Politicians to Watch For 2012, 2016

[Old Tanker]

Palin knows where base is..

 

Wearing custom jeans and stilleto high heels she was a hit yesterday in Daytona.

[Mike Steele]

Who says he doesn't?

Did you somehow miss the 1900+ post 'Does Obama Creep Anyone Else Out' thread that has been going strong since I started it back in October 2008?

 

But then I guess that clashes with the idea that anyone who criticises an ® is therefore instantly a gun-stealing-pro-abortion-tax-hiking-illegal-immigrant-loving-homosexual-communist...

 

And a Euro-Kommie.

[Tommy Bennett]

And a Euro-Kommie.

 

You're familiar with these types, Mike. They don't just want to be told to go to hell, but would prefer a clean cut and well spoken fellow - like our current President - to tell them in such a well-oiled style that they'll actually be looking forward to the trip.

[sunday]

All the "The Wind and the Lion" references in other thread lead me to read some about Theodore Roosevelt. Do you think that the average Republican -even the average, not-Marxist Democrat- is always looking for another Teddy?

 

It looks difficult to me. That man was a frikking genius, in more fields than politics alone, and could represent the embodiment of that Platonic ideal - the Philosopher-King.

 

Palin could be linked to Teddy in the frontiers(wo)man, and in the populist aspects. Obama was presented as a political savvy, brilliant scholar (talk about of untrue marketing...), again in the Teddy sense.

Edited February 15, 2010 by sunday

[Ivanhoe]

Wearing custom jeans and stilleto high heels she was a hit yesterday in Daytona.

 

This assertion sucks without pictures...

 

Money being the sinew of political campaigns as much as it is for war, if Middle America start ponying up campaign money, the Tea Party movement and folks like Palin can completely change the game in 2010 and 2012.

[Ivanhoe]

All the "The Wind and the Lion" references in other thread lead me to read some about Theodore Roosevelt. Do you think that the average Republican -even the average, not-Marxist Democrat- is always looking for another Teddy?

 

It looks difficult to me. That man was a frikking genius, in more fields than politics alone, and could represent the embodiment of that Platonic ideal - the Philosopher-King.

 

I think different factions in the Republican Party are looking for different things. Certainly there is the Northeastern pinstripes-and-wingtips crowd looking for a philosopher-king. But there are also Southern social conservatives, Western libertarians, California crunchies, etc. No one candidate is going to please 2/3 of rightward half of the voting populace.

[Tommy Bennett]

All the "The Wind and the Lion" references in other thread lead me to read some about Theodore Roosevelt. Do you think that the average Republican -even the average, not-Marxist Democrat- is always looking for another Teddy?

 

It looks difficult to me. That man was a frikking genius, in more fields than politics alone, and could represent the embodiment of that Platonic ideal - the Philosopher-King.

 

Palin could be linked to Teddy in the frontiers(wo)man, and in the populist aspects. Obama was presented as a political savvy, brilliant scholar (talk about of untrue marketing...), again in the Teddy sense.

 

I refrained from commenting on the current President until he'd had at least a year to show me what he's made of. I really did want him to succeed for the sake of our country's future. Unfortunately, I would never associate this guy even remotely with Teddy in The Wind and the Lion, but rather with Redford's Bill McKay in 1972's The Candidate. In the final scene when the pretty boy liberal has won the election, he turns to his handlers and says, "What do we do now?" The only "change" I've seen so far is we have a clueless yabbo from the Democratic Liberal left instead of the clueless yabbo from the oil-rich Republican right.

[Jim Martin]

Teddy was just a amazing. You know he saved football as a sport in America by personally rewriting the rules after a series of fatalities on the gridiron? The game played today is largely his creation. Take a look at his correspondence some time. I recall one where a widow wrote him asking advice on raising her son. And the President of the United States took the time to write a lengthy treatise regarding the raising of boys. He was almost manic in his activities.

[DKTanker]

I refrained from commenting on the current President until he'd had at least a year to show me what he's made of. I really did want him to succeed for the sake of our country's future.

Were he successful in his first year Cap and Tax would now be the law of the land, borrow and spend aka Stimulus Two would have passed a couple of months ago, and nationalized health care would have become law of the land before the August recess. Had those projects successfully become law I have little doubt MaoBama would have been emboldened to nationalize ever greater portions of the economy. Then there are the little things like the "Fairness"...errr Facist Doctrine which he really wanted reinstituted.

 

All that and more would have defined MaoBama as successful though I'm not sure many would agree that it would be good for the country*. I think it fair to say those that wanted Obama to succeed either weren't paying attention to what he was saying and doing prior to the election, or they were earnestly hoping that he would transform the nation into a socialist utopia.

 

*In fact most don't, else MaoBama would have been successful.

