Posted on 06/08/2005 5:00:47 PM PDT by Remember_Salamis
Im tired of this MSM talk of McCain, Frist, Guiliani, Romney, and Pataki for the 2008 nomination. Out of those, onyl Frist has a chance at winning the primaries. So let's take a look at some real candidates.
Republicans with a shot in 2008:
Sen. Allen - the front-runner Sen. Brownback - Probably running for VP Sen. Thune - His name has been thrown around as a serious "sleeper" candidate in 2008 Gov. Pawlenty - Popular Conservative Gov. could give the GOP the great lakes states Gov. Sanford Gov. Bush (won't run) Gov. Owens (if marraige is fixed) Newt Gingrich
Allen is a former Gov. He fills that box.
Pawlent is also extrelemy pro-life. He was a Catholic until he converted to protestantism shortly before being elected.
I would say Richardson. It assures Shrill Hill of a swing state in her corner (NM).
What's wrong with Owens' marriage?
He and his wife are separated right now.
Owens is als ogetting blamed for (1) Salazar winning the open senate seat and (2) the GOP losing control of the CO legislature.
Thanks for the info. I hope they can work things out, especially if they have children. Also, I had thought he was pretty popular in CO.
Whoever gets the Republican nomination will have a united party behind him. Hillary Clinton will see to this.
If a social moderate like Guiliani is serious about getting the Republican nomination, he will have to do what Romney has done, and say that he really is pro-life. Guiliani could do this. He is, after all, a Catholic. If he can come across on life and family issues, that he has grown, it could be a powerful testimony. I think a lot of Americans that we need to reach out to, could be persuaded that they too have grown on these issues. I don't think the country is or will ever be ready to defend life from conception, but I do think we can overturn Roe v. Wade and return the balancing of life and privacy to our elected representatives in our state legislatures.
McCain, by the way, has always been pro-life. He's basically a conservative who is a little weird around the edges. On the other hand, he is a true war hero, and would help us with a lot of swing voters. His military background off-sets the milktoast image that often besets Senators. McCain's problem is that he may be too much of a maverick for the party faithful to trust him with our nomination. When push comes to shove, which it will be? Will he side with the party that brought him to the White House, or will he dump us to curry favor with the elite? McCain's first big test will be his nomination of a Vice President. He would have to tap a candidate that would demonstrate continuity with the Bush Administration.
You have to think about a person's campaign skills. McCain, Powell and Guiliani are great on the center stage. Romney is also. He is a very handsome man, and his association with the Olympics won't hurt him either. What hurts Mitt Romney is that he has no power base within the Republican Party. He is not going to help us carry Massachuestts or any other state except New Hampshire and possibly Maine. McCain, on the other hand, will help us a lot in competitive states of the Rocky Mountain Southwest such as Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico.
Allen has some things going for him, too. He is good looking, and is associated with professional football via his father. He is very personable, but I don't know that he comes across on t.v. as well as he does at a barbeque. He would make a very nice running mate for Guiliani or McCain, being a solid conservative (yet not being polarizing) and being from the South.
What about Condileeza Rice? She has a very compelling personal history. She is from the South, and my impression is that the conservatives of this country are increasingly impressed by the authentic love of freedom of Republicans who are African Americans. Being an African American lady, she would get under the skin of hard-core Democrats. They would not be able to control their rudeness, their not so subtle racism, or their hatred of this country. But, Secretary Rice has never been elected to office. I think this means she is merely a Vice President possibility.
And, did somebody on this thread mention General Myers? I never thought an Air Force officer could come across with the leadership that is in this man. I think, after a period of retirement, we will see him return possibly as Secretary of Defense, or as Secretary of State replacing Ms. Rice if she were to step down in order to be a candidate.
i'd vote for carole keeton strayhorn.
she'd tell hillary where to shove it.
SANTORUM in '08!!!
I don't think Santorum is going to get re-elected. In PA, Santorum needs STRONG grassroots turnout to get elected, as he did in '94 and '00. However, the stunt he pulled supporting Specter in '04 may cost him the election. People in the grassroots remember that.
I'll tell you what. If Blackwell is elected governor, I'll donate the $100. I really think Ted Strickland, (Demonrat congressman) has a shot after the totally disastrous eight years of Taft.
Owens is back with Frances.
Allen - Owens sounds like a great ticket.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1398617/posts
Mike Pence/Tom Tancredo 2008
I think he's too busy touring with the village people.
Yeah, all that Congressman Abe Lincoln ever does is attack popular soviegnity and whine about the slavery issue. Demonizing slavery will alignate the white vote. Not only that but he stabbed the Whig Party in the back in the last election and endorsed Fremont instead of the pro-slavery Whig nominee.
Let's all get behind an electable candidate like Governor William H. Seward.
I thik Powell is going to run. I uncertain that he could run away with the primaries but In my opinion he would win against anyone in the rat party during the general election.
The news media made a lot of hype about Dubya not asking Powell to return for duty after the 04 election, but I'm unconvinced that there is any bad blood between Powell and Dubya. It seems to me that having Powell publicly announce his desire to remain SoS and Dubya's public announcement of Powell's replacement could be smoke and mirrors to deflect attention elsewhere.
I'd vote for Powell, but I wish Jeb was running because he could easily win the nomination and the general election.
I'm with you. Santorum is a wonderful Senator, and would make a great President but I think he looks too young to be taken as a serious candidate. Maybe 2016.
You'd have as much chance as being hit by lightening on a clear day.
Yes, BUT...
Check out his voting record on life issues. There's nobody mentioned so far that has a better record. He has consistently voted pro-life.
NARAL calls him "troublesome."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.