by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
The very first installment of this blog, over 2,400 entries ago, was written in early November of 2007 and was entitled "Obama '08." At that time it still looked as though the Democrats would nominate Hillary, but I, for one, was truly, truly tired of the Clinton's and the Bush's.
I am still tired of the Clinton's and the Bush's, yet both families look as though they could be represented on the 2016 presidential ballot. Hillary, with the support of over two-thirds of Democrats, would appear to have a lock on the Democratic nomination if she chooses to run - and there is no reason whatsoever to imagine that she wouldn't - barring, of course, a medical crisis or Bill escaping from his handlers for an evening's frolic through a trailer park.
Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, seems to be lusting after the Republican nomination, and he has finally convinced his mother to quit saying that the country doesn't need another Bush presidency. Sadly for the Republican Party and the nation as a whole, Jeb appears to be the sanest and most electable horse in their stable. (I read an article on the Internet today that declared Jeb to be the "Wall Street favorite.")
The remainder of the GOP crop of hopefuls are mean and crazy - and (hopefully) completely unelectable. Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey, who until recently was thought to be the front runner, has effectively managed to self-destruct after it was revealed that his administration caused intentional traffic jams as political payback. Scott Walker, the governor of Wisconsin who managed to destroy the state employee's unions during his first few months in office, is now caught up in a political scandal that may derail his presidential aspirations.
Marco Rubio, the junior senator from Florida, is a Cuban America who tried to portray his family as fleeing Castro in the 1950's. It turns out their flight to the United States pre-dated Castro and Rubio's dramatic narrative wouldn't hold a quart of cheap Cuban rum. He was the darling of the tea party until he promoted a plan to create a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants - a sin that will probably prove to be unforgivable.
Bobby Jindal, the governor of Louisiana and an Indian-American, has managed to distract from his dark-skinned heritage by developing a backwoods Tennessee accent, and his rhetoric is hateful enough to earn a spot of respect among the GOP's most loyal wingnuts. Still, he does not look like a traditional Republican.
Ted Cruz, a former Canadian with Cuban roots, has made a name for himself in just over two years in the United States Senate. The Texas senator faults the President on basically everything, something that delights the party rabble, but he also has the annoying habit of criticizing other Republicans - and those hoary old white elephants don't forget.
Mike Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas, Baptist minister, and current Fox talk show host, would have to give up his cushy television career in order to run, something he declined to do in 2012. Huckabee can do moderate, in moderation, but when expediency is called for, he can be as mean and crazy as the rest of the pack of jackals.
Rand Paul is the junior senator from Kentucky and the son of perennial Libertarian candidate Ron Paul. Daddy's organization is fired up and ready to roll for Rand. He recently won the straw poll at CPAC, making his the right wing darling de jour. Senator Paul is articulate and photogenic, and, by virtue of his Libertarian orthodoxy, not totally stupid on every issue. My money says he is the most likely GOP nominee in 2016.
Those are the most talked about GOP candidates - a fine lot of middle-aged males. The possible female candidates aren't really possibles. Sarah Palin doesn't like to work and would rather be doing reality television - so she would be a very unlikely candidate. Michele Bachmann has announced her intention not to run for re-election to Congress, and she is still putting out some brush fires and potential scandals from her last run for the Presidency.
But, as mentioned here a few days ago. there is one more potential female candidate on the horizon. Jan Brewer, the governor of Arizona who has finally, and somewhat reluctantly, decided not to run for re-election this year (though the Arizona constitution bars her from doing so anyway), is making noises about getting into the race. Ms. Brewer has built a reputation as an anti-immigrant crusader and poses as the drug cartel's greatest enemy. She also has a keen sense of where the cameras and and which microphones are on.
Jan Brewer is even more polarizing than most of the other Republican contenders. She might be someone's choice for Veep, under the assumption that she would draw females from Hillary. That logic would be as faulty as when John McCain chose Sarah Palin to woo over Democratic women who were angry that Hillary didn't get the nomination in 2008. The smart money is saying that Jan will tease the national media for awhile and then work on Arizona issues until 2016 when she will challenge John McCain for his senate seat.
So, Hillary, if you're in it to win it, this looks to be your race to lose. Serve your eight and then clear out of the way so that George P. and Chelsea can have their turns.
What a country!
