Talk Elections

Will it be Mitt Romney, Sen. John Thune, Mike Huckabee, Charlie Crist, or Mark Sanford.  Will it be somebody under the radar like rick perry or a young guy like Gov. Jindal

I think Huckabee's shine would wear off by 2012, especially now that he is a tv show host.  Mitt Romney probably won't rise much from where he is now.  Jindal has potential, but he would need to have some sort of major national impact in the next year or two to establish himself as a serious contender.  Sanford is just too vanilla and he'll get lost in the crowd.  If groomed properly, Palin could have potential, but I doubt that she'd make a run.  Crist might make a run depending on how well his first term goes in Florida.  Barbour also has potential.

But then again, 2012 will be a very different time than right now, so it could easily be someone we've never considered. 

Does anyone think maybe Tom Ridge would consider a run for the Presidency. or Colin Powell and if so What party would he run in.

John McCain - for his second term in office, of course.  ::)

How old is Colin Powell now?  Too old to run is the answer, but I'd like to know exactly.

Tom Ridge?  ha

Anyway, in realistic terms, if Obama wins, a lot depends on how successful or unsuccessful his Presidency is.  That will answer whether we get the strong candidates or the not-so-strong ones.

If McCain runs for re-election, then him. Else it will be Palin.

If you want to get into real "fantasy" predictions, let's go with Petraeus.  After a few years of butting heads with an Obama administration while successfully stablizing two nations, Petraeus retires from service and is instantly drafted by the GOP to be their candidate.  Since he is already a national hero, he wouldn't have any problem competitng in the name recognition game against an incumbant President.

My guess is Palin versus Clintion, i.e the Barracuda vs. the Bitch.  :)

Let's see what this year and the coming years produce before we get into definites, guys.

Four years ago, almost no one here would have predicted that a State Senator from Illinois would be the frontrunner for the Presidency in 2008 especially after the GOP made major gains in several areas (locally, in Congress, etc.).

To quote a great mind, "be patient."

By this point in time, Barack Obama had given his convention speech and was widely seen as a future star of the Democratic Party. 2008 looked too soon for him, but he was definitely known as an individual, and not just a state senator.

There are a lot of parallels between '04 and '08, actually. If this election is the wipeout for the Republicans that it looks to be, immediately afterward people will be looking for the rare individuals who shone in the election itself instead of starting completely from scratch. That could have been Sarah Palin, but I think she's tarnished her brand with her interviews. Mike Huckabee, yes.

Wait until after the next mid-terms to see which elements of the Republican establishment are left, where the Party has lost/gained ground, and who's been responsibile for any type of good news for the Party.

If we're still involved in active wars then perhaps a General? President Petraeus?

He's one year younger than McCain, though he certainly has aged more gracefully.

Romney or Palin, maybe Charlie Crist or Bobby Jindahl.

IF its a landslide this time around (and not just in the presidential race), there will be a lot of soul-searching in the Republican Party. By the time they are an electoral force again they could look very different. 2012 will probably be too soon. But who knows.

Jeb Bush

I think both parties are in danger of splitting. I'm sure there are manuevers that can be pulled to prevent it, but I would not eliminate it as a possibility.

Ahnuld

Bill Frist

Romney and Palin will be the first frontrunners, and I think we can all agree that both would be able to raise Bush 2000-type money for their runs, and someone like Palin (who draws crowds of 60,000 as the VP nominee) could unite the party and have a unique appeal in places like Iowa.

lolz, Palin.. she is pathetic!

He wasn't that well known. Either way, he was still just a State Senator/first term U.S. Senator. No one saw this coming this soon.

He still isn't.

He isn't that well known now? Uh...J.J....come on...

I'm just saying, if there's an equivalent on the Republican side, it's someone who has already made a stir at a national level. Obama had given the keynote address for the Democrats. He was at Bobby Jindal level, not Andy Dinniman level.

