Does Frist have any chance of winning the GOP nomination?

[Dave from Michigan]

I will be upset if Frist gets the nomination.  He's a bad choice.  A good friend of mine is supporting him, and i'm trying to talk him out of it.  Not only is he a boring dull senator, with that whole cat thing.  He is tied to Bush.  While Bush did win reelection he's not that popular.  I have the feeling that by 2008 people may be sick of Bush, and if Frist is the nominee everything over the last 8 years with Bush could come back up as issues, although I may be wrong.  Personally I will be supporting hopefully, a governor not connected with the Bush Administration.

[Joe Republic]

I knew there was something about the guy I found creepy, until now, I couldn't put my finger on it.  To be honest, I've always had that same feeling about DeLay.  Still can't put my finger on that one.

DeLay built his fortune as a bug exterminator.  Nothing really wrong about that, but I've always found guys with an obsession for killing insects a little creepy.  Interestingly, he's now obsessed with completely annihilating the Democratic Party.

[MissCatholic]

I think frist is using the judicial nominees as a way to get a base. He has no charisma no personality so hes going to need theocratic nuts to get him elected. It worked for bush so why not him in 2008. Perfect foil to combat hillary.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

He is tied to Bush.  While Bush did win reelection he's not that popular.

I couldn't possibily disagree more.  President Bush is wildly popular, at least around here.  Just about every car in GOP areas of this city have "W The President" stickers on them and there are actually more of them every day.  The only people who don't love President Bush around here are anti-war, pro-Saddam lefties or anti-immigrant bigoted right-wing nuts.  When President Bush came to Memphis, the tickets were all gone within a matter of minutes and lines were wrapped 4 or 5 times around the office buildings that house Senator Frist and Alexander's offices.   And this was all in a "blue" county!   I suppose people don't feel that way in your neck of the woods... but it should be noted that most of the polls showed that people who voted for Bush did so out of support for him and not just opposing his opponent.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

I think thats mainly a self-fulfilling prophecy.   I think Governors have an advantage over Senators, but your prophecy will always come true if we count Senators out just because a few more Governors were elected than Senators.  Many of our Governors are embroiled in controversy, are just unpopular in their states, or come from states that really aren't advantageous when you're counting electoral votes.  Senator Frist is wildly popular in his home state, has the backing of very influential leaders and fundraisers in DC, does appear to be the Bush pick (as 9iron noted), and the base he has built on this judicial nominee stuff is icing on the cake.  Frist has an advantage in the nomination and his persona as a compassionate healer will give us a lot of credibility on the health care issue going up against Hillary.

J. J. Third Rule of Politics might end up being: "To be elected president, you must have been Vice President or a Governor." 

[minionofmidas]

He is tied to Bush.  While Bush did win reelection he's not that popular.

I couldn't possibily disagree more.  President Bush is wildly popular, at least around here.  Just about every car in GOP areas of this city have "W The President" stickers on them and there are actually more of them every day.  The only people who don't love President Bush around here are anti-war, pro-Saddam lefties or anti-immigrant bigoted right-wing nuts.  When President Bush came to Memphis, the tickets were all gone within a matter of minutes and lines were wrapped 4 or 5 times around the office buildings that house Senator Frist and Alexander's offices.   And this was all in a "blue" county!   I suppose people don't feel that way in your neck of the woods... but it should be noted that most of the polls showed that people who voted for Bush did so out of support for him and not just opposing his opponent.

...of course that is always the case (in part because people lie on these sort of polls)...but it was much more marked on the Rep side.
Bush is a polarizing figure, best to leave it at that I guess.

[Lincoln Republican]

Could Frist win the GOP nomination?  Yes he could.

Will he win it?  I personally doubt it.

[CARLHAYDEN]

No way (from what my Republican friends tell me).

They describe him as having all the flavor (and backbone) or a 'mashed potato sandwich.'

In a two-way race between him and 'none of the above,' he would lose in a low turnout primary.

Now, it where just him and some slimebay (McCain comes to mind) he could probably eke out a win.

I predict he won't run.

[phk]

I think he's favored by the Bush folks actually.

[tarheel-leftist85]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say the WH wants Condi to succeed him.  Will she?  Hell, no.  But the Rep. establishment is with Frist.  Allen may not run:  After all, he'd be "Senator Gone."  McCain will run again, may even win a few early primaries, but--unlike us politically inept democrats (Feingold, Hillary, Kerry, Mondale, Dukakis, etc.)--they will let the South (where ppl. aren't clawing there way out of like the NE and Upper MW) determine their nominee.  My bet is Frist.  And he WON'T be easy, even with a Warner or Bayh.  BTW, I'm not hopping on the Bredesden Bandwagon:  He really is a DINO, and if it was Frist v. Phil, Frist would win their state.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

It all depends on whether the Senate goes nuclear.

[Citizen James]

Frist has a shot of winning the nomination; it's not a good one, but it's there.

He has virtually no shot at winning the election.

J. J. Third Rule of Politics might end up being: "To be elected president, you must have been Vice President or a Governor." 

That has described every presidential victor since 1964.  :-)

Frist is neither.

Out of curiosity, have there been any presidents who were not previously a governor, senator, general,  veep, or cabinet member?

I would say Frist has a nonzero chance at the nomination, but I'm not sure how far it goes beyond that unless he either gets an endorsement from Bush, or backed by Rove.

[A18]

Hoover, Eisenhower

[PBrunsel]

Hoover, Eisenhower

Hoover was Secretary of Commerce- Cabinet Member

Ike was a General- So General

[A18]

Oh, I thought he just listed elected offices.

[A18]

I don't think Lincoln was any of those things

[PBrunsel]

Oh, I thought he just listed elected offices.

If you are going by elected office only than Herbert and Ike fit the bill.

Also you are right about Old Abe, he was only a U.S. Representative and served multiple terms in the Illinois State Senate.

[Erc]

Willkie got the nomination without holding prior elective (or significant non-elective) office...

[AuH2O]

Look, Frist is not going to get the nomination if he hits Democrats with 500 Trident missiles. It just doesn't matter.. he has a nice resume but isn't a good candidate due to his apparent softness and forced, semi-condescending speaking style.

His odds of being Veep are similarly low.

[Erc]

Look, Frist is not going to get the nomination if he hits Democrats with 500 Trident missiles. It just doesn't matter.. he has a nice resume but isn't a good candidate due to his apparent softness and forced, semi-condescending speaking style.

His odds of being Veep are similarly low.

We can only hope so.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

Whats your beef with Frist?

Look, Frist is not going to get the nomination if he hits Democrats with 500 Trident missiles. It just doesn't matter.. he has a nice resume but isn't a good candidate due to his apparent softness and forced, semi-condescending speaking style.

His odds of being Veep are similarly low.

We can only hope so.

[Joe Republic]

Whats your beef with Frist?

Have you read anything in this thread, or the countless others that mention his name?

[CARLHAYDEN]

I don't think Lincoln was any of those things

Lincoln was a one term member of the House of Representatives (as a Whig).

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

I was specifically asking Erc what his concerns were.  I'm understand the points, but where is the hostility coming from.  If you think he's boring.. thats fine... but is boredom something you morally oppose?  Is it cause to get so upset that you would disdain him as the nominee?

Whats your beef with Frist?

Have you read anything in this thread, or the countless others that mention his name?

[A18]

He can't win, he's a cat killer, and he has no significant accomplishments.

I'd vote for him and everything. I'm just saying he'd lose, and big.