Posted on 02/14/2005 5:46:50 AM PST by section9
File this under rumor, the kind of which has the ring of truth to it. From the Shape of Days blog:
February 09, 2005
One for the rumor mill: ‘44’
I wish I could remember where I heard this. I've been meaning to post it for a couple of weeks, and in the intervening time I've completely forgotten who told me about it. So file this one under rumors-comma-amusing.
Everybody knows that the President refers to his father affectionately as "41," right? After the fact that George H.W. Bush was the 41st President of the United States. Bill Clinton was #42, and George W. Bush is #43.
The rumor goes that ever since the election, the President has been jokingly referring to Secretary of State Condi Rice as "44."
Part of me really wants Condi to get the nomination in '08 because I think she'd be a fantastic President … but part of me wants her to get the nomination just so we can finally put that "the GOP is a white-men-only club" nonsense to bed once and for all.
I ran across this in the blogosphere last night, and it seemed to have the ring of truth to it, as Bush is the kind of guy who not only jokes that way, but probably thinks that way, as well. Would not at all be surprised if it's true.
Just thought I'd pass it along.
"I believe that Condi has publicly condemned the concept of activist judges, and if that is the case, she is well on her way to deflecting the worst fears of conservatives, regardless of her stance on any individual issues. It also eliminates the fear of another Souter problem."
So did Pres Bush (41). That's the problem. It's a lip service issue. He was not a TRUE believer in this. For Pres Bush, conservatives were another interest group to be balanced and held in the coalition. He wasn't one of them in his heart and soul. That is why he nominated Souter instead of Edith Jones.
America would be pretty different had Pres Bush been a true believer in conservatism.
Rice has the same problem.
Now, lest I violate the 11th commandment, let me say that Pres Bush standing by Clarence Thomas gets him the highest marks possible in my book. He showed some brass balls in doing that and we should all be incredibly grateful to him in that regard. And also for being - apparently - a pretty darn good dad!
It looks like you were more right than I. That will teach me to step in without looking up the facts. Thanks for the link too. I'll have to vistit the site and check it out. This would also explain why I'm drawing a blank on 44, if I was thinking it was always 13 in the freezer or sofa. It's interesting that Dave Ketchum is the only face coming to mind when I think about the agent-in-the-cooler stuff. I will most definitely have to go drag out the tapes. Too bad the show isn't on DVDs yet. Now, I guess I should step aside and let the thread stay on course, LOL!
This has been an interesting non-sequitur.
In sort of the same category, I was in a restaurant the other day and there was former Sen. Thompson on the screen. I guess it was Law and Order...I don't actually watch TV. But it is sort of interesting to see a former Senator on the TV acting in a show. It's almost like he was never a Senator. You can see him in older things, then for six years or so he wasn't in much, now he's back.
Not a bad career, huh? Not many of us can say that they took time off from their very successful acting career to serve a term in the US Senate....
Well, Cheney isn't running and Jeb isn't either (apparently, Barbara doesn't want him to run-- in addition to any hesitation Jeb has-- expressed in his commitment to not run), so the only other person Bush trusts completely who could possibly run is Condi. And Bush loves the 41 nickname for GHWB, so it sounds like something he'd say.
I doubt it. Cheney loves the power of the office and so does Lynne. It would be different if they were tired of being in DC. They aren't.
This is NOT said as an attack on New York, I actually like the place, but what New Yorkers think is meaningless west of the Hudson.
There are parts of the deep south, the more western border states, and some of the Midwest, that I don't believe are ready to vote for a black female to be President. I'm not supporting this position just reporting it. You see it in the small towns, and must keep in mind that many newer Republicans were racist democrats 20 years ago. They don't talk about it as much as they once did, but they will not vote for Secretary Rice when the time comes.
Only in a race against Clinton, might we get them out. If Romney, a Mormon, is also on the ticket, there is no way we will carry all the southern states.
Murrica? No, not in my opinion. She'd carry PA and MI and WI and MN to offset any losses due to racists in the red states. Louisiana, though? Definitely.
"If Romney, a Mormon, is also on the ticket, there is no way we will carry all the southern states."
