Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Debate: Who Are Your Top Five Republican Choices for President 2012
Pundit Press ^ | 9/17/10 | Aurelius

Posted on 09/17/2010 9:40:18 AM PDT by rightistight

Point, by Aurelius of Pundit Press:

Sarah Palin- Yes, the bane of the Dmocratic Party and liberals in general is one of the top contenders for the Presidency come 2012. With clear political pull (just look at her endorsements for congress) and her presence in the American media, Mrs. Palin has both clout and name recognition. Add to that the fact that she could be the first female Commander-in-Chief and you've got someone who is poised to strike at the presidency.

David Petraeus- One of the greatest and most repsected military minds of our age, David Petraeus is one of my favorite candidates. Not only does he have cadence and quick wit, but he has incredible foreign policy experience. On top of that is his honorable and exceedingly successful military leadership. Petraeus deserves respect and has earned it.

Jeb Bush- That's right, another Bush. Jeb Bush successfully led Florida as its governor for two terms and has the conservative values that Republicans are looking for. With discontent with President Obama rising, by 2012 many voters will have a much brighter view of the George W. Bush years than during the 2008 election. Jeb Bush's last name could very well boost his candidacy.

Chris Christie- Although he's been in office for just a short time, Chris Christie's governorship of New Jersey has been nothing short of excellent. Though some doubts about this conservative-ness abound, his actions so far leading NJ show a conservative who is also pragmatic and good at what he does. On top of it all, he has shown he knows how to run a campaign and win.

Mitt Romney- The most important thing going for Mitt Romney is name recognition. Coming just short of the Republican nomination for President in 2008, Romney has been in the public's ey for over two years now. Some questions still about about his stances, but he is widely considered conservative.

Dark Horse- Glenn Beck: One of the nation's most influential political commentators, he has spearheaded a gigantic rally in Washington as well as the Tea Party and 9.12 Project. He'll have no problem with name recognition and is extremely conservative to boot. Though he's said that he won't run, some of his actions say otherwise.

Counter-Point, by RR

Sarah Palin

+ Natural political talent, huge charisma, tough, principled conservative, a real fighter, building a lot of support with her winning touch in the primaries

- Too good-looking by half, slightly silly accent, establishment GOP/MSM/entire Left out to destroy the poor gal... and Levi Johnston needs to get a job on a rig in Siberia

Intrade: 18.6

Sum: Hard to hold this one down... just like the powerful grassroots movement she's so closely allied with

Mitt Romney

+ Highly competent manager, economic expert, previous runner-up, looks and acts presidential

- Too good-looking by half, dull on the stump, hiding/laying low while waiting his turn, mostly absent from today's battle for the future of the nation... disappointing, where's some courage and sense of urgency here? The tipping-point is now, not two years too late...

Intrade: 31.2

Sum: apparent front-runner to this point, and the establishment's dream candidate. For the rest of us, the father of RomneyCare has got some 'splainin to do... and we haven't heard a peep yet.

Tim Pawlenty

+ social conservative, respected governor, no apparent skeletons

- Lacks charisma and national political base, has been tepid in support of TEA Party movement... 'Cuda left him in the dust

Intrade: 12.8

Sum: already running, basically

Bobby Jindal

+ Wiz-kid Reaganite with a resume/record of success that puts most others to shame, impressive manager in most ways, novel background

- still not 40 yrs old, pretty-much choked in his big national TV debut

Intrade: 4.6

Sum: I really like Bobby Jindal... for 2016-2020, though.

John Bolton

+ Great strategic mind, true conservative -and patriot- all the way

- Pugnacious nature, honest to a fault, lack of campaign experience, distaste for for inside-the-Beltway DC political games

Intrade: n/a

Sum: Love the man... but I dunno if he's serious about recent hints, and came as quite a surprise to most.

Runners-up: Barbour, Daniels, or maybe Newt- although he's a non-starter for me personally due to heavy, heavy baggage and a number of poor choices from working with race-hustler Al Sharpton to total loser moves in NY-23... Scozzafava really made fool of him.

As a defense hawk, I don't stand take Ron Paul serious... at all.

Sure like Petraeus, would like to hear more from him on some key issues. But the good General seems fairly resolute about not entering politics anyway, and if the politically inexperienced Petraeus did go that way, perhaps a better fit as a VP alongside -say- a Sarah Palin...

So, who do you think is best?


TOPICS: Politics
KEYWORDS: obama; president; republican
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-62 next last
A nice, long debate this Friday afternoon
1 posted on 09/17/2010 9:40:20 AM PDT by rightistight
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: rightistight

Palin! I love the sound of Democrat heads exploding in the morning.


2 posted on 09/17/2010 9:42:24 AM PDT by Gadsden1st
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rightistight

Mitt Romney -

Must you do this during lunch ???


3 posted on 09/17/2010 9:42:46 AM PDT by Tennessee Nana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rightistight

Palin/Petraeus or Palin/DeMint. Very nice.


4 posted on 09/17/2010 9:42:57 AM PDT by warpsmith (Nauthannem i ned ol renainnen.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rightistight

Bush and Romney are absolute suicide for the GOP. Anyone with half a brain should see that.


5 posted on 09/17/2010 9:43:39 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (Things will change after the revolution, but not before.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rightistight

Jindal, Petraeus, Bolton, Newt, Christie


6 posted on 09/17/2010 9:45:13 AM PDT by BigEdLB (Now there ARE 1,000,000 regrets - but it may be too late.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rightistight

Palin, De Mint, Barbour, Jindal, Thune


7 posted on 09/17/2010 9:46:36 AM PDT by devere
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rightistight
I've asked my "un-named sources" within the ranks of the true blue RINOS and here are the top five!

