When talking about the presidential nominee for 2012 for the GOP, we keep hearing “not him” or “not her”, “no way” or “oh hell no”. Who WOULD make a great nominee? Who is your serious pick for the GOP Presidential candidates in 2012? Would any of the “Dark Horses” listed below get your excited? Are they ready for primetime?
Republicans’ 2012 dark horse still has no name
Everyone loves a dark horse. And that goes double when it comes to presidential politics.
Although being crowned the front-runner in a fight for the presidential nod conveys some benefits (money and media attention, mostly), there is something the electorate loves about getting behind an unknown candidate and riding him (or her) from worst to first – or close to it.
James K. Polk is widely regarded as the original dark horse. His opponents mocked his anonymity – “Who is James K. Polk?” – but he went on to become the country’s 11th president.
Dark horses populate modern presidential politics as well.
[...]
But who will it be? Here are four candidates who could fill the role:
l Rick Santorum: The former senator from Pennsylvania has a niche – he’s beloved by social conservatives – that might give him a base of support in the Iowa caucuses and the South Carolina primary.
[...]
l Mike Pence: House members don’t have much luck in presidential races; they typically suffer from a lack of a national fundraising base and a stature gap with their better-known rivals.
[...]
l Scott Brown: The Massachusetts Republican, who became a national star this year when he won a special election to replace the late senator Edward M. Kennedy (D), will face serious political peril in the Bay State if he chooses to run for reelection.
[...]
l Marco Rubio: Sure, Rubio won’t even be sworn into the Senate until early next year. And, yes, he’s only 39. But the Florida senator-elect is already a national star, a conservative favorite and a proven fundraiser ($18 million – at least – collected for his campaign).
[...]
Tags: Chris Cillizza
2012 – 2011 = 1st
I would say that we need an extremely-qualified African-American candidate like Lt. Colonel Allen West, but that wouldn’t stop the left from crying out against such a candidate,
I like Rubio.
Maybe Joe the Plumber.
Don’t know yet.
BuddyG wrote:
I can only understand the smearing of Republicans as “haters!” as a form of projection, because…
The Left is full of homicidal contempt for its ideological opponents.
@ Philip_Daniel:
Ugh
gov christie (nj) has already been to iowa last month…just sayin’
Glad to see Donald Trump isn’t on the list
Double Down
BuddyG wrote:
Well that would probably work out as well as when I double down at the table!
Dark Horse
Raaaaacist!
Not dark, and not a horse.
I still like Palin.
Leia wants me to remind everyone that she’s available to run, and that she’s a dark dog.
Brick wrote:
So do I! What it will all boil down to is: who she would pick as a running mate?
lobo91 wrote:
Can she take Me for a walk!?
Tim Pawlenty has been a terrific governor here in Minnesota, holding firm against a tidal wave of tax increases proposed by the Democrats. I believe that he would be an excellent President, but a mediocre candidate due to lack of name recognition.
Oooo, this is not good.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-hs-erasing-memories-20101122,0,342650.story
@ tunnelrat:
Saw an interview with him a little while back. Impressive achievements but it appears Americans want a superstar rather than a less than flamboyant someone with proven ability.Personally I do not want to see 2012 turn into another cult of the celebrity event. We need strong no nonsense conservative leadership yesterday.
waldensianspirit wrote:
Is it a thing that looks like a pen and flashes a bright light in your eyes?
@ lobo91:
Hello Raymond,why not relax with a nice game of solataire.
@ waldensianspirit:
It’s like reverse total recall. No thanks.
I really want to see Allen West run. Gov Christie would be a close second. Hell no on Brown, he’s just another McCain.
lobo91 wrote:
I saw that movie
Mars wrote:
We really have to stop running these inexperienced candidates for President. That often turns out real bad
@ lobo91:
By the way I left you a message on the last thread about the numbers
@ Nevergiveup:
I saw
lobo91 wrote:
So we can stay here–I heard this drill weekend that, that card is free if your in the military?
