The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
Well, it’s the pre-season for the 2012 Republican presidential contest. At this point, the Great Mentioner is working overtime and we’re awash in the names of possible contenders for the GOP crown. Rather than ranking our favorites (they’ll be plenty of time for that … and the process deserves to be played out), I’m interested in hearing who your “under no circumstances” candidates are – the ones who couldn’t conceivably get your vote in a Republican primary election.
My list is below. Many are individuals I respect or admire in some capacity; they’re just not people I want to see angling for the White House. In order to preserve my legendary reputation for objectivity, they are arranged geographically:
Sarah Palin – Immediately after the 2008 Republican Convention, I would’ve told you that she was the future of the party. Oh, how I wish I had been right. What we got instead was someone who is extremely adept at playing the role of populist talisman, but has never developed anything approaching the self-discipline and intellectual acumen needed to make a credible bid for the White House. Sarah does quite well where she is. So must it remain.
Gary Johnson – As with Ron Paul in 2008, I’m delighted at the prospect of the former New Mexico governor entering the race. After the last decade, the GOP badly needed to get in touch with its libertarian roots. Here’s to hoping he has the same sharp influence on policy discussions that Paul did (how many people were talking about the dangers of an expansive monetary policy before the Paul campaign?). That being said, however, libertarianism is better as a garnish than an entrée. Especially when it comes to foreign policy, the libertarian catechism doesn’t quite work as an instruction manual for a would-be POTUS.
Rick Perry – Texas may be one of the few great success stories of the last decade, but Perry’s role in that success has been limited to serving as the Whig governor of a state that still has a proud culture of limited government. The “right place, right time” phenomenon may have been salutary for the people of the Lone Star State, but it’s not a compelling rationale for a presidential campaign.
Ron Paul – See Johnson, Gary
Jon Huntsman – Huntsman was skating on thin ice when, as governor of Utah, he regularly castigated national conservatives for their intellectual narrowness. But the offence has only been compounded by a stint as President Obama’s Ambassador to China and a too cute by half attempt to pivot from Beijing into the Republican presidential field.
Tim Pawlenty – I’ve met Pawlenty and found him to be one of the most gracious, normal human beings in professional politics (this despite his crack about my Rod Blagojevich hair). He’s also smart and inventive. The problem with the former Minnesota governor is that he seems like a Republican presidential challenger built by committee – just enough to satisfy everyone, nothing to make them yearn for his candidacy. Do your state a favor and force Al Franken to involuntarily retire.
Mike Huckabee – Undoubtedly the most likable candidate in the GOP field – perhaps even a rather electable one too. But for those of us who watched his policy statements during the 2008 campaign, Huckabee remains deeply problematic. His social conservative bona fides are beyond reproach. But remove them from consideration and you find a man whose economic and foreign policy predilections place him well outside the mainstream of conservative thought.
Jim DeMint – I like DeMint. A lot. Alongside Tom Coburn, he may be my favorite member of the upper chamber. But his brand of principled small-government conservatism is all too rare in the intrinsically more moderate Senate. DeMint is a professional obstructionist (rendered here as a compliment) – a role that suits a Senate gadfly much better than a Commander-in-Chief.
George Pataki – The man without a constituency. If Pataki takes the plunge, it will only underscore the folly of his decision not to challenge Kirsten Gillibrand for her Senate seat in 2010. A Northeastern Republican with most of Mitt Romney’s vices and none of his virtues will get short shrift in a national campaign. Better to sit this one out than to create an embarrassing capstone to an otherwise serviceable career.
Rick Santorum – Though his socially conservative positions generate most of his press, Santorum is a smart, articulate advocate for conservative positions on a wide array of issues. That being said, he is going to be the “values candidate” from day one. Mitch Daniels may be going too far in calling for a “truce” on social issues (an issue which divides conservatives I respect), but Santorum runs the risk of overcorrecting. Those issues, though important, are unlikely to succumb to the gravitational pull of the presidency. And they’re not likely to be the ones we’ll be voting on in 2012.
Mitt Romney – Romney began the 2008 race looking like one of the best presidential candidates the GOP had produced in years. As time passed, however, it became clear that there was a reason for that polish – good businessman that he is, Romney is willing to go wherever the political market needs him to be. In an era of constant media exposure, no candidate of such ideological dexterity can escape the weight of his own prevarications. The upshot is a man who comes off like Bill Clinton with personal integrity. Sorry, Mitt. No sale.
And now for you. Who can you already say won’t be getting your vote at this time next year?
- Comment (56)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (1)
Comments :
Jun '10
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
Newt Gingrich -- He's sold his soul to the company ethanol store. Ethanol bad. Ver' bad.
