"Barbour / Daniels '12"
At Pajamas Media, Myra Adams has a prediction to make:
With 2012 less than 500 days away and just a few months left before the November midterm elections, there is no better time to predict the 2012 Republican presidential ticket, because no one else in their right mind would dare.
Yes, I am aware that predictions of this nature are usually worthless, but they are fun nevertheless, and who doesn’t need some fun in these last depressing days of President Obama’s Orwellian-sounding “Recovery Summer”?
(Which leads one to ask: Does “Recovery Fall” start in September? Or did Recovery Fall eclipse Recovery Summer way back in June?)
These are questions for another time. But as for the 2012 GOP ticket, my prediction as of now is: Governor Haley Barbour and Governor Mitch Daniels.
This would be a historic governor-governor ticket.
In fact, back in March of this year, I co-wrote a Daily Beast column with Mark McKinnon about the strong possibility that the 2012 GOP presidential and vice presidential nominees would come from the statehouse. Now it’s time to stick my neck out and predict these two governors will be the eventual headliners.
Why is Myra ready to make the call? "Haley Barbour as RGA chairman has emerged as the de facto leader of the entire Republican Party," she writes, and Mitch Daniels "knows how to painfully balance a budget and create jobs in a Rust Belt state."
Maybe the Barbour/Daniels ticket will finally hammer home the message that Americans loath to hear: our current budget and debt are unsustainable, and our very survival as a nation is a stake.
Not exactly a cheery 2012 bumper sticker, but one we all need to recognize as truth.
"It's the economy, stupid" wasn't very cheery either -- and the ticket that rode it to the White House wasn't exactly a paragon of maturity. In the spirit of the tea parties, we can update another revolutionary-era slogan: instead of Join or Die, it's time to Grow Up or Die. That's a message Haley Barbour and Mitch Daniels could deliver without being being glum, pedantic, or arrogant. And as of right now, that's a message that sure sounds like a winner.
Two governors seen as potential 2012 presidential candidates appeared together Thursday night at a fundraiser for the Mississippi Republican Party.
Mississippi's Haley Barbour and Indiana's Mitch Daniels wouldn't say whether either has ambitions for the White House.
Instead, the longtime friends told about 200 party faithful at a cocktail party that Republicans need to concentrate on taking back Congress this year.
Daniels and Barbour worked together for President Ronald Reagan.
Barbour was political director for the Reagan White House. Daniels was Barbour's boss, the head of intergovernmental and political affairs. He joked that 1 of his toughest tasks was keeping track of young Barbour's expense account.
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Comments :
May '10
Re: "Barbour / Daniels '12"
The loyalty of the Republican establishment--even the newly arriving governors, Kascich in OH, for exampe--could set Barbour apart from the pack.
Personally, I'm becoming a believer. He grows on one, very, very quickly. And here's a happy thought: Wouldn't it be nice to head into the presidential debates and have not a single doubt that our guy is up to the challenge? Barbour v Obama would be epic: a relaxed, smooth-as-silk, emperor-has-no-clothes take-down of "The One" and his policies.
Also, a state-centered, gov-gov ticket fits the mood of the times, with the #2 going to any number of guys: Daniels, Pawlenty, Christie, Kascich even. Bring it on.
May '10
Re: "Barbour / Daniels '12"
What about Ryan for the #2 slot. Seems to be you are going to have to bring some intellectual fire-power and policy muscle into the 2012 campaign and Congressional Republicans seem to be letting his ideas go to waste.
Jul '10
Re: "Barbour / Daniels '12"
Could you imagine the debate between Biden and Ryan?
Re: "Barbour / Daniels '12"
Michael Tee
Could you imagine the debate between Biden and Ryan? · Sep 3 at 7:59am
Why yes, Michael -- yes I can. Sure enough, Trace, Ryan's name has been floated for veep -- as long ago as 2008, and as recently as...now.
Sep '10
Re: "Barbour / Daniels '12"
One would think this ticket a sensible one, but given our winner-take-all primary system, who knows what'll happen?
Gov. Barbour can't spend enough time on the tele these days - dude is very, very sharp...
(Peter's Uncommon Knowledge series with Gov. Barbour is an absolute must-watch)
May '10
Re: "Barbour / Daniels '12"
Forrest Cox: One would think this ticket a sensible one, but given our winner-take-all primary system, who knows what'll happen?
Gov. Barbour can't spend enough time on the tele these days - dude is very, very sharp...
(Peter's Uncommon Knowledge series with Gov. Barbour is an absolute must-watch) · Sep 3 at 11:56am
Yes, yes, yes! Just finished watching Uncommon Knowledge. I am more convinced than ever that Gov. Barbour is the inevitable nominee. He's got the most impressive delivery of form & content we've seen from anyone in the GOP since Reagan.
Barbour is it. Definitely. Yes. No doubt in my mind.
(And this is all true even if he never manages to loose that forty pounds.)
Jul '10
Re: "Barbour / Daniels '12"
Having watched the entire interview last night I am convinced that Barbour may be the first really presidential candidate we have seen in a long time. He has real gravitas. He is charismatic. He is honest. He is intelligent. He has a long history in political life with a good deal of real experience. He is conservative and reasonable. His accent jarred me just a touch, but being 65 I have very real memories of LBJ, and that association with the accent left me momentarily uncomfortable. When I listened to him I became enthralled with his directness and the reasonableness of his approach to undoing the damage the current administration is causing. I would love to see him run for the 2012 nomination.