Predictions on the Republicans in 2008

[FerrisBueller86]

As a Democrat, I've thought about which Republicans we need to watch out for:
1.  No need to worry about Rudy Guiliani: He's too liberal for primary voters, and he blamed the troops for the missing 380 tons of explosives, so he'd be easy to beat in the event that all the other Republican candidates get abducted by aliens.
2.  No need to worry about John McCain: Republican primary voters don't like him, so unless everyone else gets abducted by aliens, the fact that he'd trounce most Democrats in the general election would be a moot point.
3.  No need to worry about Condi Rice: From what I've heard, she wouldn't handle a campaign very well, and she has no experience campaigning.  She may not be conservative enough for primary voters, and Republican primary voters wouldn't vote for an African American woman for their nominee.
4.  No need to worry about Bill Frist: He's a Senator, and I've heard that his speeches put people to sleep.  He also has skeletons in his closet, like earning money from abortions even though he's anti-choice and experimenting on cats.  If the Republicans are smart, they won't nominate him.
5.  No need to worry about Mitt Romney: As governor of Massachusetts, he's stuck between a rock and a hard place.  If I were Karl Rove, I'd find a way to get him out of the race.  If Romney badmouths Massachusetts, then he is admitting that he was an ineffective governor.  If Romney talks up Massachusetts, then he's admitting that the Republicans have been lying since 1988.
6.  Jeb Bush: I think this is one candidate the Democrats need to be ready to take on.  He's conservative enough to get the nomination, he's smarter than his brother, he's a better speaker than his brother, and he'd have Florida in the bag in the general election.  I know Jeb announced that he's not running in 2008, but I think he just said that to avoid 3 years of scrutiny.  If he doesn't run in 2008, he will run later on.  The big wild card is his brother.  If George W. Bush is fully discredited, then Jeb Bush is toast.  If George W. Bush can improve on his popularity, and if the Middle East stabilizes, then Jeb Bush will be a serious contender.
7.  Unknown: I think there's a substantial chance that the 2008 nominee will be someone other than the biggest names.  Tim Pawlenty and George Allen are some of the names I've heard.  I also think that some of the 1996 and 2000 candidates will be back, such as Lamar Alexander and Richard Lugar.  I think that there's better than a 50-50 chance that the Republican nominee will be from this category.  If George W. Bush's popularity falls further, then Jeb is toast, and if the Republicans are smart, they'll nominate someone other than the big names most cited today.

[CPT MikeyMike]

Speaking as a Republican....
I agree with you view on McCain, Guiliani and Rice. I just don't see either three getting the nod from the GOP's.

I think Frist will have too much on his plate as majority leader to even run. I  think a house/senate party leader does more harm than good if they leave thier seat and run. Look at Baker in '80 or Johnson in '60 or Dole in '88 and '96.
 
Romney: I think would be a very serious candidate. Think, Massachusetts (my old home state), bleeds liberal like an oil gusher and the success of Romney's governorship. It shows a Republican can get things done in a liberal state. I think he's in real good shape in '08. Even if he loses in '06 to a Democrat in MA, it will be due to dirty union tatics  (believe me!), it will do him no harm.

Jeb Bush: I just don't think he's got it all. I don't think Jeb will win because of his brother. Even though GW is going to be ranked as one of the top 10 presidents, I think the country will just want a Bush break. Maybe in '12 if a Dem wins or in '16 if the GOP wins again. '08 is not a good time.

Other names to concider: I agree with  Tim Pawlenty and George Allen being a strong contender. I would also add Bill Owens into that mix.

IMO, 2 great GOP VP choises in '08: Gerneral (RET) Tommy Franks or FMR TN Senator (turned actor) Fred Dalton Thompson. Yes, a long shot but would make a strong ticket with either Romney, Owens, Allen or Pawlenty.

[Snowe08]

I think Frist will have too much on his plate as majority leader to even run. I  think a house/senate party leader does more harm than good if they leave thier seat and run.

Frist is leaving the Senate in 2006. Pay attention.

I think Bill Owens will run, Mark Sanford will run, McCain is almost a dead cert to run. Romney I'm not sure about, he might run...Personally I think that Rick Santorum will run. I don't think that Lugar is a realistic possibility. I'm thinking that Elizabeth Dole and Newt Gingrich will run (although, I think Newt will likely get cut to ribbons in the primary).

... And, of course, I'm pushing for Sen. Snowe to run.

~Simon
www.OlympiaSnowe2008.com

[TheWildCard]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

You want Snowe to run?

NO WAY!

j/k

I'd vote for Snowe if she got to the General. Whether or not I'd vote for her in the primaries depends on the other candidates (Romney, Giuliani, Rice, Pataki and Snowe would all be competeing for my vote if they ran)

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Romney, Giuliani, Rice, Pataki and Snowe would all be competeing for my vote if they ran

I doubt more than 2 of those would run.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I think the Republicans will have a Washington Outsider win the nomination for at least Vice President.

