Republicans sketch out path for new candidate

[Whacker77]

Mike Allen has the story in Politico today.  Apparently, Republicans are drawing up a plan how a new candidate could enter the race if Romney is defeated in Michigan or falters on Super Tuesday.

Last week, I noted Al Cardenas specificity on when a new candidate could enter if Romney faltered was quite revealing and indicated something was in the works.  This story seems to confirm that.

Essentially, time is short, but time is still there.

http://www.politico.com/playbook/

[Politico]

Mitt will win. The base is not so batsh**t crazy that they would try to nominate Rick Santorum, a guy who is famous for being named after fecal matter and lubrication (Oh, and for talking about man-on-dog sexual relations and losing by one of the largest margins ever by an incumbent Senator). And Captain Moon Base is probably finished, too, for obvious reasons.

If, God forbid, Romney falters, the GOP will be signing its death warrant and America will be bankrupt by 2020.

If Romney falters on Super Tuesday, clearly the GOP needs to throw somebody in there as a Sargent Shriver-esque sacrificial lamb. And I won't wanna hear a god damn word from any Republicans who didn't support Mitt Romney about how bad Obama's second term is, and how America is lost forever. You can thank yourself for supporting Rick f'ing Santorum and a guy who thinks we should build a f'ing colony on the moon and space mirrors to help deal with a new child labor-based economy. You brought Obama's second term upon America. Who's going to benefit? Only Rush Limbaugh and right-wing talk radio hosts who thrive off you naive dittoheads hating a Democratic incumbent. You won't even have an America left to care about after Obama gets through his second term. But enjoy helping Rush try to become wealthier than Mitt.

[Lief 🗽]

New Jersey, California and Texas won't vote until June. A late entrant could sweep those three states and win a sizable enough portion of delegates to force a contested convention.

[Mr. Morden]

New Jersey, California and Texas won't vote until June. A late entrant could sweep those three states and win a sizable enough portion of delegates to force a contested convention.

But what's the status of ballot access in Texas for the presidential primary?  The primary date is again in flux, but the earlier filing deadline already passed.  Will there be a new deadline, based on whenever the new primary date is?

Also, while I don't actually think a late entrant is going to happen, I'd note that the Missouri caucuses have no filing deadline (since, like most caucuses, there's no formal ballot), and many of the states whose filing deadlines have already past allow either a vote for "Uncommitted" or a write-in option:

http://frontloading.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/ill-see-your-white-knight-and-raise-you.html

[ajb]

New Jersey, California and Texas won't vote until June. A late entrant could sweep those three states and win a sizable enough portion of delegates to force a contested convention.

Of course, what if a late entrant didn't catch fire? Then they'd be even worse off than before.

[Whacker77]

New Jersey, California and Texas won't vote until June. A late entrant could sweep those three states and win a sizable enough portion of delegates to force a contested convention.

Of course, what if a late entrant didn't catch fire? Then they'd be even worse off than before.

Trust me.  There would be some people who would stick with the ding dongs still in the race, but most Republicans are dying for a better choice who is competent.  A CBS poll this week said 62% of the party wants another choice.

If there is a late entry, he won't be a dunce like Rick Perry.  Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, and Mitch Daniels aren't dunces.  Many people may disagree with their politics, but they's aren't fools like Perry or the Alaskan dingbat.

I suspect support would flow to any of those three just as it did once Connie Mack entered the Senate race.  There are a lot of similarities between that field prior to Mack's entry and this three ring circus.  Californian, New Jersey, and Texas would be ripe for the picking.

[Mehmentum]

The absolute worst case for the Republicans is if a late entrant runs, and he turns out to be another Rick Perry and collapses.  That would be a embarrasment to the establishment, reinforce the perception that nobody likes any of the Republican candidates, and also increase the odds of a borkered convention.

[Politico]

Jeb Bush should be the sacrificial lamb. His brother got the nation into this f'ing mess, helping create such a batsh**t crazy party in the process, so on behalf of his brother he should have to throw himself down on the sword, figuratively speaking. He will lose in a landslide, of course, but at least he is articulate and intelligent enough to restore some dignity to his family's name. And who knows...things are going to be so bad by 2016, he might get renominated and win the presidency at that point.

