The Republican Nomination For President: The Race For The Race For The White House

The CPAC conventions attract thousands of conservatives from many other groups. This year, 14 people on the "A2K List of Candidates" have been invited to speak according to the CPAC website and 9 have accepted. Huckabee and Palin have not yet agreed to appear, according to the update I saw today.
Again, the CPAC thing is in DC Feb 10th-12th.
RealClearPolitics (RCP) has an article posted today that starts with this:
"President Obama created a stir last week when he reiterated that while he doesn't support gay marriage, he still struggles with the issue. He said his views are 'constantly evolving."
The gist of the RCP article is that the DADT repeal could foreshadow a deeper GOP generational shift on a number of issues, mostly in the social arena.
The article goes on to say that several conservative groups will not be attending CPAC because the likes of the Log Cabin Republicans and GOProud (advocates of gay rights) will be there.

Which brings me, as one of the moderators here, to this question for a new list beyond "Names." Let's call it "Issues."
What do you see as the defining issues in the race for the Republican nomination? I would suggest that "the economy" is too broad. It needs to be sub-divided, perhaps.
If we get any responses, we are hiring here. Anyone who is interested is invited to keep the list updated.

2 Replies

@realjohnboy,

I'm not sure how far the GOP will get with trying to repeal ObamaCare, but that'll be an interesting issue to watch how they approach it. Once legislation is approved by congress and the president, I'm not sure how they can repeal any parts of it - although they claim they can control the funding end of the program.

1 Reply

@cicerone imposter,

Why not do as Bush did on the drug bill and borrow the money from medicare and social security while reducing the tax "burden" on the rich.

1 Reply

@rabel22,

What other option does Obama have? He hasn't identified how he's going to pay for it - yet. That some still believe "not a dime more" is a mystery of stratospheric proportions.

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@realjohnboy,

Very interesting about CPAC RJB. I'm familiar with the Log Cabin Republicans, but this is the firt time I've heard of GOProud. I think you may be onto something about the social issues in terms of a organizational divide.

Issues I think of are usually in terms of the larger general election. If I was to specifically think of which issues will effect the Republican nomination, it would be as follows (in no order).

Afghanistan (and lesser so on Iraq) - The GOP needs to form a plan on how to get out of this situation. It's too late to really sell the idea that we need to be there forever. I think positive points will go to candidates that at least sound like they have a clear idea how to get out. This will also help in the general election with independents and moderate democrats.

Same Sex Marriage - The GOP will have to decide if they can continue to court the religious conservatives on this. The end of DADT socially sets the national tone and path towards recognizing homosexuals equally. I'd say within the GOP this is still something they will oppose, but maybe with less vigor than in the past.

Oil Drilling - I think issues like off shore drilling and drilling in ANWR still unite most Republicans. It also sets them apart from the dems pretty well. I'd also tie this in with the larger issue of natural resources. I think it's likely that succesful GOP candidates will push ideas like "clean coal" and natural gas.

A
R
That's all for now

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Things were quiet, of course, during the holidays. But now things will warm up a bit.
ABC is reporting today that Michelle Bachmann is thinking about considering a run for the Republican nomination. She is in her 3rd two-year term as a Congresswoman from Minnesota. She is regarded as a Tea Party movement favorite.
She has multiple trips scheduled to Iowa in the near future to give some speeches and meet with political leaders in that state.

An article that caught my eye today (which I can't source since I can't remember where it was) talked about the dozen or so key players in Mitt Romney's 2008 bid who have taken other jobs. 3 have gone to work in some capacity for new Senator Marco Rubio while others have gone to think tanks, etc. All in all, it is probably not unusual. Burn out amongst staffers on any campaign is high. He can probably find some bright people to come in.
But there was a throw-away line near the end of the article that seemed to suggest that his quest faces an uphill fight. While he may lead in some of early polls amongst the Republican voters, he may not enjoy popularity with the party's leadership.

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Things were quiet, of course, during the holidays. But now things will warm up a bit.
ABC is reporting today that Michelle Bachmann is thinking about considering a run for the Republican nomination. She is in her 3rd two-year term as a Congresswoman from Minnesota. She is regarded as a Tea Party movement favorite.
She has multiple trips scheduled to Iowa in the near future to give some speeches and meet with political leaders in that state.

An article that caught my eye today (which I can't source since I can't remember where it was) talked about the dozen or so key players in Mitt Romney's 2008 bid who have taken other jobs. 3 have gone to work in some capacity for new Senator Marco Rubio while others have gone to think tanks, etc. All in all, it is probably not unusual. Burn out amongst staffers on any campaign is high. He can probably find some bright people to come in.
But there was a throw-away line near the end of the article that seemed to suggest that his quest faces an uphill fight. While he may lead in some early polls amongst the Republican voters, he may not enjoy popularity with the party's leadership.

1 Reply

@realjohnboy,

Romney won't be able to successfully defend his record on Health Care, which looks, yeah, exactly like the Obama program. And has also been quite successful.

