Prediction: Obama/Clinton vs. Romney/Haley in 2012

[CondoleezzaProtege]

Despite what some may think, Hillary would help bring some momentum back to Obama. She is popular with independents, blue-dog Dems, and would mobilize the female vote. If Hillary refuses, then he may pick someone like Senator Kristen Gillibrand. (The holder of Clinton's former Senate seat in NY.)

If Romney were smart, he would seriously consider Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina as his runningmate. (If she agreed to it.)

She has conservative, Tea-Party credentials and a previous Palin endorsement under her belt. I think she is impressive, but obviously nowhere near the energizer and "spark-filled," visionary person Governor Palin is.

I admire Haley, but am not her biggest fan. Something about Haley seems too "safe" to me. She is willing to tow the conservative line, but she's also very careful about not stepping on the machine's toes. She's also very deliberate about laying the groundwork for her political future. Hence why she never went out of her way to come to Palin's defense or tout her praises until AFTER Palin made the decision not to run in 2012. -- Hence why Romney would not mind working with Haley to bring his "less liberal than Obama, but still crony-driven agenda" forward.

[Verginius Rufus]

Haley doesn't have enough time on the job...but she would be a better pick than Mark Sanford if they have to have someone from South Carolina on the ticket.

If they have to have a Haley, go with Haley Barbour.

[carjic]

Dittos. I can’t go to the next step yet. No one moves me. Cain seems like a logical choice...but I don’t feel him. Not sure he would shake things up. In fact I think he would not! Bummed big time!

[meatloaf]

I’m not going to the polls to vote for Romney. I had enough of puke smell when McCain ran.

[untwist]

Romney will likely win the nomination. Today the GOP is badly split, and he will take dramatic steps to unite the base. The rising dark horse running mate choice - Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin. If not Walker, Gov. John Kasich of Ohio.

The most intense action, as we have seen since the Nov. 2010 midterms is at the state level. In my view, the strongest running mate choice is in the mid-west where the toughest battles are being fought against out of control government. Gov. Haley is good, but in a strong, red state. The front lines of this political battle will be in the battleground, and Walker is a great governor right in the middle of it.

Another prediction - the GOP will urge Rep. Michele Bachmann to run against liberal Sen. Klobuchar and pledge all-out support in a year where the liberals have many seats to defend, and Obama sucking up the big donors.

[JoenTX]

The GOP “establishment” does not cast votes in any primaries, grant anyone the opportunity to be on a primary ballot or not, nor determine what candidates do with their campaigns.

The candidates we have today are were we happen to be at in this election cycle. Rubio? McConnell? Ryan? Sanchez? All look great but they all have been in upper level elective politics for limited periods of time. They’re not ready yet. Ya know, kinda like the nincompoop we have in the WH today? We can’t run our own back-bencher against theirs after all the while pointing and shouting “wet behind the ears” for the last 4 years.

There is no Reagan at this time. Palin ain’t it and stop with the hand-wringing over her. None of the rest are either. There isn’t one in the race.

Now, this country has a cancer. We’ve been oh so shown evidence of it. WE HAVE GOT TO STOP IT. We’ve been given clear notice and a way to stop it.

I am so damned tired of the whining, bitching, moaning, and crying that has been going on. Grow the Hell up! Sometimes things don’t go the way you want them. It’s tough, but you make the best of it. Sitting at home, stomping your feet, and throwing a hissy fit like a 9 year old girl because “your” person didn’t raise enough money, or generate enough interest, or have the best arguments to win the primary is NOT how you do it.

Nobody is going to pick the nominee other than the voter.

And, if Romney is the nominee (as appears likely) I will crawl naked and on fire over broken glass and through cactus to vote for him AND all the GOP candidates running on the national level.

[Domestic Church]

Romney is the moldy leftovers from 2008, he is toxic, he is poison!

[nickcarraway]

Mirror image.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Why in the world would Hillary hitch her wagon to the Obambi train wreck AND play co-pilot to it? No way in he11 this happens. She (and Bill) could easily get Obambi in enough trouble to “have to step aside” so the party would “ask” her to be the lead nominee. Think about it.

[Fantasywriter]

Not only that, but Slow Joe ain’t goin’ nowhere. He likes the Veep slot, and has nothing better on the horizon. They can’t just tell him he’s done. He could give damaging interviews. If he wants on the ticket—and he’s made it clear he does—he will be on the ticket.

[nascarnation]

Actually Perot got 19% of the pop vote in 1992.
The breakdown was 43/37/19.
That’s what I think a 3-way would look like in 2012 with Obama, Romney, and Tea Party.

In 96 Perot was much less of a factor - 8%.
It was more the weakness of Bob Dole that gave BJ the win.

[Jim Robinson]

A pox on them all.

Go, TEA Party!!

[meadsjn]

If the RINOs are succesful in forcing Romney as the nominee, the GOP will be kaput, dead, gone fishing.

Romney and Obama will be competing for the same (less than) 40% of liberals in the electorate.

A third-party run by a popular common-sense Constitutional conservative candidate could win a three-way race, for the first time since Abe Lincoln.

[RCFlyer]

Thanks for all your posts on this thread concerning Palin and Christian Engineer Mass... they speak for me as well.

However, I refuse to acknowledge Romney as a possibility at this time :P

[Hawthorn]

>> we know it was a very last minute change-of-heart <<

Don’t be naive. She had to tell Fox News long ago that she wasn’t going to run, otherwise she and Fox probably would have run afoul of the FEC’s rules.

[buckalfa]

“too soon for Haley. She’d be Palinized.”

Agreed. Haley's governorship is off to a rocky start with charges of pay to play politics and other ethics violations. Whether the charges are factual or not, Haley presents a target rich environment for the Dems and their MSM cohorts. Plus nine months in the governors office is not a real impressive resume for an office that is just a heart beat away from the Presidency. If Niki can get her administration on course and govern effectively, she would be a worthy candidate in future election cycles.

[Perdogg]

Here is the problem with your analysis

1. Biden got the VeePee nod because he made an illegal deal with the 0bama campaign to endorse 0bama over Hillary. He’s not going to give that up.

2. TransCanada pipeline - Maybe the next issue in the 0bama Administration. This would not only put 0bama at odds over his base, but also raise, in the very least, ethical issues at State with Hillary.

3. Haley and Rubio have both said no. It would not rule out a Romney/DeMint ticket, if Romney gets the nod.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

If it is Obama vs. Romney...

... it will be Obama vs. Romney vs. Conservative Third Party Rogue.

[TomGuy]

Does the VP suddenly assume control of the party, as is traditional for the President to do so? Does the VP make White House policy, or sit upon the President to keep him from making stupid decisions over and over again?

In the 2008 election cycle, I remember posting that, if McCain-Palin did win, McCain would side-line her to some innocuous duties where she would never be hear from during his term.

Ironically, there have been recent reports that McCain's advisors were actually trying to figure out some way to extricate Palin from the ticket, if they won.

[Grey Eagle]

I do believe Senator Rubio would run with Romney. Halely is too new.

[chris37]

That race would make me move out of this moron infested country for good.