And now My take on the 2008 Republican Presidential Candidates (as promised)

Good Afternoon,

A few weeks ago I did a review of the Democratic Presidential candidates. Today I am going to review the Republicans.

It is finally time to talk about them, now that Fred Thompson has announced he is in the Race, finally (or will soon on September 6th).

The Main Republican candidates are :

• Mitt Romney-Former Governor of Massachusetts. Another one of the Rich politicians. Lifetime political goals. From the country club set. Attorney (Go figure). No chance of being elected even though he will spend a bunch of money, most of it his own money, trying to get on board the gravy train. Couldn't tell you how much a can of coke is let alone a gallon of milk. Graduated from Harvard. Related to two other famous Romney's, Lenore and George W. (late Governor of Michigan). Can't figure out why he wants the job as he has had nothing new to say. Cannot seem to remember how to keep his foot out of his mouth. Has lots of negative press and has the Flip Flop label applied to him more than anyone else alive. Republicans would be Nuts to hand their hat on this guy. Can you imagine the news report "Mr. Flip Flop said today .." Bye Mitt, have a nice life. Him and Christopher Dodd should open a Subway franchise. One could work days and the other work nights.


• Rudolph Giuliani-Former prosecutor who was tough on crime and as former NY City mayor who was tough on bums! Already lost to Hillary once for the US Senate job, he withdrew from the race for the senate running against Hillary for some odd reason (Divorced twice, pissed off ex wife etc etc) Has credibility (Law Clerk to US District Court Judge Lloyd MacMahon, 1968-70. Assistant US Attorney, 1970-75. Associate Deputy US Attorney General, 1975-77. Attorney, private practice, 1977-81 and 2002-present. Associate US Attorney General, 1981-83. US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, 1983-89. Chairman/CEO, Giuliani Partners LLC, 2002-present.) Time magazine 2001 person of the year. Is a study in negative press and man there is a ton of it. I do not see how the entire Republican establishment gets behind this guy as most of them don't like him. Too many scandals and too much time has passed since 9-11. His 15 minutes are up. Get over it Rudy, your day is done. Move on.


• John McCain-US Senator, 1987-present (elected 1986; re-elected 1992, 1998, 2004). US Congressman, 1983-87 (elected 1982 and re-elected 1984). Director, US Navy's Senate Relations Office, 1977-81. Candidate for President, 2000, US Navy officer, 1958-81. As a Navy pilot, he was shot down over North Vietnam in 1967 and held as a Prisoner of War in Hanoi for 5½ years. Military decorations include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross. Author. He also was onboard the USS Forestall when it famously caught fire where a Zuni Rocket was accidentally fired from an F-4 Phantom. With his aircraft surrounded by flames, McCain escaped by climbing out of the cockpit, walking down the nose and jumping off the refueling probe. Throughout his 24 years in Congress, McCain has gained a reputation for speaking his mind, consequences be damned, often in opposition to the Republican Party line of the moment. McCain has bucked the GOP - sometimes loudly - on gun show loopholes, lobbying reform, HMO reform, campaign finance reform, stem cell research, climate change, gay marriage, amnesty for illegal immigrants, seeking compensation from tobacco companies and upholding the filibuster. In a party long run with and on authoritarian discipline, this is a novelty that the press can’t get enough of. The problem is he has pissed off so many people, for so long, that there is no way they will support him. I personally wish this were not true as he is the only politician in the last twenty years to tell a reporter off, call another a jerk, call a fellow Senator a liar and get visibly angry on the air. At least we would get a guy with the guts to say Hell NO when the crap started somewhere. Alas, I am afraid he will drop out about three states into the primaries. Too bad. A race of him against Joe Biden would have been a lot of fun for the average person. Jon Stewart would have had material to last about 8 years from this one race. Should get pissed off at something stupid a Democrat says on TV and let America see the real him. We would love this guy. He's great when he's pissed off. Too bad he is what?, 107 now?


