Posted on 03/10/2006 9:54:42 PM PST by WKB
We knew that Trent Lott was getting cozy with John McCain, but after just listening to Haley Barbour speak is there another Mississippian ready to get on board the Straight Talk Express?
Addressing a not-quite-full ballroom in the after-dinner slot, Barbour picked up the McCain banner of the weekend: all the straw polls in the world pale in comparison to the task ahead in '06.
And later, in emotional remarks about the impact of Katrina upon his native state, the governor singled out McCain for praise, saying that the "deficit hawk" came to the aid of Mississipi as they sought federal relief to rebuild the coast. Barbour said that McCain carried the message that the package that Sen's Lott and Cochran were pushing was "really a conservative solution."
The mentions of McCain, though, won little applause from the audience. In fact, Barbour seemed to in general almost lecture the group, directly prodding them for applause at one point.
Beyond the McCain bouquet, Barbour spoke of two necessary components for the GOP to be successful this fall. First, "big turnouts help Republicans." Barbour alluded to his own race in '03, which drew the most voters in the history of the state, and Pres Bush's 04 re-elect as examples.
Second, he said "when campaigns are about issues, Republicans win." Barbour asserted "that most Americans agree with us on the issues." Dems, Barbour said, want to focus elections on "emotion, scandal and personalities."
Also notable was Barbour's taking two direct knocks at the news media -- of which there were many prominent members in the back of the room. He said that it was they, the press, who were driving the unhealthy obsession with '08 WH politicking. Further, he praised the Bush admin's response to Katrina, saying that the feds were of great assistance -- "despite the complaints of the news media." Incidentally, Barbour also said that "faith-based group have been the backbone of our recovery," drawing immeditate and sustained applause from the true-believing audience.
Clearly still consumed (and for good reason) by all things Katrina, Barbour closed his remarks by saying that "it may be years, but the Mississippi Gulf Coast will be back bigger and better than ever before." At this, Barbour won his biggest and longest ovation yet.
I will not dispute that, but it's interesting that the local conservative talk station is saturated with ads from the "Draft Condi" folks....
Just for giggles if nothing else.
I'll always mourn that Jack Kemp never got nominated...even now I'd love to see him in there but he's - believe it or not - 71 years old and that's just not electable.
The only thing I still hold a grudge against Reagan for was that he did not pick Kemp of GHWB in '80.
In which the Republican party has self-destructed by nominating social liberals for the Presidency???
Appeasing or coddling baby killers is immoral and ineffective.
bump from the past
I would gladly vote for that ticket. 2012 or 2016 would give us a Barbour landslide!!!!!!!!!
The votes are being counted as I type for Haley’s
second term. I just don’t believe he would pull a Bill
Clinton and pull out next year.
2012 I would not be surprised to see him
on the ticket Presidential in one place or the other.
I still think it would be a good ticket.
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