Looks like Thune is in for 2012. What kind of dirt do we have on this guy, folks?

[jefferson_dem]

Right out of central casting (even Mittens is jealous) -

Thune Moves Toward Presidential Bid

Weekly Standard: "John Thune is likely to run for president in 2012. If he wins the nomination, it will be because he is an exceptionally skilled retail politician who can communicate a kind of midwestern, common sense conservatism that is ascendant in reaction to liberal profligacy... It also helps that he's cultivated the nationwide donor base that gave him $14.5 million to defeat Tom Daschle in 2004. And that South Dakota borders Iowa. And that he's good on television. And that he's a devout Christian who can quote Scripture without seeming to proselytize."

"But there are many obstacles. He has virtually no national profile. He worked briefly as a lobbyist. He voted for TARP. He is a defender of earmarks. He would be running against Washington from Washington."

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/09/25/thune_moves_toward_presidential_bid.html

[The empressof all]

1. I think he's gonna get far as well.

It'll be interesting to see how it shakes out. If Obama looks strong to win, my bet is that he won't run as he won't want to carry the loser mantle for the free for all in 2016

[Dawson Leery]

2. The Prairie Ken Doll is in!

[Davis_X_Machina]

3. Dirt? None. They experimented with Romney...

...but this is the real deal.

The first 100% manufactured candidate, made entirely from textured vegetable protein and Heritage Institute studies.
There is no explicit requirement in the Constitution that a candidate actually be human.

[Submariner]

4. I heard a rumor that Thune and Christine O'Donnell had a kinky affair

but I'm not one to start unfounded rumors. :smoke:

[emulatorloo]

5. "he's cultivated the nationwide donor base that gave him $14.5 million to defeat Tom Daschle"

That's not exactly how I remember it.

The RNC and Senate Republicans targeted Majority Leader Daschle and threw every resource they had at him. It is not as if Thune has some giant amount of grassroots support out there.

[gateley]

6. I didn't know who he was, but the pic says it all. You're right -- central casting. It

states "He has virtually no national profile" but the Koch Bros et all will take care of that, I'm sure.

[terrya]

12. I can see him on the Republican ticket in 2012.

He has absolutely no opposition this year. I was reading where he's fundraising now...that has to be for 2012.

Not having a national profile can help you in the Republican Party...just ask Sarah Palin.

[customerserviceguy]

15. This could be a 'running for Vice President' thing

that John Edwards did in 2004. It gets you name recognition, as Caribou Barbie has discovered.

[nevergiveup]

7. This guy is dangerous.

I believe he could possibly run away with the Republican nomination.

[jenmito]

8. I posted here months ago that I thought Thune would be the Repub. nominee. I think he's

kind of dangerous. And he's taller than Obama, which doesn't really mean anything except that I've heard the taller candidate always wins.

[Drunken Irishman]

9. Both Kerry and Gore were taller than Bush, who's something like 5'9.

[jenmito]

14. Well, Bush stole the election both times, though. n/t

[Drunken Irishman]

17. He still won...

And both races probably shouldn't have been as close as they were.

Ford was also taller than Carter and he lost.

Clinton and H.W. Bush were the same height.

Nixon was shorter than McGovern and won in a landslide.

Johnson was the second tallest president and probably would have lost in 1968.

[jenmito]

22. Thanks

for all of those examples that refute the meme I heard-probably in the "liberal" media.

[JCMach1]

10. Repigs will be in no mood to nominate a congresscritter...

[sofa king]

11. His finances are Bush's finances.

It was my understanding that "the nationwide donor base" mentioned in the Weekly Standard is a fundraising network that came to Thune directly from Karl Rove and the Bush reelection organization. As I mentioned in this thing I wrote, Thune was reputedly personally asked to run against Tim Johnson in the election cycle before the one in which Thune defeated Daschle.

I recall that there was a brief-lived but definitely Florida-inspired effort to overturn the narrow results of the 2002 Senate election that Thune lost to Johnson, but that the results were quickly certified before it could be properly stolen. Thune's consolation was massive backing from the GOP in the next cycle in which Daschle's seat was up for grabs.

Considering from whence it came, I have a hard time believing that money channel was legitimate.

At the time I was watching him, Thune was considered to be personally clean, particularly by comparison to his successor in the House, former Governor and future manslaugterer Bill Janklow. But Thune was backed to the hilt by Rove, Inc., so you can bet that anywhere corruption could seep in, it did.

[book_worm]

13. It will be a Romney/Thune ticket

[jenmito]

16. No way. Romney's old news. It'll be someone like Thune and a teabagger, maybe a woman.

[Bitwit1234]

18. If he did have any like the AWOL Bush records it has all

been shredded and taken down from the net.

[Thrill]

19. His entire voting record

And he's said some real dumb shit in the past

[Jack Rabbit]

20. Dirt?

He's a Republican. Accordingly, he was an active participant in the obstruction of the Stimulus Package, Health Care Reform and Cap and Trade.

Do we need more?

[opihimoimoi]

21. Exactly...guilty by association and voting record....he is with the BLOC to block the Dems agenda..

anyway they can....as such,,,,he is evil...as in UnPatriotic...does not votre for the best interest of the Nation

GOP is hungry for Heros

The present batch not ready for prime time...

[Robbins]

23. Thune

He Is running for Vice President.The nomination will be given to a:Estalishment choice Romney b:The new darling of the tea bagers and
far right Gingrich or C:The real leader of the Republican party Palin.Unlike Democrats Republicans always go for a front runner.
There may be several running but Obama will face Romney,or Ginrich or Palin.

[golfguru]

24. I just hope Obama will not face Christie of NJ

This fatso is the most dangerous republican alive.

[BolivarianHero]

26. Is that your biggest problem with it?

Your as superficial as the NASCAR dads who vote for Palin.

[golfguru]

29. I am hoping it is Palin instead of Christie

She is much much much more controversial.
But if Christie is re-elected in blue NJ,
this guy is dangerous. More dangerous than
Palin, Huckster, Mittens, Newtie & Thune.

[BeyondGeography]

25. Whomever they nominate, Obama needs to make 2012 an ideological choice

Middle class America has to finally decide if they want stronger government to stand up for them. Thune or whomever is a lackey for rich, corporate interests who will clear the path for profits over people.

We're starting to hear it in the run-up to the mids. Play that t(h)une for the next two years.

[MyNameIsKhan]

27. I suppose he will be interested in VP candidate to keep 2016 open

[GSLevel9]

28. very possible....

possibly a bit too moderate for the baggers though.

[COLGATE4]

30. He's the perfect Rethug VP candidate in 2012, ready to run in 16

[Arkana]

31. He'll be competing with a lot of crazies.

To be fair, not having a national profile at this point is not really an obstacle--it allows you to run a dark-horse campaign and define yourself however you want. Working as a lobbyist and voting for TARP and defending earmarks, however...that's gonna give him problems in the GOP primary.