@ lobo91:
Paypal sent me a gift coupon so I bought the Obama/commie book. Have to fight with the husband over who will read it first.
tunnelrat wrote:
As a Minnesotan I voted for Pawlenty for Governor, but I would never vote for him for President. He’s way too pro AGW/GREEN for me and his views on energy policy will kill the national economy. The only reason he won reelection four years ago is that his DFL opponent (State AG Mike Hatch) self-destructed a few days before the election.
Nevergiveup wrote:
A Sarah Palin candidacy would certainly piss off the Left, but Sarah and Bristol ? Ooooooo Weeeeeee ! The Left won’t just burst !
vagabond trader wrote:
A swift kick in the balls usually solves that
would just burst
Nevergiveup wrote:
I take it you’re not a marriage counselor ?
BuddyG wrote:
Bristol won’t be old enough until something like 2026…
BuddyG wrote:
No a husband
tunnelrat wrote:
I don’t know much about him, but he’s got a great ready-made campaign slogan:
Good and Pawlenty!
@ Nevergiveup:
Nah,less violent means to an end in this house.
Nevergiveup wrote:
I hadn’t heard that. It wasn’t under the original contractor (although mine was free through a different offer).
vagabond trader wrote:
Kurtz’s book?
You’ll enjoy it…
lobo91 wrote:
I wanna see her long form birth certificiate !
lobo91 wrote:
When I was doing my residency in Newark NJ, they told me I could NOT treat a child under 18 with out parental consent—BUT– if that same girl was minor and had a baby, she was deemed “mature” enough to consent ( yeah yeah I get it ) and considered an adult. That’s kinda when I became a conservative. Hey so maybe they should change the law on elected officials?
/
lobo91 wrote:
One of my Corpsmen works for Jet Blue and told me? I guess I’ll see one of these days
Christie is doing some fiscal butt kicking in Jersey but he had to opine on the GZ mosk. Complete turn off for me. We already have a government filled with know nothings when it comes to the enemy.
vagabond trader wrote:
No my wife never kicked me either, just threatened to
@ Da_Beerfreak:
Yes, he seems to be very tight with the ethanol industry which is a hugh cause of concern. Other than that I feel he has done a very good job.
Mike Hatch is a megalomaniac with a volcanic temper. I’m surprised that he did not self destruct sooner in the campaign.
@ Macker:
I’d think it’d be from a big electorate state….
Rubio, or West from Fla?
Jindal maybe to grab the Southern conservatives?
Paladino from NY? Would be a bit of a buffer against the ‘religious right’ meme
Ann Coulter as Press Secretary…a must.
Brick wrote:
Paladino is a loose-tongued slob, unfortunately. He might have had a chance against Cuomo if his fat mouth hadn’t caused him to self-destruct.
There is no reason to put somebody who failed to win the last office he tried for onto a national ticket.
Iran’s nuclear program has suffered a recent setback, with major technical problems forcing the temporary shutdown of thousands of centrifuges enriching uranium, diplomats told The Associated Press on Monday.
The diplomats said they had no specifics on the nature of the problem that in recent months led Iranian experts to briefly power down the machines they use for enrichment – a nuclear technology that has both civilian and military uses. (AP)
Something go boom?
@ Nevergiveup:
All I see on their website is a 15% military discount.
Right now, there is exactly one airport that accepts the new cards (Orlando).
Denver is going to start taking them in December.
buzzsawmonkey wrote:
I think he was kidding? I mean I hope so.
@ Nevergiveup:
I partially agree, but we haven’t had any luck with anyone who wasn’t inexperienced. Besides, the leftists can’t hit us with the experience issue anymore. Look at their clown.
@ tunnelrat:
The Goracle has spoken on the ethanol scam. hahahahahaha
@ buzzsawmonkey:
Who’s good from CA, or NY?
lobo91 wrote:
Oh OK thanks. The NY airports don’t take them? Shit then they are of little use to me
Mars wrote:
Yeah and how has that worked out?
