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I don't doubt Romney's intelligence or management skills, but putting someone like him in charge might actually bring the party back to the image of the northeastern establishment Rockefeller Republicanism that, thankfully, Goldwater, Nixon, and then Reagan got rid of.

It's not clear. We have time to investigate his business record and his record as governor. I'm just saying that I think he merits a good hard look. I really like his balanced budget record, his deflection of employer mandates on health care, his record of salvaging dying companies with down-to-earth management. I'm just talking about his management style and executive ability here. I don't see indications that he is a part of the decadent capitalist bunch. He may be but nothing in what I've read so far indicates it.

I don't think Romney's one of them. He actually seems like a pious guy. But all I'm saying is that in terms of marketing, it might not be the best idea to tie the GOP too closely to this.

I don't think he's actually very pious. I think he is one of those guys who likes having one wife and an intact family. A man who enjoys living but doesn't indulge his every stray desire. We all know people like this. They could cheat on their wives and get away with living in the fast lane. They choose not to. It's intrinsic to their personality and habits. It's how they choose to live. Reagan was divorced, for instance, but that might have been partially or entirely the fault of his first wife. Nancy was clearly his wife and I don't think he strayed. Because he couldn't or didn't think he could get away with it? I don't think so. The same goes for the two presidents Bush. Husbands and fathers, not looking to date again.

In terms of marketing and party-image, a retired Navy officer and Vietnam veteran like McCain would do much better.

I really think McCain is too old. We might never again elect anyone over the age of 65. It is a very demanding job. And McCain has made himself utterly hated by many base voters and some conservative organizations. These are the people you need to really work for you to win the primaries and the general.

McCain's personal life, while a little messy, isn't so appalling as Giuliani's. I don't think much of Giuliani and Newt having much younger trophy wives. And Rudy's wife is his former Monica. That just repels me. You can ignore it in private life. But not for the White House. Given how Rudy's taste in women runs to leftwingers who like to appear in things like Vagina Monologues, I think I don't care for his taste in women. With Rudy and Newt, you don't get the feeling their wives are equal partners in a deeply committed lifelong relationship. These are things that speak to the character of a man. I won't apologize for preferring wholesome families and marital stability in a candidate.

I'm with you 100% on that last bit.

And by pious, I mean decent. I guess living in New York has made me look at marital stability as something much more virtuous and uncommon than I used to. Giuliani is definitely representative of the rotten New York lifestyle in that regard.

I'm not so sure about the age factor concerning McCain. He's old, but maybe he's wiser. He might die in office, and in that case, we'll have to cross our fingers that he'd select someone decent as VP should McCain get the nom.

"These are things that speak to the character of a man. I won't apologize for preferring wholesome families and marital stability in a candidate."

A point I alluded to earlier on this thread but you said it so much better. Well done.