Chris Matthews: Rand Paul Will Be Republican Presidential Nominee in 2016

Newsbusters ^ | 08/08/2013 | Noel Shepphard

[SeekAndFind]

MSNBC's Chris Matthews made a bold prediction on Wednesday's Hardball.

"The hard-right is going to take over the Republican Party in 2016 and the nomination is going to Rand Paul" (video follows with transcript and commentary):

CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE VIDEO

CHRIS MATTHEWS: Let me finish tonight with this. I’ve been offering a prediction of late. Let me nail it down now. I believe the Republican Party is going to go hard-right in 2016. It’s going to run someone from the growing hard-right wing of the Party, something it hasn't done since 1980. And here's the thinking which works equally well for the Democrats.

Parties as you've noticed face a conflict every four years. Should they run someone who represents their strongest passions right or left, or do they run someone who appeals to the middle? Most of the time they head to the middle. And this is what Republicans did most successfully in 1952 when after 20 years of FDR and Harry Truman, they wanted back in the White House. They ran the General who received the Nazi surrender. And guess what? They won. In 1956 and ’60, they stuck to the middle with Ike the second time, and then with Richard Nixon.

In '64 the right said it was its turn and blew the roof off the Cow Palace in San Francisco mocking Republican moderates and liberals like New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller. Then getting killed with Barry Goldwater running against Lyndon Johnson.

The Democrats ran moderates in ’60 and ’64 and ’68, but then went wild in '72 and ran anti-Vietnam warrior George McGovern of South Dakota. That's the year the Democrats got killed.

And so then the pendulum goes. The party bases get pushed aside for several elections and finally build up like steam much like a volcano and come roaring to the surface. Obama won in 2008 over Hillary Clinton because the opponents of the Iraq war had had it with the party leaders who played it safe and backed the war.

I believe the Republican base will do the same in 2016. They put up with George Bush the first, put up with Bob Dole, were deeply disappointed with the big-spending George W, and last year again by Mitt Romney, and are now going to come loaded for bear for the race for 2016.

So I predict the hard-right is going to take over the Republican Party in 2016 and the nomination is going to Rand Paul. You watch. This is what I do for a living.

I'm quite sure there are a lot of conservatives that hope Matthews is right for a change.

Stay tuned.

[Carthego delenda est]

“Which would be like the hard-right taking over the Democrat party, same thing, which means no way in hell - which is why we need a new party.”

Without a new party there will be coservative voter division once again regarding the few conservatives candidates, which will play out perfectly for Karl and the GOPe to push Rubio or some other such democrat on us.

[Colonel_Flagg]

I only went back to 1968. I was looking for the last reasonable Democrat.

1964 - LBJ - holy crap. 1960 - John F. Kennedy - today, he'd be a Republican too.

[BarnacleCenturion]

Hundreds of lower courts have decided Obama is a Natural Born Citizen. The SCOTUS validated that by not reviewing it.

What else is there to say?

Obama has a US birth certificate.

Cruz has a Canadian birth certificate.

Other than that, their cases are exactly the same.

[GBA]

NO, I WON'T.

I did that with the ineligible McCain and I won't be making that mistake again. I hate my self for that weakness and for violating my integrity and that of my country. So much for my Pledge of Allegiance all those years.

You don't stand on principles by violating them, fix the Constitution by breaking it or beat the libs by out-liberaling them.

If you want to waste an asset like Speaker Cruz and the many years he could be of service as Senate leader, to instead run him for something he isn't eligible for, and might only be in office for four to eight years, you're far more of a "troll" than I.

You know that the demonrats will challenge someone born in Canada as not being an NBC, since that's not even as close as obama's official story.

And, they'd be right.

[novemberslady]

Chris Matthews is seriously funny.
Not as good as Stephen Colbert, but very good at satire.

Whether it's the thrill up his pant leg for obama, or naming the nominee for the republican presidential candidate, his dry wit never fails to please.

[Old Sarge]

I’d like to join Commander Riker in applauding your most excellent post:

[InterceptPoint]

Fortunately, the settled law (whether you agree with it or not) permits Cruz to be president.

I'm not sure "settled law" is the correct term but I don't disagree with the sentiment. The courts just don't want to mess with this issue. Maybe that makes it "settled".

And I repeat. Cruz would make a fine President. I would vote for him in heartbeat.

[kenavi]

Doesn’t anybody here realize that Rand Paul is sympathetic to some form of amnesty as well?

Crickets?

[GraceG]

“I believe the Republican Party is going to go hard-right in 2016.”

Romney was a Hard Right candidate to the likes of Chrissy “Tingly Legs” Mathews.....

Rand Paul is more of a Libertarian Limited Government type.

[GraceG]

[Responsibility2nd]

Is Ted Cruz a US citizens?

He is?

Well then. Case closed.

[GraceG]

I definitely won’t vote for him to be President, not unless we are having another Revolution because the Constitution is truly dead.

Umm the constitution is already dead as a doornail, they ignored so much of it, it is practically a frickin joke...

Obama himself violated the actual consitution, not any amendments, but the appiointment clause in it and was even ruled against and did Obama back down, NOPE, he simply ignored it...

Stick a fork inthe US it is done and one of the few people for president that could save it may not be eligible, I don’t care... He stands a better chance of fixing things than even Rand Paul.

That is literally how bad it has gotten...

[GraceG]

Is Ted Cruz a US citizens?

He is?

Well then. Case closed.

Did Ted Cruz have to fill out any paper work (like a legal immigrant would have to) to become a US citizen? If not he is eligible in my opinion!

[erod]

I’m a dyed in the wool pessimist - I think it’s going to be Crisco Christie.

[GraceG]

Doesn’t anybody here realize that Rand Paul is sympathetic to some form of amnesty as well?

Rand may belive in Open Borders as he is a liberal-tarian type, but I think he believes in the philosophy that you can have welfare state or open borders, but not BOTH.

That is betetr than most of the RINOS that have ran for pres who have been pro welfare WITH open borders....

[showme_the_Glory]

How the left loves to make our picks, early and often. I think he and Sharptin were separated at birth.

[tips up]

“The hard-right is going to take over the Republican Party in 2016”

I hope he is right. They sure didn’t in any recent past elections.

[GBA]

I believe we are the victims of a successful coup and we got here mostly because most don't know their American civics and why things were set up as they were.

If Cruz's ego wants to run for POTUS, that will tell me he's not worthy of my vote.

I say that as a Christian libertarian who sent him money and moral support to run for his Senate seat and who very much enjoys hearing him speak about what ails US.

But...if he runs for POTUS, I'll join with the demonrats in saying he's not eligible and will vote against him.

Crazy, huh?

I really like Ted Cruz and hope and pray he becomes Senate leader, but for me, the Constitution trumps political expediency and temporary/hypocritical values of the moment.

I'm starting there and am content to let the chips fall where they may.

[Cyber Liberty]

Whew! I’m glad that’s settled.

[GraceG]

What if Cruz is drafted to run?