How Republicans Will Elect Biden 2.0 in 2024

 

“Biden 2.0” is a stand-in for some Democrat figurehead of the Party of Death and Destruction (D). It could be Biden (D). It could be Harris (D). Maybe gruesome Newsome (D). Doesn’t matter, I predict we’ll have one of them, and it will be because “a majority [or, at least, a plurality] of Republicans want Trump, but the Republican Party says we can’t have him.” 

This is a similar dynamic to the Republican’s Taft-Roosevelt split that produced probably the most destructive presidency of the 20th century — Woodrow Wilson (D) — followed closely by FDR (D) and LBJ (D) (notice a pattern?).

Dan Gelernter spelled it out masterfully earlier in the month in Trump Was a Mistake, and now speaks for me in The Coming Split.

But, despite the obvious differences, we’re heading for a 1912-repeat, in which the Republican Party ignores its own voters. The Republican machine has no intention of letting us choose Trump again: He is not a uniparty team player. They’d rather lose an election to the Democrats, their brothers in crime, than win with Trump.

I especially appreciate his points here [emphasis mine]:

I’m sure I’ll be accused of being a shill for the Democrats here, and as far as I’m concerned that’s as credible as being accused of shilling for Russia these days. I’m not suggesting you have to do what I do, either. But I have no intention of supporting a Republican Party that manifestly contravenes the desires of its voters. The RNC can pretend Trump isn’t loved by the base anymore, that he doesn’t have packed rallies everywhere he goes. But I’m not buying it: Talk to Republican voters anywhere outside the Beltway, and it is obvious that he is admired and even loved by those who consider themselves “ordinary” Americans.

Mitch McConnell put cement boots on the Republican party and pushed it into the Potomac with this line: “providing assistance for Ukrainians to defeat the Russians is the number one priority for the United States right now, according to most Republicans.”

In response, I’ll quote a different Mc: “Nuts!” — General McAuliffe

Trump may be our General Patton and the Third Army of his voters the only force that can save America from Biden 2.0.

MAGA!

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  1. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill (View Comment):

    On the national level, Republicans don’t do squat.

    Nor do Democrats.

    To win the Presidency a candidate Must appeal to the indie voters.

    Or else the candidate’s party Must ensure that our broken election system is hackable.

    Ever wonder why it is if Democrats did not cheat in Arizona, that that party’s members label anyone saying they did as conspiracy theorists?

    After all, if the Dems didn’t play games in Maricopa County, they would willingly have wanted an audit to go forward. (They didn’t – they opposed Lake and her supporters’ efforts.)

    I don’t think it was just the Dems playing against Lake in 2022. It smells like a Uniparty operation. 

    • #121
  2. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill (View Comment):

    To win the Presidency a candidate Must appeal to the indie voters.

     

    No, to win the Presidency a party Must become an expert in ballot harvesting.

    To restore the republic, ballot harvesting and vote by mail must go.

    • #122
  3. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Manny (View Comment):

    Trump our Patton? Come on. That’s silly glorification. You identified the problem yourself:

    and it will be because “a majority [or, at least, a plurality] of Republicans want Trump, but the Republican Party says we can’t have him.”

    Trump splits our party. That’s why the Dems want us to run him. That’s why they funded Trump candidates in Republican primaries. No, losing is not a given. We can select a candidate that unites us and not divides Republicans and turns away a good deal of independents. Trump is not only person.

    Great point. Nominating Republican candidates, like Trump, who are almost certain to lose to a Democrat in the general election and then turning around and complaining that the election was rigged isn’t advancing the conservative cause.

    At some point, we have to take a serious look at why people like Brian Kemp and Chris Sununu are able to win while people like Herschel Walker and Don Bolduc lose.

    The Georgia voters and New Hampshire voters demonstrated that they are willing to vote GOP as long as the GOP nominee doesn’t make it hard to do.

    Name someone who doesn’t “split the party”. Do you really think anyone who voted for Trump will support someone who constantly tells us why we have to “move on” from Trump. The issues that brought us Trump have not gone away so we can’t move on unless we have someone who will tackle them as Trump tried to.

    Glen Youngkin showed that it is possible to not alienate Trump voters while broadening his appeal to other voters. It can be done.