Mike Huckabee -- I can't bring myself to vote creationist. If you believe in it, that's fine, you can put God in a box all you like, but you don't get my vote.
Rudy Giuliani -- Guns and abortion. He's wrong on both.
Mitt Romney -- His excuse for the travesty that is the Massachusetts healthcare system is that there's a whole lot of Democrats in the assembly who changed some stuff, otherwise it would be perfect. Riiiiiiiight.
May '10
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
A list without Mitch Daniels on it is a good thing in this case. Go Mitch!
Edited on Feb 2, 2011 at 9:21pmJun '10
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
I'm glad you mentioned that, Brian:
If Gov. Daniels doesn't walk back from his support for ethanol, then he's on the list, too. Sorry, dude.
Jul '10
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
I like who your list includes. Nominations for additions:
Michelle Bachmann - Great organizer and a real mover in the Tea Party, she is dynamite in front of a crowd, but she needs a bit more seasoning and I would feel better if there were a governorship on the resume, as usual.
Newt Gingrich - He is a brilliant idea man, but his personal history and his flameout as Speaker suggests a continuing role as a gadfly wonk rather than a Presidency.
Out of Troy's list, the one who scares me the most is Huckabee. He is a social conservative, but his sense of budget management is, frankly, Obamaesque.
And the next is Mr. RomneyCare.
The next President will have a tremendous balancing act to manage. He will need to avoid unnecessary cruelty while bringing the budget in line, selling the electorate on entitlement reform and getting the nation back to work. No pressure. At the same time, our foreign policy will demand a very active and visible shift in every theater of the globe.
How about we draft Peter Robinson? As a bonus he will not have to watch California disintegrate from close up. Rob VP, Claire State, VDH Defense.
Oct '10
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
Who won't be getting my vote in the 2012 GOP primary? Here's a list off the top of my head:
Gary Johnson - Wrong on drug legalization, and libertarianism doesn't work outside of college dorm rooms.
Tim Pawlenty - One word: milquetoast.
Mitt Romney - No nationalized health care. Not now, not ever.
Mike Huckabee - Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act. Enough said.
Who I would enthusiastically support for president:
Sarah Palin - The most articulate, effective spokeswoman for the Republican Party's Middle American base, bar none. If any GOP candidate engages in gutter tactics against her or her family during the primaries and wins the nomination, he will automatically lose my vote in the general election; not a threat, but a solemn promise.
Mitch Daniels - The Calvin Coolidge of the twenty-first century. The highest praise I could possibly give a candidate.
Herman Cain - A dark-horse entry who could possibly steal some of Palin's Tea Party thunder. Keep an eye on him.
Ultimately, let's hope that this time around, the GOP nominates an actual Republican for the presidency.
Edited on Feb 2, 2011 at 9:39pmJan '11
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
it would be nice if Chris Christie could be strong-armed into running. But maybe he's not a good fit - and better where he's at now. Palin as the candidate ensures Obama gets his second term. Jeb Bush would be good - but that would probably never fly - and maybe shouldn't, you know, oligocracy and all.
Jun '10
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
My Nopes: Rudy, Newt, Sarah, Huckabee, Santorum, Pataki, Huntsman, Scarborough (I laughed when I saw him included in your rogue's gallery), Paul, Jindal, Bolton, Barbour, Pence (already taken himself out), Rubio (only because he's already taken himself out), Bloomberg (he'd be wise not to show up at any Republican event unless he wants to get boo'd off the stage), Bush (not another one), Forbes, Cain.
Sep '10
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
Lots of great insights--with this be the year of "last (wo)man standing? I would be interested in juxtaposing some of these insights against a primary calendar to see who falls when...
May '10
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
Mike LaRoche: Who I would enthusiastically support for president:
Sarah Palin - The most articulate, effective spokeswoman for the Republican Party's Middle American base, bar none. If any GOP candidate engages in gutter tactics against her or her family during the primaries and wins the nomination, he will automatically lose my vote in the general election; not a threat, but a solemn promise.
Mitch Daniels - The Calvin Coolidge of the twenty-first century. The highest praise I could possibly give a candidate.
Herman Cain - A dark-horse entry who could possibly steal some of Palin's Tea Party thunder. Keep an eye on him.
Ultimately, let's hope that this time around, the GOP nominates an actual Republican for the presidency. · Feb 2 at 9:32pm
Edited on Feb 02 at 09:39 pm
Good would for list but, I'm curious: would John Bolton make the cut?
Dec '10
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
Has time run out to choose a winner we want to vote for?
