The Republican Field To Take On Hillary

[Reub]

With Mitt dropping out today, we are now down to 18,587 viable Republican candidates for President. But seriously, the strongest ones seem to be:

Jeb Bush
Scott Walker
Chris Christie
Rand Paul
Mike Huckabee
Ted Cruz
Ben Carson
Carly Fiorina
John Kasich
Rick Perry
Mike Pence
Donald Trump
Bobby Jindal
Marco Rubio

After a little thought, I'm beginning to see Rubio as potentially the best of the lot. He is good-looking, has plenty of hair, very well spoken, Floridian, relatively young, and Latino. His views would appeal to Republicans and moderates as well.

Walker is tough as nails and tested in his state but might lack a little charisma.

Bush is a Bush.

Christie can't win and shouldn't.

Paul makes me cringe on foreign affairs.

Cruz looks a little bit mean, although I like his views generally.

Jindal, Pence, Fiorina, Perry just don't seem to have the juice, although Pence could surprise.

Huckabee and Kasich are potentially formidable but dark horses.

Trump seems like an ass.

Which brings me back to Rubio, who could do very well with Latinos and present a great face for the Republicans going forward. His youth and vitality would make Hillary look old and make the Democrats hide her even more than they already are.

[Pointedstick]

My take:

Jeb Bush
Scott Walker
Chris Christie
Rand Paul
Mike Huckabee No support beyond right-wing Christian fundamentalists
Ted Cruz No support beyond the far right
Ben Carson No experience
Carly Fiorina No experience, no public profile
John Kasich Never heard of him
Rick Perry Too much like Bush II
Mike Pence Who?
Donald Trump For obvious reasons
Bobby Jindal No charisma, funny voice
Marco Rubio

That leaves Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, Chris Christie, Rand Paul, and Marco Rubio as the realistic contenders IMHO. And unfortunately most of them have significant drawbacks. I agree with Reub here.

Bush is a Bush. Walker lacks charisma, and he also outrages the left. Christie is fat, ugly, and boorish. He has no charisma and can't win his own home state. Paul has foreign policy views out of sync with the GOP establishment, and is dogged by the kooky shadow of his father.

After a little thought, I'm beginning to see Rubio as potentially the best of the lot. He is good-looking, has plenty of hair, very well spoken, Floridian, relatively young, and Latino. His views would appeal to Republicans and moderates as well.

[...]

Which brings me back to Rubio, who could do very well with Latinos and present a great face for the Republicans going forward. His youth and vitality would make Hillary look old and make the Democrats hide her even more than they already are.

I think this is largely correct.

[Benko]

Does everyone really think presence of a uterus is really going to override the shrill voice, lack of warmth and what are sure to be more major gaffes by Hillary?

if the present WH occupant is not a warning to everyone on choosing anyone e.g.  presidential candidate, dog catcher, etc on charisma, it should be.  yes, I know that is likely not the reality of most people.

Robio is a non-starter on immigration, and I'd much rather Walker wins.  No idea if the lack of charisma is fatal. 

[MachineGhost]

Which brings me back to Rubio, who could do very well with Latinos and present a great face for the Republicans going forward. His youth and vitality would make Hillary look old and make the Democrats hide her even more than they already are.

It's the smart thing to do, but will the old rich white elitist Republicans in the Establishment allow it?  Otherwise, Rubio would have to pull a JFK to go against everything to win.  He is trailing right behind Bush.  Does he have a rich daddy and political connections in his pocket?

A nitpicky issue is Rubio is Cuban.  Cubans are conservative; Hispanics are liberal.  His appeal is unlikely to cross over party lines, unless Obama's gift of lifting the Cuban embargo broadens his appeal.  But from an image standpoint, nominating Rubio could save the Republican Party from irrelevance.

They almost have to do it, but my money is still on Bush until I see better odds.

[Reub]

Bush might be able to steamroll them with his money machine early but whichever conservative emerges be it Rubio, Walker etc could give him trouble.

[MWKXJ]

It's the smart thing to do, but will the old rich white elitist Republicans in the Establishment allow it?  Otherwise, Rubio would have to pull a JFK to go against everything to win.  He is trailing right behind Bush.  Does he have a rich daddy and political connections in his pocket?

A nitpicky issue is Rubio is Cuban.  Cubans are conservative; Hispanics are liberal.  His appeal is unlikely to cross over party lines, unless Obama's gift of lifting the Cuban embargo broadens his appeal.  But from an image standpoint, nominating Rubio could save the Republican Party from irrelevance.

Comments like the above underscore why post-1965 diversity has been a such disaster for this country; American democracy has devolved into an arbitration between various ethnic powerbrokers.  There's something deeply Machiavellian in the logic "I'll see your one Sub Saharan African President and raise you one Cuban President".  Such reasoning seems to preclude even the hope of selecting a candidate based on his or her's personal virtues.