Whatever the case, he wasn't that well known, the GOP just won comfortable majorities in both chambers of Congress, Bush was re-elected...people were talking about a GOP majority that would last for years. Four years later, the frontrunner for the Presidency will likely end up being our most liberal President (if elected), the Dems will have a comfortable hold on Congress, etc.

The point: Things change.

Palin is done... tarred and feathered

He's 71 right now, which means that he'll be 75 on Election Day 2012....even older than Bob Dole was in 1996.


True, but since people will have to start deciding on whether to make the run in early/mid-2011, that might be too early to know if Obama will have been seen as "successful" by Nov. 2012.  Remember 1992, when all the big name Democrats declined to run, because they were certain that Bush would be reelected?

Anyway, to answer the original question, I would guess that Romney and Huckabee would be the early frontrunners.  I don't think that Palin or Jindal will run.

Democrats need to run Daschle again in 2010 to potentially put an end to Thune's career. He's probably the biggest threat to Democratic hegemony in the next two presidential races...

I think the GOP will end up running Romney or Thune in 2012...

Mitt might be back. If Ryan or Pence win a statewide race in 2010, in Wisconsin or Indiana respectively, look for them to be in the hunt. Maybe Pawlenty. Huckabee will be around. Jindal perhaps.

Likely an as yet new, mostly unknown candidate who shines as one of the few Republican bright lights in the U.S. Senate or gubernatorial elections of 2008 or 2010.

It's going to be Jindal, he is the total package.  The GOP is going to want their own version of Obama (young, attractive, intelligent, good speaker/debater, great story, hard core partisan who presents himself as a moderate).

Jindal today has a much better resume then Obama.  With another 4 years as governor he will be deadly.  The day after the election start watching him very closely, as that is when the 2012 campaign begins.

    

I think Jindal has strong potential, but he has to do far better that he has already as governor.  He needs to seriously reform and reconstruct Louisiana and turn the state around to make any significant distinction in the next four to eight years.  I think if he runs in 2012 it would basically be a GOP "Hail Mary," but hey it's working for the Dems right now.  He would also have to back off a little from his hard social conservative views.

Also Obama is pretty liberal but how is he a hard core partisan?

Sarah Palin
Mike Huckabee
Mitt Romney
------------------------

All of the above are sacrificial lambs.

I don't see Bobby Jindal throwing his hat into the ring until perhaps either 2016 or 2020. 

What with the return of identity politics, they're probably scouring the Army's recruiting roster for a black, Jewish, lesbian female with an hispanic surname who served some time as a POW in Iraq.

That is, assuming nobody asked if she was a lesbian and she didn't tell anybody that she was a lesbian.

Just please not Romney, we don't need his slime around anymore.

Hopefully it'll be someone intelligent, slick, and entertaining such as Romney over someone like Palin, who is too stylistically similar to George W. Bush in the way she presents herself. I doubt he'd win unless the national climate heavily favors the GOP, but he'd be a formidable foe for Obama in a debate.

Please. You're sounding like Angry Weasel. Parties don't split in this day and age.

Probably Palin, Romney, Jindal, and 1 or 2 unexpected people.  I expect Palin to get the nomination, and then lose in a landslide.

Palin will have less chance than Edwards did this year. Romney will have a tough time remaining relevant for 4 years. Jindal's skin color problem hasn't disappeared, it simply became less than what the Democrats in Louisiana had.