    In regards to your admittedly rhetorical question, “Do you think anyone who voted for Trump will support someone who constantly tells us that we have to ‘move on’ from Trump”, I’d say that’s a straw man – the people who are likely to be alternative candidates will not be “constantly” telling Trump voters to move on. The smart ones will try and appeal to a broad base which includes Trump voters.

    Not a straw man at all. I heard Sununu say it in an interview, but AFAIK he wasn’t running for president at that moment. I also don’t know that he will repeat it at every opportunity. Hogan has said it multiple times, but he’s a nonentity to most people. Still, I think that’s where — I almost said “we are” — the party is. Some NTs won’t vote for anyone who doesn’t denounce Trump and I won’t vote for anyone who does. I’d be willing to accept someone who thanked Trump for what he did, symbolically gave him his Gold Watch, and suggested that Trump’s future role is to be a respected Tribal Elder. A lot of NTs would be offended, but [redacted] ’em. 

    • #123
  4. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    Sisyphus (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill (View Comment):

    To win the Presidency a candidate Must appeal to the indie voters.

     

    No, to win the Presidency a party Must become an expert in ballot harvesting.

    To restore the republic, ballot harvesting and vote by mail must go.

    I don’t understand why voting by mail, at least as it was done in Santa Clara County, is automatically a problem. Yeah, I’ve read Jay Valentine’s explanation of how it can be hacked, but that seemed like a flawed setup from the start. 

    • #124
  5. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    This is an excellent post. I have a couple of thoughts. President Trump generates a stronger reactions that any other politician I have seen during my adult life. (I was only 12 years old when Barry Goldwater ran in 1964.) President Trump got the most number of votes of any Republican in 2020, second only to the number of votes for Biden, who was running as the Anti-Trump.

    I watched closely how the Democrats nominated Biden in 2020. The overwhelming strong emotion was a blind, raging, irrational, white-hot hatred of President Trump. No matter what, Democrats were dedicated to beating President Trump in the general election. I think that many Democrats were fond of Bernie Sanders and supported his views on the economy. But they concluded that President Trump would beat Sanders. So, in the couple of days after the South Carolina primary, Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar both withdrew from the race and endorsed Biden, not because they loved Biden, but because they were convinced that Sanders could not beat Trump.

    What I think will happen is this. A dozen or so Republicans will run. But, if candidates don’t come in the top 4 in Iowa, and the top 3 in New Hampshire, they will withdraw. More accurately stated, I think that a majority of Republicans will vote for the strongest Republican left, because they will accurately conclude that Trump cannot win.

    Who will it be? DeSantis is at the poll position, and he has been a superb Governor of Florida. However, it has not been shown that he will wear well in a national campaign. I believe that our best candidate would be a Governor, as members of Congress have gelded by President Trump. Which Governor? I don’t know, but Governors DeSantis, Youngkin, Abbott, Kemp, Ducey, Noem, and Sununu would all be great. While I love Governor Hogan, I think his refusal to vote for Trump in 2020 will be fatal to him. Who I would want the most would be Mitch Daniels, but I don’t hear a drumbeat for him.

    That is a good analysis Gary.  I don’t see Trump winning the primary either, although that’s not as clear as Trump not winning the general.  I’m afraid that (IMHO) is pretty clear.  Yes, a governor will be best, but I think Tim Scott from South Carolina as a Senator might actually unify the party as well and bring independents along.  He’s the only one not a Gov that I can see pulling it off but not sure of his political chops.  

    • #125
  6. Painter Jean Moderator
    Painter Jean
    @PainterJean

    Sisyphus (View Comment):

    CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill (View Comment):

    On the national level, Republicans don’t do squat.

    Nor do Democrats.

    To win the Presidency a candidate Must appeal to the indie voters.

    Or else the candidate’s party Must ensure that our broken election system is hackable.

    Ever wonder why it is if Democrats did not cheat in Arizona, that that party’s members label anyone saying they did as conspiracy theorists?

    After all, if the Dems didn’t play games in Maricopa County, they would willingly have wanted an audit to go forward. (They didn’t – they opposed Lake and her supporters’ efforts.)

    I don’t think it was just the Dems playing against Lake in 2022. It smells like a Uniparty operation.

    Lake shot herself in the foot by telling McCain voters to “get out”. Any politician stupid enough to tell voters not to vote for them isn’t going to win. Lake has only herself to blame.