@ lobo91:
Dats da one.
@ Nevergiveup:
Here’s the website for the new CLEAR program.
Brick wrote:
Cano and Kobe
lobo91 wrote:
Thanks. I bookmarked it
@ Nevergiveup:
Have to see how quickly they roll out the new locations.
Not much point in signing up now, though.
@ Mars:
It only works one way, though.
If OUR guy hasn’t been a lifer, then he doesn’t have enough experience.
If OUR guy has been around the block, he’s a Beltway Insider.
As long as we let the other team determine who we run, we’ll always be playing defense.
@ vagabond trader:
Oh my!! Al Gore discovers an inconvenient truth!!
I have to give him credit for being honest about the ethanol scam.
vagabond trader wrote:
No need to subsidize this.
@ Nevergiveup:
I seem to feel that inexperienced on the right means something far different than on the left. Most of the people the right could nominate have had life experience, I dare anyone to tell West he hasn’t had any “experience”, the inexperienced on the left have never lived anything outside of academia.
Totally different things.
West is most likely to be extremely strong on national security, that’s a major plus right now.
Find me someone on the right that hasn’t sold out to the progressive movement and I might concede your point.
This is what we’re dealing with from the loony left
@ Nevergiveup:
It was nice the few times I was able to use it, mostly in Denver. They had a separate lane there. In San Francisco, they just let you go to the front of the line.
@ Brick:
Exactly my point. Thank you.
lobo91 wrote:
Not if I have to pay no
Brick wrote:
New York’s Republican and/or conservative political scene is a vast wasteland.
@ BuddyG:
Ouch,that better not infect my junque!
@ tunnelrat:
Yeah but don’t you wonder how much the old fraud made off of the deal before folding his tent?
buzzsawmonkey wrote:
That’s being generous
@ BuddyG:
What the hell was that? A flow chart for the federal tax code?
@ Nevergiveup:
It does say on their site that if you sign up now, your membership term doesn’t actually start until you either use the card somewhere or they open at your home airport.
@ tunnelrat:
I don’t want to give the wrong impression I like Pawlenty as Governor of Minnesota and if we can get him away from the pro AGW/GREEN/Ethanol BS he would make a good candidate for Vice Pres.
vagabond trader wrote:
It’ll piss you off, too.
If Kurtz was able to dig up all this information, why couldn’t the MSM?
@ buzzsawmonkey:
It’s a tough start to immediately concede 86 electoral votes time and time again. (Calif and NY.)
lobo91 wrote:
Wrong question. You need a “w” in that third word from the end, where you have a “c.”
@ buzzsawmonkey:
I already know the answer to that one…
Brick wrote:
I’m not necessarily talking electoral votes—though you are probably correct. I’m saying that the Republican party in NY is moribund, and has been for some time. They seem to have decided to swap permanent minority status for the gift of occasional bones from the trough; they certainly don’t act like a party with beliefs, or principles, or any of that good stuff.
It’s pathetic.
@ Da_Beerfreak:
Yes, I agree. He would be better candidate for VP than POTUS.
@ lobo91:
It looks like a followup to David Fredossos book,”The Case Against Barack Obama” that was out before the election.Lots of digging about his Chi-town years.
It should be noted that under the left’s definition of “inexperienced” Ronald Reagan would have been considered thus. After all he was “just” a governor. For fun trivia it should be noted who was governor before and after him. Lol. California just never learns.
BuddyG wrote:
0 – Obama is still 0
vagabond trader wrote:
One nice thing about it is that it goes beyond just Obama’s past. It also goes into the whole rats nest of socialists in Chicago, as well as ACORN, and shows how they all contributed to the current mess.
@ lobo91:
Oh goodie! Thank you paypal,ya leftist turds.
vagabond trader wrote:
It really is amazing how interconnected they all are.
lobo91 wrote:
Like a virus molecule, which exists only to reproduce.
buzzsawmonkey wrote:
And about as socially redeeming…
I’m supporting Donald Trump if he gets in.