Someone elected in 2004 or 2006 would be perfect for someone fresh enough, but neither Mitch Daniels or Butch Otter ain't a stellar candidate and Palin is already wasted, and that's all they got for Governors. Corker ain't going anywhere either. With all the pickups in 2004 you'd think there'd be a good candidate, but let's look:

Martinez - Ineligible, the end. Not that he would've been a candidate anyway assuming he even survives 2010.
Vitter - Normally he would be a contender. But he blew it.
Coburn - Don't make me laugh....
Isaakson - Good for a state like Georgia, but not nationwide. Boring, uninteresting policy wonk.
DeMint - He might run, but he's way too far right. He could only win in the very unlikely scenario Obama ends up as popular as Bush is now, he runs again, and survives the primary.
Burr - Possible dark horse, but what's notable about this guy? His last name is also likely a liability.
Thune - This guy might be it. Far right, but he's not as blatant about it as DeMint or Coburn. He'd require Obama to be fairly unpopular to win, but he could take the primary.

If I had to bet on it, I'd bet on Thune, but there's no way I'd bet anymore than $10 right now.

Nothing about Thune suggests to me that  he is a bright enough bulb to make it. But maybe I have missed something.

Um, why?  Because of Aaron Burr?  I guarantee you less than 10% of Americans have a clue who Aaron Burr was.

Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah could be a strong candidate -- he's popular, smart, young and conservative. He's also been an ambassador and a deputy U.S. trade representative and held administrative posts in several Republican White Houses. And he's been a CEO.

His problems are that (a) he's a Mormon, which as Mitt showed, isn't a plus in a Republican primary, and (b) he actually may be too moderate for an evangelical base. He supports stem cell research and limited same-sex domestic partnerships, for example.

Also, if he himself thinks he has a strong chance, he may sit out 2012, as I imagine Jindal will. It depends on how Obama looks around 2011. He may only run if he feels that Obama is likely to lose reelection.

It is interesting that Huntsman supported McCain over Romney. That took some guts.

He's not terribly bright at all.  But that's been a plus for some candidates in the past...

God, I need a drink. Depress me, and then depress me some more! 

Then let me cheer you up about what's good in your party...

Richard Lugar
Judd Gregg
Olympia Snowe
Mark Sanford
Charlie Crist
Kay Bailey Hutchison
Susan Collins
Tom Ridge

Aw heck, Torie... now you're encouraged and I'm depressed!  Still too many good ones!  Ha!

He is intelligent enough; no genius, but no Sarah Palin, either.

I'm going to be different and say Dino Rossi. Well, if he manages to beat Gregoire that is. If not then forget about him.

I want to hear more from Pence and Ryan, and some really smart guys JS. I am tired of drones! Olympia Snowe is nice, but her problem is that she is even more liberal than I am (aka totally un-nominatable) , and I don't think she is a genius. Lugar is a fossil, and hardly an articulate speaker really, Gregg almost there in the fossil camp  (but I love the man), and the rest of your list are hardly mental giants. Crist is pleasant enough, but I can tell he won't live past about 65.

Why do people think Jindal is going to run in 2012?  He'll only be 41 years old, and have the one term as governor.  Wouldn't it make a lot more sense for him to wait until 2016 or later?  Yes, yes, I know Obama ran in 2008 with just 4 years worth of experience in the Senate, but that was an unusual case, and Obama didn't have to give up his Senate seat to do it.

In Jindal's case, he'd probably have to give up on reelection if he wants to run for president, since the Louisiana governors' race is in Nov. 2011, while the 2012 presidential primaries will begin in Jan. 2012.  It would seem to be kind of impractical to be campaigning in Louisiana for governor while simultaneously campaigning in Iowa for president.

Is Dino a first tier brain? Does he have the right stuff for the major leagues?  Just asking.

Ah yes. I didn't take that into account as well. Yeah, forget Jindal 2012.

()
The truncated Detroit skyline.

It is rather pathetic for a metro area of 4 million people or whatever it is. Detroit never got a white collar economy going thanks to Henry Ford, but that is another story. Time to move on to your 354th screen name BRTD, or whatever the number is. This particular dog of yours won't hunt!

I can see that. If only he had won in 2004...

I don't know. Gregoire's campaigns have been pretty awful. Still, WA Governor is the only possible major pick-up (Governor and Senator) the Republicans could have this year. If Rossi wins I fail to see how he won't be noticed because of this.

