Which 2016 Candidate is most likely to self-destruct?

[Likely Voter]

We have seen presidential primary candidates self-destruct before. In 2012 Rick Perry (various gaffes) and Herman Cain (sex scandal) and more in the past there has been Gary Hart (sex scandal), Edmund Muskie (gaffes/crying), George Romney (gaffe), Biden (plagarism) and others.

So which 2016er is most likely to self destruct? And how do you think they will do it? (sex scandal, ethics scandal, racist gaffe?, etc?)

[PPT Spiral]

I can see Ted Cruz going down in flames and dropping out a month or two before Iowa. Maybe it would be some scandal with campaign affairs.

[Maxwell]

Ted Cruz or Rand Paul. Rand Paul is already kind of a mess.

[Bull Moose Base]

I'm sure the pubs are thrilled to have Biden walking around pissed off so that the Gaffe Master General will say something entirely stupid.

I do heart Joe, though.

Speaking of gaffes, Biden, Rand Paul and the Gaffe Master General, I am pronouncing a changing of the guard: Rand Paul has replaced Biden as Gaffe Master General.

[bedstuy]

Christie.

[Cryptic]

Paul or Cruz

[Indy Texas]

If Marco Rubio tries to run, I think a lot of dusty skeletons are going to come crashing out of the closet. That guy has a history from his time the FL Legislature and his personal finances are littered with red flags.

[RogueBeaver]

If Marco Rubio tries to run, I think a lot of dusty skeletons are going to come crashing out of the closet. That guy has a history from his time the FL Legislature and his personal finances are littered with red flags.

All those came up in 2010, and he did at least partially address it then. More than any skeletons are his rank opportunism and pantsh**tting when politically cornered.

On the OP: Paul and Cruz.

[Mr. Morden]

Ben Carson

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/10/11/ben-carson-obamacare-worst-thing-since-slavery/

Though self-destructing might help him in the polls.

[Liberalrocks]

Christie.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

Cruz or Paul.

[Del Tachi]

Paul wouldn't have the infrastructure to run a national campaign and that, combined with his already off-the-wall opinions, dooms him to an early demise if he pulls the trigger in 2016. 

[whanztastic]

Christie or Paul, both seem thin skinned.

[roadkill]

Rand Paul

He's the only one I can think of that has a real shot of being a formattable candidate but who's potential support really relies on being near perfect.  One comment too far right sinks him with moderates and too far left sinks him with the Tea Party.  Then there's the even more potentially dangerous "over correcting" after a bad comment.  It's a very fine line that he's picked to walk.

Cruz is going to say a bunch of really stupid things that absolutely kill any chance he ever thought he had a being President, but his base will love them so I don't really see that as being self-destructive as much as being self-deluded.

[Mordecai]

We have seen presidential primary candidates self-destruct before. In 2012 Rick Perry (various gaffes) and Herman Cain (sex scandal) and more in the past there has been Gary Hart (sex scandal), Edmund Muskie (gaffes/crying), George Romney (gaffe), Biden (plagarism) and others.

So which 2016er is most likely to self destruct? And how do you think they will do it? (sex scandal, ethics scandal, racist gaffe?, etc?)

Chris Christie: His pugnacious nature means that he will eventually insult someone and that has the potential to blow up big. But I don't personally think he will actually self-destruct and I think conservatives, independents and undecideds will overlook any gaffes of that nature.

Ted Cruz: Ethics scandal involving campaign donations or something.

Rand Paul: Racist gaffe not originated by himself, but someone involved in his campaign. (Similar to the Southern Avenger thing.)

Rick Perry: His stupidity will sink his campaign just like in 2012.

[barfbag]

Well in 2008 we saw Hillary Clinton self-destruct so if she runs why not her again?

[Asian Nazi]

Christie.

[Indy Texas]

Chris Christie: His pugnacious nature means that he will eventually insult someone and that has the potential to blow up big. But I don't personally think he will actually self-destruct and I think conservatives, independents and undecideds will overlook any gaffes of that nature.

His opponents would be wise to push all of his buttons during a televised debate and try to get him to lose his composure and blow up.

[NewYorkExpress]

Biden,(Being Biden) Clinton (see 2008) and Cruz (see Biden) are most likely to self destruct although Clinton is the only lock to run IMO.

[Peeperkorn]

Christie.

Massive stroke after enchilada casserole breakfast.

[King]

Hillary is the only one who can self-destruct because candidate self-destruction requires being in the lead.

[Flake]

Biden, Christie or Paul.
 

[whanztastic]

Hillary is the only one who can self-destruct because candidate self-destruction requires being in the lead.

I disagree - You can't self-destruct in second or third and ruin any chance of taking the lead?

Clinton "self-destructed" because of poor campaign choices. Those can be learned from and fixed. The noted "self-destructs" of Paul, Christie, Biden, or Perry are personality reasons that are much harder to fix and avoid.

[MATTROSE94]

Probably Joe Biden, Martin O'Malley, Howard Dean, Rick Santorum, Rick Perry, Rand Paul or Ben Carson. I don't see Ted Cruz self-destructing and think that he will make it to Super Tuesday, as he will likely win most, if not all of the primaries in the south.

[Stranger in a strange land]

Did Hillary really self-destruct in 2008 or did she just run a sub-par campaign? Her Iraq War vote was ultimately what did her in, but that was five years before the fact, and in late 2002 (really until mid-2005, actually), supporting the war was the politically safe position.