Republican presidential nominees 2008

[Reader of news]

I think President Bush will be re-elected next year surely. Nevertheless, there is not any sure candidate for Republican presidential nomination in 2008. I think John McCain, Jeb Bush, Rick Perry, Condoleezza Rice, George Pataki and Bill Frist may be candidates.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I'm not busy in 2008!

Tiny Conspiracy Guy stands by as Saddam is interrogated. Conspiracy Guy's ability to shrink made him a valuable asset in the search for the hiding sewer rat. Tiny Elvis called later to thank CG for his minor role in the capture. It's off to Afghanistan.

[ArneFufkin]

Your style sure seems familiar!

Maniacal. Pound pound pound until your're ZOTTED.

Arator?

[bdeaner]

What about Bill Owens, Governor of Colorado?

[jocon307]

"American's do not like dynasties"

You are not the first person I've heard say this, but I'm not sure it is correct. First off, we seem to like the Bushes well enough, W is only the second son to follow his father as president. And the Kennedys were quite popular for a while. And, arguably, their failures were largely self-inflicted. The Tafts are the only other American political dynasty I can think of, and I know folks are pretty furious with the guy holding office now, and they're right to be so.

But I'm not sure we reject dynasties out of hand. I'm not sure Jeb would be the way to go in '08, but I think he'd have as good a chance as anyone.

As for Rice, I'm still not sure we'd go for a woman in the top spot if the WOT is still hot.

[carton253]

American's do not like dynasties...

Since when?

[HitmanLV]

I have felt ever since I learned that the RNC will be in nyc around the anniversary of 9-11 that it will be the Rudy show.

Cheney will announce that he will not be on the ticket during the dem primary, taking a lot of the shine off that contest as the speculation will be on who will Bush choose as his VP (and successor).

Rove & co will float the idea that it will be a hardcore conservative joining the ticket, making the final announcement that it will be Rudy all the more dramatic.

Bush/Rudy enjoy a comfy margin in the polls througout the election season and win 400-425 electoral votes, with some solid but unspectacular coattails (a 55-44-1 spread in the Senate, and 235-200 spread in the House).

Too many Bushes weird people out. Jeb will never be President. The 2008 election will be Rudy vs Hillary.

Rudy wins that one solidly.

[BushCountry]

Living in Florida and seeing Jeb work his magic, I prefer him. As far as Condi is concern, she is smart, articulate, a hawk, fiscal conservative, has great foreign policy/national security credentials, likes football, and has a broad range of appeal as a candidate as well.

I haven't read anything about her abortion stand. So this might effect one issue Repubs. But, she is definately more that a merely a black face as some posts suggest.

[KantianBurke]

First of all I picked Condi because of her National Security credentials. She can be trusted to protect this country. In this Age of Terror that's a top priority. Not because she's black and not because she's a woman. I merely remarked that having such a ticket would drive the Rats nuts. Second, I was unaware that she supported AA. Could you please verify this claim by placing a source please.

[Harris]

While some will say 5 years is a lifetime in politics, I am convinced it is at least a half of a decade.


In December of 1987, who foresaw Satan's spouse winning in 1992. In December 1975 when Ford was President did we really anticipate Reagan. In December 1971, Watergate hadn't even happened and Jimmy Carter simply was not on the radar.

In other words, this discussion is so speculative as to be a bit premature.

[John123]

I think Gov. Bill Owens from Colorado would be a great President. He worked with President Bush in the past and is a very successful and popular Gov. in Colorado.

[bobjam]

Doesn't sound like Tom Ridge's domestic policy is too different than W's. Perhaps I should have said that Tom Ridge may be the best candidate to carry on many of Bush's policies.

[ArneFufkin]

Ron Paul, Paul Tancredo,

Paul Ronald Reagan, Paul Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas "Paul" Jefferson, Vlad the Impaler/Impauler/Austrian Economist, Paul (the Tancredic), not the apostle guy and opponent to Jesus Christ, and MY MOMMY!

You've settled on the Paul/Tancredo ticket, well I'm going to start promoting "Chuck Baldwin", "Robert Tilton", "Artist formerly known as Lew Rockwell", Tom "The Terminally Ten Percent Termite" McClintock, and any of "Pat Buchanan's Communist Woman Friend VPs" as alternatives.

[ArneFufkin]

Are you talking from exprience?

I'll bet your nickname is "Fishy"!

[bdeaner]

Bill Owens is looking mighty good:

Career:

Prior to his election as governor, Bill Owens worked for 20 years in the private sector with the consulting staff at Deloitte and Touche, with the Gates Corporation and as director of the Colorado Petroleum Association. His undergraduate degree is from Stephen F. Austin State University, and he earned a master's degree in public affairs from the Lyndon B. Johnson School at the University of Texas, where he was awarded a two year fellowship. In November 2000, Owens was elected to serve as an executive committee member of the Republican Governors Association. In November 2001, Owens was elected vice chairman of the Republican Governors Association. After serving his term as vice chairman, he currently serves as Chairman of the RGA after being elected to the post in November 2002.

Election History:

Governor Owens was sworn in as Colorado's 40th governor on January 12, 1999, the first Republican to be elected Colorado governor in 28 years. Owens also served in the Colorado House of Representatives and the Colorado Senate, as well as for four years as state treasurer. Owens was the first Republican to be elected treasurer in 20 years. He was re-elected as governor in November 2002, defeating his Democratic opponent with 63 percent of the vote.

Accomplishments:

In his first two years in office, Governor Owens fulfilled all three of the pledges he made during his 1998 campaign. Owens pushed through the legislature the largest tax relief package in Colorado's history, a total of $1 billion in tax cuts over three years. This includes a cut in the income tax rate, a lowering of the sales tax rate, elimination of the marriage penalty and a reduction in the capital gains tax.

Through five consecutive years of full state funding for public education, Governor Owens has kept his promise to institute sweeping school reform in Colorado. He also has created an education accountability system, which includes detailed online school report cards. His accountability system has been praised as among the best in the nation by Education Week magazine and The Heritage Foundation.

Governor Owens has also remained committed to transforming Colorado's transportation system, which had been neglected for nearly a quarter century. Through innovative policies, he accelerated road and mass transit projects that would have taken half a century to complete into projects that will now be done in a decade. He pushed for and signed into law the largest state commitment to transportation which will invest $15 billion over the next two decades.

Owens also championed efforts to strengthen Colorado's families. These include focusing resources on reducing youth violence, fostering partnerships with faith-based organizations to offer social services and reforming the Children's Health Insurance Program to reduce enrollment barriers for low-income children.

In 2003, Owens signed into law school choice legislation that makes Colorado only the second state to do so and the first since voucher programs were declared constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. The program will give students who qualify a better education while at the same time forcing public schools to improve. Colorado's education reform agenda, championed by Owens, was praised by U.S. Department of Education Secretary Rod Paige as the "envy of the nation."