Posted on 01/17/2007 7:55:38 AM PST by seanmerc
Political analyst Dick Morris used a baseball analogy out of season to summarize what he considers the bleak prospects for Republican victory in the 2008 presidential election.
"I think you’ll see one of the minor leaguers win it [the GOP nomination],” Morris told Fox News Channel.
Morris thinks the leading Republican candidates – Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich – are "too flawed” to win the hearts and votes of conservatives in the early primaries.
"The top four candidates for the Republican nomination can’t win,” Morris said. "Rudy Giuliani, John McCain . . . Romney with all of the flip-flops on abortion and Newt Gingrich, who I don’t think gets into it.”
That leaves a cast of lesser-known Republicans in line for a surprise run toward the nomination.
"I think that the Republican nominee is going to be one of these minor leaguers: [Tom] Tancredo, [Mike] Huckabee, [Sam] Brownback, [Jim] Gilmore from Virginia, Duncan Hunter from California,” Morris said. "It’s like the pitching rotation is all going to be injured at the World Series and the Triple –A pitching staff, one of them is going to pitch the opening game.”
Morris suggests the GOP will face Hillary Clinton in "the big game,” despite all of the buzz surrounding Sen. Barack Obama.
"Obama serves the function of keeping Al Gore out of the race,” Morris said. "He just sucks up too much of the anti-Hillary vote, but he won’t win.”
Morris said Obama’s showing in the primaries may boost Hillary to victory in the general election.
"Hillary will run a vigorous race against Obama, probably a nasty race,” he said. "She defeats him, then reaches out to African-American voters and puts Obama on as vice president.
"I have said from the very beginning, Hillary is the Democratic nominee and she is the next president of the United States.”
I am beginning to think Morris's accuracy rate has fallen below 50%, which means that you are better off relying on a chimp throwing darts to come up with the right answer. This latest of squib of his is just ludicrous. I am going to remember it.
...reading.
Everyone seems to be conceding the election to Hillary. I disagree. I think if someone with a strong anti-illegals stance wins the Republican Primary, he has an excellent chance of going all the way. There are a lot of Democrats who would forsake their party on that issue alone. Just as I am ready to jump my party if one of those open-border advocates wins.
I've thought about this, too. A lot of people might not vote for a Clinton (or for that matter another Bush) just to prevent the presidency from looking like a dual monarchy.
If it has, God help us all!
Two minor leaguers on the ticket condemns the party to defeat, especially if they aren't from key swing states, and few on the first string would willingly play second banana to a second stringer.
A lot depends on how enthusiastic people get for the major league candidates. I suspect some who dismiss them now will be cheering them on when Spring comes.
Look back to 2000 to see how many people who were skeptical of "compassionate conservatism" flocked to George Bush because they didn't like the alternative.
The general rule on political matters (especially political polling matters - not relevant here) is that whenever Dick Morris makes a prediction, you should place your money on the opposite outcome. This case is no different.
Terry Reed (Reid?) I think; a good book!
That sounds rather sinister don't you think?
I agree with Dick, but I think anyone can see this a mile away.
Gingrich is easily the most intelligent, the most articulate, and perhaps the only truly accomplished potential candidate the GOP has to offer (that is, of course, unless you think campaign finance reform is an accomplishment). We know he's got the hide of an elephant wearing Kevlar, and won't be daunted by attacks on his character (even from his side of the aisle). It's well-known he believes he's formed from Presidential timbre -- it's even been held against him by the MSM and the left. The only question is, does Newt think now is the right time to run?
I know what Morris is saying. I forget if it was him or someone else who said that in Clinton's heyday before the 1996 campaign, it was Bob Dole that came forward and took one for the team, knowing there he only had a snowball's chance. I think Mondale did the same thing for the Dems in 1984 before getting crushed like a bug by Reagan. The big difference this time is that this isn't a re-election campaign, it's the follow-up to a two-term server. I don't have time to do the research, but it must have been decades since the prospects were so dim for the party of an incumbent POTUS.
You know what would really be ironic? If McCain and Feingold won the nominations and ran against each other. Oops! Did I say "ironic"? I meant "tragic."
Uhh, tell that to his wife...and the staffer he was banging...
Like hell! What is with you Gingrich people when you should realize how unpopular he is and that he is permanently damaged due to his indescretions. He is NOT conservative on morals. He is damaged due to his hypocrisy and how intelligent was it of him to be screwing the secretary during the whole Clintoon-Lewinsky mess? He may know his stuff on most conservative matters and is effective in speaking but he is not one to put up as the nominee. Why not get someone as good as Duncan Hunter, who can back up his conservative principles on ALL fronts?
God, why aren't we pushing to find a talented, charisimatic person with leadership experience to fight to win 2008? I do not understand!
YOu are correct about that "gang of 14" - which has now been destroyed. However, as far as Iraq goes, McCain is saying all the right things - Brownback, a conservative, is NOT. I wash my hands of Brownback because of that.
Aw, most of the lefties who knew him from their shared CFR meetings got along with him okay. After all, when defeated Tom Foley turned over the Speaker of the House's duties to Gingrich the CFR insiders lost nothing, since both are CFR members, as was House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt and South Dakota Democrat and Senate Minority Leader Larry Pressler.
I gave up on Brownback long ago when I learned his position on immigration.
What is with you Gingrich people when you should realize how unpopular he is and that he is permanently damaged due to his indescretions.
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First, Newt is not unpopular with conservatives, in the majority. Forget morals - if they were a measurement criteria for the Presidency, we would not have had FDR, Eisenhower, Reagan and many others. We also would not have suffered the Clinton dark period for this country either if morals mattered.
Show me a more patriotic, knowledgeable, experienced CONSERVATIVE (in all ways important to America) with GUTS to face the scummy, slimebag Socialists that are trying to turn America into another France....then I will support that candidate.
At least Newt is in the top ratings as electable...who is Duncan Hunter, voters will ask...to win in 2008 it is going to take a STRONG FIGHTER and I do not see one, except for Newt who will stand up to the sleaze and criminality of the left and the rotten MSM.
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