Posted on 03/28/2007 6:05:49 PM PDT by LdSentinal
The Black brothers, Earl and Merle, have become the chroniclers of the South’s rising political importance and its shift toward Republicanism. In their latest book, “Divided America: The Ferocious Power Struggle in American Politics,” they take a broader view of how regions figure in the razor-thin balance between the two parties.
The politically scientific brothers gave a summary of their latest research at an Emory-sponsored breakfast Wednesday.
Earl, who teaches at Rice, and Merle, who teaches at Emory, still see the South as the most significant region in terms of its growing size and importance to the elctoral fate of the GOP. But since the Northeast and Coastal West have swung to the Democrats, they argue in this book, the swing region - the one most critical to the outcome of the next presidential election - has become the Midwest.
One of the features of this hair-trigger politics, Earl noted, is that practically everybody is frustrated with the results. And that brings the subject to the next election.
The Blacks didn’t attempt to predict the outcome of next year’s presidential election, but there is one potential ticket that makes sense to them. Rudy Giuliani, they note, would be the first Italian Catholic Republican presidential candidate, and as such would have appeal to a crucial Midwestern and Northeastern demographic. But they think he would need an acceptable running mate to keep evangelical Protestants and/or Southerners in the fold, and former U.S. senator and actor Fred Thompson - who has polled big since dangling the possibility of a hat-throw - would be just the ticket.
Thompson yes...
Rudy, not so much...
That being said, I doubt that either party will run two white men.
Rudy/never
Maybe Thompson for President, and Giuliani for mayor.
Of Washington.
D.C.
This almost sounds like the RINO Rudy camp begging Mr. Thompson to take the veep slot, and no doubt the RINO Rudy camp is nervously looking over their shoulders at the possibility Mr. Thompson can send RINO Rudy home to watch the campaign for 2008 on TV.
No way should Mr. Thompson accept such a 'deal'. RINO Rudy needs to be put out to pasture ASAP, IMO.
We need a President and a Vice President with the Cajones to fight not only the War On Terror, but the War On Illegal Immigration, and The War On Euro-Socialism (Read Democrats) as well.
Thompson/Bolton
I can dream can't I?
We will see if Rudy can hold up first. Rudy is going to have to make a play for the right if he wants to keep his frontrunner status. So far Rudy has not and the right will get behind Fred Thompson real fast.
Giuliani/Jon Kyl would be a great ticket
We dont vote for vice presidents. Thompson and Hunter on the ticket would be another matter altogether and a great one. I heard an interview with these guys. It was good but I think they are missing the mark with the rino on the ticket.
Theres the problem. rino rudy"has to make a play for the right" If he was right then he would'nt need to make the play. Your point is right on the mark and I think the rudy camp knows this.
Giuliani/Kerick, yeah, that's the ticket!
Thompson-Giuliani is a plausible ticket, but the reciprocal ain't gonna happen.
I personally like Thompson-Pawlenty much better.
I like the Thompson/Hunter idea.
Guiliani/Thompson or Thompson/Giuliani, and we all drink and laugh at the Dems losing.
Rudy would not help win any states as VP. So if Thompson gets the nomination, he should look elsewhere.
You don't think Rudy puts NY, NJ and CT into play AT ALL? Not even (at a minimum) forcing the Dems to spend money where they hoped not to spend one thin dime?
I can absolutely, positively, 100% guarantee that white males in those states will vote for a Rudy ticket over Hillary. Which means the Dems must fight there.
as VP, no. Thompson doesn't have a chance to win any of those states at the top of the ticket. that's why a Rudy VP does him no good.
Thompson's electoral strategy will be identical to Bush in 2004 - which means he must win Ohio, and he must stop the Dems from taking NM, NV & CO (which they could do with Richardson as VP). who Thompson could take as VP to help him do this - I don't know at this point.
I agree that Rudy would have some appeal in NY, NJ, etc...at least enough to force Democrats to spend money in those states.
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