    • #126
  7. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    Django (View Comment):
    Name someone who doesn’t “split the party”. Do you really think anyone who voted for Trump will support someone who constantly tells us why we have to “move on” from Trump. The issues that brought us Trump have not gone away so we can’t move on unless we have someone who will tackle them as Trump tried to. 

    Ron DeSantis.  And if the AlwaysTrumpers will not settle for a candidate that is acceptable to most of the Party, then we lose.  

    • #127
  8. Painter Jean Moderator
    Painter Jean
    @PainterJean

    Django (View Comment):

     

    Some NTs won’t vote for anyone who doesn’t denounce Trump and I won’t vote for anyone who does. I’d be willing to accept someone who thanked Trump for what he did, symbolically gave him his Gold Watch, and suggested that Trump’s future role is to be a respected Tribal Elder. A lot of NTs would be offended, but [redacted] ’em.

    That’s reasonable. And I think that’s what we’ll likely get. 

    • #128
  9. Red Herring Coolidge
    Red Herring
    @EHerring

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Red Herring (View Comment):

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    Painter Jean (View Comment):
    I think that assuming that a plurality of primary voters will prefer Trump over another candidate is a mistake, WC. I’m not a NT – I voted for Trump in 2020 – but I would be much happier with a different candidate.

    Hmmm.

    Don’t be fooled: Trump is ‘strong as ever’ say top pollsters.

    Ah yes, pollsters… the ones who consistently get it wrong. I’m not basing what I stated on polls, I’m basing it on the intentions of people I personally know who voted for Trump in the past but who would prefer someone else. Some people I’ve talked to are tired of the drama, some do not want an elderly man again in the White House, some don’t his focus on the 2020 election…..no doubt some are “all of the above” (and that includes me). Ultimately it’s who shows up at the precinct caucuses and primaries who will determine who the candidate is. All I’m saying is, do not presume that Trump will be the preferred candidate.

    It is why the Democrats attack our guys so much. Our voters are easy to wear down until they say just make him go away.

    It isn’t the Democrats that have me wishing Trump would go away. That’s on him – and his age. Can we get someone who isn’t elderly, pushing eighty, please?!

    Older is wiser. I will take Trump’s wisdom over professional politicians who have spent a long time in government.

    • #129
  10. lowtech redneck Coolidge
    lowtech redneck
    @lowtech redneck

    Manny (View Comment):

    We can select a candidate that unites us and not divides Republicans and turns away a good deal of independents. 

    Name someone besides DeSantis, who might turn out to bomb at the national level like Walker did, or be undone by suspicious connections and a lack of understanding of or engagement with the base, like “you have no heart” Perry-both of whom were promising options on paper at some point.  

    Most potential alternatives have already disqualified themselves, in the eyes of a large proportion of conservatives-and as for the squishes, they couldn’t even stand to unite behind Cruz at the 11th hour in 2016 in order to stop Trump, I don’t see them uniting behind any other actual conservative this time around.

      

     

     

     

    • #130
  11. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    lowtech redneck (View Comment):
    Most potential alternatives have already disqualified themselves, in the eyes of a large proportion of conservatives-and as for the squishes, they couldn’t even stand to unite behind Cruz at the 11th hour in 2016 in order to stop Trump, I don’t see them uniting behind any other actual conservative this time around.

    Fortunately for us and the world they didn’t do that – although it’s possible Trump would have been the nominee anyway – because I expect any of the “moderates” would have lost to Hillary.

    • #131
  12. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    lowtech redneck (View Comment):
    Name someone besides DeSantis

    I’ll name four:  Youngkin, Abbott, Kemp, Ducey

     

    • #132
  13. Red Herring Coolidge
    Red Herring
    @EHerring

    Manny (View Comment):

    lowtech redneck (View Comment):
    Name someone besides DeSantis

    I’ll name four: Youngkin, Abbott, Kemp, Ducey

     

    Forget Kemp.

    • #133
  14. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    Red Herring (View Comment):

    Manny (View Comment):

    lowtech redneck (View Comment):
    Name someone besides DeSantis

    I’ll name four: Youngkin, Abbott, Kemp, Ducey

     

    Forget Kemp.

    OK, I don’t know him that well, but he’s a popular governor of a good size state.  I also don’t know Ducey well.  But Youngkin was brilliant, and I have always loved Abbott, and the best is Ron DeSantis.  