[Garth]

Teddy was just a amazing. You know he saved football as a sport in America by personally rewriting the rules after a series of fatalities on the gridiron? The game played today is largely his creation. Take a look at his correspondence some time. I recall one where a widow wrote him asking advice on raising her son. And the President of the United States took the time to write a lengthy treatise regarding the raising of boys. He was almost manic in his activities.

 

One of my favorite books is "A Bully Father: Theodore Roosevelt's Letters to his Children". Highly recommended.

 

And there's no doubt that TR had a severe case of ADHD.

 

--Garth

[Garth]

Again, the thought of President Palin is frankly scary.

 

I think you should ask yourself why you believe that so.

 

Palin was saddled from the start with almost criminally inept staffers from the McCain Campaign: people who'd already given up on winning and were posturing for their next gig. As a result of that, plus the raw fear that drove the Democrat response to her selection, she was defined by her enemies before she was able to define herself.

 

IMHO, given all the hyperbolic rhetoric (on all sides) over her, her candidacy, her capabilities and her future, its really impossible to nail down anything of substance on her skills and abilities. Any signal is quickly drowned out by noise from all sides.

 

Here's the way I see it: there we are just about two years away from the first primaries and caucuses of the 2012 Presidential election. If she chooses to run, that's plenty of time for people to really take a hard look at her in light of running at the top of a national campaign, and make an informed judgment on her qualifications for the office.

 

--Garth

[sunday]

Thanks for the suggestions, gentlemen.

[Jim Martin]

One of my favorite books is "A Bully Father: Theodore Roosevelt's Letters to his Children". Highly recommended.

 

And there's no doubt that TR had a severe case of ADHD.

 

--Garth

 

Always had to have some new project. Don't forget his reformation of American spelling. He's responsible for taking all those silly U's out of our language, and putting the E before the R in theater. Oh, and tIre instead of tYre.

[Rick]

Democratic Senator Evan Bayh will not seek re-election this fall. Former Republican Senator Dan Coates is already on the ballot.

[Jeff]

IMHO, given all the hyperbolic rhetoric (on all sides) over her, her candidacy, her capabilities and her future, its really impossible to nail down anything of substance on her skills and abilities. Any signal is quickly drowned out by noise from all sides.

 

Here's the way I see it: there we are just about two years away from the first primaries and caucuses of the 2012 Presidential election. If she chooses to run, that's plenty of time for people to really take a hard look at her in light of running at the top of a national campaign, and make an informed judgment on her qualifications for the office.

 

--Garth

Yup

[m1a1mg]

Sarah Palin has already been marginalized by the media. Who is at fault for that is anyone's guess. However, if Palin is the best the R's have going, we're in deeper shit than we may ever be able to get out of. IMHO, Palin isn't running in 2012. She's just cashing in on her new found celebrity. IF she can't handle being a Governor, what makes anyone think she's ready to be a President.

 

And Luke, you nailed it. Despite the collection of great minds on this grate sight, if you ain't with us, yer agin us.

[Jim Martin]

Sarah Palin has already been marginalized by the media. Who is at fault for that is anyone's guess. However, if Palin is the best the R's have going, we're in deeper shit than we may ever be able to get out of. IMHO, Palin isn't running in 2012. She's just cashing in on her new found celebrity. IF she can't handle being a Governor, what makes anyone think she's ready to be a President.

 

And Luke, you nailed it. Despite the collection of great minds on this grate sight, if you ain't with us, yer agin us.

 

 

*shrug* as I said, I'm agnostic on Palin's capabilities. She left the governor's mansion because her opponents used her anti-corruption laws that she instituted, against her. By bringing a ton of frivolous lawsuits against her, which by law the state now had to investigate no matter how obviously idiotic. She might be the brilliant political mind this country has been waiting for, but with a news media which shows Democrats' speeches in their entirety while only showing small fractions of their opponents' speeches, or chopping up their speeches so they're taken out of context, she's not going anywhere in her attempt to rehabilitate herself with the population at large. That along with the merciless satirization.

 

During her candidacy, I couldn't help but think about the fact that Nordic lords all lived in fear that a bard would "lay a satire" on them. They understood just how extremely deadly a weapon was mockery. Bards were treated with exceptional courtesy when they visited....

Edited February 15, 2010 by Jim Martin

[FALightFighter]

Despite the collection of great minds on this grate sight, if you ain't with us, yer agin us.

 

Adam, I know you said it sarcastically, but it rings true most of the time.

 

When there is a raging maniac shooting people as he walks down the street of your town, you have three choices.

 

1- you can push someone else in front of him to shield yourself.

 

2- you can hide in your house and pray he passes you by

 

3- you can fight him.

 

I think you can easily picture which of the three categories most nations fall into with regard to the Islamo-fascist terrorists in the world.

 

I also know which of the people I would choose to associate and do business with after the hypothetical incident above.

[DKTanker]

And Luke, you nailed it. Despite the collection of great minds on this grate sight, if you ain't with us, yer agin us.

Pretty much your POV as well, correct?

