I am curious as to everyones thoughts on the early stages of the 2016 field which filled out a little more over the last couple of days with the announcements of Hillary and Marco Rubio. The contrast between the roll outs of Hillary’s and Marco’s campaign could not have been more stark. Hillary is stale with the charisma and the charm of a ferret while Marco came off as fresh and invigorated with a vision for the 21st century. I have always liked Marco but need to see him command the stage a little better with a firm grasp of the issues. I think he will grow into that role. I also like Walker and Cruz and it will be fun to watch them develop their campaigns over the next year.
I think the Democrats are in real trouble. The only viable candidate they have is Hillary who does not exactly warm the hearts of many Americans. Aside from Hillary, there is a possibility that O’Malley and Webb might run but I don’t see that happening – I think both of them are probably angling for the VP slot. And then of course you have two full blown communists in Sanders and Warren which shows you just how far left, and how small the Democratic Party has become.
The youth, energy, and the diversity are found in the GOP field. The future belongs to common sense, personally responsible conservatives – and that is a good thing for this country.
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Based on what I’ve seen and heard so far, I could vote for Walker, Cruz, Paul and Rubio without having to hold my nose. Each brings a little something different to the table, but I think all are pretty honest. That alone would be a nice change.
Hillary has a kind of tight line to walk, and I’m not sure she has the political talent to pull if off. She can’t really run on her record, either alone or as an integral part of the Obama Administration. And yet, if she tries to distance herself from Obama, she will likely lose the support of those who still think he’s the Messiah. And unlike her husband, who a lot of people still see as a likable rogue, she doesn’t connect with people the way he does, she doesn’t have his political savvy, and she’s not nearly as likable. By all accounts of political insiders, she was one of the nastiest, most vulgar and disrespectful first ladies ever. She’s done a pretty good job of hiding that side from the public, but I’d bet money never-before-seen videos will surface should she be the Democrat nominee. The only area where she’s her husband’s equal is lack of integrity.
You got that right – in fact, if the economy is really softening as much as some indicators say, then running far and fast away from Obama may become a requirement for Hillary. That ball will be played as it lies, of course – but even if the economy keeps an even keel, Hillary will have to distance herself from Obama while also keeping Obama’s coalition at least 95% on her side.
Her bull “listening tour” she’s revived from her 2000 Senate run is all part of this – a completely scripted series of events designed to make it appear to LIV that she cares about them. Unless forced to it by circumstances, she won’t even mention her opponents, GOP or Democrat, during the campaign. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if she tried to dodge any debate in the General. She cannot afford to be asked a question which rips the mask off…and while all MSMers will be her throne sniffers, there is just a chance that a question she can’t answer gets asked…the sort of question which if she answers one way she alienates her base, the other she alienates the American middle (such as a question about when life begins – she can’t answer that in a way in tune with the majority because her fanatic, pro-abortion base would be infuriated…but if she pleases those fanatics, then she reveals herself as a monster of pro-abortion fanaticism to the broad majority).
My top two right now are Rubio and Walker with strangely enough Cruz in a close third. I like Paul but he is too squishy for me. I think Rubio will surprise a lot of people in the months to come. He is a sharp kid and will grow into being a formidable candidate. In my opinion, he is a young Reagan, and he is Hispanic to boot. Big Plus +++
Rubio is a good guy and I’ll vote for him if he’s the nominee – but he’s a bit too conventional GOPer for me to get behind in the primaries. Jindal and Walker are still more my speed.
Remember, the Democrats already hold a near loss proof margin in the electoral college and it will still require great effort to overcome. I like the bench but not so sure on the odds.
As long as we resign California to them, that will be the case. Personally, I always figure it a huge strategic error to not put up a fight for California. $20 million spent there could at least force the Democrats to spend $50 million just to be sure…and the one thing certain about politics is that nothing is certain. A bit of effort and some clever campaigning and all of a sudden in 2014 we got a Republican governor in Maryland. Fight for all of the States – find an extra $150 million in funds to use in the deep-blue States and see if anything breaks lose.