• Sam Brownback- Scary religious nut job. I shudder to see what would happen if we ever elect a right wing religious crazy like this guy. Kansas Secretary of Agriculture, 1986-93; US Congressman, 1995-96 (elected 1994); US Senator, 1996-present (elected 1996; re-elected 1998, 2004).-Attorney and broadcaster, 1983-86.- A ton and a half of negative press and millions of google hits bitching about this guy. See HYPERLINK http://www.rainbowtel.net/~bryants/abb.htm http://www.rainbowtel.net/~bryants/abb.htm (anybody but Brownback) and HYPERLINK http://www.theantisam.com/ http://www.theantisam.com/ (The anti-Sam site), to just name a couple. Brownback is most known as a supporter of  Christian fundamentalism.  Brownback is a strong supporter of the traditional marriage movement  and is an opponent of same-sex marriage . He has refused to state his opposition to adoption of children by gay families. He is also anti-abortion in all cases, except to save the life of the mother. Brownback was a cosponsor of the Constitution Restoration Act , which would have limited the power of federal courts to rule on church/state issues. Brownback told Rolling Stone that he chairs the Senate Values Action Team, an off-the-record weekly meeting of representatives from religious conservative organizations. Brownback has a voting record tending toward higher immigration levels. His views are so extreme right wing he makes Pat Robertson say "Whoa, wait a minute this guy is pretty extreme!"