[ajb]

The absolute worst case for the Republicans is if a late entrant runs, and he turns out to be another Rick Perry and collapses.  That would be a embarrasment to the establishment, reinforce the perception that nobody likes any of the Republican candidates, and also increase the odds of a borkered convention.

This. Remember when Perry got in (himself a late entrant), and everyone talked about what a skilful politician and great debater he was?

Running for president is completely different from running for governor, even in a big state like Texas or Florida, and these days it's pretty easy to crash and burn in a matter of days if you're not ready for it.

[NHI]

Mitt will win. The base is not so batsh**t crazy that they would try to nominate Rick Santorum, a guy who is famous for being named after fecal matter and lubrication (Oh, and for talking about man-on-dog sexual relations and losing by one of the largest margins ever by an incumbent Senator). And Captain Moon Base is probably finished, too, for obvious reasons.

If, God forbid, Romney falters, the GOP will be signing its death warrant and America will be bankrupt by 2020.

If Romney falters on Super Tuesday, clearly the GOP needs to throw somebody in there as a Sargent Shriver-esque sacrificial lamb. And I won't wanna hear a god damn word from any Republicans who didn't support Mitt Romney about how bad Obama's second term is, and how America is lost forever. You can thank yourself for supporting Rick f'ing Santorum and a guy who thinks we should build a f'ing colony on the moon and space mirrors to help deal with a new child labor-based economy. You brought Obama's second term upon America. Who's going to benefit? Only Rush Limbaugh and right-wing talk radio hosts who thrive off you naive dittoheads hating a Democratic incumbent. You won't even have an America left to care about after Obama gets through his second term. But enjoy helping Rush try to become wealthier than Mitt.

[Likely Voter]

Oh please do this. I was worried that late in the season the GOP show might start to drag and this kind of thing would really be great for sweeps.

[Yank2133]

Mitt will win. The base is not so batsh**t crazy that they would try to nominate Rick Santorum, a guy who is famous for being named after fecal matter and lubrication (Oh, and for talking about man-on-dog sexual relations and losing by one of the largest margins ever by an incumbent Senator). And Captain Moon Base is probably finished, too, for obvious reasons.

If, God forbid, Romney falters, the GOP will be signing its death warrant and America will be bankrupt by 2020.

If Romney falters on Super Tuesday, clearly the GOP needs to throw somebody in there as a Sargent Shriver-esque sacrificial lamb. And I won't wanna hear a god damn word from any Republicans who didn't support Mitt Romney about how bad Obama's second term is, and how America is lost forever. You can thank yourself for supporting Rick f'ing Santorum and a guy who thinks we should build a f'ing colony on the moon and space mirrors to help deal with a new child labor-based economy. You brought Obama's second term upon America. Who's going to benefit? Only Rush Limbaugh and right-wing talk radio hosts who thrive off you naive dittoheads hating a Democratic incumbent. You won't even have an America left to care about after Obama gets through his second term. But enjoy helping Rush try to become wealthier than Mitt.

Romney sucks and isn't going to "save" America.

Accepted it son and move on.

[Whacker77]

Jeb Bush should be the sacrificial lamb. His brother got the nation into this f'ing mess, helping create such a batsh**t crazy party in the process, so on behalf of his brother he should have to throw himself down on the sword, figuratively speaking. He will lose in a landslide, of course, but at least he is articulate and intelligent enough to restore some dignity to his family's name. And who knows...things are going to be so bad by 2016, he might get renominated and win the presidency at that point.

Wow.  The Romney supporters are really getting antsy.  It's not our fault the guy hasn't been able to close the deal for more than five years. 

[King]

If they do bring in a late entrant, I think it should be a Senator.  One reason I feel Santorum is poised to beat Romney while Gingrich was not is that the Senate, unlike the House or being a Governor, is basically a debate prep competition.  The debates have been a huge factor in this race, more so than any spending.

Even an older one like Lamar Alexander promising a 1 term and done would be better than Romney.

[Хahar 🤔]

Everyone who wanted to run and thought he could withstand the media scrutiny has already decided to run.

[Torie]

The quest for the man with the golden fleece quixotically continues. It's ludicrous.