Citizen Journalist
The very first installment of this blog, over 2,400 entries ago, was written in early November of 2007 and was entitled "Obama '08." At that time it still looked as though the Democrats would nominate Hillary, but I, for one, was truly, truly tired of the Clinton's and the Bush's.
I am still tired of the Clinton's and the Bush's, yet both families look as though they could be represented on the 2016 presidential ballot. Hillary, with the support of over two-thirds of Democrats, would appear to have a lock on the Democratic nomination if she chooses to run - and there is no reason whatsoever to imagine that she wouldn't - barring, of course, a medical crisis or Bill escaping from his handlers for an evening's frolic through a trailer park.
Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, seems to be lusting after the Republican nomination, and he has finally convinced his mother to quit saying that the country doesn't need another Bush presidency. Sadly for the Republican Party and the nation as a whole, Jeb appears to be the sanest and most electable horse in their stable. (I read an article on the Internet today that declared Jeb to be the "Wall Street favorite.")
The remainder of the GOP crop of hopefuls are mean and crazy - and (hopefully) completely unelectable. Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey, who until recently was thought to be the front runner, has effectively managed to self-destruct after it was revealed that his administration caused intentional traffic jams as political payback. Scott Walker, the governor of Wisconsin who managed to destroy the state employee's unions during his first few months in office, is now caught up in a political scandal that may derail his presidential aspirations.
Marco Rubio, the junior senator from Florida, is a Cuban America who tried to portray his family as fleeing Castro in the 1950's. It turns out their flight to the United States pre-dated Castro and Rubio's dramatic narrative wouldn't hold a quart of cheap Cuban rum. He was the darling of the tea party until he promoted a plan to create a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants - a sin that will probably prove to be unforgivable.
Bobby Jindal, the governor of Louisiana and an Indian-American, has managed to distract from his dark-skinned heritage by developing a backwoods Tennessee accent, and his rhetoric is hateful enough to earn a spot of respect among the GOP's most loyal wingnuts. Still, he does not look like a traditional Republican.
Ted Cruz, a former Canadian with Cuban roots, has made a name for himself in just over two years in the United States Senate. The Texas senator faults the President on basically everything, something that delights the party rabble, but he also has the annoying habit of criticizing other Republicans - and those hoary old white elephants don't forget.
Mike Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas, Baptist minister, and current Fox talk show host, would have to give up his cushy television career in order to run, something he declined to do in 2012. Huckabee can do moderate, in moderation, but when expediency is called for, he can be as mean and crazy as the rest of the pack of jackals.
Rand Paul is the junior senator from Kentucky and the son of perennial Libertarian candidate Ron Paul. Daddy's organization is fired up and ready to roll for Rand. He recently won the straw poll at CPAC, making his the right wing darling de jour. Senator Paul is articulate and photogenic, and, by virtue of his Libertarian orthodoxy, not totally stupid on every issue. My money says he is the most likely GOP nominee in 2016.
Those are the most talked about GOP candidates - a fine lot of middle-aged males. The possible female candidates aren't really possibles. Sarah Palin doesn't like to work and would rather be doing reality television - so she would be a very unlikely candidate. Michele Bachmann has announced her intention not to run for re-election to Congress, and she is still putting out some brush fires and potential scandals from her last run for the Presidency.
But, as mentioned here a few days ago. there is one more potential female candidate on the horizon. Jan Brewer, the governor of Arizona who has finally, and somewhat reluctantly, decided not to run for re-election this year (though the Arizona constitution bars her from doing so anyway), is making noises about getting into the race. Ms. Brewer has built a reputation as an anti-immigrant crusader and poses as the drug cartel's greatest enemy. She also has a keen sense of where the cameras and and which microphones are on.
Jan Brewer is even more polarizing than most of the other Republican contenders. She might be someone's choice for Veep, under the assumption that she would draw females from Hillary. That logic would be as faulty as when John McCain chose Sarah Palin to woo over Democratic women who were angry that Hillary didn't get the nomination in 2008. The smart money is saying that Jan will tease the national media for awhile and then work on Arizona issues until 2016 when she will challenge John McCain for his senate seat.
So, Hillary, if you're in it to win it, this looks to be your race to lose. Serve your eight and then clear out of the way so that George P. and Chelsea can have their turns.
What a country!
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