• Fred Dalton Thompson- Just threw his hat in the race (actually will throw is more proper, on September 6th, 2007). You've seen him on Law and Order and in the movies (The Hunt for Red October for one, Days of Thunder and Die Hard2), I call him "The Fred", The amazing Fred-o-matic. Mr Actor and former senator. Untouchable and Teflon coated. Big time anticipation. Has nominee wrote all over him. If he and McCain would team up they would be a hard team to beat. Was the Minority Counsel, US Senate Watergate Committee, 1973-74. US Senator, 1994-2003 (elected 1994; re-elected 1996) Attorney (Assistant US Attorney, 1969-72). Movie and TV Actor. Breathtakingly Presidential. Has the chops and the political ability to pull it off. Even though he doesn't officially announce until September 6th, I think it will be his nomination to lose. Great name recognition, perfect speech delivery and he makes a lot of sense. He's like listening to your grandfather tell you why you need to slow down while driving. He's so slick, its hard to refute his arguments. Hillary will have a hell of a time debating him, because she will be so eye rolling and swarmy trying to upstage him and then Obama will be standing to one side , putting his arm in the air like a third grader yelling "Me, me, pick me, Ooh, ooh, pick me", and Fred will be smooth silky talking saying "Now come on over here little lady and calm down young fella and let Uncle Fred clue you in to how the real world works.". Should be a hell of a show. I think he is the nominee.
• Duncan Hunter- US Congressman, 1981-present (elected 1980; re-elected 13 times). Chair, US House Armed Services Committee, 2002-06, Attorney, 1976-80. US Army, 1969-71 (Vietnam War veteran). Unknown and about as exciting as Al Gore. No chance. No way, no how. Who is this guy? No message and can't break free from the pack with a message you've never heard.
• Ron Paul- Who ? US Congressman, 1976-77, 1979-85 and 1997-present (elected 1976 Special Election, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006). GOP Nominee for Congress, 1974 and 1976. Candidate for US Senate, 1984 GOP Primary. Libertarian Party Nominee for President, 1988 (Ballot status in 46 states - 431,750 votes - 0.47%), Physician (Obstetrician/Gynecologist), 1961-present. Author. US Air Force, 1963-65. US Air National Guard, 1965-68. Give it up Ron, no way we elect a Libertarian to the Presidency. Why waste your time? Nobody even knows who you are.
• Mike Huckabee-GOP nominee for US Senate, 1992. Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas, 1993-96 (elected 1993 Special Election; re-elected 1994). Governor of Arkansas, 1996-2007 (elected 1998, re-elected 2002). Chair, National Governors Association, 2005-06.- Baptist Minister. President, Beech Street Communications (parent company of the UHF TV station owned by the Beech Street Baptist Church), 1986-92. President, Arkansas Baptist State Convention, 1989-91. Author. Relative unknown. No big Republican base. Nobody knows what he is for, what he's against or who he talks to. In short, no information for public consumption. Has a lot of positive buzz, however his claim to fame is he lost 100 lbs and wants to make you healthier too. Got the state (Arkansas) to ban smoking in public places. Takes a good early strong position on many things and at least he is consistent and stays the same. Easy to listen to and makes a lot of sense. Problem is , the voters are going to go, "Wait a minute?, Arkansas?, ain't that where that dang Clinton was from?", and then move on. Might make a great Vice President. Would be a waste of his talent though.
• Tom Tancredo-  Has some credentials, but NO Name recognition at all. I'm Republican and have been following the race and didn't know who he was until I googled him. Doesn't belong in this race. State Representative, 1977-81 (elected: 1976, 1978, 1980). Regional Representative, US Department of Education, 1981-92. US Congressman, 1999 - present (elected: 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004). Founder, Team America PAC, 2005, Junior High School Teacher, 1968-76. President, Independence Institute (libertarian think-tank), 1993-98. Jimmy Carter would have liked to run against him instead of against Ronald Reagan.
• Newt Gingrich- (Not actually a nominee, but considering it supposedly). GOP Nominee for Congress, 1974 and 1976. US Congressman, 1979-99 (Elected 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984,1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998). Founder, Conservative Opportunity Society, 1983. Chair, GOPAC, 1986-95. US House Minority Whip, 1989-95. US House Speaker, 1995-99. Reprimanded by the US House Ethics Committee, 1996. Founder, Center for Health Transformation, 2003. Co-Chair, National Commission for Quality Long-Term Care. Founder, Institute for Safety, Health, Prosperity and Freedom, 2005, College Professor, 1970-78. Founder & CEO, Gingrich Group communications and consulting firm, 1999-Present. Author. He cannot win and has no chance of carrying even one state. Why ? Three Words. Contract with America. Call Mr. Gingrich a cab please, he'll be leaving now. Bye Bye.
• Chuck Hagel-US Senator Chuck Hagel - a decorated Vietnam War veteran and wealthy former businessman, he has cultivated the image of being an independent-minded maverick. Although he is a close friend of John McCain, and supported McCain in 2000, Hagel is himself weighing a possible White House run in 2008. While Hagel is pro-life and a fiscal conservative, he stands out from the other GOP hopefuls for his outspoken calls since early 2006 to withdraw US troops from Iraq. He also differs with the Bush Administration by supporting an end to the decades-old economic boycott of Cuba, saying the embargo failed to dislodge Castro and harmed Cuban civilians. Related link: HYPERLINK "http://hagel.senate.gov/"Office of US Senator Chuck Hagel (official government site), HYPERLINK "http://www.sandhillspac.com/"Sandhills PAC (Hagel's Leadership PAC), HYPERLINK "http://www.drafthagel08.com/"DraftHagel08.com (grassroots supporters) and HYPERLINK "http://hagel2008.blogspot.com/"Hagel2008.blogspot.com (grassroots supporters). Ho-Hum, boring. C-ya, wouldn't wanna be ya.
• Alan Keyes- This guy I like, but he can't win. He's too smart. Would be a great Vice President though. Mostly because America likes it change in small doses. First a black VP, then a Black President. I would like to see him in a major debate though. No one knows more about what he is talking about than him. He would grind everybody else into pieces and they know it. All are afraid of his intellect. Has some major credentials, he is a social conservative who has been a bombastic TV and radio show host, is flirting with making a third run for President. Keyes previously lost runs for the GOP Presidential nomination in 1996 and 2000, for US Senate in Maryland in 1988 and 1992, and for US Senate in Illinois in 2004. He holds a Ph.D. in Government from Harvard and was initially a US Foreign Service Officer and served in the Reagan Administration as US Ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (1983-85) and Assistant US Secretary of State (1985-87). Since then, he has been involved with a variety of conservative causes and these days maintains his own leadership PAC. He  has maintained friendly ties with the ultra-conservative Constitution Party, but remains a member of the GOP. A group of his supporters are purportedly trying to draft him to run for President again in 2008. However, it should be noted the draft group is operating from a website owned and controlled directly by Keyes. "Alan has assured [his supporters] that he will accept this draft if they can demonstrate that sufficient grassroots support exists to enable (and justify) his candidacy," a Keyes spokesman said in July 2007. Some Constitution Party leaders are hopeful Keyes may seek their nomination if a pro-choice, pro-gay rights nominee like Rudy Giuliani is on the GOP ticket. Related links: HYPERLINK "http://www.alankeyes.com/"AlanKeys.com (official site & Presidential "draft" site); HYPERLINK "http://www.renewamerica.us/"RenewAmerica.us (Keyes leadership PAC); HYPERLINK "http://www.keyesarchives.com/"Keyes Archive (official site); HYPERLINK "http://www.declaration.net/"Declaration Foundation (Keyes organization); HYPERLINK "http://www.keyesarchives.com/"Declaration Alliance (Keyes organization); HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Keyes"Wikipedia: Alan Keyes (online resource); HYPERLINK "http://www.realchange.org/keyes.htm"Alan Keyes Skeleton Closet (negative site).


• And about 46 others who lean republican. None of the rest of them have any serious chance and are running to be able to say they did and to be able to pass along memorabilia and campaign buttons to their children.

Am I wrong? You tell me. Post a comment on the blog and let me know.

Thankx- bigmike
 
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