Surveying The Field
Well, the GOP field is taking shape. The latest debate was high on drama, and the candidates are starting to shake up the static lock that the media has placed on who gets talked about. The 2 big guns are still getting the most attention, but the second tier is starting to assert itself, in ways that are both helpful and hurtful. This is what we take away from this latest showcase:
Mitt Romney - proof positive that experience makes a better candidate. He managed to pull off the "Presidential" aura, and still get down and mix it up when necessary. He got too smart by a half in his slapdown of Rick Perry (who slapped back in the war of the biography quotes), but he still is running the show. We agree that Romneycare will continue to dog him, but he helps his campaign at every debate appearance. It was a good showing for him this week.
Rick Perry - the new superstar got a bit of a beating this time out - nothing that can't be fixed down the road, but he's going to need better prep in the future. He was taken on with immigration, Social Security, and Gardasil. For the most part he met these issues with his usual Texas swagger, still, he's showing some bruises. We sympathize with his exasperation in the second hour - he was everyone's whipping boy this time around. We expect he's coming to realize that there are rougher races than the ones he's had in Texas. Time will tell how he uses his new knowledge.
Michele Bachmann - scored hard on Perry and then blew it in the post-game. For those of you who didn't see it, she had Perry on the ropes over his executive order mandating Gardasil immunizations for all Texas females 12 and up. Perry even admitted that an executive order was not what he should have done, though he defended his intent. Bachmann later appeared on Greta Van Susteren's show and squandered the win. She took a solid conservative principle on the limits of government, and turned it into a kook argument linking Gardasil to mental retardation. We checked - there is no science supporting that claim. For a candidate who spends all of her time trying to build credibility, this might not be able to be overcome.
Ron Paul has his best night yet, and killed his candidacy at the same time. He provided brilliant answers on the debt, and monetary policy. He then drew "boos" from the conservative audience by suggesting that 9/11 was our fault. Combined with his other foreign policy ideas that fly in the face of reality, he can sit down now.
Newt Gingrich had his best night ever - arguing policy with great skill and pushing back at the media nonsense. He may well be the smartest man in the room. It's a shame that no one cares. Everyone is still staring at his baggage.
Rick Santorum and Herman Cain both helped their campaigns enormously in this venue. Both argued their positions effectively, and both men stood firmly on principle. By our measure, they moved to the front of the second tier. Time and circumstance will tell if either is able to break into the top tier.
Jon Huntsman, as near as we can tell, is running in the wrong primary. He should be challenging President Obama as a Democrat. It would be more honest on his part, and would in no way diminish his chances of securing the nomination.
As to the candidates that aren't running, we think the current field is sufficient. As much as their fans love them, we don't see Sarah Palin or Chris Christie adding anything of value at this point. What they would bring to the table is already being offered by Romney, Perry, Santorum and Cain.
Beyond Palin and Chrisite, no one is drawing any real interest that has any desire to run. Barring some sort of major event or change in the country we think that the field is complete, and we are fine with that. Any of our final four would do a better job as President than the current holder of the office.
Now it is our job as voters to press these candidates as hard as we can to assure ourselves that we are getting the best possible nominee.This is our winnowing process. Our current President was elected on a campaign high on style and lacking in substance. We need to make sure our nominee has substance. It may be more important than his actual plan. Tom Wolfe spoke of "The Right Stuff" - it's hard to quantify, but we know it when we see it. No nonsense, straight talk, reality based solutions, common sense.
There are a lot of ways to fix what ails the country. We will not agree with the eventual nominee on every issue. The GOP gold standard now is Ronald Reagan, but conservative students of the Presidency would not have to look hard to find disagreements with him over more than a few issues. Still, he holds his place in history, because he did what he was elected to do. He restored America's pride. That is what comes from substance. We can use another dose of it now.
RLB
Categories: Presidential Campaign 2012, Civic Duty, political leadership, Partisan Politics
Tags: civic responsibility Presidential Campaign 2012 presidential debates
Perry - all the way.
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We have some great choices, thank God! I still LOVE Ron Paul. He is the voice of reality and I believe he is the only one who can truly save this country.
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Ron Paul didn't kill his candidacy because the audience boo'd. He is no less a candidate because the audience is not educated on important issues.
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He suggested we might be partially responsible for 9/11 because that is what the CIA, the FBI, the 9/11 Commission, and Usama bin Laden himself stated. Have you ever stopped to consider whether it is your idea of foreign policy which flies in the face of reality?
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Study our foreign policy over the last 60 yrs, read, The Secret History of the American Empire, and maybe your mind will persevere your Mouth.
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I agree with Flo, the American people seem very uneducated in what America has been doing in the middle east and around the world. Ron Paul was right, the audience and GOP are clearly uneducated in real history along with the writer of this article. Ron Paul has been right for thirty years. Will America lose their last real chance for freedom, if People choose not to vote for Ron Paul? If they don't, America will become a soviet style nation within a few years. Let's face it, it already is well underway. Ron Paul, endorced by Barry Goldwater's son, and a true modern day Thomas Jefferson founding father.
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The fact that Ron Paul is ignored, makes me even more passionate to help get his message out. He's not Crazy Uncle Ron. He's not a kook. His ideas do *NOT* fly in the face of reality.
He's giving us a history lesson. He's showing us 1.