This puts him in a gigantic messaging bind and will give Obama opportunity after opportunity to attack him on that issue. It puts Romney at odds with pretty much the whole 'Tea Party.' Can't win with that many negatives and the money men know it.

Cycloptichorn

1 Reply

@High Seas,

High Seas wrote:

but I don't know why we bother arguing with the far-leftist fringe here: they flee when their inconsistencies are exposed

some embrace them

I cried when they shot Medgar Evers
Tears ran down my spine
I cried when they shot Mr. Kennedy
As though I'd lost a father of mine
But Malcolm X got what was coming
He got what he asked for this time
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I go to civil rights rallies
And I put down the old D.A.R.
I love Harry and Sidney and Sammy
I hope every colored boy becomes a star
But don't talk about revolution
That's going a little bit too far
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I cheered when Humphrey was chosen
My faith in the system restored
I'm glad the commies were thrown out
of the A.F.L. C.I.O. board
I love Puerto Ricans and Negros
as long as they don't move next door
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

The people of old Mississippi
Should all hang their heads in shame
I can't understand how their minds work
What's the matter don't they watch Les Crain?
But if you ask me to bus my children
I hope the cops take down your name
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I read New Republic and Nation
I've learned to take every view
You know, I've memorized Lerner and Golden
I feel like I'm almost a Jew
But when it comes to times like Korea
There's no one more red, white and blue
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I vote for the Democratic Party
They want the U.N. to be strong
I go to all the Pete Seeger concerts
He sure gets me singing those songs
I'll send all the money you ask for
But don't ask me to come on along
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

Once I was young and impulsive
I wore every conceivable pin
Even went to the socialist meetings
Learned all the old union hymns
But I've grown older and wiser
And that's why I'm turning you in
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

the incomparable phil ochs

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Phil's an idiot.

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@Cycloptichorn,

That could be, Cyclo, but I am inclined to believe that the effort to repeal the health care bill will be over by mid-summer. House Republicans will make a lot of noise, but the Senate will reject outright repeal and perhaps even modifications to parts of it. The most controversial part -requiring coverage-will work its way through the courts, conveniently not being decided until after the elections.

1 Reply

@realjohnboy,

realjohnboy wrote:

That could be, Cyclo, but I am inclined to believe that the effort to repeal the health care bill will be over by mid-summer. House Republicans will make a lot of noise, but the Senate will reject outright repeal and perhaps even modifications to parts of it. The most controversial part -requiring coverage-will work its way through the courts, conveniently not being decided until after the elections.

Sure, but when has the reality of the situation EVER decided how Republicans judge their candidates? Remember that Roe v. Wade is still a litmus test for them, even though it's pretty clear by now that no action is ever going to happen to restrict things on that front.

Cycloptichorn

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It will be a great day in America when Obama moves out of The White House January, 2013.

1 Reply

@H2O MAN,

Who do you favor at this point to replace him?

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@realjohnboy,

i believe it's a case of anyone but a democrat, now were have we heard that before, oh yeah 2008, except then it was anyone but a republican, maybe in 2016 the american public will start voting for issues and not knee jerk reaction, cause like it or not that's what happened 4 years ago, and i think this ones gonna go the same way

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@realjohnboy,

Cain

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Has anyone watched Sarah Palin's reality show? I saw like three minutes and couldn't stand it and moved on. I thought this article was interesting, from USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2011-01-06-column06_ST_N.htm

Excerpt:

Quote:

Those of us who've actually lived off the land are less than impressed by Palin's televised exploits and, more important, by what they tell us about her. Tentative, physically inept, and betraying an even more awkward unfamiliarity with the land and lifestyle that's supposedly her birthright, Palin deconstructs her own myth before our eyes.

[...]

From the opening credits, Palin's not actually leading, as the show's stirring theme song (Follow Me There) suggests. Instead, she's tucked far under the wings of professional guides, friends, or family members — in a curious subtext, almost all males.

They instruct and coddle her along, at one point literally hauling Palin uphill on the end of a rope. Even post-production editing can't hide a glaring, city-slicker klutziness.

Most of the show's escapades bear scant resemblance to the activities of most outdoors-oriented Alaskans. In fact, about half of the Palins' "adventures" are guided trips aimed at mass-market tourists. You won't find many Alaskans on those theme park rides, which require no skills beyond a pulse and the ability to open your wallet.

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@sozobe,

What did you expect, from Caribou Barbie? She's a transparent fraud in pretty much everything she does.

Check this -

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2011-01-06-column06_ST_N.htm?POE=click-refer

Cycloptichorn

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@sozobe,

Surely this isn't the first you knew of this, Soz.

If it is, it's truly scary that frauds like Palin can fool even those segments of the population that stay current and are knowledgeable.

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Seems to need more comment.

I'm not surprised in the least but I think it signals another reason she is unlikely to make it as the Republican nominee. While I am not surprised, this kind of thing (a city slicker hunting badly) does not play well to her base.

Cycloptichorn wrote:

Check this -

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2011-01-06-column06_ST_N.htm?POE=click-refer

That's exactly what I linked to/ quoted from above.

2 Replies

The Republican Nomination For President: The Race For The Race For The White House

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