I'll also say he's good at appealing to formerly Republican suburbs that have been trending Democrat recently, while still making far right-wingers happy. The Republicans already don't have a chance in the cities, and if McCain loses a lot of traditionally Republican suburbs to Obama, this will be another factor the GOP will want to consider.

You're talking about future Presidents and yes, I agree.  Part of the problem with the younger Republicans is that they are so damn socially conservative.  Social conservatism tends to attract religious extremists.  And religious extremism is rarely rooted in academia or intellectualism.  So a lot of the younger ones with the potential for success don't seem particularly bright.  (Though, like The Decider, they may well be very astute in terms of winning elections.)  But have hope, my friend.  I can't imagine a party that produced some real giants in the past won't produce more.

Pence is interesting.  I live, literally, a quarter mile from the part of his district that juts up into Allen County.  He is easily smarter (and nicer) than my Congressman...Mark Souder.  But both are what you would call, "nutters" on the social issues.  The hope is that he can maintain those convictions without going moonbat on us.  We don't know which direction Huckabee would have gone.  But on economic issues, watch Pence.  He might have been the biggest Republican dog in the fight against the bailout.  And he made some really salient points...politely.  I was impressed.

(I still supported the bailout -- kicking and screaming -- for reasons we discussed elsewhere.)

I am going to agree with bgwah and say Rossi. He has a good shot of winning and if he does I think he has a good chance at the nomination in 2012.

I just hope that it doesn't look like McCain is getting hammered because many Republican voters may stay home in WA.

Ha! No way. They love Rossi more than McCain. Way more. If anything McCain will get reverse coattails from Rossi.

Yeah Rossi is the GOP's hero in WA and has a great campaign. His negative attack ads are brilliant honestly and Gregoire's campaign has done little against them. I say that Rossi wins.

Eh...I guess that makes sense. I just hope you're right. This guy can be our new star.

Rossi rocks.  I doubt he will be a serious contender in 2012, but if he is a successful 2 term governor, he may be able to do a good job in the primary if he runs in '16 or something.

I'm cautiously optimistic about his prospects for governor, but I'm worried Obama will give too many coattails to Chris Gregoire.  That said, it's going to be a nailbiter race, just like it was in '04.

You are not between the ages of 21 and 33. You won't get it.

A conservative woman, probably from the south.

They'd better elect one first.

Haha. Well, lets have a look-see. Two conditions; states are OK, TX, AR, LA, MS, AL, FL, GA, SC, NC, VA, KY and TN; and they must be women in office or portentially in office until November 2010 or later.

Governors:

None.

Senators:

Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)

House (Only those elected prior to 2004):

Ginny Brown-Waite (FL)
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL) (ineligible)
Sue Myrick (NC)
Marsha Blackburn (TN)
Kay Granger (TX)

---------------------
In my opinion, the ones with a chance are Marsha Blackburn if she plays her cards right, and Kay Bailey Hutchison if she remains in the Senate or wins TX Governorship.

---------------------
And extending to women nationwide or southern males, the following names come up:

Governors:

Bobby Jindal (LA)
Haley Barbour (MS)
Rick Perry (TX)
Jodi Rell (CT)
Bob Riley (AL)
Charlie Crist (FL)
Mark Sanford (SC)
Linda Lingle (HI)
Sonny Perdue (GA)
Sarah Palin (AK)

Senators (NOTE: I excluded those who were up for re-election this year):

Richard Shelby (AL)
Lisa Murkowski (AK)
Mel Martinez (FL)
John Isaakson (GA)
Jim Bunning (KY)
David Vitter (LA)
Roger Wicker (MS)
Richard Burr (NC)
Tom Coburn (OK)
Jim DeMint (SC)
Bob Corker (TN)

House:

look it up yourselves ;)

Bunning-Murkowski 2012! It would be like when they brought back the Dukes of Hazzard, only with different actors playing the same roles.