    • #134
  15. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    Manny (View Comment):

    lowtech redneck (View Comment):
    Name someone besides DeSantis

    I’ll name four: Youngkin, Abbott, Kemp, Ducey

     

    Let them throw their hats in the ring and see how far they get. Trump broke the mold, but I find it amusing that as soon as someone like Youngkin gets elected to be a governor he is automatically presidential material. That’s hilarious to me and an indication that the GOP is not serious. When it looked, in the polls, that Lake would be elected there were people already thinking she’d be VP material. Again, ridiculous. 

    • #135
  16. Red Herring Coolidge
    Red Herring
    @EHerring

    Manny (View Comment):

    Red Herring (View Comment):

    Manny (View Comment):

    lowtech redneck (View Comment):
    Name someone besides DeSantis

    I’ll name four: Youngkin, Abbott, Kemp, Ducey

     

    Forget Kemp.

    OK, I don’t know him that well, but he’s a popular governor of a good size state. I also don’t know Ducey well. But Youngkin was brilliant, and I have always loved Abbott, and the best is Ron DeSantis.

    Nominate Kemp and I will write in Trump.

    • #136
  17. lowtech redneck Coolidge
    lowtech redneck
    @lowtech redneck

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

     

    My point is that the GOP needs to nominate candidates more like Brian Kemp, Chris Sununu and Ron DeSantis and less like Don Bolduc and Herschel Walker.

     

    Kemp won the general because he wasn’t Stacy Abrams, and he won the primary because Perdue was no better.  He has won accolades from left-wing journalists for governing as a relative centrist in stark contrast to his original persona, and failed to substantially increase his vote support from the last general election.  Sununu’s limitations have already been addressed by others, suffice to say he hates and is hated by conservatives.  DeSantis, on the other hand, has governed as a firebrand conservative while substantially increasing his vote totals.

     

    • #137
  18. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    Django (View Comment):

    Sisyphus (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill (View Comment):

    To win the Presidency a candidate Must appeal to the indie voters.

     

    No, to win the Presidency a party Must become an expert in ballot harvesting.

    To restore the republic, ballot harvesting and vote by mail must go.

    I don’t understand why voting by mail, at least as it was done in Santa Clara County, is automatically a problem. Yeah, I’ve read Jay Valentine’s explanation of how it can be hacked, but that seemed like a flawed setup from the start.

    If you are going to cast an illegal ballot, do you want to do so in person with an ID requirement and volunteers from the local neighborhood watching or from Fuji in bundles of a thousand?

    • #138
  19. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    Sisyphus (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    Sisyphus (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill (View Comment):

    To win the Presidency a candidate Must appeal to the indie voters.

     

    No, to win the Presidency a party Must become an expert in ballot harvesting.

    To restore the republic, ballot harvesting and vote by mail must go.

    I don’t understand why voting by mail, at least as it was done in Santa Clara County, is automatically a problem. Yeah, I’ve read Jay Valentine’s explanation of how it can be hacked, but that seemed like a flawed setup from the start.

    If you are going to cast an illegal ballot, do you want to do so in person with an ID requirement and volunteers from the local neighborhood watching or from Fuji in bundles of a thousand?

    When I registered to vote by mail, I was told that the signature they had on file at the DMV should match the signature on the ballot or the ballot would be rejected. When the ballot was mailed, I received an e-mail telling me that if it wasn’t received in seven days to contact them. When the ballot was delivered, I received an e-mail. When I dropped it in the mailbox and it was picked up by the mail carrier, I received an e-mail. When it was delivered to the registrar, I received an e-mail. Two days later, I was notified that the ballot was verified and counted. This was because I registered with ballottrax(sp?). I have no concerns about my vote. This might be all that California can do right. 

    • #139
  20. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Django (View Comment):

    Sisyphus (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    Sisyphus (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    CarolJoy, Not So Easy To Kill (View Comment):

    To win the Presidency a candidate Must appeal to the indie voters.

     

    No, to win the Presidency a party Must become an expert in ballot harvesting.

    To restore the republic, ballot harvesting and vote by mail must go.

    I don’t understand why voting by mail, at least as it was done in Santa Clara County, is automatically a problem. Yeah, I’ve read Jay Valentine’s explanation of how it can be hacked, but that seemed like a flawed setup from the start.

    If you are going to cast an illegal ballot, do you want to do so in person with an ID requirement and volunteers from the local neighborhood watching or from Fuji in bundles of a thousand?

