But Hunter won't get out of two primaries, let alone come close to get the nomination, and that's reality. That's politics.
Jesus said, however, that you don't undertake building a structure until you count the cost. One thing the starry-eyed idealists always ignore is that politics is a game of preparation, and DH (and Tancredo, and Brownback, among others) have NOT come anywhere close to preparing themselves. This is about far, far more than issues. A candidate is NOT a serious candidate who has not spent a couple of years laying down a grassroots network of support; who has not aligned MANY state organizations and endorsers; who has not ALREADY developed enough funding to pretty much compete in a general election; who has not established already a NATIONAL presence. Reagan prepared for more than 12 years!!!
People lament the narrow circle of candidates in most elections, but the fact is that these candidates have all paid a price to take stands on controversial issues (not just a congressional vote that can be hidden or explained away, but ADMINISTRATIVE stands); they have allowed themselves to be in the public eye for years and thus have already been vetted, in a sense. Say what you want about Rudy, but we know all there is to know about him. Ditto Hillary. This is one reason congressmen don't get anywhere in national elections: they don't have a national presence, haven't been vetted, and haven't displayed their abilities in a way that is completely attributable to them.
Actually, this, as much as his stand on issues, is why McCain lags so far behind---his votes are just one vote of 100, and there are pieces of legislation where you have to vote against something you want in order to keep it alive for the next vote. (Procedurally I'm not sure how that works, but I've seen it done many times).
So, reality is that we can all vote in the primary for DH or Newt or whoever, but barring Fred Thompson getting in the race, this is Rudy's to lose.
"Conservatives" will not vote for a lib. We will just stay home.Sounds to me that the rnc better wake up to that fact.I think the 06 elections proved that.