Why don't switch your registration, and run Brittain33? The GOP needs some rather bold moves. :P

Hutchison has already said that she won't run for reelection, and it's widely believed that she intends to run for governor.  Why bother running for governor if you're immediately going to turn around and start running for president the second after you're inaugurated?

And isn't Blackburn considered a possibility for TN gov. in 2010 as well?  If so, same issue.  One would presume that she'd wait until she's served at least one term as governor before running for president.

Blackburn is a dummie.

Anyways, this thread will be amusing to bump in four years or so.  If Obama is vulnerable in four years, certain names will arise.  If not, certain names will disappear.  If he's a two-termer, then in 2016 I would look to those persons elected in 2010 to unknown statewide positions.

I don't think there are any GOP women out there capable of winning the presidency in the short term. Palin maybe but she made her debut too soon and at the wrong time (a sacrificial year for republicans).

I can't see KB Hutchison getting the nomination on the top of the ticket, but I suppose she's a VP possibility. She is retiring from the Senate and setting herself up to challenge the incumbent Republican governor in 2010. That will be interesting. She's not getting any younger though. She'll be 69 in 2012. After that her age becomes a liability.

Marsha Blackburn is a lightweight and talking points banshee.  The only other representative I've heard of on that list is Ileana, and as you said, she's ineligible.

Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins are too moderate for the conservative base.

Lisa Murkowski is just nepotism at its finest, although it worked for Bush.  They won't be looking to Alaska for any rising stars any time soon though.

Linda Lingle isn't electable at the national level, but if she wants a future seat in Congress, it's hers.  It's impressive a Republican, female governor is so well respected in Hawaii of all places.


And I guess that's it.  It's either Palin or bust for Republican women at this point.

Right, but I'd say more like two and a half years than four years.  Anyone running for president in 2012 will have to decide in early/mid-2011.  Obama's political fortunes could change drastically between then and November 2012.  Remember 1992, and all those top tier Dem. candidates who opted out because Bush looked unbeatable.

I think Tim Pawlenty could be a possiblity and perhaps Mike Rounds too. Flordia Governor Charlie Crist looks like the strongest candidate the GOP could nominate to me.

Crist is good but would he want to have the gay rumors resurface at the national level?

The President of Iran would be a good contender.

Favors:
-Pre Emptive war
-Nationalism
-Torture
-Religious Theocracy

Opposes:
-Abortion
-Gay Rights
-Liberalism
-Secularism

He also wrote to Bush demanding that America abandon its Liberal secular values. He'd be a top contender if they can get the foreign birthplace requirement for president to be stripped from the constitution.

Something that I see happening is that after four years of a President Barack Obama, an angry GOP base I think will want someone "pure" who they don't have have any major doubts about. So I don't think Romney or Huckabee would really benefit from such a scenario.

With that said, John Thune seems like somebody who would fit that profile.

The possibility of Tim Pawlenty have piqued my interest, though I'm not sure about his chances.

Given the history of losing VP candidates being nominated four years after their initial defeat, Sarah Palin would be well-advised to sit out 2012, to allow chance for his image to heal.

I'm with the consensus that Bobby Jindal is someone who could be a serious contender down the line, but I would also agree that unless Obama looks beatable he probably wont run. And given his age, he can afford to wait.

At the moment, I guess I would say Thune, with Pawlenty maybe having an outside chance. 

All depends on how Obama does if* elected.

If things reach a bottom in the first part of 09 and turn around in late 2010 then chances is that obama will win in 2012.

Obama with 60% approval rating vs Palin  in 2012 = 1972 for the democrats.

What part of, the Democrats can't demographically win 49 states, don't you understand?

Considering it is Palin  and the country is getting younger It could happen.  That old conservative base is getting up there and  most will be looking for caskets soon.

Ok, I will give You Alaska, MS, AL and TN and other small electoral vote states. = thats still a 1972 type landlslide.