    When I registered to vote by mail, I was told that the signature they had on file at the DMV should match the signature on the ballot or the ballot would be rejected. When the ballot was mailed, I received an e-mail telling me that if it wasn’t received in seven days to contact them. When the ballot was delivered, I received an e-mail. When I dropped it in the mailbox and it was picked up by the mail carrier, I received an e-mail. When it was delivered to the registrar, I received an e-mail. Two days later, I was notified that the ballot was verified and counted. This was because I registered with ballottrax(sp?). I have no concerns about my vote. This might be all that California can do right.

    However, you still have no proof that your ballot actually was counted – an email doesn’t make it so – or that it was counted CORRECTLY.

    • #140
  21. lowtech redneck Coolidge
    lowtech redneck
    @lowtech redneck

    Manny (View Comment):

    Red Herring (View Comment):

    Manny (View Comment):

    lowtech redneck (View Comment):
    Name someone besides DeSantis

    I’ll name four: Youngkin, Abbott, Kemp, Ducey

    Forget Kemp.

    OK, I don’t know him that well, but he’s a popular governor of a good size state. I also don’t know Ducey well. But Youngkin was brilliant, and I have always loved Abbott, and the best is Ron DeSantis.

    Kemp is not popular, and would be seen as a direct thumb in the eye to Trump supporters in any event.  I don’t know much about Ducey, but he apparently didn’t think he could even win the Arizona primary.  I was thinking about Abbot when I described Perry’s issues; suffice to say he’s good at public relations, but is as swampy and Establishment as they come, and could be expected to be like Cornyn on the national stage (though probably somewhat better on immigration issues, now that he’s committed his political capital on it).  Youngkin is outstanding for a blue-state governor and deserves respect for actually implementing some of the conservative things he ran on, but there is a reason he was (barely) acceptable to voters within a deep-blue state.  He would be a good VP choice, though.

    Thus far, DeSantis is the only nationally recognized option that can’t be expected to alienate sizable numbers of conservatives right off the bat.

    Edit: clarification on Abbot/Cornyn comparison, for fairness and accuracy.

    • #141
  22. lowtech redneck Coolidge
    lowtech redneck
    @lowtech redneck

    kedavis (View Comment):

    lowtech redneck (View Comment):
    Most potential alternatives have already disqualified themselves, in the eyes of a large proportion of conservatives-and as for the squishes, they couldn’t even stand to unite behind Cruz at the 11th hour in 2016 in order to stop Trump, I don’t see them uniting behind any other actual conservative this time around.

    Fortunately for us and the world they didn’t do that – although it’s possible Trump would have been the nominee anyway – because I expect any of the “moderates” would have lost to Hillary.

    I agree it turned out for the best, but my point is that the squishes couldn’t even stand to fully support a full-spectrum conservative* in order to stop Trump.

    *Which Cruz is, despite some notable missteps.

    • #142
  23. Painter Jean Moderator
    Painter Jean
    @PainterJean

    Red Herring (View Comment):

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Red Herring (View Comment):

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oik (View Comment):

    Painter Jean (View Comment):
    I think that assuming that a plurality of primary voters will prefer Trump over another candidate is a mistake, WC. I’m not a NT – I voted for Trump in 2020 – but I would be much happier with a different candidate.

    Hmmm.

    Don’t be fooled: Trump is ‘strong as ever’ say top pollsters.

    Ah yes, pollsters… the ones who consistently get it wrong. I’m not basing what I stated on polls, I’m basing it on the intentions of people I personally know who voted for Trump in the past but who would prefer someone else. Some people I’ve talked to are tired of the drama, some do not want an elderly man again in the White House, some don’t his focus on the 2020 election…..no doubt some are “all of the above” (and that includes me). Ultimately it’s who shows up at the precinct caucuses and primaries who will determine who the candidate is. All I’m saying is, do not presume that Trump will be the preferred candidate.

    It is why the Democrats attack our guys so much. Our voters are easy to wear down until they say just make him go away.

    It isn’t the Democrats that have me wishing Trump would go away. That’s on him – and his age. Can we get someone who isn’t elderly, pushing eighty, please?!

    Older is wiser. I will take Trump’s wisdom over professional politicians who have spent a long time in government.

    “Elderly” is the appropriate word here, not “older”. The presidency is a demanding position, and not one that eighty-somethings can handle well. Quite apart from Biden’s native mediocrity, his age is a serious problem and everyone can see it. Why in the world would anyone want a repeat of this?!

