Who is going to succeed GW?

[ampat]

Right now, there isn't a Republican presidential candidate ready to run in 2008. We don't need anymore "its my turn" Bob Doles. O'Reilly thinks hillary is a shoe in because the Republicans don't have anyone who can beat her. Cheney needs a rest, John McCain was once a contender but he has been wishy washy lately. Anyone have any nominees?

[Pippin]

one word

CONDI!

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Condi, but only if she takes over for Cheney when he steps down for health reasons after the 2005 inauguration, so she can get some VP experience.

How many sitting vice presidents have been elected president? Only 3. Two, if you don't count Adams, who was elected VP under a different, pre-12^th Amendment system--and was not George Washington's running mate.

The other two were running mates of Andrew Jackson and Ronald Reagan. GW hasn't even been re-elected yet--much less qualified to have his picture on the currency . . .

Condi has no serious (governor or commanding general) executive experience, and isn't presidential timber if she doesn't get that experience. And VP is NOT an executive position.

No, look to the governorships. And there the biggest name at present--remember, GW came out of nowhere to be an outstanding governor of Texas--has to be the governor of Florida. IMHO

[leftiesareloonie]

I fear we may have to worry about who is going to run in 2004.

Here's a prediction from a pessimist. If Iraq goes to hell in a hand-basket over the summer, with wide-ranging guerilla war breaking out, and no WMD are found, and the economy is looking sour, Bush will do an LBJ and announce that he has decided to focus all of his attention on really winning the Iraq war and so will not be a candidate for President.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

. . . I just fear a replay of the whole Rick Lazio thing here. No matter what, it'll be seen as a boy vs. girl fight, and if Jeb so much as tries to be a solid debater or call Hillary on any of her stupid positions, the media will spin it as, "He's picking on the defenseless girl." I dunno.

You are arguing for . . . Rick Forrester! Rick who?

Forrester is the guy who was willing to face down the notoriously vicious campaigner named Senator Robert Torricelli. And tanked his ratings so bad the Democrats had to pull their bait-and-switch, so the new senator is Frank Lousenberg, a graybeard the dems pulled out of retirement.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Besides, how popular was GWB nationally before he ran for President?

Bush was beating Gore in polls in early 1999 and that continued into 2000 before the numbers flip-flopped many times. Bush had high name ID-- if only because people thought 41 was running again in 2000 and not Dubya. Hildebeast has high name ID, too. She'd win the nomination next year in a rout and would get about 42% at minimum.

[tkathy]

Guiliani's the only one.

[anniegetyourgun]

I'll be that Condi Rice would probably concede to have Jeb as her VP.

[anniegetyourgun]

be=bet

[LuisBasco]

Tom Tancredo

The only politician with guts!

[Trust but Verify]

I disagree with your assessment of Tommy. He is a big reason we have this huge deficit right now. Even with a line-item veto at his disposal, he signed budget after budget with high percentage spending increases. Oh, sure he did some good things, but he wasn't fiscally conservative. Not by a long shot.

[fporretto]

For pure ability, my choice would be Donald Rumsfeld.

For charisma and leadership fundamentals, my choice would be Rudolph Giuliani.

For intellectual power, my choice would be Condi Rice.

For affability and voter appeal, my choice would be Colin Powell.

For soundness of vision, my choice would be Thomas Sowell.

All of these candidates share a characteristic: they're not electable. None has been elected to a high enough office to be regarded by the voters as having "paid his dues."

That having been said, the best odds would go to Powell. We've elevated other four-star generals to the White House without first requiring that they serve in lower elective offices. But on policy, he's the weakest of the bunch.

It's time to start grooming a governor or a senator. Frank Keating of Oklahoma is a very good man. Tommy thompson of Wisconsin has some points in his favor, as well. There's also Mitch McConnell and Rick Santorum to consider. One way or another, it's time the GOP got the ball rolling. Perhaps it already has.

Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit The Palace Of Reason:
http://palaceofreason.com

[firewalk]

Rudy Giuliani

[f.Christian]

Linda Lingle ... governor of Hawaii !

[section9]

Oh shoot, Condi Rice, of course.

I think the White House understands Hillary's ambitions and will move Condi into a position to check the Hildebeast. I'm of the opinion that Jeb! will not run for the Presidency in 2008, simply because he understands that the country will want a change from the Bush brand name.

Still and all, when Bill O'Reilly claims that Hillary is a shoo-in in 2008, he shows himself as an ass. Hillary can be beaten by an effective campaign. She ran in New York State because she understood that it was a liberal bastion that would elect Heinrich Himmler if he ran on the Democratic ticket. Her negatives are huge when people are exposed to her over a long period of time.

Hillary as an abstraction is attractive to real voters in Flyover Country. Hillary as a reality, on the other hand, wilts, especially when compared to an attractive, capable candidate like Rice. She was lucky that the Republican Party had to settle on a weak sister like Lazio. I'm convinced that Rudy would have beaten her.

Rice would simply destroy her, both in debate and electorally.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[mathluv]

WOW! What a list! Kerik as SoS? Sounds good. He would not put up with any bs.

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

Dark horse: Sen. George Allen.

[alisasny]

I nominate Senator Lindsey Graham : )

[NeoCaveman]

2008? Way too early probably someone that none of us will name

That said, here's my short list in no particular order.

Jeb Bush
Condi Rice
Governor Owens - Colorado

[Kudsman]

Let's just hope his is not jesus, lest the aclu and the leftists say he cannot serve because his name might make someone else feel uncomfortable or threatened.

ROTFLMAO. Seeing the present state of our union I think I will just pray to see that the election that follows GW actually happens. May the peace and love of the Lord be with you.

[waterstraat]

It is definitely Hillary. No question. In 2008, if Cheney lives that long, he will be too old, and his health in too much question. Bush should have picked someone else for vp in 2004 that would be able to carry on in 2008.

If bush does not do something about the economy, the stock market, balance of trade, value of the dollar, the deficit, outsourcing, closing of factories, and jobs, then any democrat will be able to win in 2004, ensuring democrat control of the white house until 2012.

If the economy is still bad in early 2004, hillary will not wait until 2008. She will not put off her presidential aspirations until 2012, so she will jump into the race in the spring of 2004.

The economy and jobs will be the only issue in 2004, and voters will be choosing between what we have now, compared to the booming 1990's.