Palin is like the gop's version of McGovern.

You way overestimate the socialist movement in this country.

I largely agree (Thune, Pawlenty as only an outsider, Jindal but eventually not in 2012). But Romney will want to run and he will have big means.
And don't forget Mark Sanford who would fit this trend among GOP base for 2012, IF (a big IF, it seems) he decides he can keep on being a politician after all.

I still don't understand why people still think Huck will be candidate again.
The way he campaigned (so "specific") won't let him an opportunity. Unless he wants to be GOP's Jesse Jackson.

I'd say Bobby Jindal or Sarah Palin.  If they pitt Romney or Huckabee up against President Obama, they cannot win.

This was a better line before a Republican President nationalized the country's largest insurer, took equity stakes in all of its major banks, and gave bail-out loans to the auto companies. Whatever shape future elections take, they won't be driven by bogus debates framed by Rush Limbaugh monologues from 1996 about "socialism."

Our economy includes socialist aspects and will in the future. Hello, Medicare. Most people don't have a black-and-white view of this.

Assuming a McCain loss...

I'm guessing Palin/Jindal.  (Palin as prez.)

She has 4 years to build a resume in AK, as does Jindal in LA.  They will run against Pelosi/Reid and the Obama who would not break from his own party on certain issues (spending, taxes).  They will be on best behavior for 4 years; the Troopergate mess is already over with.

Assuming Santorum doesn't run and a few other things fall into place, I've found my candidate.

And their name is?

If Sarah Palin runs for president in 2012, it will be a truly fascinating Republican primary to watch. 

I plan on making comments about him or her later. I really don't want to do it so soon considering this race isn't even over yet. It's annoying to get so far ahead of ourselves. That being said, I've mentioned his or her name to a few people and I'm convinced that this person is the future of our party (again, assuming that some things fall into place).

I've dropped a few hints elsewhere on the forum. Do some searching and take a guess.  ;)

I think he's talking about Bobby Jindahl.

He's talking about Dino Rossi. Hell, we were talking about it in this very thread. Sheesh. :P

Gregoire will squeek out another win against Rossi.

I repeat:

That tells me it's more likely he'll be a VP option.  I think the RP has to take a long, long look at him.

If nothing else, it's a brown guy on the ticket.  Innoculates the party a bit.

(Not saying race/ethnicity should be relevant.  Only acknowledging that it is.)

Wrong

...and that's all I'm saying for now.  ;)

Crist would be a good pick for '12 at this point. However, he may be to soft spoken for the presidential level.

Anyone who isn't Sarah Palin or Bobby Jindal. If the Republican Party nominated either one of those Governors in 2012 against President Obama, they would be annihilated. This coming from the man who believes that Obama won't be that all of a popular President come 2012. Hehe.

I think the gay rumors would subside. He's married now, so I don't see why it would be a big issue. It's been a while since I've lived in FL, but my grandparents love Crist. What's your opinion of him, statesrights?

Pretty moderate Republican. He has moments where I go "Yeah for Crist", moments like today, when he speed up contracts for roadwork in the state to help put people back to work. Then he has some really dumb moments, like when he totally flipped off our legislature and signed Vegas style gambling into law with the Seminoles. He just totally skipped the legislative process and did it anyways. Apparently the Federal govt was going to let them have their way anyhow so he just jumped in on it so that the state wouldn't lose out on its' share of the money.

You know, Phil, just because the guy is a greasy dago doesn't mean you should feel compelled to vote for him.  The guy's qualifications are limited at best, not to mention that he has to actually win something first.  And even then, voting for a one term governor because he is a young, charismatic Italian makes you no better than people who vote Obama for similar reasons.

::)

Right, Super. That's why I'm possibly supporting the person you mentioned. That was totally uncalled for. Totally. Grow up, dude, and lay off the bottle before posting (oh, and that wasn't an ethnic attack either. Just the truth).

