Lets Be Honest: The GOP has nobody in 08

[Superman Returns]

Think about it. John McCain is moving lower and lower in the polls everyday as he tries to balances his supposed "maverick" principles with independents and red meat conservative credentials with Bush Republicans. By doing this balancing act he is losing both sides. With his nearly obsessive stances on out-doing Bush when it comes to staying in Iraq, McCain is finding that he has not winning over a war-weary public. As far as the base goes, I doubt a single hardocore conservative is excited about McCain. On the other hand, another top contender, Guiliani is to the left of many Dems on social issues. Can you imagine the right-wing nominating someone who is pro-choice? Haha, no. Governor Romney is continuing to look like a flip flopper as his prior stances on social issues come out. He is simply coming across as a phony. Sam Brownback and Governor Huckabee are as about as inspiring as a sack of potatoes. Brownback may be just as conservative as then Governor Bush and get some fundie support, but unlike *, can't seem reasonable to the suburban moderately conservative crowd and pull off the act as likable guy next door. Also, didn't Brownback just say he was against a surge in troops? Well thats gonna split the fundie base even more.

I think its fair to say, this election is the Democrat's election to lose. For those who say Hillary Clinton can't win, well your wrong. I personally don't support her, but I think its safe to say the big three (Clinton, Obama, and Edwards) along with Richardson, Biden, and Vilsack can all pull this off. The most important thing to understand about this election for the Democrats, (and even Republicans) is that the respective nominee is going to the steer the course of the party ideologically, morally, and principally for along time. So are we the party that goes back to the triangulation days of the Clintons? Are we the party of the youthful, post-baby boom generation that seeks progressive pragmaticism and end to the rigid, divisive culture wars as demonsrated through Obama's candidacy? Are we the party of the populist worker as Edwards candidacy invokes? I think of this election as a vote on what the Democratic Party becomes because I truly think its ours to lose.

[David Dunham]

1. Repugs can turn a nobody into a viable candidate for the general

[Ian David]

2. Hey, don't count Alan Keyes out yet! n/t

[blm]

3. Hagel. And the GOP base WILL come around.

But Hagel is playing to capture the Independent vote which is just as important now as GOP and Dem base votes.

[emulatorloo]

4. Hagel is going for the old mccain "MAVERICK" status that independents love so

Nonetheless he is still a conservative Republican and has pretty much support Bushco down the line, despite his pretty speeches full of 'reservations'.

[rocktivity]

12. Tar him with "the Bush Brush"

That's how Jon Corzine defeated Forrester as governor of New Jersey. Only Repubs who call for Bush's impeachment can be considered for exemption.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Tactical Progressive]

34. I think the term "Bushlicker" should gain political currency

given what the past six years of Republican Congress has done for America.

[Colobo]

9. Hagel

Hagel is an interesting guy. He's probably the "voice of reason" inside the GOP, and for that exact reason he won't win a nomination. The GOP constituency wants a "hardcore", tough sounding "conservative" (even though they don't know what real conservatism is, or should be). Guys like Giuliani, Hagel, and other "centrist" Republicans have no chance with the social "consevatives" and the neo-cons that rule that political organization.

[blm]

19. Hagel comes off EXACTLY as a hardcore badass and THAT is why he will end up

winning the Republican nomination, imo.

[DaveinMD]

11. Hagel

voted to eliminate the minimum wage. Eliminate. He won't be able to run as a moderate with that around his neck.

[Colobo]

13. Moderates...

Point taken. Still, political positions are, in terms of the voting public, more about perception than anything. Politicians project certain image, even if it doesn't match with his voting record/actions. Case in point: Lieberman and Rudy. Both of them, based on their positions, would be too far to the right for many on the left. Still, you ask the average Republican what they think about them, and even though they might say a couple of positive things, the abortion stance of these two guys will come up in the conversation, probably in a negative way.

Still, Lieberman and Rudy have been able to sell themselves as "moderates" to the general public.

[DaveinMD]

14. I think Gingrich

or Huckabee will win the nomination.

Rudy is a moderate. Too moderate to win the nomination. Pro-choice, pro-gay rights generally. Pro gun control. He's not a conservative.

[The Magistrate]

5. That Is Pretty Much The Situation, Sir

"Ya can't beat somebody wit' nobody."

[Colobo]

6. True

Not only because of the damage Bush's presidency has caused to his party and to the nation in general, but because they have no one with enough charisma to energize their base. I say charisma, and not talent, because, sadly, charisma alone attracts more voters than anything else... combined...

[Auggie]

7. Yeah, but a lot can happen in just one a day (9-11)

[tanyev]

8. They can't even run Jesus. He's not a natural born citizen.

[rocktivity]

10. Of course the Repubs have nobody. That's why the MSM is insisting

that the Dems have don't really have anybody, too!

:headbang:
rocknation

[INdemo]

15. I agree

[rubberducky]

16. Maybe it`s because bush isn`t planning on leaving.

[C_U_L8R]

17. Gee-Opie are awfully quiet

Regrouping while still commiting the same old scummy dirty tricks.

Yeah they got nobody.. but then Bush is a nobody and look how far he got.

