Dick Morris: ‘Minor Leaguers’ May Lead GOP

NewsMax.com ^ | January 16, 2007 | NewsMax.com staff

[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.”

[BUSHdude2000]

I guess you are forgetting that Newt was demonised by the media years ago.Can he overcome that???

I would say he can in the era of the counter-media. Witness the crap Dan Rather tried to pull in 2004 and the counter-media brought him down. There are a lot of "what ifs" in history, but imagine the internet of today being around when Newt was Speaker and Clintongue was at his peak for lies and deception.

[MSF BU]

Duncan Hunter. He's said what I've been thinking all along. Hunter, btw, is clearly the best qualified of the dark horse candidates.

[MSF BU]

I see the Manchester Union Leader endorsing Hunter.

[MSF BU]

I think Hunter would be best positioned with a Governor; perhaps Purdue?

[MSF BU]

Why would Reagan-Republicans cast a primary vote for people who oppose forty to sisty percent of what Reagan stood for? It's early yet. Let's see how these guys answer immigration a social issue questions when they're standing next to Hunter.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Moris said that Hunter might LEAD the Republicans, which means a sure win for the Democrats. He is correct on this. He is going by recent nonpartisan research dynamics. (as he did when he predicted the massive Democrat win in '06)

If we ever hope to win, we need Star power. A little known State level Representative does not stand a chance no matter how hard you argue the point.

[MSF BU]

Actually, Hunter chairs the defense committee, which is his specialty. Right now, that's kind of relevent. There is not doubt in my mind the kind of judges he would appoint. I would worry with Mitt/Rudy/John choosing judges.

[Blackirish]

How about placing the blame on the GOP leadership (spelled R-O-V-E and M-E-H-L-M-A-N) for dissing the social conservatives and Religious Right?

---

This administration has sucked so mush to the Religious Right they forgot there were any other voters....why do you think we lost 06 and if we don'tput up Rudy we will lose in 08

[MSF BU]

Allen should have learned to keep his mouth shut. Wise ass; he's the type of conservative who would have REALLY benefited by four years in the Marine Corps. The guy lacks self discipline and was basically handed every thing in life.

As for Webb, he may have the potential to be the Arlen Specter of the democrats. In other words as much of a pain in the neck to them as he is to us.

[MSF BU]

Gingrich is a glib, draft dodging serial adulterer. See Duncan Hunter for the background and lifestyle that a conservative should model.

[MSF BU]

Much like an irrelevent governor of Arkansas or Georgia could not defeat a sitting president. Nomination = Possibility. The average American will have to "pick one"; if it's Hillary versus Hunter, I don't see that she has an overwhelming advantage. She is patently dishonest, has a history of graft (cattle futures), is as divisive as possible and I think Hunter would start with about 45% of the vote locked.

[TommyDale]

They didn't do one meaningful thing for the Religious Right.

[Blackirish]

Really seems to me it was all queer marriage...Flag Burning ...Stem cells all the time.


I remember a loooong time ago when W campaigned on tort reform...entitlement reform...tax reform...fiscal discipline...but why bother doing the hard work of day to day conservative governance when you can get the Religious Right running out to the polls over the looming gay menace.

[TommyDale]

"Really seems to me it was all queer marriage...Flag Burning ...Stem cells all the time."

They may have TALKED about those things, but they certainly didn't enact anything meaningful. That is why the social conservatives/Religious Right will tell them to take their liberal RINO candidates and shove it.

[Blackirish]

They didn't enact it because rewriting the constitution is not conservative and is a rotten idea.

We used to be able to mock the left for calling the constitution a "living breathing document"...till the religious right agreed with them

[Blackirish]

Plus since the Religious right has been in the drivers seat we can't even TALK about fiscal issues without the voters rolling their eyes. I'd guess the far right is so concerned about social issues that a balance sheet is beneath them.

[TommyDale]

They already buy into the fiscal conservatism, something the GWB Administration flushed down the toilet. The illegal immigrants are not helping the GOP with the base voters either. That issue is splitting the party as much as abortion.

[TommyDale]

And I suppose you think a Giuliani or McCain is the savior of the party? Get real. Say hello to a President Hillary and VP Barack Hussein Obama.

[Blackirish]

They already buy into the fiscal conservatism, something the GWB Administration flushed down the toilet. The illegal immigrants are not helping the GOP with the base voters either. That issue is splitting the party as much as abortion.

---

I agree. A lot of this is W's fault and the social right is taking the blame.....9/11 and the war in Iraq allowed this administration to irresponsibly punt the ball on fiscal issues and border security.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Then it is obvious that you know very little about American politics.

America has traditionally prefered Governors as President and has picked 4 for the Presidency in the last 30 years and all but one went for 2 terms.