Sources: Ryan campaign explores exit strategy

[benburch]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-040624ryan,1,3180096.story


Sources: Ryan campaign explores exit strategy

By Rick Pearson and Rudolph Bush
Tribune staff reporters
Published June 24, 2004, 12:03 PM CDT

Officials in the Jack Ryan campaign have spoken to some members of the congressional delegation, asking for advice about a possible strategy for ending his candidacy in the U.S. Senate race, sources said today.

But as recently as this morning, a Ryan spokeswoman was denying rumors the candidate was reassessing whether to continue his campaign.

"We are not reassessing. Jack Ryan is in the race to stay. Jack Ryan will be in the race on Nov. 2,'' Kelli Phiel told the Associated Press.

The conversations between Ryan's campaign and Republicans in Washington came after the candidate dropped a scheduled trip to the nation's capital to participate in a fundraising event with Sen. George Allen (R-Virginia), head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

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[supernova]

1. Riiiiiiiiiiight!

Can you say "washed up?"

[Jacobin]

2. Support Jack Ryan!!

Please contribute at WifeSwappersForRyan.com

:-)

[4_Legs_Good]

3. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

This guy is the biggest bufoon of a candidate I've ever heard of, and he keeps getting worse and worse.

PLEASE stay in the race and give us Obama!!!

I'm begging here! I'm sure Obama can carry his own against a real candidate, but man it would be cool if he went in on a 25 point margin.

david

[Bandit]

13. Don't get too cocky ~ Republicans would vote for Hitler if he had an R

after his name. Republicans don't care about right and wrong only winning. Don't ever forget that.

[Raskolnik]

4. I hope like hell Ryan stays in.

What a complete dipshit. I sincerely hope that "Just Jack!" stays in the race. If someone else like Rauschenberger or Edgar gets in the race, they might be able to mount a competant campaign.

I think Obama is a prohibitive favorite no matter who he would be running against at this point, but a landslide victory would give him quite a bit of mandate for his policies.

[madrchsod]

7. edgar wouldn`t last in washington

he has health problems..rashman will be picked and will be elected if obama`s people don`t wake up!!!!

[benburch]

8. Rashman is almost unknown in Chicagoland...

He might poll well in rural areas, but he would need a miracle win given Obama's strength in the urban districts.

[Beaker]

14. who is "rashman"?

as a chicagoan, it's not a moniker i recognize.

[Raskolnik]

12. But Edgar certainly has the name recognition...

that would give him a head start over several other candidates. I'm not saying Edgar would last in DC, but the RNC has to know that its in their best interests to keep Obama OUT of DC at any cost.

I also honestly think that Rauschenberger would give Obama a contest. The Republicans obviously picked the wrong horse in their primary, and I think that many would be happy to have someone with the credentials of Rauschenberger in the race.

And speaking as someone in touch with a lot of Obama's people, I'm curious why you think they aren't awake right now? They seem to be playing this perfectly in my opinion.

[madrchsod]

5. hit the road jack---------------

now who they go`na run? judy "they couldn`t find anyone else to run" barr-topinka?

[Manix]

21. ..and don,t come back, no more, no more, no more!!

[AngryAmish]

6. I heard about replacing him with another GOPer w/ offbeat lifestyle

[cjbuchanan]

9. This isn't Iraq

Your exit strategy is, um, call a press conference and say you are leaving the race. Spend the next three weeks paying off bills and trying to find people jobs with other campaigns.

There is the exit strategy if you want.

Still, I don't think he needs to step down. So he is into kinky sex, so what. If his wife didn't want to do that kind of stuff, he should have been a better husband then try to make her do such things.

But whatever.

[FlemingsGhost]

10. Electus interruptus?

Pull out, Jack.

[pfitz59]

17. Oh yes!

Got that right!

[DakotaDemocrat]

11. Did he win the primary?

If he won a primary and "resigns" later, what's stopping other winning candidates to step down while being behind and get replaced by someone else that might have a shot?

One candidate and your're done, sparky. Know your wife first before you do something like that.

[LiberalFighter]

15. The only exit strategy legitimate for him would be to...

have him chained and gagged while being led out on a leash.

[GinaMaria]

16. gop will cheat any way they can

they want Ryan out because there's no way he can win. They knew it before the details of his divorce were exposed. Now they want to try out another candidate? Sorry, you had your primary like everyone else. The repube voters in Illinois voted for Ryan. He's your candidate.

Anyone know their chances of changing candidates? What would they have to do? What do we need to do to stop it.

[iamjoy]

18. Let's Try To Be Fair

OK - he's a Republican, and I don't know his politics and I hope he loses big time to Obama.

There.

But should he really have to drop out over a sex scandal? I mean, who cares if he was into group sex or whatever as long as he didn't break any laws.

After all, many of us defended Clinton after his relationship with Monica was exposed.

Let's be consistent here.

[struggle4progress]

20. But it's so much fun grinding those smug Repub faces in this. eom

[colonel odis]

19. as i see his campaigns saying Jack!

i think there's a really good joke in there somewhere.