Keeping an eye on who the Republicans are going to pick to lose against President Obama is important because it will give us insight into how the GOP plans on screwing he country.
That’s why over the next few years your faithful DL editors will be updating this thread “wiki-style” as new information becomes available. It is an open source round robin and you have a seat at the table.
The GOP Field as of 2/27/09
Sarah Palin is the current front runner. She has style, she has crazy people who like her and she has a ton of baggage. If competence means anything to the modern Republican party she’ll fade, which means she will probably be in it fo the long haul.
Mike Huckabee was road tested in a nuts and bots campaigning way that Palin wasn’t. Unlike Palin, Huck has schlepped himself around Iowa and lived to tell about it. If the wingnuts get tired of their cover girl they will all go for Huck, the next most crazy person.
Mitt Romney still has a base and still has no chance of wining. I wonder why it is so difficult for him to get his head around the fact that Republican primary voters view his religion as something akin to wicca? Also, all that flip/flop stuff still applies.
Bobby Jindal shot off both feet while entering the starting gate. On the other hand Rush likes him so an army of brain-dead zombies is ready and willing to make pretend that they love him too.
Jon Huntsman, Jr. is the current Governor of Utah and rumored to have ambitions. Huntsman has some real economic achievements in Utah, speaks Mandarin Chinese and is currently spanking the wingnut parts of his party for being wingnuts and talking like someone who understands bipartisanship and comity. He has also recently come out in favor of civil unions, which has gotten him some grief. Apparently is is not yet hooking up with the campaign consulting class. Not being tightly yoked to the ideology is probably this guy’s flaw, but I’d watch where he goes.
Charlie Crist: Not manly or conservative enough for the GOP, but represents the most important electoral state held by a GOP governor. If Republican moderates discover their nutsacks, Crist could go far.
Tim Pawlenty: Zzzzzzzzzzz… Sorry, I thought about Tim Pawlenty and fell asleep. Who was I talking about? Bridge Collapse guy? Has no base.
Mark Sanford: None could be whiter, maler, more conservative, or from a less relevant state, electorally. Sanford is the guy conservatives wish they could nominate and still have the slightest prayer of winning. This would be like Democrats running Nancy Pelosi. Sanford is for Republicans who think Huckabee is too liberal.
Haley Barbour: Barbour would be the choice of the CCC. Even conservative Republicans think nominating someone connected to the CCC is probably a bad idea.
Someone Else. Right now GOP operatives are scouring the country like Tibetan Buddhists in search of the baby version of the next Dali Lama. They will find some 34 year old with decent hair, a winning smile and an ability to repeat empty, discredited slogans with the requisite amount of fake sincerity. Someone Else stands a good chance of taking it.
Last Update 2/27/09