By the way, the most offensive part is not how you think Rossi is just some "greasy dago" but that you think I pick my candidates based on ethnicity. That's pretty assinine and goes to show how little you know about me. I assume you have supported McCain and Toomey in the past because of their ethnic background. You know you shouldn't do that, Super! ::)

Phil...


Sorry, the lettering in the middle was supposed to be white, but that wouldn't show

Fair enough. I just wasn't sure.

Cazzo.

Tim Pawlenty would make a good sacrificial lamb.

2012 GOP Ticket

Mitt Romney/Lindsey Graham

Epic lose.

I agree that Jeb Bush is going to be the most logical choice - with a woman less radical than Palin as his running mate.

Probably, or Huckabee and someone else. The GOP normally nominates the runner up in the next go around. If the economy is still in a rut by 2012 (Heaven forbid), people may look to Romney to fix it.

Could someone please explain to me the excitement over Jindal? I don't think someone that conservative could ever be elected. He makes Bush look downright liberal! The guy couldn't win... I just can't see him carrying states like Minnesota, Colorado or Iowa unless he ran WAY to the left of where he stands now.

Lindsey Graham, no way.  The "gay" rumors would crush him.  He speaks somewhat effeminately and has still never been married.  Makes you wonder why Charlie Crist even had to deal with those rumors. 

Tom Ridge would already have BEEN President if he weren't pro-choice. 

1. Palin
2. Jindal
3. Romney
4. Sanford
5. Jeb

No one else matters.

Crist
Romney
Jindal
Palin
Huckabee
Bush

I actually like the prospect of a weak President Obama vs. Frm. Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Bush is very popular in his state, and that could solidify Florida for the GOP in 2012.

I hope someone new and Mod.

Crist looks good so far.  But domestically, he is a McCain clone.  If McCain can't beat Obama now, why would Crist be able to do it in 4 years?

people also said REagan was unelectable, and he was very conservative

Crist is a giant dud, and too far to the left.  He represents the mod wing in Florida, while Jeb represents the conservative wing.  No thanks to Crist.

My list:
Palin
big drop
Jindal or Sanford

I would hope the GOP sees it's time for the social conservatives to take a back seat.  They shouldn't be forgotten, as they're an intergral part to the coalition, but social issues are not going to matter in the coming years. 

I also have to agree with Fezzy re: Sanford.  I think he's great and was my initial VP choice.  But then I heard him do an interview.

I love Mark Sanford. I've met him on several occasions, but I highly doubt he has presidential aspirations.

I certainly hope we can do better than Sarah Palin in 2012. If not, we'll have Obama for 2 terms.

What's wrong with Palin? Other then the fact the media hates conservative women.

Foreign policy.

Jindal's chances hinge on what NO and the rest of LA looks like in 2011.  If there is a thriving renaissance Jindal is an excellent choice.  His skin color can only be a positive, even if it is a cynical move by the GOP to show they are "color blind."

Mitch Daniels is a superb governor and his economic credentials are beyond reproach.  He keeps a balanced budget, lowered property taxes (while raising the sales tax 1%), kept vital social services alive and well, AND provided health coverage for the uninsured!  Deficit-hawk conservatives will rally around him, and he can make a serious outreach to liberals as well.  Read his Wikipedia page for more info.

We'll see how he does against Jill Long Thompson.  If he can mount a substantial win against a very good challenger in an otherwise catastrophic year for the GOP, I think he should consider getting an exploratory committee together.  And maybe start chatting up foreign dignitaries.

"I got Indiana back on track, and I can do the same for America!"

