Who Will The Republicans Look to in 2012

[Brittain33]

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.).

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.

[Brittain33]

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.

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.

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.

[Brittain33]

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)

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

[Brittain33]

You way overestimate the socialist movement in this country.

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.