The GOP's enormous, gaping 2012 vacuum

[babylonsister]

:nopity: :D


The GOP's enormous, gaping 2012 vacuum
By Steve Kornacki


If you want to declare a winner from CPAC, the annual conservative convention that wrapped up over the weekend, a good case could be made for Barack Obama, mainly because the proceedings underscored the degree to which every likely GOP presidential candidate has serious deficiencies.

Mitt Romney, in typical style, stuffed all the red meat he could find into a speech excoriating the president, but still ended up finishing second in the straw poll to Ron Paul. Granted, this says as much about the evolution of CPAC into a haven for anti-fed libertarians (with many cultural conservatives now staying away) as it does about Romney, and the straw poll itself is a very imperfect barometer.

But Romney's problems are bigger that CPAC. He's been running -- hard -- for president since at least 2005, laboring to align himself with every right-wing position and pet cause and straining to make conservatives forget about his years as a Massachusetts moderate. He's been somewhat successful in this, but his Massachusetts healthcare program -- originally conceived as a brilliant way of using conservative principles to solve a big problem -- haunts him in the "ObamaCare" era. He says all the things conservatives want to hear, but many of them wonder whether he really means it. Romney may yet win the GOP nomination in '12, but his low (for a supposed frontrunner) poll numbers and weak finishes in straw polls like CPAC's speaks to the opening that exists for someone -- anyone -- to come along and grab the nomination from him.

But who?

more...

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/republican_party/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2011/02/14/republican_presidential_2012

[damntexdem]

1. Well their primary deficiency is that they are all Repukes.

And on top of that, none of them have the charisma of a charlatan like Ronald Reagan.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

3. and on top of THAT

none of them have any bold, fresh, and/or exciting ideas to help us get out of the muck we're still in (largely because of them BTW). They made it as difficult as possible for President Obama and the Democrats in Congress to get things accomplished during the last Congress that could've probably helped more people more and made the economy even stronger and instead of throwing things at them, people got mad at the Democrats and President and installed the Republicans into the majority in the House and increased their numbers in the Senate, not to mention several state legislatures and governors mansions all over the country and all that most of them have been focused on so far is beating up on unions, women, and the poor and neglecting the economy and "jobs" platform that they ran on to cover up their extreme agenda (which should hopefully be clearer now to more people).

[msongs]

2. Obama has adopted so many republican values and policies the real ones have nothing left lol nt

[tblue37]

4. I think a Mormon would have trouble getting the Republican nominations, since the

primaries are controlled by the furthest right of the right wing, and so many of them are fundamentalist Christians who would consider a Mormon to be almost more troubling than a Muslim.

Also, his dog problem (abusing the family dog) will turn off a lot of people. One thing that pisses a lot of Americans off is dog abuse. Since Mitt doesn't play football, his abuse of a Golden Retriever will not be seen as redeemable by many people.

[bvar22]

5. Keep focusing on the clown car.

Thats what they want you to do.

There are plenty of very dangerous Republicans flying under the radar,
avoiding the Media Spotlights and mudslinging, and reducing Democratic mobilization.

Wait for the untarnished, charismatic Republican contender,
spouting the "I have heard you America" message.
He/She WILL sound very electable after the Clown Car Kabuki.

Remember,
nobody knew who Bill Clinton was until shortly before the convention.

The Centrist (1/2 Republican) Obama Administration has created a HUGE vacuum on the Anti-War/Pro-Working Class Left,
much BIGGER than the one created by Clinton.
Vacuums are filled.
Expect a challenge from the 3rd Party Left that will have no problems finding funding from the conservative Right.

This is NO time to relax.
There is a Perfect Storm brewing.
I can hear the crying now. :cry:
"Its ALL Nader's fault."

[Enthusiast]

6. You are exactly correct.

I think they are going to sneak Rob Portman from Ohio into the mix.

[Badfish]

7. Well...

Portman2012.com is still available. Whats that tell ya ?

Says Godaddy.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

9. Very right, you are. The mistake that we liberals continue to make is to assume

that Palin or anyone on the wingnut has no chance. I think we do ourselves a great disservice, and it shows our arrogance.

I put nothing past the American voter. I have absolutely NO faith in the intelligence of the American voter to seek the truth.

And the right wing propaganda machine is so strong that I fear that even very intelligent centrists or Independents will succumb to its whims.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

8. They have no credible leader other than Rush and Sister Sarah. n/t

[mikekohr]

10. Palin Can Win the Iowa Caucus

In that scenario she may steamroll the nomination and dump on her party a 55 gallon drum of asswup.

Be still my beating heart.

[former9thward]

11. You don't need to be a leader to become President.

Jimmy Carter was a one term governor of a small southern state and was certainly no leader of the Democratic Party. Most people had never heard of him but he got the nomination and became President. Bill Clinton was an unknown governor of a small southern state and no one knew who he was. He got the nomination and became President.