But even with the mountain of California on Hillary’s side, it isn’t all easy sailing for her. The 2016 GOP candidate is almost certain to get all the Romney States (anything can happen, but facts are facts…States which voted GOP in 2012 are as “in the bag” as States can be for the GOP). This means we start out 64 short of the prize. There are scenarios where the GOP can still lose FL or VA or OH and still win (losing two of the three means forget it, we’re done; unless we follow my lead and decide to play for some blue States…if we could steal PA, then we don’t have to particularly care about OH and VA). All States are winnable by the GOP – to be sure, places like Connecticut and Deleware are high hurdles…but also small, cheap States for a national campaign to play around in. Remember, the Democrats win their States by winning big cities…if we can just eat into their vote totals in the big cities we can go places. Obama won 80%+ in Philadelphia and thus won Pennsylvania. Knock that down to 70% for Hillary (which means we’re still getting clobbered by 40 percentage points in that city!) and all of a sudden Pennsylvania is a complete toss-up. Plus the money we’d spend building support of Philly would energize the GOPers around the State…make them more likely to show up because they know their vote will actually matter…
IMHO, it is a year where we could pull a Reagan and take 49. I was just reminding folks that nothing, even with our great bench, is a given. Time to get out and talk to everyone and anyone.
The contrast between Rubio and Hillary are astonishing, indeed. Heck, Hillary is old enough to be Rubio’s mother. Keeping in mind that I’m not endorsing Rubio, it would be a beautiful thing to see the two debate!
Hillary is old, of the past, of a dynasty, corrupt, unaccomplished – but, still the odds-on favorite to be the next President. That shows how low we’ve fallen as a people. There should be zero chance that someone as completely pathetic as Hillary Clinton becoming President. Seriously – much as we on the right hold them in contempt, Biden, O’Malley and Warren are vastly more qualified to be President than Hillary. She’s only there because she picked the right guy in the marriage lottery (to a certain extent, of course). If she was still Hillary Rodham all she’d be is a (probably disbarred) lawyer who worked for various feminist outfits over the years.
The GOP Senators are all in – now we wait for the governors, who will start to show up after this year’s State legislative sessions wrap up. That is the huge wave – Christie, Jindal, Walker…and maybe Sandoval, Martinez and Halley also joining in. With all that, Jeb’s eventual announcement will probably be a damp squib…I don’t think, in the end, he’ll actually run…but if he does, he’s out by South Carolina. No one really wants him.
I think Jeb is starting to realize that, and re: Hillary, I think she’s at a high point right now. The more she reminds people of who she really is, more will turn away.
Walker or Kasich, the rest are losers.
Walker-Martinez might prove the unbeatable combination. Of course, we’ll have to see how it goes. Hillary will have functionally unlimited amounts of money to spend; the MSM is obviously on her side (and I’m starting to see it as being more in the tank for her than they ever were for Obama – and that is saying a lot); the MSM will attempt to trip up the GOPers at every opportunity…whomever the GOP nominates will have to figure out a way to vigorously attack her without coming off as mean. It can be done – someone with the communication skills of a Reagan could pull it off…right now, we don’t know if Walker (or anyone) has that sort of skill.
Rubio-Fiorina or possibly a dream ticket – Rubio-Condi Rice or even Walker-Condi Rice
So the Democrats, and Hillary who seems to be the only qualified person they can find, are out there pushing an economic populist message – how original. “The decks are stacked …”. the rich don’t pay their fair share”. blah blah blah. How do you suppose they do that with a straight face? The Democrats and Obama ran on that message in 08, and 12 and yet the wealth gap has actually widened. Families have become poorer over the last 6 years. Are they hoping we forgot?
The Democrats and Obama ran on that message in 08, and 12 and yet the wealth gap has actually widened. Families have become poorer over the last 6 years.
An honest, objective media would be shouting that from the rooftops. Hopefully someone will over the next 18 months.
“An honest, objective media …….” You’re hilarious
I heard the communist Bernie Sanders this morning say that we are still the only country in the world that doesn’t offer healthcare to everyone – incidentally is anyone familiar with the healthcare system in the Sudan?? Do they offer to everyone? But back to the point, if you concede Sanders point, then obviously the ACA, SCHIP, Medicaid, Medicare and the myriad of state based programs are all abysmal failures.
I am now leaning towards Larry Reid for President, the brother of Harry. Anyone that beats the sh*t out of Harry has got to be a good guy.