Rodan wrote:
Trump can be a class-A jerk, and after watching Bloomberg demonstrate just how much of a class-A jerk a rich businessman can be, Trump would not be a choice for me.
I hope yinz are ready to vote for Bristol on DWTS. I know the show may seem cheesy to you, but if Jennifer Grey stops her bid for the sympathy voe *Oh I’m fifty and everything hurts* Bristol can win this. Just think of all the exploding heads and conspiracy theories!!
@ NoThreat2U:
Think of all the fish she whacked on the head last night…
@ NoThreat2U:
I don’t watch it, but I’ll vote. Can I do it by text message? I have to use my prepaid cell phone once in a while or it will expire on me.
@ buzzsawmonkey:
Me neither. Trump is a carnival act. Between him and Bloomie I’m embarrassed for NY. I don’t think we have good politicians here.
waldensianspirit wrote:
I’m wondering if they could erase O’s election!!!
@ Urban Infidel:
I think only ATT can text. I could be wrong though. I never did it before.
1-800-868-3407 or text…ATT phones 3407.
@ lobo91:
I got around to watching Sarah last night. I loved it.
@ Urban Infidel:
The difference is Trump is an Economic Conservative.
NoThreat2U wrote:
Bristol’s not a very good shot, but she’s good at whacking fish with a club…
@ NoThreat2U:
Bristol and her partner are receiving death threats proving once again liberalism is a mental disease. I never watch this stuff but will vote just to share the ♥ with our lefty friends.
@ lobo91:
Who cares if she can dance. If it pisses off the libs…more power to her. I have a feeling that as she gets older, she will be a force to be reckoned with.
@ vagabond trader:
Thank you! Do it for the right!! lol
@ NoThreat2U:
Even got the old man involved,hes all indignant,lmao.
@ NoThreat2U:
I watched DWTS for the first time tonight just to see Bristol.
I think she could have picked a better dress color. She did pretty
good!!..I am voting for her..Wrap your heads in duck tape Lefties.
@ vagabond trader:
LOL LOL LOL
@ Halman:
Hey we gotta take our little victories where we can get them. lol
@ NoThreat2U:
I wonder if she’s cross-dominant? It would explain why she had so much trouble with that shotgun.
BuddyG wrote:
Unconstitutional, at least until Bristol gets older and one or the other establishes residency in a different State. The presidential and veep candidates can’t both be from the same State, and both must be at least 35 years of age.
lobo91 wrote:
That’s cause all the fish looked like Levi to her…
Mars wrote:
Exactly.
WE NEED a President who fully understands the counterjihad as well as liberty and free market principles.
waldensianspirit wrote:
Bad every way you slice it – spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically.
I know exactly whereof I speak. I have gone through many things that gave me what would today be diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder. After that, I had a fluid pressure disorder that required brain and spinal surgery. I lost quite a lot of the life-experience memories in my life (though I seem to have kept the “skill” memories). But I still have a serious problem with depression and have to stay on medication for it. You really don’t want to try reprogramming your head by erasing something in there. It has too many implications that cannot be predicted.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by 1389, The Blogmocracy. The Blogmocracy said: 2012 Dark Horse? http://goo.gl/fb/4Qroh #elections2012 #politics #republicanparty #chriscillizza [...]
@ Philip_Daniel:
You forgot,Jesus was a liberal/socialist.
avatar test
@ Halman:
It works. You’ve obviously got a great dentist.
All I want to 2012 is someone who will.
1. close borders
2. dump the irs
3. move the UN to Africa
4. define racism as actual racism. as public policy
5. remove social justice from all school and local government systems.
6. Collapse Saudia Arabia, North Korea, Chavezland, Burma, and the EU.
7. Define merit as the fundamental building block of the country.
8. Remove the secular government from the affairs alloted to churches.
9. give us a national ID system