Jim Gilmore for President?

Human Events Online ^ | 8/19/06 | John Gizzi

[indemnify]

Coincidentally (or maybe not), members of the California GOP were bombarded with emails that very night pushing "Draft Gilmore": http://draftgilmore.org/

[Coldwater Creek]

This is one that I had not thought of, but he might just be a formidable candidate. he did a good job in Va.

[Alex1977]

However, he not very known outside his state.

[Coldwater Creek]

Well we have a long time to make him known!

[PikesPeakGOP]

I'll take him over George "foot in mouth" Allen. That draft site says he "helped lead the opposition against taxation of the internet." Sounds good to me.

[Coldwater Creek]

Welcome to Free Republic!!!!

[Dixie Yooper]

His campaign promise of abolishing the car tax while running against car dealer Don Byer was pure genius. He was able to keep his promise as far as the state legislators would allow. To this day, thanks to the new Governor and old legislators, the tax remains, but is much smaller than it used to be. He should move to NC, run for Governor and get rid of our car tax!!!

[NapkinUser]

Hard to imagine Gilmore could possibly be worse than some of the other possible candidates for the republican nomination: Rudolph Giuliani, John McCain, Condoleeza Rice and Chuck Hagel instantly come to mind.

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

Very cool - a good governor and a solid conservative. At the very least, I hope he runs when Jawn Wahnah finally shuffles off the Senate floor into retirement.

[Alex1977]

Thank you very much, my friend!

[Alex1977]

What about "social" issues? I don't find anything into the page you suggest.

[Man50D]

What are his positions on the major issues?

[indemnify]

I recall that the Democrat he ran against in '97 tryed to make abortion a major issue of the campaign. The dem opposed parental notification laws and Gilmore came out and supported law that required minors get permission to have an abortion. I also recall he was attacked for being a no-exceptions pro-lifer during one point in the campaign.

[Alex1977]

Wonderful, thank you! Last but not least: does he want to run for President? Really?

[AlGone2001]

"However, he not very known outside his state"

Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter were?

Being know outside your state is not necessarily good.

That usually means that the candidate has to deal with high negatives. This is why there hasn't been a president elected directly from the US Senate since 1962.

No one had ever heard of Howard Dean either before the 2004 election cycle.

[TNCMAXQ]

I've always thought Gilmore might be a good choice. We need someone other than the current crop of possibilities, none of whom excite me or a lot of other Republicans. I still think Haley Barbour and Tim Pawlenty should run too.

[AlGone2001]

Barbour is my top choice, but I read somewhere that he will not run.

[ConservativeDude]

I am convinced by the gushing responses of about 50% of FR (which would be, I think, well to the right of the average GOP primary voter) that Giuliani will be the nominee and that he will win.

I wish we had a viable alternative who was a true conservative, but, so far there is none. You can't beat celebrity with non-celebrity, not in the US, and not even in the GOP primary.

[angkor]

"Barbour is my top choice, but I read somewhere that he will not run."

I suspect Barbour has seen the political bloodletting up close and for too long, and doesn't want to go through it himself. Not his cup of tea.

Gilmore would be a better candidate than George Allen, he has more gravitas.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Male pattern baldness = zero shot. Yes, America is that shallow. ;)