It was a rubber band, dude!
One humorist pointed out that Hillary is saying the deck is stacked against the middle class…which is an interesting observation for Hillary to make from her throne atop the stacked deck…
Wayne Allyn Root has a great piece at Personal Liberty Digest this morning about Hillary. I hope someone in the GOP takes his advice if she ends up being the Democrat nominee.
This is the kind of stuff that will follow Hillary on the campaign trail, as story after story reminds the country what a douchebag her husband is, and how she not only enabled him, she ran interference for him (Bimbo erruptions anyone?)
Paul Farrell is an economic psychologist who writes doom and gloom articles for MarketWatch. He’s a big Progressive, climate change alarmist and is not bashful in his hatred for Republicans. It had to pain him a great deal to write this article this morning.
Well Obama addressed the need to strengthen the middle class yesterday and his solution is to raise the minimum wage because of course, the middle class was built by a strong minimum wage. Makes perfect sense so Paul Farrell can take comfort in knowing that Obama is on it.
Looks like Hillary’s campaign is of to a rocky start.
And does anyone believe the Hillary pledge that she’s going to get the money out of politics?
Last night on MSNBC, Christie Matthews was complaining about the Koch Bros. and all of the “dark” money on the GOP side. Democrats lack of “self awareness” is astonishing.
He knows his (tiny) audience…he’s just feeding them what they expect. I guess he’s got a gold-plated contract…because if he wanted to carve out a place for himself, he would note Hillary’s corrupt money ties…it would piss off the far left, but it would make Matthews a non-partisan hero and probably double or triple his audience.
Even better, last night Matthews and David Corn were bemoaning the Senate Republicans insistence that Congress have oversight over the Iran deal claiming that it was just another example of the GOP’s obstruction of Obama and their desire to “go to war”. Absence from this critique was any mention of the Democrats role (the vote was 19-0), and that the GOP wants more sanctions (as do many Democrats) in lieu of any war.
But I guess objective critique does make for good ole “progressive” TV
Not much, to be sure. They are living in their little world – divorced from reality. I’ve decided that I’ll pointedly ignore what the left is saying…its all mindless drivel, anyways…well, that part of it which isn’t a demand that people like us be removed from the public square, that is. But even when we get to that, we all know it. We dig it – the far left feels that it is now time for us on the right to feel the oppression which we allegedly once dealt out. That we who are on the right, today, never dealt out any oppression doesn’t matter. A little while ago Dave Burge (@iowahawkblog) Tweeted the story of the 12 Christians who were thrown overboard to drown by Muslims…one of the friendly, loving, little SJWs Tweeted back, “how does it feel to be a minority, Christians?”. Now, to be sure, not all leftists are like that – but I don’t count on a one of them to actually fight to defend us. They are like the Old Bolsheviks in 1929…sure that Comrade Stalin would never turn on them. They forget that those with a hankering to oppress never stop unless someone forcibly stops them. Each one of our SJWs will eventually run afoul of their own SJWs…and if they have managed to eliminate us, they’re going to find the going rather rough.
These days I’m only interested in our chances – which I think are vastly better than the Conventional Wisdom states…but, then again, not nearly as good as they should be. The Left has managed to make vast numbers of people dependent and anyone who thinks they won’t get illegals to stuff ballot boxes is nuts. We’ll see how it comes out – but I think the wheel is about to turn in our favor in a rather decisive manner. But, even if it doesn’t, we still win in the long run – because if the left wins, they’ll destroy the tattered remains of our civilization and it will be us who rebuild it…just as we have many times in the past.
Heck, her “foundation” has announced it will continue to take foreign donations. Really, though, no Democrat has to care about the law or even basic decency. They won’t be called out on it. No one will prosecute and no MSMer will even notice.
Now, we could change all this if on January 20th, 2017, a Republican is sworn in…and then bids the new Attorney General to investigate all senior Democrats…they are breaking so many laws, so often, that probably 9 in 10 of them would have to cop a plea to avoid 10-20 in the penitentiary. In fact, I think the only person likely completely safe from prosecution is Obama, and that because I’m sure his staff is smart enough to make sure he’s not “in the room” when the crimes are committed.