Posted on 01/22/2011 6:36:32 PM PST by Bigtigermike
If pundits and columnists represented the GOP base, Mitch Daniels would be the odds-on favorite for the presidential nomination in 2012.
The Indiana governor has been showered with favorable coverage from political thinkers and analysts in recent months, most of which heaped praise on his thoughtful and principled approach to governing while celebrating his serious yet down-to-earth mien.
Of all the Republicans talking about the deficit these days, Mitch Daniels, the governor of Indiana, has arguably the most credibility, claimed The New York Times David Leonhardt in an Indianapolis-datelined economics column recently.
Daniels is hardly the first presidential prospect to be greeted with bouquets from the cognoscenti as the Last Honest Man in politics. There is a long, bipartisan tradition of White House aspirants who play the truth-teller role and they almost invariably receive better reviews in print than at the polls.
Bruce Babbitt, Paul Tsongas, Ross Perot, John Anderson, Lamar Alexander and John McCain in 2000 all won plaudits from elites for their willingness to speak hard truths about the real problems facing the country rather than just pandering to the partisan rabble.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
IOW, you wish he had breasts.
I recall hearing on the radio that he balanced Indiana’s budget without raising taxes. I will give him a look when the time comes. I don’t go for that “all I need to know” stuff when the Election is far away.
It's a masterful hit piece of journalistic art at it's highest (or lowest).
“If Mitch Daniels is the nominee, Ill vote third party. Im not interested in the Elites choices.”
I’ll join you. I’ll NEVER vote for someone who sells off highways to private companies with monopoly protection for unlimited tolling (as he did). He can go to the No Labels bunch as far as I’m concerned.
No, I wish he had guts. Inside-the-beltway elites are gutless wonders.
Actually, that's all we need to know about you.
If you actually read the articles, you see Daniels explaining his positions, and he's obviously given them some thought.
Do you have a real argument about his statement that the country's financial condition is grave, and is the most serious issue we face today?
Or do you disagree with his statement that a heavy reliance on imported oil (which is the oil he would tax) represents a serious national security problem?
You're clueless.
Heh...Daniels is DOA. You can try and pimp him all you want around here, but we're all on to him. He's squishy on abortion and supports a VAT.
No sale.
Mission accomplished.
Wouldn't it be wiser to wait until someone actually declares he (or she) is running for the nomination?
Really? Look at the shape our country is in. You want to keep electing the same old idiots that have nearly destroyed it and you think I’m clueless? That’s funny.
“Leased it to a private company.”
LOL. I lease for 75 years is no different than a sale...at least as far as my life time is concerned. 5 years ok, 10 years maybe ok, 75 years - HE GAVE IT AWAY!!
Yup. He “gave” away a corrupt, top-heavy bureacractic taxpayer moneypit. And now people can actually drive on it.
“Yup. He gave away a corrupt, top-heavy bureacractic taxpayer moneypit. And now people can actually drive on it.”
Someone had told me earlier that the real reason he gave it away was to teach the union-heavy North (Indiana) a lesson. That makes sense (and is somewhat in line with your comment). However, I definitely don’t want someone that VINDICTIVE as president - we’re already dealing with a person like that.
An endorsement from The Economist is a bigger albatross in my opinion. If they leaned to the right in the old days, they certainly do not lean that way now. They are reliably anti-American on just about every issue.
Let me guess, he was a government union employee. /s
“Let me guess, he was a government union employee. /s “
Maybe was - doesn’t matter.
Ill join you. Ill NEVER vote for someone who sells off highways to private companies with monopoly protection for unlimited tolling (as he did). He can go to the No Labels bunch as far as Im concerned.
you have to be a democrat from south bend....the lease (not sale) of the Indiana toll road was brilliant. Billions of dollars came to the state, only for infrastructure, much of which is being spent for a freeway from Indy to Evansville, and completion of the heartland corridor from Fort Wayne to Lafayette.....both projects will benefit the state mightily
I have lived in Indiana for forty years and feel that he is the best Governor that this state has ever had....along with Doc. Bowen. Everything that he has done has not been absolutely painless(what it) but he sees a need and figures out a way to solve it and the VAST majority of intelligent Hoosiers approve of his measures.
LOL
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.