Thursday, January 6, 2011

Palin - Bachmann! GOP 2012 Field



They're already talking GOP presidential field for 2012.  Here's my take...

Since any giddy follower can sing the praises of even the most failed politician (Look at how many still defend Obama), I thought I'd focus more on the negatives.  I'll start with unfinished business from the 2008 debacle...

FAILED CLASS OF 2008 - Don't go away mad, just go away

This failed class of 2008 has less than 5 minutes foreign policy experience between them, and their records are either thin or spotty.  What I wrote about this trio back in November 2008 still stands.

Palin entering the primaries will rend the party, because her loyalists cannot bear any criticism of her whatsoever.  And Huckabee and Romney are like matches and gunpowder.  The constant sniping, bitching and smearing their two camps engaged in produced John McCain and poisoned the waters.
  
Sarah Palin - She did great things in a sparsely populated state, but she needs to be a senator or cabinet member first.  The comparisons to Reagan are ill-informed.  Reagan was Screen Actor's Guild president for over 10 years, served two full terms as governor of America's largest state (and the world's 10th largest economy).  He had been studying, writing and speaking about serious issues from a conservative perspective for a full 20 years before he became president.

Mitt Romney - Romneycare.  If that's not enough, he's a political shape shifter (even more than most)

Mike Huckabee - Like Romney, a big government type.  He released a rapist-murderer who used this misplaced mercy to go rape and murder some more.  Huck needs to read Adam Smith, "Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent."


The Short List - My Favorites
Here is a list of my favorites, each followed by a negative or knock against him.

Tim Pawlenty - Conservative governor from a blue state.  I like his style, but many hardcore types will call him a RINO because he made compromises

Mitch Daniels - He's short and balding.  He's also put Indiana on sound fiscal footing, has cabinet-level experience, and is a common sense conservative who lives his values.  Can substance overcome style?

Mike Pence - Mike Who?  A serious man for a serious time.  I think he's ready, but most of America doesn't know who he is.

Jim DeMint - He's a senator.  A conservative superstar, he has a lot of chips he could cash in on the way to winning the nomination.

Herman Cain - Herman who?  We've never had a president named Herman, but this man needs to be the first.  Former CEO of Godfather's Pizza and tea party hero, this is a no-nonsense, call it like it is conservative.

NOT YET
Marco Rubio - Our first Hispanic president*, but not in 2012.  If he runs now, he's just an Obama on the right.  He needs to get some foreign policy cred and show us what he's made of on the national scene.

Bobby Jindal - Our first Indian-American president*, but not in 2012.  He's brilliant, extremely accomplished, but he's too young and he need some foreign policy cred. 

Paul Ryan - Like Jindal, he's young, brilliant and knows how to break it down for us common folk

Chris Christie - He's only been governor two years, and the situation on the ground in New Jersey is still fluid.  He's a wonderful guy, doing great things, but we need to see if his efforts bear fruit.

David Petraeus - He's said he's not running and he'd have to leave the battlefield to do it.  I don't see it happening.

Jeb Bush - His name is Bush

* - Please excuse my very un-conservative descent into liberal identity politics!

NO WAY
Judd Gregg - Judd Who?  This is the Republican that almost joined Obama's cabinet.  Someone needs to tell Senator Gregg that East Coast country club republicanism is dead.  The Bushes drove the final nails in the coffin.

Gary Johnson - He smokes pot

Ron Paul - Too old.

Newt Gingrich - Poor old Newtie shows a little leg every four years, but nobody's buyin'.  He's yesterday's  news.  He flirted with the Clintons, he flirts with big government ideas, he adulterously flirted while his ex-wife was on her deathbed.  The left has permanently demonized him.  What has he done besides being Speaker of the House and doing a whole lotta talking?  I could go on, but you get the picture.   

John Bolton - He's intelligent, he's experienced, but he's too blunt and polarizing.  The left has demonized him.  Being a heroic UN-attacking rottweiler requires a different skill set than being president.

Bob McDonnell - Name recognition.  He's a conservative hero who contributed to rescuing Virginia from the blue column, but he just hasn't had the national exposure and I don't know what his foreign policy credentials are.

John Thune - He's a Senator.  What else has he done?