Of course, the mainstream media cartels have already pared down the list of "acceptable" candidates.  No doubt they'll finalize their choice in the coming months (likely before even the primaries) with a litany of pundit "experts" and splash screen marketing techniques.  As with prior elections, the large segment of America's population that doesn't know the name of their state representative---but which can figure out where their ballot box is---will shamble to the polls to agree with their televisions.

Disclaimer: I voted for Perot, Buchanan, Baldwin, and Peroutka.  While I didn't "win", I certainly didn't lose having avoided voting the "lesser of two evils" time and time again.

[Reub]

It's the smart thing to do, but will the old rich white elitist Republicans in the Establishment allow it?  Otherwise, Rubio would have to pull a JFK to go against everything to win.  He is trailing right behind Bush.  Does he have a rich daddy and political connections in his pocket?

A nitpicky issue is Rubio is Cuban.  Cubans are conservative; Hispanics are liberal.  His appeal is unlikely to cross over party lines, unless Obama's gift of lifting the Cuban embargo broadens his appeal.  But from an image standpoint, nominating Rubio could save the Republican Party from irrelevance.

Comments like the above underscore why post-1965 diversity has been a such disaster for this country; American democracy has devolved into an arbitration between various ethnic powerbrokers.  There's something deeply Machiavellian in the logic "I'll see your one Sub Saharan African President and raise you one Cuban President".  Such reasoning seems to preclude even the hope of selecting a candidate based on his or her's personal virtues.

Of course, the mainstream media cartels have already pared down the list of "acceptable" candidates.  No doubt they'll finalize their choice in the coming months (likely before even the primaries) with a litany of pundit "experts" and splash screen marketing techniques.  As with prior elections, the large segment of America's population that doesn't know the name of their state representative---but which can figure out where their ballot box is---will shamble to the polls to agree with their televisions.

Disclaimer: I voted for Perot, Buchanan, Baldwin, and Peroutka.  While I didn't "win", I certainly didn't lose having avoided voting the "lesser of two evils" time and time again.

I believe that your point is sadly true. How many thousands of times do you think that Hillary's supporters and lackeys will mention her gender as a reason to elect her?

[Benko]

After a little thought, I'm beginning to see Rubio as potentially the best of the lot. He is good-looking, has plenty of hair, very well spoken, Floridian, relatively young, and Latino. His views would appeal to Republicans and moderates as well.

[...]

Which brings me back to Rubio, who could do very well with Latinos and present a great face for the Republicans going forward. His youth and vitality would make Hillary look old and make the Democrats hide her even more than they already are.

I think this is largely correct.

Hmm...

Young? check
Lawyer? check
First-term Senator? check
Member of a minority group, gives a good speech, and has spent his adult life in government? Check, check, and check

My recollection is that Republicans don't like this tune.

What's that?  Different uniform?

Never mind.

This cannot be said enough.

Take the boring governor with the track record.

[MachineGhost]

I believe that your point is sadly true. How many thousands of times do you think that Hillary's supporters and lackeys will mention her gender as a reason to elect her?

Which is why we should elect her to get it out of the way!  I just fear it will never end until every single variable but competence actually matters.

[Pointedstick]

After a little thought, I'm beginning to see Rubio as potentially the best of the lot. He is good-looking, has plenty of hair, very well spoken, Floridian, relatively young, and Latino. His views would appeal to Republicans and moderates as well.

[...]

Which brings me back to Rubio, who could do very well with Latinos and present a great face for the Republicans going forward. His youth and vitality would make Hillary look old and make the Democrats hide her even more than they already are.

I think this is largely correct.

Hmm...

Young? check
Lawyer? check
First-term Senator? check
Member of a minority group, gives a good speech, and has spent his adult life in government? Check, check, and check

My recollection is that Republicans don't like this tune.

What's that?  Different uniform?

Never mind.

And you'll notice that it seems to be a winning stretegy.

[Stunt]

Isn't Cruz off the list because he was born in Canada?

[MachineGhost]

Isn't Cruz off the list because he was born in Canada?

That's funny.  He's a right wing xenophobe borderline racist anti immigration, and he's a foreigner?  Wow.  I swear these whores just pander to whoever they can play tribal-chief to.

[MachineGhost]

And you'll notice that it seems to be a winning stretegy.

It's all JFK's fault.  He changed everything.

[Pointedstick]

And you'll notice that it seems to be a winning stretegy.

It's all JFK's fault.  He changed everything.

It's television's fault for being a medium that emphasizes image, and for creating the 24-hour news cycle, which is now a monster that cannot be destroyed. JFK was just the first guy to figure out the new game.

