Dark horse Republican to the rescue? (Haley Barbour for president???)

MSNBC ^ | 4/14/05

[areafiftyone]

WASHINGTON - People here remember Haley Barbour as a slightly raffish Mississippi good ol’ boy with a low center of gravity and a syrupy drawl who became chairman of the Republican Party, made a bundle as a tobacco lobbyist and then went home to – of all things – become governor: A shrewd inside player, but not someone who automatically springs to mind as presidential material.

It speaks volumes about the condition of the GOP that at least a few people around town are talking up Barbour as a Republican presidential contender in 2008 – and that at least a few of his fellow Republicans (and not just his former business partner, Ed Rogers) seem to be taking the idea somewhat seriously.

Here’s the long and short of the reasons why:

1. There is no obvious successor to George Walker Bush as El Jefe of the GOP except perhaps Gov. John Ellis “Jeb” Bush of Florida who, by virtue of being Little Brother to the President, is too oppressively obvious and therefore problematic.

2. The party’s centrifugal forces of ideological and personality have been held together by the iron bands of Bushian will and Roveian guile. But, if for no other reason than that the president can’t run for a third term, these bands soon will break.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Illinois nonetheless.

[WKB]

Missippy ping

[lawdude]

I could live with him!!

[dixiechick2000]

Thanks for the ping.

Haley bump!

[MississippyMuddy]

Ssshhhh be quite, this is just the first wave of the Redneck invasion.............. lol

:o)

Jeff

[Sonny M]

This not meant as a criticism of the south, but why is it that all political leadership for the past 15 years or so has come from the South.

President Reagan, Tip O'neill and george mitchell?

Also, Tom Dashle, and Nancy Pelosi (Gephardt does count in the southern ranks I guess).

[wardaddy]

I'm down wid it.

[ken21]

yeah, right.

hillary will chew him up and spit him out.

[stboz]

Unh uh, Mississippi needs him more than the country at large. Pubbies are going to have to coalesce behind someone and maybe it could be Haley, I don't know.

I do know that if Republicans now in power do not govern well over the next three and half years, they will not have my support. With a majority in Congress, there can be no excuse for allowing Demo liberals to continue wielding power over them.

Trent Lott libs like Jeffords, Chaffee, Snow, McCain et al, are the ruination of a party that stands at their own little Rubicon.

Whether they have the courage to cross it and leave behing those of little conviction is about to be tested.

[stboz]

Bumpasaurus Rex.

[gulfcoast6]

Not only those you mentioned but look at Hagel, McLimp and those who are not loyal to OUR President W. Betcha the 'elected officials' blow it as they are now and will hand everything back over to eh Dims.

[onyx]

He's a man of his word and a true conservative Republican.

[areafiftyone]

hillary will chew him up and spit him out.

I think she will too. Just because the person is a true conservative is NOT ENOUGH to get him in office. We need someone with STAR POWER!

[Recall]

George Bush is not a born Southerner.

[Koblenz]

I guess Barbour could be ok. There's also George Allen. Bill Owens of Colorado looked good, but is now adding a new tax hike and had some problem with his wife, so his luster looks to be fading. There's Mitt Romney, but I guess it depends if he gets reëlected. And he can't do that much in Mass due to the overwhelmingly Democratic legislature there. Newt cannot really be serious as a contender. I like the guy, but he won't be the next President or even the nominee. I don't know much about Brownback but he's been mentioned. Lamar had his plaid shirt run already. Frist I don't know much about. Cheney won't run, but it would be interesting if he would. So whom am I missing?

Over on the Dem side, there's Hillary of course, and the media is infatuated with her. BreckBoy Edwards isn't going anywhere. Kerry cannot really run again either. Anyone else going to challenge Hillary on their side?

[areafiftyone]

I believe I posted another article saying Barbour will not run for president. So that ends that. Looks like the media is speculating on Newt (who I don't think is going to run and I hope doesn't). I think he's just trying to sell his book right now and needs the publicity. The Republican choices right now are slim and none.

[DoctorMichael]

I'd vote for him!

[cubreporter]

nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[areafiftyone]

I don't know too much about him. I am wide open right now. The only one I would NOT really vote for is McCain. But that depends on if its a choice between Hillary and McCain. Then I would probably hold my nose and vote for him.

[cubreporter]

Amen. BIG mistake.