Rick Santorum - Great guy and conservative hero, but he couldn't even get reelected in his own state. 

Haley Barbour - He's a loquacious southerner.  They'll dig up some racist stuff on him and it'll be all over

Rick Perry - He's said he's not running, and he's also said he's hell-bent on riding with the governors in the states rights gunfight.

Jonah Goldberg is much better at this than I.  Go read his analysis, Sorting out the 2012 GOP Pack

Also check out Howard Kurtz's The GOP's 2012 Fantasies

29 comments:

tha malcontent said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Silverfiddle said...

Thanks Mal. I'm more proud of the photo chop than I am my "analysis."

tha malcontent said...

You never fail to give us a very inspiring and logical post.
Great job,
I might have gone with Palin, but the Dum's, (I mean the Dem's)along with the Media and Hollywood have already done their hatchet job on her and all but destroyed her. And that's exactly what they do. Whenever they fear someone, they destroy them and their families, with their name calling, smear campaign, and insults. i.e. David Letterman.
We can only hope that we put up a candidate who can beat the crap out of these frauds and ass kissers.

Fredd said...

Fredd's Short List:

5. The Hans und Franz Ticket. They would pump up us girly men Americans.

4. Lyndon LaRouche. I think he's out of jail now, isn't he?

3. Robert Mugabe. He'll make the trains run on time, by golly. And he can come up with a Hawaiin birth certificate even nicer than Barry's.

2. Mike Ditka. He'd be a shoo-in, and he knows as much about foreign policy as Barry. Maybe more.

and the number One on the short list, drum roll please...

1. F. Lee Ermey. He'll place fear in the heart of every Jack Wagon Democrat.

Silverfiddle said...

Gunny Ermey's got my vote!

Mugabe would fit right in with the democratic party. Can't have all those citizens just doing their own thing...

Anonymous said...

I agree with most of what you say; Palin doesn't stand a snowball's chance in hell and it would be a waste to include her name as a primary candidate. Mitt Romney is another way of saying Barack Obama. Huckleberry should just keep his TV show going. For me, the contest should be between Pawlenty and Pence.

Anonymous said...

>Being a heroic UN-attacking rottweiler requires a different skill set than being president.

It would, however, be refreshing to see.

Pamela Zydel said...

Silverfiddle: If Huckabee runs, I'm gonna cry. He has a TV show and needs to stay there so I can change the channel if I want to!

Palin has a big following, but I don't think it's sufficient to get her elected. It's enough to take votes away from a "serious" candidate though.

Too bad Ron Paul is too old. When I first heard him, I thought he was a nut-job, but now I think he is what this country needs.

Christopher - Conservative Perspective said...

My short list - Mike Pence (a Mike Pence / Allen West ticket would be fantastic)

Long list (If Pence runs for Governor of Indiana insted) - Nadda, have to see how things shake out.

Besides Pence, I see no conservatives listed and/or running.

Lisa said...

tough one indeed. Too Bad Jeb is a Bush because he's a well spoken smart guy .

Pawlenty possibly especially because I have a campaign slogan for him "Good and Pawlenty"

Palin if it weren't for the media which like her or not anyone should be appalled of how they went after her. You know the saying first they came for the Jews.....

Jindal needs more time but definitely possible in 8 years.

Mike Pence you say Mike who? But aren't many of us still saying "
Barrack" who?

Silverfiddle said...

Ron Paul's age is all that keeps me from putting him # 1 on my list. Like Pamela, at first I thought the guy was a nut, now I see just how right he is.

Dixon Webb said...

Hi Silver . . . Too soon to tell. Your comments are right on. I've only a few differences. Tom Bolton reminds me of Robert Bork and I'd like to see him (Bolton) as an important part of the next administration. Romney - not a lot of help. Huckabee - Good man for high powered job but not Pres. Maybe Vice. Pawlenty - Prime candidate now but too soon to select. Palin - mover, shaker, ambitious and lot's of moxie - but not seasoned (ready) enough. Has earned an important job. Senator - maybe. Head of the Republican Party. Would be a terrific cheer leader and money raiser and influence to design a platform. Jindal - maybe Vice, or Sect'y of State.