[BigSkyBob]

The base is not so batsh**t crazy that they would try to nominate Rick Santorum, a guy who is famous for being named after fecal matter and lubrication

Wait, Rick Santorum is named after his father, whom was named after his father, etc., for generations well before petroleum-based lubricants were invented. I have meet people with last names like "Sapp," "Dick [son of Donald Dick]" "Shortt" and other unfortunate names. I have meet people with Polish names that I can't pronounce even knowing the rules of pronunciation. I am capable of empathizing with them. What I would never do is disqualify them from consideration for political office based on solely on their surnames.

Morally, we are not responsible for our surnames, but, are parents are for choosing our Christian names. Do you want to discuss the relative morality of naming your child "Rick" as opposed to "Willard?"

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I've never received a real answer to this question: Why did this hypothetical glorious Messiah not get in while people still were and run in the actual campaign? I mean with a field this weak this unbeatable savior would've just waltzed to the nomination.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I've never received a real answer to this question: Why did this hypothetical glorious Messiah not get in while people still were and run in the actual campaign? I mean with a field this weak this unbeatable savior would've just waltzed to the nomination.

There could only be one shot for the GOP to gain an unbeatable savior from the Mittbot, as whoever sought it first out of the pool of potential saviors would tap so much of the donor pool and volunteer enthusiasm that the others would be very unlikely to be able to run an effective race, and if they did, they would divide the forces of personality and let the blandness that is Romney win.

Unfortunately for the GOP, the one who took that shot was Rick Perry, who then proceeded to show why he was very, very beatable after all, and certainly no savior. Oops.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Perry got it in long after all of the people being mentioned said they weren't running.

[Whacker77]

I've never received a real answer to this question: Why did this hypothetical glorious Messiah not get in while people still were and run in the actual campaign? I mean with a field this weak this unbeatable savior would've just waltzed to the nomination.

There are only three real messiahs, as you put it, who decided not to get into the race.  They were Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, and Mitch Daniels sort of.  Daniels has become a messiah only in relation to the current field.  Perry, who did run, was never a messiah to anyone who had ever seen or heard him speak.

In terms of Jeb Bush, he chose not to run last year because he didn't want his brother to be a campaign issue.  That's what Tom DeFrank wrote anyway and he has many sources in the Bush family.  My retort to that thinking now is will the people who hate the Bush name really not hate the Bush name in 2016?  I doubt it.  It's always going to be a problem.

Chris Christie chose not to run because he said he wasn't ready.  I believe him, but I also think he didn't want to campaign for two years.  He said as much to Piers Morgan last Fall.  When he announced he wasn't running, polls showed him ahead of the Republican field and even against Obama.  I assume he's got some skeletons in his closet.

Mitch Daniels probably wouldn't have gotten a lot of support had he jumped in last May, but he would now because we're so disgusted with the field.  He didn't run because his wife and daughters didn't want him to run.  As you've probably read, they have a unique history that might not have sold well with social conservatives.

I think Jeb Bush would be the best bet to run and win, but I also think Christie could as well.  I'm not so sure about Daniels.  The one wild card is Marco Rubio.  He would be an instant hit with the whole party, but would he have the stones to run now, even though it's way ahead of schedule?  I doubt it.

[Torie]

Here is what Karl Rove thinks about those who indulge in the white knight Pub nominee fantasy. But there is hope. Psychotropic drugs just keep getting better and better.

[minionofmidas]

If such a candidate arises after the primary results force a brokered convention - and it is very unlikely - he will not be "the final anti-Romney", but the final Romney. That is to say, the Romney camp will have the decisive say and Romney will be the one of the final four that he's most alike.

[Whacker77]

Here is what Karl Rove thinks about those who indulge in the white knight Pub nominee fantasy. But there is hope. Psychotropic drugs just keep getting better and better.

And for how many years has Karl Rove been a shameless shill for Mitt Romney?  By my memory, he's been in the bag for Mittens since 2006.  He's probably right, but he also thought Republicans would fare well in the 2006 mid term elections.  So he's not infallable.  If he were to say otherwise, we'd really have a story.

This all depends on what the android does in Michigan and on Super Tuesday.  If he loses or badly underperforms, something will happen.  There just too much chatter for something not to be at least in the serious discussion stage.  Rove is not and has never been a Jeb confidant.  Al Cardenas, on the other hand, was and is.  If he's sending out smoke signals, I'm trying to decipher them.