From wikipedia re: Daniels' service as Bush's OMB Director (citations in original):

"In 2002, Daniels helped discredit a report by Assistant to the President on Economic Policy Lawrence B. Lindsey estimating the cost of the Iraq War at between $100-$200 billion. Daniels called this estimate "very, very high" and stated that the costs would be between $50-$60 billion.[6] As of 2007, the cost of the invasion and occupation of Iraq has exceeded $400 billion, and the Congressional Budget Office in August 2007 estimated that appropriations would eventually reach $1 trillion or more.[7]" 

I think this is why you didn't hear Daniels' name in McCain VP speculation. 

No one expected the Iraq operation to require large-scale troop commitment into Nov. 2008 and beyond, except perhaps a few visionaries.    A short war to depose the Ba'ath regime (which was correct) and a 1-2 year drawdown while order and new government were established, was the expectation.  And $50-$60 billion, while a bit low, is consistent with that.

Understandable that McCain wouldn't want to touch that, but I don't think you can fault him for it.  Candidate Daniels can brush that off very easily: "We all thought it would be a short operation, including all of the Democrats in Congress who voted for the war."  End of discussion.

Good point.  Aside from that, I like what I see of him. 

Whomever is nominated has a chance of being the next Ronald Reagan.

or the next Bob Dole

the next Goldwater might be the right analogy.  especially if Obama gets shot in 2011, and Biden pushes through some of his legislation and the GOP nominates Pence.

in my dreams

minus the whole "losing" thing, of course.

Foreign policy. She's just as big a novice as Obama. If she isn't in the White House for four years, I don't think she'd be ready for the Presidency in 2012. I like her, but I'd have to look at my options in 2012. If I had to choose between Jindal, Sanford and Palin, I'd definitely go with my governor, Mr. Sanford, but Palin or Jindal would excite the base more.

But hey, by 2012, someone we never expected might be running, but I will almost bet the GOP nominates Romney or Huckabee, just as they always nominate the runner up.

IF the nominate Romney or Huckabee then Obama will win re-election Reagan style.

I think Palin would be the Republican's strongest choice in 2012. That is probably why the MSM is always mocking her, since they would like to take out a likely opponent of Obama early.

As much as I like Palin I hope she doesn't run in 2012.  Her image has been tarnished too badly this election.  I do think that she's enjoying the national spotlight and she won't want to stay as Alaska governor for too long.  I see a Fox News or talk radio show in her future.

It's time for a new generation of Republican candidates.  Jindal, Pence, Thune (though I'm not a huge fan).  I don't think he has the charisma but I was seriously impressed by Pawlenty when he was auditioning for veep.  The guy is a great debater and can speak on basically any issue.

I see Pence as the coming leader and face of the party.  Though I'm not sure he'd run in 2012.  I think and hope that the party will coalesce behind one person, so we can avoid having 10 guys up there for the first few primary debates.  Romney has the greatest chance of being that person.   

Goldwater happened because the Right Wing got fed up with being ignored by the party establishment of Eisenhower, Nixon, and Rockefeller.  He was the champion of everyone on the Right, from Buckley to Schlafly, and they gave not a toot whether he could actually win the election.  They also knew it didn't really matter anyway, since Abraham Lincoln wouldn't have defeated LBJ that year.

Today, the Right is firmly in control of the GOP.  They can nominate a candidate for his electability and then pressure him to tow the conservative line.  Look what they did to John McCain, after all.

No Goldwater debacle in 2012.

Either Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee -Sarah Palin may try to make a run for the nomination too, but her erratic behavior will serve to ensure that she will never win the nomination, though she could make enough of a splash to split the socially/religious conservative vote with Mike Huckabee, thereby delivering the nomination to Mitt Romney.

As far as Mike Pence is concerned, he is better off in the House.  If Republican fortunes in Congress don't turn either next year, or in 2012, they most definitely will by 2014 by sheer exhaustion with one-party Democratic rule.  And he will want to be well-placed to take advantage of that wave if and when it comes his way, particularly if John Boehner finally retires and lets a younger conservative generation of Republican congressional leaders like Mike Pence, Eric Cantor, and Paul Ryan take over.