My thinking right now is:

Presidential Nominee:   Sen.  John McCain of Arizona (He has campaign experience)

Vice Presidential Nom:  Gov. Dirk Kempthorne of Idaho (Washington Outsider, but who I have my eye on).

By the way, I have a Democratic Oklahoma map on my profile, but I'm a registered Republican, but I voted for John Kerry in 2004.

[Joe Biden 2020]

I know this is outside the scope of this thread, but I think Hillary Clinton will have a very tough time even winning the Nomination for the Democrats and an even harder time winning the General Election, unless Rudy Guiliani is the GOP Nominee.  The Dem nomination has a better chance going to Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota than it does to Sen. Hillary Clinton.

[TheWildCard]

Romney, Giuliani, Rice, Pataki and Snowe would all be competeing for my vote if they ran

I doubt more than 2 of those would run.

I know that and the key word in that statement is "if" they ran.

I would not even want them all to run because there would be a horrible vote split among the moderate Republicans

[George W. Bush]

I could see Jeb being a good VP.

[chris allen]

None of you guys think George Allen has a shot to get the nomination...I like the guy.

[Akno21]

None of you guys think George Allen has a shot to get the nomination...I like the guy.

He's conservative enough, southern, and was a popular governor. Only problem is the Sen. in front of his name.

[MHS2002]

I believe Allen may make a run in 2008. I know he's hired some extra people to his staff associated with previous Presidential and other campaigns, which I suppose is the first hint at a run.

(Of course, if Mark Warner somehow decides to run for Senate and beats Allen in 2006, all this Presidential talk is moot).

[Joe Biden 2020]

Sen. George Allen is a good candidate, I had just forgot about him.  I think he would be kind of like Sen. John Edwards of 2004 who ran for the Presidency, but accepted the nod for Vice President.

Senators do have a harder time getting the White House, just ask John Kerry (2004) and Ted Kennedy (1980).

[Keystone Phil]

Allen will probably moving up to my number 2 spot on the "Who I'm supporting for President 2008" list soon. I need to do more research but I have a feeling that I'll find him to be a better/more qualified candidate than Frist. However, as of right now, my list is as follows:

1) Santorum
2) Frist
3) Allen
4) Sanford (also has the potential of moving up on the list)

[Notre Dame rules!]

I saw Frist speaking to a group of NH voters over the weekend.  He was appallingly bad on the stump.  I'm a fan of  Frist, having voted for him twice, but my reservations regarding his '08 run were confirmed by just how badly he was on the stump this weekend. Yikes!


As for Allen, I lived in VA during part of his term as Gov.  He was very popular there and would be a good candidate to consider. 

However, I'm leaning more towards Santorum all the time.

[Keystone Phil]

However, I'm leaning more towards Santorum all the time.

Have we met? 

[Notre Dame rules!]

Keystone,

The only thing that pisses me off about Santorum is how he turned his back on Toomey in favor of the RINO. 

[Rob]

Keystone,

The only thing that pisses me off about Santorum is how he turned his back on Toomey in favor of the RINO. 

It's because he's a party hack.

[Keystone Phil]

Keystone,

The only thing that pisses me off about Santorum is how he turned his back on Toomey in favor of the RINO. 

Please. Can we not bring that up? It still hurts...


....and it might cost him his Senate seat (if so, forget Santorum 2008. Best bet for that would be him retiring and then running for President).

[Keystone Phil]

Keystone,

The only thing that pisses me off about Santorum is how he turned his back on Toomey in favor of the RINO. 

It's because he's a party hack.

He has stood up for what he believes at times when it wasn't very popular with the establishment. He's far from a hack.

[Rob]

Keystone,

The only thing that pisses me off about Santorum is how he turned his back on Toomey in favor of the RINO. 

It's because he's a party hack.

He has stood up for what he believes at times when it wasn't very popular with the establishment. He's far from a hack.

He is the establishment. Just your standard-issue, orthodox conservative Republican.

[Keystone Phil]

Keystone,

The only thing that pisses me off about Santorum is how he turned his back on Toomey in favor of the RINO. 

It's because he's a party hack.

He has stood up for what he believes at times when it wasn't very popular with the establishment. He's far from a hack.

He is the establishment. Just your standard-issue, orthodox conservative Republican.

He has taken stands that might not have been welcomed with open arms by the rest of his colleagues.

[Notre Dame rules!]

Bob,

What, exactly, is wrong with him being a orthodox conservative?  

That template can work both ways.

Does that make Dean a hack? Kennedy?  Edwards? Hillary?

[Rob]

Bob,

What, exactly, is wrong with him being a orthodox conservative? 

That template can work both ways.

Does that make Dean a hack? Kennedy?  Edwards? Hillary?

I'm not a fan of machine politicians on either side of the aisle. And yes, Dean, Kennedy, Edwards, and Hillary are all hacks as well.

[Notre Dame rules!]

Hmmm...So, if a politicians who advances his philosophy's agenda is a hack,  who in Washington is not a hack?  McCain?  Hagel?  Chafee?  I would agree that they're not political hacks.  Whores perhaps, but not hacks.