No chance Palin runs -- if she does she is getting really bad advice. She can't raise money, which dooms any candidacy. She is too damaged from the media takedown of her in 2008. And she is stupid. The best Presidents are not always good campaigners which is a shame. Similarly, the best campaigners are not always good Presidents (see the current resident of the Oval Office for proof of that). Of the field, Romney and Jeb Bush would be the best Presidents. They both have extensive executive leadership experience, pragmatic, and highly intelligent. They are not the best campaigners of the Republican field. I'm not sure there are any good campaigners in the Republican field -- aside from Huckabee, but he's a longshot.
All GOP candidates look stupid when they have to promote a stupid platform, i.e. Smaller government...that intrudes into private issues of choice, medical issues and the denial of the need for equal rights and pay. Tax cuts for the rich...with the obvious fallacy of trickle down economics. Kneejerk reactions to international events when a war weary nation, bogged down for last 13 years can't afford another protracted engagement. A predominant theocracy in a melting pot society. The denial of participation for 11 million residents that cannot be deported. The denial of the common purposes of people, the very reason government exists. It's just a road to looking petty, selfish and repressive. Dress it up in all the lapel pens you want but you won't get a majority of the people n general on your side.
2016 will have a large field of republican candidates again, but only Romney, Bush, Rubio and maybe Perry will be the serious contenders for the nomination. Out of all the choices, I think Bush would probably get the nomination. I can't really say he is or would be a better choice than Romney, but my gut says he has just been tried too many times IE too much dirt and people like a fresh face. Like the sentiment of everyone, (I hope!) I just see Palin doing this to grab a few more hits for her pseudo-celeb status/brand. My fear for the GOP is that candidates like Cruz will split their base and tarnish moderate voters opinions of the candidate that comes out on top. Cruz has already said the GOP is too moderate.
Throw Donald Trump's name into the hat! Trump Blasts Romney, Jeb Bush; 'Seriously Thinking' About Presidential Run http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trum...h-thinking-presidential-run/story?id=28452767 <iframe src='http://abcnews.go.com/video/embed?id=28453690' width='640' height='360' scrolling='no' style='border:none;'></iframe><br/><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/international/video">World News Videos</a> | <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/international">ABC World News</a>
Neither Powell nor Rice were conservatives, they were ascendant bureaucrats who cared more about foreign policy than personal ideology, and working with George Schultz, James Bakker, Schwarzkopf, and George H. W. Bush on diplomatic issues would be enough for anyone to stay a lifelong Republican.
Thanks Jorge but nobody give a rat about your 2 bit prognostication. Now get your ass back into character dog, you've got a big evening ahead
Trump used to seem so cool back when I was a kid, just a rich guy who dated models and had buildings with his name on them. Ironically enough he could have been a Perot, Schwarzenegger or Ventura-type spoiler in the late '90s if he just talked about fiscal or economic issues.
So many of the GOP ilk are really just publicity seeking self-promoters. It's more like the WWE than a serious political party.
I'm not sure Rubio has a constituency to target. The establishment guys have 3 more credible options (Romney, Bush, Christie). He's alienated the tea party - the crazies have Cruz, and the rest have Paul and Perry. I think the two names to keep to mind are Paul and Huckabee. Both are far more likable than anyone else in the race, and each has a pretty high floor in a very fractured party where 30% might be enough to win early states. Paul has his 10-15% Ron Paul Revolution base, and Huckabee is the only true social conservative in the current mix (though Perry appeals to that bunch as well). Paul, in particular, is setting himself up extremely well. With a non-competitive Dem primary, I could see lots of traditional young left-leaning independents coming on board during the primary season, thanks to his crossover views on foreign policy and privacy and the like. He has a way of speaking to people that he disagrees with that very few politicians have and has done a masterful job (unlike his father) of making friends with the establishment. He has a lot of crazy views that will cause him problems, but if he can successfully walk them back as he has been so far (a big IF under the Presidential microscope), he could give Hillary a run for her money. A Hillary vs Paul race would be bizarre because they both sort of blow up all the traditional GOP/Dem constitutents. Paul can reach disillusioned young people. Hillary might grab some traditional GOP business support (finance, etc) and military hawks that would be uncomfortable with Paul. He's about as genuine/likable as politicians get while she's the opposite. Every election since at least 1980 has been won by the more likable "who'd you want to get a beer with" candidate - 2000 is the only partial exception in that the less-likable Gore won the popular vote, just with a bad distribution of those votes across the country.
half of it coming true... and the republican side continues to grow in quantity, but not quality. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Dec...-Walker-gives-signs-that-he-s-all-in-for-2016
If Carson wasn't such a bible freak I could vote for the good doctor. I don't particularly care for the political lifers/lawyers candidates. It's the outsiders who usually bring in a fresh take. I'd put Romney with his business background in that category as well. I'm not sure if there is Bush fatigue but with Bush's experience and his Mexican wife you wonder if that combination might be enough. Especially if he can get it just right on immigration.
this is the gold standard of polling outfits <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>New <a class="hashtag" action="hash" title="#IowaPoll">#IowaPoll</a> with @<a href="https://twitter.com/bpolitics">bpolitics</a>: @<a href="https://twitter.com/ScottWalker">ScottWalker</a> emerges as GOP <a class="hashtag" action="hash" title="#IAcaucus">#IAcaucus</a> favorite. <a href="http://t.co/GKtc4LmwGA" title="http://dmreg.co/1LwIGKC">dmreg.co/1LwIGKC</a> <a href="http://t.co/iLn78mICra" title="http://twitter.com/dmrcaucus/status/561660493468033024/photo/1">pic.twitter.com/iLn78mICra</a></p>— Iowa Caucus coverage (@dmrcaucus) <a href="https://twitter.com/dmrcaucus/status/561661241299841024" data-datetime="2015-01-31T23:01:11+00:00">January 31, 2015</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
