The Race to 2012 - GOP Primaries

[packsaddle]

You forgot Trump...who used almost the same lame excuse for his lies as Gingrich, that other lying snake. (apologies to herpetologists, I just HAVE to use this metaphor...I know snakes are not evil) (unless they're in politics)

[scoutingagain]

"Apparently, you have to be a little bit weird to win in Minnesota, and I wonder in what way Pawlenty meets that standard. "

 

Would one also apply that standard to Rep. Bachman as well? Another one who didn't make the list.

 

SA

 

 

 

[BS-87]

From Public Policy Polling:

 

Trump's broken the perpetual gridlock we've found at the top of the Republican field, getting 26% to 17% for Mike Huckabee, 15% for Romney, 11% for Newt Gingrich, 8% for Sarah Palin, 5% for Ron Paul, and 4% for Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty.

 

 

The Official Frontrunners

 

Donald Trump - 26% - personally funded

Mike Huckabee - 17% - far behind on fundraising

Mitt Romney - 15% - 3rd in fundraising and personally funded

Newt Gingrich - 11% - fundraising unknown

 

End Top Tier/ Top 4

 

Sarah Palin - 8% - fundraising unknown

Ron Paul - 5% - 1st in 2011 Q1 fundraising

Tim Pawlenty - 4% - fundraising unknown (but his staff pickups are notable and discredit a possible Huckabee run)

Michele Bachmann - 4% - 2nd in 2011 Q1 fundraising (and has also made some great staff pickups)

 

End Dark Horses

 

 

Fringe Candidates: Herman Cain, Rick Santorum, other nameless chanceless folk

[jrush]

Packsaddle, I didn't forget Trump, he just isn't worthy of mention as a candidate, for one reason:

 

Government isn't business.

 

Donald Trump can gamble on a business enterprise...if it wins, he makes a billion dollars and looks like a genius. If it fails, he can wash his hands of it and walk away. He can even push the bankruptcy reset button and in a few years, he's made another billion dollars and everyone forgets. Bottom line, the real eastate market awards gamblers, and he can afford to gamble.

 

The federal government isn't a real estate deal you get to walk away from if you gamble wrong. You don't just drag some venture capitalists into bankrupcty court with you.

 

Sorry, but I don't want a gambler carrying the football onto Air Force One.

[BadenP]

j rush

 

I think history has shown, especially recent history, that professional politicans in all parties make some of the worst presidents as well. People are tired of all the squabbling going on in DC and want action. Maybe its time for a president who will stand up to all these crackpots and say, "You're fired".

[BS-87]

Very right BP!

 

I'm waiting for the day I watch Obama's concession speech, and then the feed is switched to the Republican room in celebration as Trump steps up to the podium and yells "Barack Obama, You're Fired!"

[JoeBob]

For those who dismiss Palin:

http://hillbuzz.org/

 

We think it delicious that Governor Sarah Palin, the next President of the United States, chose to (un)officially launch her 2012 campaign in the city that has been held hostage by union goons and absentee leftist politicians for months.

 

"Mr. Obama, Mr. President, you and your cohorts threw all the hatred and all the violence that you could at the good folks here in Madison, Wisconsin but you lost here. And Madison, you defended that 2010 electoral mandate. You are heroes. You are patriots and when the history of this Tea Party movement is written, what you accomplished here will not be forgotten. Your historic stand brought down the curtain on the last election and the 2012 election begins here. We will take the courage and the integrity that you showed all of America, we will take it and we will win back our country.

 

God has shed his grace on thee America. We will not squander what we have. We will fight for America and it starts here in Madison, Wisconsin. It starts here. It starts now. What better place than the state that hosts the Super Bowl champs to call out the liberal left and let them know, Mr. President, game on.

 

And she did it without a TelePrompTer.

 

 

[SR540Beaver]

BS-87,

 

Even though mainstream "conservatives" finally came to their senses and are more accepting of Ron Paul, I doubt he will ever be elected. My vote would go for former New Mexico Governor, Gary Johnson. He is out there actively working, but you hear very little about him.

[OldGreyEagle]

That's right, we need a business man for President, someone who will stand up for us, who will go to Harry Reid and say if you dont do as I say, your fired. Wait, no one can fire Harry Reid except the citizens of Nevada and that election isn't for another few years or so so , onto to Nancy Pelosi, surely Trump can fire her, oh wait, only the people in her congressional district can fire Ms Pelosi.

 

Heck the Government for the people by the people is just about as tough to manage as this boy lead stuff

[BadenP]

In spite of OGE's remark I think we can all agree that recently this country has elected too many Bozo's to Congress from ALL parties and the result has been over a decade of infighting and inaction. The new candidates get elected swearing they will change things in Washington and they then realize that Congress is not open to or willing to change. In a nutshell Congress is broken and nonfunctional, with the lowest approval rating in history and it won't get any better if the people keep re-electing the same nutjobs. IMO, a 2 term limit, just like the president, should be mandated, so these life long career politicians do not have the opportunity to build their little empires, that would be the best first step in reforming the Congressional debacle.

[OldGreyEagle]

Sorry, No, you do not really want term limits. If you limit congressmen to 2 terms in a very short period of time the most powerful people in DC will be the staffers, the guys who direct the Freshmen congressmen and senators to the Metro, who help arrange living quarters et al.

 

Just when they will be getting used to the situation you want to throw them all out?

 

Just a thought, Congress has a lousy rating, as it should, but how do most people generally regard their COngressman? Usually quite well or the recidivism rate would not be so high for COngressmen

 

There is a saying that People Get the Goverment they deserve, we need to look in the mirror and decide what type of government we want and what we will do to attain it

[Beavah]

Mr. Obama, Mr. President, you and your cohorts threw all the hatred and all the violence that you could at the good folks here in Madison, Wisconsin

 

All da violence? Did I miss a riot or insurrection somewhere? Does the woman know what da word "violence" means, I wonder?

 

Perhaps she should have tried usin' that TelePrompTer, eh?

 

Beavah

[The Blancmange]

 

All da violence? Did I miss a riot or insurrection somewhere? Does the woman know what da word "violence" means, I wonder?

She didn't mean that to be a factual statement.

[Beavah]

Yah, well, we all know that da connection between politicians and factual statements is tenuous at best, eh?

 

I confess, though, that it troubles me more than a little when someone who might aspire to executive office characterizes a large group peaceably assemblin' to petition the government for redress of grievances as "violence."

 

I wonder if da families of 9/11 victims or drive-by-shooting victims or women who have been raped feel that Wisconsin state senators are fellow sufferers because they had to put up with a few weeks worth of protests by upset constituents.

 

Yah, yah, everyone wants to be a "victim", and Mrs. Palin has that schtick down pat. But really?

 

Gosh, I might have to donate money for a shelter for emotionally battered state senators. Then again, maybe not.

 

Beavah

 

[BS-87]

Ron Paul's new book just came out. If it's like his previous two, it should outline what a President who follows the Constitution should be doing.

 

I'd trust his word on that subject over anyone else in the Republican field.

 

Anyone pick up "Liberty Defined" yet?