[Reub]

Paul is strategically weak and has funny hair. He is not for me.

[Lowe]

Paul is not good-looking or tall enough.  Jeb Bush is tall but he looks fat and wears glasses.  Neither of these guys projects masculinity.  Nominating either would be a mistake.

In identity politics race trumps gender, so nominating Rubio might be the best move against a potential Clinton nomination.  He is an actual Hispanic, right?  I know hardly anything about him.  He just has to be Hispanic enough to shut up all the social justice democrats.  He looks way more serious than Paul or Bush, which is a plus.

It's too bad he is a Catholic, but I guess that comes with the territory.  Santorum is Catholic too, and the evangelicals still liked him.  So maybe it doesn't matter.  But maybe give him a running mate like Perry, whom evangelicals should go for.  Plus Perry has legal problems, right?  Like Biden, he's your drunk uncle.  That's the ticket.  They would beat Hilary.

[MachineGhost]

So you got to be tall, good looking, not have funny hair and not wear glasses to be nominated?  Well, that explains Romney then.  But he has nothing else but that going for him.  A turkey, indeed!

It really doesn't matter who wins the nomination.  The rank and file will still vote for their party.  It's the centrists that will do the actual deciding.

If the Koch brothers back a candidate, that's who I'm likely to vote for.  Not that my popular vote matters anyway.  How do I become an elector?

[Reub]

It seems that Scott Walker has been rising rapidly in the polls. He is a true conservative who has stood up to the crazy left and unions without backing down one iota. Watch out for him.

[Reub]

And he's calling for aggressive action against radical Islam, a term that our current President is reticent to even utter.

[Benko]

It seems that Scott Walker has been rising rapidly in the polls. He is a true conservative who has stood up to the crazy left and unions without backing down one iota. Watch out for him.

Perhaps at least as important is that he has survived having opponents do their worst over an extended period of time and not self destructed/been destroyed by it.

Reub I'm not sure he is as conservative as you and i would like*, but he has been battle tested, and appeals to both those who want an establishment type, and those who want a non-establishment type candidate, and is a governor.


*Not sure means i don't know.  There were  some comments about immigration and common core that make me want to read more about him.

[MachineGhost]

*Not sure means i don't know.  There were  some comments about immigration and common core that make me want to read more about him.

He's in-between a RINO and those right-wing religious nutters like Santorum.  Any more conservative and he's unelectable.  I don't like his social positions (he is an evangelical) but he's more on the ball economically. 

OTOH, he seems to have a problem speaking the truth more than half the time: http://www.politifact.com/personalities/scott-walker/
Relatively, Clinton is more truthful, Rubio is more truthful, Bush is more truthful; but Bush is tentatively (not enough statements) less truthful than Clinton and more truthful than Rubio.  Romney is less truthful than all but Walker.  I'm still sticking with Bush for now.

[Reub]

Walker is resolute and brave. The loony left threw their whole arsenal at him and he would not cave. I'd love to see him as our new President. 

PS As formidable as he is, I expect some underhanded hit jobs from the liberal press shortly.  He is just too dangerous a threat to them.

[WiseOne]

Don't underestimate Chris Christie.  He could do quite well as a "Joe the Plumber" candidate, and when it comes right down to it, what person from NJ ("I don't expect too much, if the world ended I would adjust") wouldn't seize the chance to put a Joisey guy in the White House?  And remember that people from NJ are EVERYWHERE, because who in their right mind would stay there?

It's also to his advantage that he isn't a far-right religious nut, or a lunatic in general like Ted Cruz.  I figure that the only other viable candidate is Jeb Bush, for the same reason.

And for what it's worth...it would be great electing a woman to the Presidency, but Hillary Clinton makes me squirm.



 

[Libertarian666]

Don't underestimate Chris Christie.  He could do quite well as a "Joe the Plumber" candidate, and when it comes right down to it, what person from NJ ("I don't expect too much, if the world ended I would adjust") wouldn't seize the chance to put a Joisey guy in the White House?  And remember that people from NJ are EVERYWHERE, because who in their right mind would stay there?

It's also to his advantage that he isn't a far-right religious nut, or a lunatic in general like Ted Cruz.  I figure that the only other viable candidate is Jeb Bush, for the same reason.

And for what it's worth...it would be great electing a woman to the Presidency, but Hillary Clinton makes me squirm.

Christie would be a fine candidate... for the Democrats. He is not in any sense a conservative, or even a moderate, Republican.

As for women in the Presidency, I don't have much of a problem with that in theory. But certainly not Hillary, who is one of the most repulsive people I can think of right off-hand.

[MachineGhost]

And for what it's worth...it would be great electing a woman to the Presidency, but Hillary Clinton makes me squirm.

As a woman yourself, why?  Where's your solidarity, sister!