Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
Peter Robinson ·
February 26, 2012 at 12:59am
From an email in which a friend discusses the possibility of choosing a new candidate at a brokered convention:
I have to say, though, I 'm not enthralled with the lineup. I'd h ave a hard time going with someone who didn't have the guts to run in the first place.
My friend has a point, wouldn't you agree?
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Comments:
May '10
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
One of the few exceptions would be Bobby Jindal, whose hands were more or less tied since he was in the midst of a reelection campaign last fall. He also happens to be, maybe, our best prospect.
Dec '10
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
Interesting
May '10
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
Yes. I agree. I think both Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum have proven something important about themselves by their commitment to this point.
Further: consider what unhappy surprises Pawlenty and Perry turned out to be. How are we to have confidence that that wouldn't happen again?
Further, I was appalled by what Jeb Bush (often mentioned as a prime contender) said the other day. "I used to be a conservative, but...." But now he's clearly embarrassed by conservatives.
No thanks.
Edited on February 26, 2012 at 1:18amNov '10
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
Completely agree.
Not willing. Not vetted. Not tested.
It would be a well-earned disaster.
Jul '10
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
Your friend has an excellent point, Peter.
I also fail to understand how a broad-based frustration with the party establishment's "choice" will be solved by handing the decision to a chunk of that establishment.
The rallying cry for that wish seems to be:
Don't tell us to sit down and shut up for Romney; tell us to sit down and shut up for someone else, to be named later.
Nov '11
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
It would depend on if the nominee had a convincing rationale for not having run in the first place, yet now considering himself (or herself) qualified to lead the country. That's possible, if it was someone who's had a definite responsibility that would have had to be abandoned -- a governor, maybe even Ryan (is there any way he could have functioned effectively in his job the past few months if he were running?) but probably not someone like Daniels or Bush.
Mar '11
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
To quote John Derbyshire: We Are Doomed! Doomed!
May '11
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
My rationale:
We must defeat Obama.
I do not feel that Romney can win.
I therefore support any conservative (which therefore excludes Ron Paul) over Romney, and any process which accomplishes that.
If Romney cannot be dispatched in the primaries, then I support a brokered convention. It is still too soon to tell, but time grows short. This raises the tension a bit.
If we go to a brokered convention, I do not feel that any candidate who A) has not been vetted for this job and B) did not stand up when the call went out (shut up about your family, military folks do it every day) can win, and therefore I oppose them too.
This leaves me with support for a brokered convention only if it looks like it will benefit Santorum or Newt more than the primary process. I would even support Palin (not my first choice, but maybe my second). But I cannot think of another "claim-jumper" who could credibly pull off a late entry.
Jul '10
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
You want brokered convention? You want vetted? You want tested?
McCain '12!
Oct '11
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
I always thought it was crazy that people who were complaining about some nefarious "establishment" pushing Romney on the primary electorate was simultaneously in many cases calling for a brokered convention. Obviously, the brokered convention nominating a candidate who had not competed in the primary process would be the very embodiment of the "establishment" picking a candidate against the wishes of the primary electorate.
Feb '11
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
Peter, as someone who is advocating a brokered convention myself, I find your friends point to be a good one. However, were the right candidate - Paul Ryan, Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, or Mitch Daniels - to be nominated in a brokered convention I feel his criticism of a lack of "guts" could easily be diffused. Simply put, nearly any one of those candidates could say something along these lines, " I tried to serve my Country in other ways (in the Congress, as a Governor, etc.), it was not my intention to run for this nomination, but my Country has requested my service; and as an American and a Republican, I now see that it is my duty to lead a united Republican party to victory in 2012...."
Edited on February 26, 2012 at 1:50amMay '10
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
Peter, let me fix that picture for you...
Oct '10
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
The group of candidates has been through the wringer, and several have dropped out. McRomney's money and determination have shown him to be the perpetual candidate, always ready to be whatever it takes.
Santorum, lacking in bucks and sophistication ,has shown himself to be, if nothing else, a determined man of conservative bent, if lacking in "tea party" economic sense.
Newt has, as usual, shown himself to be a man of conservative bent who allows his genius for unconventional thought to be his undoing.
Why would any conservative want to now hand this process over to the GOP establishment to thwart the last several months of evidentiary findings?
We could possibly end up with a deadlocked convention, demanding brokering of delegates, but do we really want that? Remember how the SCOTUS got Earl Warren. Can America survive a deal like that??
Thanks, I will settle for Rick or Newt, puke Mitt out, and continue to anticipate a third party alternative to the GOP if it comes to it.
I will remain a Whig until I get a real choice.
Oct '11
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
ultra vires: Simply put, nearly any one of those candidates could say something along these lines, " I tried to serve my Country in other ways (in the Congress, as a Governor, etc.), it was not my intention to run for this nomination, but my Country has requested my service; and as an American and a Republican, I now see that it is my duty to lead a united Republican party to victory in 2012...." · 14 minutes ago
Edited 12 minutes ago
Bollocks! A convention hall of a few thousand delegates does not come close to the millions who will have participated in primaries or caucuses prior to the convention, let alone the entire country of citizenry.
Oct '11
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
I've not heard that particular insult before. What exactly do you mean by "McRomney"?
Feb '12
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
From a purely career path perspective, Mitt, Rick and Newt can easily run for POTUS and not be concerned about its impact on their careers. However, if Ryan choses to run and loses, there could be an impact on his 2012 election in Wisconsin. A loss there, and he's out of DC completely, at least for two years. Not saying it should prevent him from running, but it's certainly something he has to weigh that Mitt, Rick and Newt didn't. Ron Paul has a similiar situation as Ryan, but he serves in a more conservative district and is at the tail end of his career. Plus, the knocking Ryan out of congress would be a huge scalp for the Dems to claim in 2012. They will throw tons of $$$ into if they believe they have any shot of beating Ryan.
Edited on February 26, 2012 at 2:14amJun '11
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
Amen. There's no white knight -- or fair damsel -- who'll save the day.
Apr '11
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
Has a brokered (or contested) convention ever resulted in a nominee plucked out of the blue? Hasn't the eventual nominee always been someone who was already running?
Apr '11
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
Paul has announced that he isn't running for Congress this year regardless.
Feb '12
Re: Should We Even Be Hoping for a Brokered Convention?
IIRC, Adlai Stevenson was plucked out of the blue by the Dems in 1948. Not a good end result.