Are we like Egypt caught between the bad choice of secular dictatorship and the worse choice of Shari’ah barbarism?
Is our best choice to be governed by one of the first 100 names in the Boston phone directory?
Does this mean another four tumultuous years of our historic first Islamic apostate president’s “fundamentally transforming the United States of America”?
Gospodi Pomilui!
Sep '10
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
Canadians can't vote, so I'll simply say hypothetically who I would vote for if I managed to secure US citizenship in some type of embassy deal where Canada takes Snookie off your hands. Anyway, here they are:
Sarah Palin - IMHO, more effective outside the White House than in it;
Gary Johnson - What Troy said;
Rick Perry - Did someone say Whig? Ah, no thanks. (Sorry as a Canadian with an understanding of the British parliamentary system, that's just a no go);
Jon Huntsman - The China Syndrome candidate. Radioactive. Next.
Tim Pawlenty - I like my accountant bland, not my President.
Mike Huckabee - All time worst joke about Fred Thompson needing "Metamucil". Get a talkshow. Oh, right. Never mind.
Jim DeMint - Born to the role of Senate Spike Strip to deflate bloated legislation;
George Pataki - Who? Next.
Rick Santorum - His social conservative bona fides are just wound a little too tight to make him an ideal candidate;
Mitt Romney - Every time I see Mitt I think of a 50's Eisenhower era car with tailfins and a radio one notch off the exact frequency;
Who will get the nod:
Mitch Daniels - Pres
Paul Ryan - V. Pres
May '10
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
Well, that just about clears the field. Who's left? And don't give me Meghan McCain!
Oct '10
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
Kervinlee
Mike LaRoche: Who I would enthusiastically support for president:
Sarah Palin - The most articulate, effective spokeswoman for the Republican Party's Middle American base, bar none. If any GOP candidate engages in gutter tactics against her or her family during the primaries and wins the nomination, he will automatically lose my vote in the general election; not a threat, but a solemn promise.
Mitch Daniels - The Calvin Coolidge of the twenty-first century. The highest praise I could possibly give a candidate.
Herman Cain - A dark-horse entry who could possibly steal some of Palin's Tea Party thunder. Keep an eye on him.
Ultimately, let's hope that this time around, the GOP nominates an actual Republican for the presidency. · Feb 2 at 9:32pm
Edited on Feb 02 at 09:39 pm
Good would for list but, I'm curious: would John Bolton make the cut? · Feb 2 at 9:52pm
John Bolton would absolutely make the cut. Though he's never held elective office, he has the administrative acumen to do well as president. Much like the underrated Chester Arthur, I think.
Jun '10
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
Kervinlee
Well, that just about clears the field. Who's left? And don't give me Meghan McCain! · Feb 2 at 9:55pm
Not at all...there's Pawlenty left to choose from...and Daniels, and Romney, and Perry, and DeMint, and Ryan and Cantor (the last two possible VP choices)
Jan '11
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
I nominate Liz Cheney - The Dark Lord's spawn appeals to me. Does Rumsfeld have any offspring?
Edited on Feb 2, 2011 at 10:17pmJun '10
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
Pseudodionysius:
Mitt Romney - Every time I see Mitt I think of a 50's Eisenhower era car with tailfins and a radio one notch off the exact frequency;
I was going to go with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon's love child from the Some Like It Hot days (how's that for cross-pollination?), but yeah, I think you nailed it.
Jun '10
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
Is there any way to legally obtain Ronald Reagan's DNA? I have an idea but it may not be ready by 2012.
Jan '11
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
Does it have to be legal?
Jul '10
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
Pike Bishop: I nominate Liz Cheney - The Dark Lord's spawn appeals to me. Does Rumsfeld have any offspring? · Feb 2 at 10:16pm
Edited on Feb 02 at 10:17 pm
She will never accept the cut in pay. The Dark Lord does not raise them stupid.
Jan '11
Re: The Expendables: GOP Presidential Primary Edition
Must be (or have been) a governor or a general. These days, a legislator isn't prepared to be an executive.
No centrists or moderates. I respect a difference of opinion, but only if you have a theory behind it. Spare me any narcissists who think they can "appeal" to voters who don't make up their minds until election day.
No "pragmatists." Nothing wrong with pragmatists, but they belong in the role of chief of staff.
I want someone with a theory of governing. That's because our vote should be as much about us as it is about any candidates. This is the one time every four years where I get to advocate for how I want things done. When candidates tell us their theories, my vote becomes my selection of what theory I believe. It isn't merely a competition to see who the slickest media manipulator is. A campaign should be more than an American Idol judgment about who's the slickest politician available. It can't be just about the candidate; it also has to be about us.