Do you really think that? I have often wondered about that specifically. Problem is that Romney has the credentials like few others: Olympic and corporate CEO, governor, looks, wealth. Not many have that.
I also am wondering if Romney is a social conservative? Perhaps he is more conservative than he appears in order to be elected in MA. I have no problem with that. I do have a problem when someone runs on the right and governs from the left. Wouldn't it be nice if someone ran on the left but governed on the right - for a change?
Thanks for using the milder non-sequitur, rather than the possibly more accurate "thread hijack". It is interesting that more and more actors/celebrities are getting involved in politics. I am sure there are some clever comments that could be made about similarities in the two professions.
Ok, I really will let the thread get back on track now, really!
Regardless of where the idea originated, it is a fine thing to contemplate.
Know that this is not my opinion, but is the opinion of most of the Southern Baptist and Christian Coalition members I know. Then again, in my area, 90% of the CC is Southern Baptist. Many fundamentalist do not consider Mormons to be Christians and there will be no arguing with them. They will not vote for him anymore than they will vote for someone who is pro abortion.
Secretary Rice might get a pass on this (choice) given her rather low profile on the subject, if running against Clinton.
I remember reading that thread. Maybe that's where I stole the idea too.
Condi for president has a huge boat anchor to lug around. George Bush. I don't even know if she'd carry a majority black vote. People will see her as Black W out to steal yet another election. Not that many of the lunatic left would switch over, but I believe many right in the center wouldn't vote for her, just for the reasons you stated.
Those same people that held their nose and voted Bush because Kerry was such a putz would hold their nose and vote Hillary JUST for the Change. I would vote for Condi but I don't think she'd win for all the reasons listed in this thread. Hillary becoming president is truly frightening though. The incredible transformation from a raving leftist to a conservative Christian is taking place now. I hope no one falls for it.
She might do better in WI and MN than did Bush. Her candidacy might even help GOP fortunes in MD, DE, and NJ. However, she and Bayh might wind up splitting the South and she would probably lose OH.
If GOP puts up Rice and the D's put up Bayh, and if Bayh comes out as pro life, then the D's win. Period.
That said, the likelihood of this scenario is incredibly small.
Not so sure it will happen this quick.
C. Rice would never win in '08. And it is the height of naïvety to even suggest she is qualified to be POTUS when you, and everyone else here, can't say what her economic, social, environmental, etc etc, views are.
Actually, you spoke a tad too soon, but that is understandable given Rice's own rather opaque stances on domestic issues since joining the administration.
We know where she stands on foreign policy. That much is clear.
On domestic policy, I know for a fact that she is resolutely pro-Right to Keep and Bear Arms, not because she's a gunowner, but for proper constitutional reasons and because of her own experiences.
We know that she supports free trade and market capitalism. I can assume that she supported the President's tax relief package to keep the economy going during the opening period of the war.
She hasn't spoken to enviro. issues, although she sat on the board of Chevron and did speak well of the need for oil exploriation.
As to abortion, she has come out as reluctantly pro-choice, but the last time she spoke to the issue was in 2001 during an interview with Oprah Winfrey. She did support restrictions on abortion such as parental consent laws, calling opposition to such laws "crazy". I find no evidence, therefore, that she supports the present doctrine of "abortion on demand".
Finally, she is a close friend of Clarence Thomas. That speaks volumes about her position on judges.
This is all that we know. Now, this isn't perfect, but compared with Giuliani, I'll take Condi any day. Rudy is a gun grabber and supports Roe as the SCOTUS has interpreted it (unrestricted). Please don't talk to me about Bill Frist and his Limp Wrist. George Allen? There's a guy with some possibilities, but Hillary will kill him among women and minorities. A lot of this is demographics.
I do not believe it is in our interest to go down with the ship in 2008 when we are in the midst of trying to build an enduring conservative majority in this country. If some people want to give Hillary Clinton a clear shot at the Supreme Court, go right ahead. I don't see anyone of our people out there who can match her demographic appeal among women except Condi. Period. Sorry, there are too many dumb women out there who will vote for "the sisterhood". Don't believe me? How many Republican women voted for Bubba during the Nineties?
All too many.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
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