Posted on 01/05/2011 2:48:04 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
2011 is just a few days old and the 2012 election rumor mill has already kicked into high gear. Beyond the usual speculation surrounding Sarah Palin, Beltway gossips have been talking up Jon Huntsman, President Obama's ambassador to China, as his strongest potential GOP rival next year. But the Obama ticket itself isn't immune from the scuttlebutt: A Florida blogger is predicting Obama will ditch his current vice president, Joe Biden, for outgoing Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, a Republican-turned-independent. Is this worth taking seriously?
Short answer — No: The notion that a president will switch his vice president midstream is "one of the sillier games" pundits play halfway through every president's first term, says Steven L. Taylor in Outside the Beltway. And despite persistent speculation, recent presidents never have.
Besides, "people simply don't vote based on who the veep candidate is." Bottom line: Biden's job is as safe as Obama's.
"Silly veep speculation of the day"
Crist could seal Obama's re-election: Obama would do well to consider ditching Biden for "someone with less of a propensity for gaffes," says Javier Manjarres in The Shark Tank, "as well as for a younger and more 'moderate' candidate" who could win back "disenfranchised" independents and conservative Democrats. Crist fits the bill. Yes, he lost Florida's Senate race to Marco Rubio (R), but he still has "a remarkable 50 percent approval rating" in a swing state Obama needs to win.
"Is Charlie Crist a potential VP Pick... for Obama?"
Crist would be a liability, not an asset: Crist, a "recent party-flipper," also quickly flip-flopped on a host of issues, says Jim Geraghty in National Review. No, Obama will keep Biden or choose another "lifelong Democrat," leaving the perpetually tanned Crist in Florida, along with any hopes that "America's first black president could pick the country's first orange vice president" in the realm of "wildly implausible but entertaining" could-have-beens.
"In this unlikely scenario, the GOP nominee should run with Rubio"
2011 may only be a few days old, but if these clymers are pushing Obama's ambassador to China as his strongest challenger, the SRM are already in mid-season form in picking the worst Republican nominee.
Who? I love these "Beltway gossips" whe determine a Mormon 1.2 term governor of Utah who 99% of the electorate has never heard of is the "strongest" candidate. I guess quitting in the middle of your term as to work for Obama is cool, quitting in the middle of your term to campaign for conservitive candidates and causes is being a "quitter".
don’t you love the beltway gossips, who the hell is jon huntsun who’s apparently the “STRONGEST” gop candidate
apparently we mere voters aren’t needed anymore, the beltway have decided
The media will push any and everyone to try to derail Saracuda.
The only reason Hillary Clinton would accept the position of Vice President would be if she knew that Obama wouldn't be running in 2012.
Biden makes Obama look and sound reasonably intelligent by comparison. That makes Biden useful.
Short answer “no” means there’s really no need to read further.
What appeal would Crist have? He’s a loser. He lost to Rubio (or he would have if he hadn’t quit), he lost in the race for governor, he basically split the Democratic ticket (judging by the final numbers.)
Maybe they think he’ll pull Independents? I don’t see it. Obama’s base is going to vote for him, no matter what, hardcore Dems, AA’s, gays, etc. So Crist won’t turn them off, but I don’t see him brining in any extra votes for Obama.
Wow, and doesn’t Charlie get around, LOL. Mentioned as a possible VP for McCain, now a possible VP for Obama.
I'm glad others caught this as well. Time to forget the "beltway gossips" (and anything to do with the beltway for that matter) and push for conservatives like Sarah Palin who snubs the "intellectually elitists".
trade in one idiot for another with more hair but the new one kisses butt better
LLS
LIES... THE ONLY REASON THAT I VOTED FOR Mcwhatshisname... PALIN!
LLS
Huntsman would make McCain look like Ronald Reagan. It’s no surprise the media would want him to be the Republican nominee.
Crist has a darker, uhhh, tan than Obama.
The only reason Obama would dump Biden for Crist is if Larry Sinclair was telling the truth.
More media ‘fishing’ for an electable pair in 2012. Too bad, it’s the BOZO at the top of the ticket that’s their problem.
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