Then showing us another 1.
And then showing us they always add up to equal 2.
That's not crazy. That's cold, hard reality. This country hasn't been living in reality for quite some time. War is always "over there". Our children are killed and the only ones who lose their minds over their deaths are the mothers, wives, and children of the dead.
The nation "grieves". But they don't. They feel a little sad. A little depressed. But when was the last time you cried for days, weeks, or months over the lost life of a 19 year old boy, who wasn't your own, killed by an IED?
Everyone should feel the horror of the death of their own child, before they so callously send another's child in harms way. War has become a game of tic-tac-toe. Not once in my life have I not known of war going on somewhere in the world. Somewhere our Military was involved in death. And our children were being killed. Our grown children.
Ron Paul is right. Sometimes war is necessary. But one should use EXTREME reluctance before sending *anyone's* children to war. Ron Paul has that moral compass that the rest of the candidates have allowed to callous over.
I'm done with callousness. I'm done with accepting war as a constant necessity. This has to end.
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I have to agree with Lila and Flo as well. Hasn't anyone mentioned that Rick Perry is big government? Rick Perry is the worst, Bachmann will never make it and Romney? Nobody wants Romney, that's a JOKE, who is the media think they are kidding? Ron Paul is the only one that has any substance and honesty. Oh and the other's I didn't mention, they won't make it. It' looks like Ron Paul is the main front runner here now.
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RON PAUL STANDS OUT MILES APART FOR HIS INTEGRITY, HONESTY, KNOWLEDGE, AND COURAGE TO SPEAK THE TRUTH, REGARDLESS IF EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN WARMONGERS WANT TO HEAR THE TRUTH OR NOT!
EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHED. THEY ARE NOW THE TOOLS OF THE FASCIST BANKSTERS. THEY VOTE FOR THEM, THEY SEND THEIR KIDS OFF TO DIE FOR THEM. CONGRATULATIONS EVANGELICAL FROGS. THE JACKBOOT IS ON ITS WAY AND THE POT WILL SOON START A BOIL. WE HOPE YOU DO WAKE UP SOON.
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Sticking by your principals when they are inconvenient is true courage. Dr Paul will remain standing.
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Doesn't take much to bring the Paulistas out. Just a red flag waving. Paul is a joke and not a funny one.I agree with him on monetary policy, but his view on foreign relations is dangerous to the point of suicide. He is the ONLY GOP candidate I couldn't pull the lever for. Thank God he will never get the nomination...
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I think you overstated the damage to Bachmann. It's one gaffe, and will be forgotten. I think she will continue on in the top tier, and get the nomination.
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The money is still with Romney, so the money is still on Romney. I can't say that he's the best candidate, but he will wind up with the nomination. It's how it works for the GOP every time.
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Ron Paul is a loon and dangerous. He wants to hide in an isolationist shell and hope the world goes away. THAT is the kind of stupidity which caused 9/11 - going through the world with blinders on. My preference is Santorum, but I can do anyone other than Paul and Huntsman.
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Not gonna get into it with the Paulbots. I like Perry - and yeah, I know all of the warts. Still if you're talking actual substance, he has it. I might change my mind over time, but for right now, he's the guy.
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I fear that people that dismiss Ron Paul miss the GREATEST threat against America. THE FED. I would love to see Ron win, but be smart enough to get West as Sec of Defense (who knows what Islam is really about) Yet, if you place a war monger under the president, you get right back into the banking cartels funding more wars. Sort of a damned if you do, and damned if you dont.
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Gotta love the Paulies, they know what they want. Still in the political reality of the day, he goes nowhere, as much as they want it. It's Perry / Romney, and Perry got caught with his pants down this time. I'll bet he doesn't make that mistake again.
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Agreed that Chris Christie wouldn't add anything, but disagree that Palin wouldn't shake things up. With Backmann losing steam, yes Cain could take her sail, but Palin would take most of the slack as well as pull ahead the others.
It was a disappointing debate for me, other than Obamacare ( and RP rant on military spending isn't defense spending ) the candidates were so timid on entitlement spending ( including the "King" of anti-entitlement spending RP ) Make the case that SS is a ponzi scheme and unconstitutional. Don't just use platitudes of we can save the bloated budget by trimming at the edges. ( Cain did better in this area of the group, but I hesitate on him because I do not like the so called fair tax...as far as I know Palin hasn't declared whether she is a fair tax candidate, if so then I agree she has nothing more to add )
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I can live with Perry or Romney. They have led in government. I really like Santorum, but halfof Obama's problem is the legislator mentality (the other is that he has no clue). Cain talks a good game, but the business world is way different from trying to put a leash on the government. I agree that the rest are done.
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This is the GOP's to lose right now. I am ashamed to admit it, but I voted for BO. I regret that more than just about anything else right now. Give me anyone who scares me less than another 4 years of this, and you'll have my vote.
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Hailey, I think you're right. I have been a loyal Democrat for my entire life, and Obama is a washout. I wish someone from our side would challenge him. Maybe Hillary.
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I'm getting tired of apologizing for Obama. The speech this morning was nothing but some meat thrown to the base. As a member, I didn't want it. I'm tired of excuses. It's time to come up with things that work or step aside.
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From your keypad to the Bamster's teleptompter, Valerie! Perry / Santorum 2012!
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