How the Republicans can win the ‘o8 election. And how we can stop them.

[Cyrano]

There’s no rule that says whoever wins the most primaries gets to be the nominee. So what if the Republicans decide that they have a loser on their hands and nominate someone they think can win? Who? How about Chuck Hagel from Nebraska, or Susan Collins from Maine?

Yeah, I know, many Republicans can barely tolerate both of them as “too sane,” but put yourself in their shoes for a moment. Wouldn’t they rather win than have a Dem in the White House? What if they had a choice between Hillary Clinton and Susan Collins? What if they had a choice between Chuck Hagel and Barak Obama? Which way do you think Republican votes would go?

I believe that ’08 is going to be both an unusual year and another all-out, ugly brawl between the two parties. And for that reason, I believe we have to put up a candidate who can win no matter what the Republicans do. Who is that candidate? Beats me. But my guess is it would be someone carrying the least baggage from the past. (Please don’t read Dodd, or Edwards, or Biden into what I’m saying.)

The point I’m making here is that we must pick a candidate who can beat ANY Republican they put up (including the ghost of Saint Ronnie). Most of the threads I’ve seen on DU have been diatribes for or against one of our candidates, and far too few reasoned arguments of why we should nominate X, Y, or Z.

With just a few weeks to go before Iowa, how about fewer fights among ourselves and more ideas put forth on how we can come the closest to guaranteeing a victory in ’08. The ongoing existence of our democracy depends upon it.

I have my own opinion on who our best candidate would be, but none of them have yet locked up my vote.

[TwilightGardener]

1. The Repub party would rather lose to the Dems in '08 than win with someone like Hagel--

The neocon GOPers would never let him win the nomination, and they're not going to suddenly put up someone of quality at the last minute. We have the luxury of choosing whom we want as Dem nominee without worrying about how he or she will match up with the sorry lot of GOPers this time around.

[OHdem10]

2. Right the Conservative Wing of the GOP is the power center.

A Hagel or a Moderate does not have a prayer.

The GOP Candidates are fine for a general election. It is the
party who cannot agree on one. The GOP is in a struggle over
the Image of their Party. Do they wish to be the Religious PartY??
Or do they wish to be a more open flexible party.

While we may not think Rudy, Romney Thompson, or McCain look that great,
the American people do not have the information we do and most will
never see or hear it.

[Cyrano]

3. Perhaps you are right, OHdem. But the greatest mistake we can make is to

underestimate our enemies. And yes, today's Republican Party is our enemy in every sense of the word. They are against virtually everything we believe our country is or should be.

We have seen them steal elections. Isn't it possible they would hold their noses and vote for "one of their own," and then find some way to blackmail, bully, or threaten, a Hagel, or a Collins into toeing the line?

Let me answer my own question. How many times over the past seven years have Hagel or Collins voted against the depraved, despicable agenda of Bush/Cheney? The answer is zero.

[TwilightGardener]

4. Hagel has voted against his party quite a few times this year, same with

Collins. Collins does it because she's a blue-stater and has to bow a little to Democrats to get re-elected (same as Ben Nelson bows to GOPers in Nebraska). Hagel does it because...I don't know why. But they obviously have nothing on him, because he does what he wants.

[Cyrano]

5. Sorry, my bad.

Nonetheless, they have voted along party lines and against "the decent thing to do" too often to suit me.

[Inuca]

6. "Hagel does it because..."

perish the thought, maybe because he actually means it :-)?