[AX10]

18. Rudy G cannot win the primary (the only "moderate" who could win).

The Democrats better nominate someone good. Democrats can win big next year.

[mnhtnbb]

20. Don't make the mistake of counting out Hagel--he could be formidable

[More Than A Feeling]

21. Brownback and Huckabee worry me.

They aren't as tarnished in the public perception, as Gingrich and McCain, nor are they as socially unacceptable as Giuliani.

If those two drop out for lack of funds, I will rest a lot easier.

[Apollo11]

23. President Huckabee ??

Or for that matter --- President Brownback ?? :eyes:

I think Republicans want to vote for someone with a more "Presidential" name.

[More Than A Feeling]

25. I don't think that will be the primary interest GOP voters will have in them

But it is a measure of how weak the GOP is that they have a choice between too well known, and completely unknown.

[Cosmocat]

22. I think Guiliani ...

is the guy who clears the primaries ...

I agree that McCain is flaming out ...

I also think the party is too fragmented to support an extremist kind of guy, like Nwet or one of the religious nuts ... I don't agree with Hagel philosophically on pretty much anything ... BUT, he is one of the few republicans I can listen to and not be in danger of smashing my TV ... But, for that reasons, I don't think he clears the primary, and I think he would also not win a general ...

The country is breaking from the "conservative" death grip more and more, and Iraq will only further drive that, as well as some positive vibs out of a democratic congress ...

TODAY, I see Hill vs Guiliani ... And, frankly, his trainwreck of a personal life will let a lot of people get past the slander war on Hillary ...

[Apollo11]

24. They will go with Giuliani

if they think it's the only way to stop President Hillary.

But I think Gore, Clark or Edwards could beat Giuliani.

[saltpoint]

26. I agree with Ian. Alan Keyes is going to come roaring out of

nowhere and seize the GOP nomination.

And for a running mate, I think he'll choose Brit Hume.

Keyes-Hume in 08.

[Arugula Latte]

27. Whaaaat? Are you forgetting the great Sam Brownback?!?!!!

:rofl:

[goodhue]

28. I think you sell Huckabee and Brownback short

Plus Hagel is elephant in room

[EndElectoral]

29. I would not udnerestimate Giuliani. He's a Washington outsider. GOP voters like that.

[Doctor_J]

30. Big Media will make Ghouliani a strong candidate

Lots of footage of him strutting around Ground Zero, and anyone who brings up his bizarre personal life and generally abysmal mayoral record will be promptly made "Nome Bureau Chief". Matthews will abandon Smirk and make St. Rudy his new lust object.

[rniel]

31. McCain knows what he's doing

The hardest obstacle will be for him to get through the Republican primaries. That's why he's working on that weakness by being such a suckup to bush and the regious right. If he can convince them he's hard right and get through the primaries he'll try to appeal to the moderates again. He's demonstrated how he'll do anything to get elected. Complete opposite of a Chuck Hagel who is making it harder for himself to make it through the primaries, but gaining some clout with moderates and democrats.

[Tactical Progressive]

37. You got McCain pegged

but that's two hail-Mary's he'll have to throw in a row.

If 'the surge' works, even nominally, Bush and McCain both will crow about how right they were, even though it will be just a temporary respite from the total debacle he lied and cheated this country into from the start of his administration. Little facts like that don't bother Publicans, who can grab a penny out of a building they burned down and claim success.

But I doubt the surge will work, even little enough to provide a small fig leaf. McCain, who doubled-down on the surge, will be through.

And even if somehow it works enough to cover their asses and get McCain through the primary, with our horrific mainstream media promoting their 'victory' for all they're worth, it won't re-habilitate Bush. Leaving the general, and that picture.

The one of McCain hugging daddy for dear life.

[Tactical Progressive]

32. Well, just on the Baby-Boomer aspect

We Boomers are a big generation. Maybe even 'The Biggest Generation'. Spanning Vietnam and the home computer. And we sure as hell aren't leaving the legacy of George W. Bush in the history books as the last executive representative of our generation.

N.F.W.

Hillary, it's going to become more and more apparent, is truly representative of the progressive generation that started with JFK's Presidency. The generation where women rose up from centuries of second-class citizenship. That progressive generation has never been fulfilled politically - they mauled Clinton from start to finish to stop it from happening, and all they are going to get for that ugly effort, and for their election-stealing, warmongering follow-up, is the first woman President, Hillary Clinton, with the political smarts, skills and toughness to play those progressive principles out.

You're right when you say Hillary can win. I think she could win against a tough Publican opponent, let alone the nothing they have now.

The Baby-Boomers are going to finish off with a vengeance and set the right direction for future generations to build on.

[zulchzulu]

33. Hey...what about Mary Carey?

Repug porn star Mary Carey might come out of nowhere and spread her name out across the country.

After all, she was at a Bush fundraiser where some Christian evangelical leaders called for an explanation. ...a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said: "We'll take that money and use it to elect more Republicans."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/06/15/earlyshow/main702007.shtml

[zanne]

35. After two more years with Jr.,

Nobody with (R) after their name will have a chance.

[UCLA Dem]

36. Not to mention that Guiliani has more skeletons than a graveyard.

[Joey Liberal]

38. I agree - The Repugs don't have anyone for 08 n/t