[Ivanhoe]

... she's not going anywhere in her attempt to rehabilitate herself with the population at large. That along with the merciless satirization.

 

During her candidacy, I couldn't help but think about the fact that Nordic lords all lived in fear that a bard would "lay a satire" on them. They understood just how extremely deadly a weapon was mockery. Bards were treated with exceptional courtesy when they visited....

 

Back in the day, all that would be true. In 2008, she was boxed in by the ineptitude of the McCain campaign. Now, with access to voters via the Internet and FNC, and public opinion trending very negative towards the MSM, she may do very well in positioning herself for another run. I think its more likely that she is positioning herself to play kingmaker, but we'll see.

 

As for Palin's qualifications, on paper they don't appear any worse than Gore's, Kerry's, or Biden's. Or hell, Schwarzenegger's.

[m1a1mg]

Pretty much your POV as well, correct?

No, not even close. I understand where the majority of the people who post here come from. I used to be one of you. I just became disillusioned with the whole damn process.

 

Adam, I know you said it sarcastically, but it rings true most of the time.

 

I think you can easily picture which of the three categories most nations fall into with regard to the Islamo-fascist terrorists in the world.

 

I also know which of the people I would choose to associate and do business with after the hypothetical incident above.

IF we were fighting the bad guys other than rhetorically, I'd be impressed. The whole thing with the Republicans blasting Obama because of the underwear bomber just baffles me. It's equally as stupid as blaming Bush for 9/11.

 

*shrug* as I said, I'm agnostic on Palin's capabilities. She left the governor's mansion because her opponents used her anti-corruption laws that she instituted, against her.

Jim, I hear that excuse over and over again. IMHO, she still freaking quit. I don't like quitters.

 

Here is my opinion on Palin. She got in over her head. A really good politician would have torn up Katy Couric. Regardless of how stupid the questions were. She needs a great deal of polishing to be ready for the national stage. As it is now, even when I see her on Fox, she doesn't come off that well. Like it, or hate it as I do, politicians have to be personalities and politicians.

[DKTanker]

Here is my opinion on Palin. She got in over her head. A really good politician would have torn up Katy Couric. Regardless of how stupid the questions were. She needs a great deal of polishing to be ready for the national stage. As it is now, even when I see her on Fox, she doesn't come off that well. Like it, or hate it as I do, politicians have to be personalities and politicians.

So is it of your considered opinion that McCain should renounce the endorsement of somebody in over her head? McCain's boys trashed Palin following the '08 election; Palin now endorsing McCain that he might hold off JD Hayworth. Hmmmmm.

 

Edit to add, not only has Palin endorsed McCain, she is actively campaigning for him.

Edited February 16, 2010 by DKTanker

[JOE BRENNAN]

Yup

That's what I'd say too if I was being politically correct wrt GOP base elements who like Palin (not picking on you, quoting your comment makes it shorter ). Same kind of vibe I get from my and OT's hero Charles K, kind of pulling punches on Palin not to piss off a segment of his audience. It's no praise of idiotic liberal attacks in media/entertainment to just admit Palin would be weak as a Presidential candidate. I just see them as a stopped clock that's right twice a day. The GOP can do better, that's all. Obviously it will only play out when we see if she wants to run, and how well she actually does in primaries/caucuses if so. But she's mainly a (*part* of the) base revver-upper when they should be plenty revved up by what Obama's done, there's the quitting thing (putting family first, immediate independent wealth available and with a special needs kid? I can respect it, but being Pres is about being 'all in' as a leader), and just not all that substantive on anything but the resentment-oriented rev-up. I just can't imagine she'd be their best shot. Somebody to watch for in 2012, but hoping not the GOP's candidate.

 

Joe

Edited February 16, 2010 by JOE BRENNAN

[m1a1mg]

So is it of your considered opinion that McCain should renounce the endorsement of somebody in over her head? McCain's boys trashed Palin following the '08 election; Palin now endorsing McCain that he might hold off JD Hayworth. Hmmmmm.

 

Edit to add, not only has Palin endorsed McCain, she is actively campaigning for him.

See Dave, that's your constant MO. Take something and try and add to it, then try to make me own it. I never said that. Sarah Palin is a great person to have on your side in a race right now. She speaks to a segment of the Republican party. But, does that make her presidential materiel?

 

Politics is an ugly business. I used to like McCain because he tried to actually find a middle ground and get something, anything, done. Now, McCain is just a political hack* who, hopefully, loses in his reelection bid.

 

 

*I know that a few people will say that he's always been that guy, but I disagree. Yes, he played the media darling for years, but at least he would stand for what he believed, or at least what I thought he believed.

[m1a1mg]

Palin was saddled from the start with almost criminally inept staffers from the McCain Campaign: people who'd already given up on winning and were posturing for their next gig.

--Garth

Do you have any evidence of that, other than anecdotal? It sounds like spin to me.