2012 promises an energetic discussion of ideas. Maybe we will be able to get some common sense back in our government. . . . Bump

WomanHonorThyself said...

truth be told Silver..I am thoroughly confused at this point..just praying our new Leaders will lead...and not into hell where Hussein and his ilk have dragged us all!

tha malcontent said...

Not necessarily my choices, but I predict Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin or maybe even Chris Christie are going to be in there.

tha malcontent said...

But no matter who they are, we can expect the biggest smear campaign by the left that we have ever seen.
And the Republican will always take the High Road. And that's why they lose.

Unknown said...

Interesting list.
Gain- Heard a lot about him and what I have heard is 'right' up my alley. Only issue is, he is not getting the exposure he should be.
Palin- the only issue with her is she needs her 'presentation' polished and groomed. It's not her frame of mind or experience that keeps people at bay, it's her mousey presentation.
Huck- forget about it. Like him, but not enough to flip the lever for him.
Newt- Smart politician, problem is he's got personal baggage the left would control the debate with.
Marco Rubio- Future candidate/president
Paul Ryan - Future President
Chris Christie - Wish he'd run now, but has too much work do it in NJ
Mike Pence- should be the nomination in 2012 and beat Obama hands down (of course I know anyone of us can beat Obama..LOL.)

Finntann said...

I'd have to go with Johnson-Daniels

Endo said...

Boehner? he could be the first President to publicly cry!

Sue said...

Not surprising, I disagree with everything Mal has said. Palin is NOT feared by liberals like you love to claim, what the country fears is a woman of her caliber as president of the USA! She is a celebrity concerned with making millions, that's it. She is NOT presidential!

You might be surprised SF, IF I HAD to choose a conservative for president the only conservative I can listen to without my skin crawling is Joe Scarborough. Do you think he is qualified for a 2016 run? Nobody mentioned can beat Obama in 2012.

Sue said...

BTW, if Palin were to run the smear campaign would come from her own party led by Karl Rove. They HATE her.

Jersey McJones said...

Pawlenty is the only guy you named who has a chance. Most of the rest are crooks or loonies.

JMJ

Silverfiddle said...

It's interesting how we're all tracking here. My own unscientific poll shows we love Sarah, but are not ready to support here presidential candidacy....

Unfortunately Jersey, politics is full of crooks and loonies. I too like Pawlenty.

Sue: I like Joe, but I think he panders to the left too much, but what do you expect? He works at MSNBC!

Finntann said...

Honestly, I think my dog could beat Obama in 2012...and if things keep going the way they are, you can add my cats to that list too!

Maggie@MaggiesNotebook said...

I'm on-board with all of your suggestions, except one, and that is that Palin needs to in the House or Senate. I agree that Reagan had been deep in conservatism long before he ran for president. On Palin's side, she hasn't lived in Hollywood. Her conservativism is anchored deep in her gut. That will not change.

I'm hoping I do not have to vote for Palin, however. I would vote for her in a flash before I would vote for Huckabee, Romney or Pawlenty.

I really like Mike Pence and Jim DeMint, but I don't think they will run. Maybe, but probably not. Love Herman Cain. I love John Bolton more than all. He is a Jim Inhofe: ultimately qualified.

I agree with all of your Not Yets, and your No-Ways.

I'm looking for to seeing Allen West in action, and Rubio.

Always On Watch said...

Silverfiddle: Sarah Palin - She did great things in a sparsely populated state, but she needs to be a senator or cabinet member first. The comparisons to Reagan are ill-informed.

I'm with you there.

I don't know a lot about some of the candidates mentioned. However, I do know a bit about DeMint and would like to see him on the GOP ticket in 2012.

Anonymous said...

>Most of the rest are crooks or loonies.

Hey, Obama got elected.

Lisa said...

Hey, Obama got elected and without getting vetted too.
Not that many people seemed to care either.

magpie said...

Getting daylight between the memory of Reagan and what Palin is... is very important. They're not in the same league.

"Palin entering the primaries will rend the party, because her loyalists cannot bear any criticism of her whatsoever."

Very true.

Javelina Bomb said...

Pence or Pawlenty or the only real candidates that won't get destroyed by the media.