicapping.

As always, your thoughts are welcome in the comments section below. And, for MUCH more on the state of the GOP, check out the Post's Republican project.

[Salvation]

No lists?

[colorado tanker]

Don't worry your pretty little liberal head about this. We're about to enlarge the talent pool on our side in 2010.

[blueyon]

So then they are saying most people are stupid because it was the Democrats in congress that got us into this mess!

[yongin]

WaPO ranks the most influential GOP leaders for November 2009.

[Frantzie]

RINO Charlie Crist is laying low and hoping Scott Rothstein’s $1 billion ponzi scheme goes away.

Mrs. Crist’s ex-husband owned the jet that Rothstein used to fly to Morroco to “clear his head” after the scam fell apart.

[SandRat]

1. Sarah Palin: (Previous ranking: 1)
2. Haley Barbour: (Previous ranking: 5)
3. Mitt Romney: (Previous ranking: 3)
4. Tim Pawlenty: (Previous ranking: 2)
5. Mike Huckabee: (Previous ranking: 4)
6. John Thune: (Previous ranking: N/A)
7. Bob McDonnell: (Previous ranking: 10)
8. Michael Steele: (Previous ranking: 7)
9. John Cornyn: (Previous ranking: 6)
10. Bobby Jindal: (Previous ranking: N/A)

[lysie]

No DeMint, eh?

[ecomcon]

...conservative commenter David Brooks...

As if.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Major-league RINO stench all over that list.

[samtheman]

This ranking lists Palin as #1, which is astute.

But it also calls David Brooks a “conservative commenter”, which is moronic.

[Sun]

Romenycare, no thanks, and I was disappointed when John Cornyn backed Specter, and we all know what traiter Specter did.

[KC_Conspirator]

Polls suggest that the Republican brand remains badly damaged in the eyes of the American public with most people still trusting Obama far more than Republicans in Congress to solve the major issues of the day.

Uh, no. Thats a lie. Voters showed their buyers remorse at the polls earlier this month.

[justiceseeker93]

Frankly, as a Republican, I don't give a hoot about how the WaPo ranks the “most influential Republicans.” Nor should the “influential” Republicans themselves. The WaPo (as well as any of the other leftist MSM organs) shouldn't be in the business of anointing Republican leaders, any more than aliens should be voting in American elections.

[KC_Conspirator]

7. Bob McDonnell: Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, it’s hard to argue that McDonnell ran a picture-perfect campaign. From the very beginning he talked relentlessly about jobs while downplaying his social conservatism. The result? A massive, sweeping victory in a state where Democrats had won the last two governors races, hold both Senate seats and won in the 2008 presidential election. McDonnell — along with pollster Glen Bolger and media consultant Doug McAuliffe — laid out a blueprint this fall for any Republican seeking to win a swing seat in the Obama era.

Except for my libertarian friend, who is an ideological fool. Days before the election I said that McDonnell ran one the best campaigns I had seen in a awhile. He focused on jobs and how the democraps were responsible for the bad economy. He stayed focused and did not get knocked off message, even when the Compost tried to "Macaca" him with a silly term paper from decades ago and endorsed almost a straight democrap ticket on their editorial page.

[depressed in 06]

Bush’s popularity declined as he leaned more and more to what the media and fascist wanted after 06.

[rodguy911]

The huckster would never be my number #5-he wouldn't even be on the list after he ran offense for McGeezer throwing Romney(not that he was my pick but still better than zero) out of the race and thus giving us Ozero. The huckster is just that a con man.

[truth_seeker]

“Bush’s popularity declined as he leaned more and more to what the media and fascist wanted after 06.”

Iraq war would a major exception to your claim.

[fieldmarshaldj]

They were all horrible RINO Presidential candidates. If Huckster was responsible for getting Slick Willard out of the race, that will be the single greatest positive accomplishment of his entire political career. At least Zero is honest about being a Democrat, unlike Slick Willard.