McLoser
Rom-knee
Ging-rich
Huk-a-bee
and Jewel-ee-on-ee!

With the "Grand Architect" Tokyo Rove in command.

We're sure winners, ain't we??

/sarcasm off

8 posted on 09/17/2010 9:48:59 AM PDT by Logic n' Reason (What tagline??)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rightistight

Run FRed run!!!!!


9 posted on 09/17/2010 9:50:08 AM PDT by KoRn (Department of Homeland Security, Certified - "Right Wing Extremist")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rightistight
Let's do that Arizona-Alaska thing again...

Palin and Arpaio

10 posted on 09/17/2010 9:50:13 AM PDT by Slyfox
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rightistight

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/2591046/posts


11 posted on 09/17/2010 9:50:57 AM PDT by Diogenesis ('Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.' - Optimus Prime)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rightistight

#1 Palin

#2-#5 Palin.

Any questions?


12 posted on 09/17/2010 9:52:59 AM PDT by exit82 (Democrats are the enemy of freedom. Sarah Palin is our Esther.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rightistight
Mitt Romney + Highly competent manager, economic expert, previous runner-up, looks and acts presidential - Too good-looking by half, dull on the stump, hiding/laying low while waiting his turn, mostly absent from today's battle for the future of the nation... disappointing, where's some courage and sense of urgency here? The tipping-point is now, not two years too late...

“Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it” - George Santayana

Only a damned fool or deathcare alcolyte would support mittcare romney and expect anything less than full blown socialism.

13 posted on 09/17/2010 9:54:38 AM PDT by Caipirabob ( Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rightistight
Palin in 2012!

Newty and Rudy have disqualified themselves on moral grounds. Neither is genuinely a conservative.

I don't think the country is ready yet to try another Bush.

Mitt will have problem convincing voters that he is a real Christian, he will not be able to explain his creation of socialist medicine in Massachusetts, he has been pro-abortion in the past and he is probably for gay marriage now.

Beck wants to be on TV more often than presidents are given air time.

Palin now has the experience and stature to win it all in 2012.

14 posted on 09/17/2010 9:55:40 AM PDT by Walts Ice Pick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rightistight

Mitch Daniels maybe..http://politics.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/barone/2008/12/09/mitch-daniels-for-president-in-2012.html


15 posted on 09/17/2010 9:55:46 AM PDT by csmusaret (The Obama/Pelosi/Reid Cartel is a Kakistocracy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Gadsden1st

> Palin! I love the sound of Democrat heads exploding in the morning.

Then just imaging the exploding heads with a Palin/Paladino ticket.


16 posted on 09/17/2010 10:04:43 AM PDT by BuffaloJack (Obama, why stupid people shouldn't vote!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: rightistight
Barbour, DeMint, Thune - probably in that order, and only because DeMint has no executive experience.

If I had a gun to my head, I could probably vote for Pawlenty.

Christie and McDonnell aren't going to have enough time in service for this next go-round, but they look great for 2016, should things not go well in 2012.

Jindal is probably on everyone's short list for VP because he's smart, he's been a successful governor and he's a minority. It's too bad he has ZERO charisma, which is why he's relegated to the No.2 spot.

17 posted on 09/17/2010 10:05:18 AM PDT by OldDeckHand
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: csmusaret

From the Weekly Standard:

Mitch Daniels Doubles Down on “Truce”
Mark Hemingway writes:

I got a call this morning from Indiana Governor and rumored presidential candidate Mitch Daniels. In my column yesterday on his remarks about a “truce” on social issues, I left the door open to the possibility that the Governor’s remarks may not have been a “rhetorical misstep.”

Of course, if you know anything about Mitch Daniels in this respect he’s the anti-Obama. He’s far more concerned about communication than rhetoric, he’s thoughtful and rarely speaks without consideration. Rhetorical missteps are exceedingly rare.

And indeed, Daniels called me to say that he’s dead serious about the need for the next president to declare a truce. “It wasn’t something I just blurted out,” he told me. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while.”

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/mitch-daniels-doubles-down-truce


18 posted on 09/17/2010 10:06:04 AM PDT by ansel12 ([fear of Islam.] Once you are paralyzed by fear of Mohammedanism...you have lost the battle.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: exit82

1) Sarah Palin
2) Sarah Palin
3) Sarah Palin
4) Sarah Palin
5) Sarah Palin
n) Sarah Palin
n+1) Sarah Palin

...then, if all else fails, I’ll support Sarah Palin.

I really think highly of Bobby Jindal. Unfortunately, I think there will be incredible pressure on Palin to accept somebody with ‘gravitas’ and a conventional choice for VP.

I like DeMint, Inhofe, Bolton, Coburn, Allen West, Michelle Bachmann, etc., etc., but I really hope they don’t choose anybody from DC.

I pray they choose somebody cut from the same cloth and who is a true conservative.

Reagan was a great president. The 1980 VP choice of Bush over Jack Kemp (early Jack Kemp, not the ‘96 VP nominee Jack Kemp) was unfortunate. We needed somebody who really believed, and instead we ran Mr. Voodoo economics. That derailed the Reagan revolution once Reagan left office.


19 posted on 09/17/2010 10:11:08 AM PDT by TexasGunRunner (Spay or neuter your pet coons, especially the bearded marxist variety!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: OldDeckHand

Barbour has joined with Mitch Daniels in calling for us to drop social conservatism, he will attract a lot of the moderate crowd that can’t stomach Romney, or at least that don’t want to fight the Romney baggage at this stage.


20 posted on 09/17/2010 10:13:19 AM PDT by ansel12 ([fear of Islam.] Once you are paralyzed by fear of Mohammedanism...you have lost the battle.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-62 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson