Posted on 12/01/2006 12:05:51 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
With the recent defeat of Sen. George Allen (R-VA) and the surprising withdrawal of Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) from the presidential race, the right wing of the Republican Party is running out of candidates for president in 2008.
For the centrists within the party, the likely candidacy of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and the possible option of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani offer attractive possibilities, but whom do the conservatives have to put up against them? Surely the GOP is not about to embrace the pro-choice, pro-gay rights, pro-gun control, pro-affirmative action, pro-immigration Giuliani. (He's fine with us, but not with the party base.) Nor are they likely to find favor with John McCain, co-sponsor -- with Ted Kennedy -- of the immigration amnesty bill, supporter of the rights of detainees to avoid "torture," sponsor -- with Joe Lieberman -- of the anti-global warming initiative, and the original framer of campaign finance reform. Conservatives are also likely to hold his membership in the so-called "gang of fourteen" against him. Back in 2005, he joined six other Republicans and seven Democrats in backing confirmation of moderate judges without a filibuster. Trusting such a person with control over judicial appointments may be a nonstarter on the right. (Again, we're OK with all this, but you don't win in South Carolina with these positions.)
So whom does the right have to put up?
(Excerpt) Read more at vote.com ...
It's going to be a fascinating primary process.
Giuliani/Franks is an interesting ticket.
Just a guess, here, but if Tancredo runs, I'm gonna say he has a hard time capturing FL....kinda a big deal, no?
Regards, Ivan
Tommy Franks I would love. But what are the chances?
I can't remember the last time I agreed with Dick Morris, but he's right about this. We need a candidate who is a strong conservative, both social and fiscal. We also need a candidate with a strong appeal who can get elected. He needs to appeal to the voters over the heads of the media, who will do everything to destroy him.
There's the rub. I don't see anyone like that. Reagan could deal with the media, but he was one of a kind. I think we need to control illegal immigration and roll it back, but Tancredo is unelectable. If we ran him, it would only backfire and make things worse.
Dick Morris licking the bottom of the toe.
Yep, that one, too.
Sonny Perdue (Georgia Governor). As a Georgia resident, I would vote for him for any office. He did what he said he would do.
re: Mike Huckabee
"compassionate Christian conservative as well."
No more compassionate conservatives..........please!
I don't think it necessarily hurts to be an unknown at this point. I had never heard of Bill Clinton until Jan. 92 and he ended up scooting on the White House carpet for 8 years.
Heck two months is a long time.
Dick's Song
Here come old flat top
He come grooving up slowly
He got joo joo eyeball
He one holy roller
He got hair down to his knee
Got to be a joker
He just do what he please.
He wear no shoe shine
He got toe jam football .....
(Mmmmmm....toe-jam!)
With his stupid comments about Miami earlier this week, Tancredo cannot carry Florida. And Republicans need Florida's electoral votes to win a Presidential election.
If this is all conservatives are willing to be satisfied with to run for the GOP and not be a little pragmatic to go with a more marketable candidate, then it's going to be President Hillary Clinton and Vice President Barak Obama come January 20, 2009. We need to stop being so unbending and unwilling to accept less than a full plate in our candidates or we're going to be spending a long, long time in the political wildnerness as a party. Frankly it should be completely unacceptable to any thinking conservative to run a nobody like Gov. Huckabee (who with a name like that just sounds like a good ole boy) against a field of superstar Democratic contenders. Like it or not, it's wise up and be a little compromising or we've got Hillary Clinton for 8.
I like Kyl, a straight shooter, tho he has a flaw or two but what politico doesn't these days.. as if there is anything approaching peerfection around these days in either party.
Rudy may have his work cut out to get the nod, we'll see how willing he is to move away from the center on a couple key issues that may trip him up.
And, as demonstrated by 9/11, everything can change in a matter of hours.
The lesson is that we should never take anything for granted, e.g., George Allen's "assured" victory over the tangled Webb.
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