    • #143
  24. Painter Jean Moderator
    Painter Jean
    @PainterJean

    Django (View Comment):

    Manny (View Comment):

    lowtech redneck (View Comment):
    Name someone besides DeSantis

    I’ll name four: Youngkin, Abbott, Kemp, Ducey

     

    Let them throw their hats in the ring and see how far they get. Trump broke the mold, but I find it amusing that as soon as someone like Youngkin gets elected to be a governor he is automatically presidential material. That’s hilarious to me and an indication that the GOP is not serious. When it looked, in the polls, that Lake would be elected there were people already thinking she’d be VP material. Again, ridiculous.

    Youngkin is mentioned because he managed to build a wide base of voters – because, you know, that’s how you win – and did so by focusing on issues that mattered to people across the board, such as education. That was an effective approach and apparently he has governed well. Why wouldn’t he be spoken of as presidential material, especially in a year in which wins were not as common as they should have been? I would think that winning an election is a big plus for a presidential resume. Youngkin, DeSantis, and some others have done that. 

    • #144
  25. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    Manny (View Comment):

    lowtech redneck (View Comment):
    Name someone besides DeSantis

    I’ll name four: Youngkin, Abbott, Kemp, Ducey

     

    Let them throw their hats in the ring and see how far they get. Trump broke the mold, but I find it amusing that as soon as someone like Youngkin gets elected to be a governor he is automatically presidential material. That’s hilarious to me and an indication that the GOP is not serious. When it looked, in the polls, that Lake would be elected there were people already thinking she’d be VP material. Again, ridiculous.

    Youngkin is mentioned because he managed to build a wide base of voters – because, you know, that’s how you win – and did so by focusing on issues that mattered to people across the board, such as education. That was an effective approach and apparently he has governed well. Why wouldn’t he be spoken of as presidential material, especially in a year in which wins were not as common as they should have been? I would think that winning an election is a big plus for a presidential resume. Youngkin, DeSantis, and some others have done that.

    Youngkin won an election. So did Biden, and Biden won on a much bigger stage. Is Biden presidential material? 

    • #145
  26. Painter Jean Moderator
    Painter Jean
    @PainterJean

    Django (View Comment):

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Django (View Comment):

    Manny (View Comment):

    lowtech redneck (View Comment):
    Name someone besides DeSantis

    I’ll name four: Youngkin, Abbott, Kemp, Ducey

     

    Let them throw their hats in the ring and see how far they get. Trump broke the mold, but I find it amusing that as soon as someone like Youngkin gets elected to be a governor he is automatically presidential material. That’s hilarious to me and an indication that the GOP is not serious. When it looked, in the polls, that Lake would be elected there were people already thinking she’d be VP material. Again, ridiculous.

    Youngkin is mentioned because he managed to build a wide base of voters – because, you know, that’s how you win – and did so by focusing on issues that mattered to people across the board, such as education. That was an effective approach and apparently he has governed well. Why wouldn’t he be spoken of as presidential material, especially in a year in which wins were not as common as they should have been? I would think that winning an election is a big plus for a presidential resume. Youngkin, DeSantis, and some others have done that.

    Youngkin won an election. So did Biden, and Biden won on a much bigger stage. Is Biden presidential material?

    Winning is a big plus to have on one’s resume, as I wrote. I didn’t state that it was the only  consideration. But in answer to your question, Biden’s age alone renders him unfit for the job, as is obvious. This isn’t a job for the elderly. 

     

    • #146
  27. Randy Weivoda Moderator
    Randy Weivoda
    @RandyWeivoda

    lowtech redneck (View Comment):
    Thus far, DeSantis is the only nationally recognized option that can’t be expected to alienate sizable numbers of conservatives right off the bat.

    I suppose so, if you define conservative as meaning die-hard Trump supporter.  A lot of people hold conservative positions, voted for Trump, are glad he beat Hillary, but do not hold him to be the gold standard for conservatism.

    • #147
  28. I Walton Member
    I Walton
    @IWalton

    There is one risk in the medium term.  China.  They control all of Latin America, all of Africa and Biden.   Israel has a lot figured out.  Germany has lost its marbles.  So we need  De Santis or  Trump,  and if we can’t elect them to Washington   we have to separate because the alternative is terminal.  The long term is unknown I expect that if we allow the Democrats and Chinese to run matters, the world economy will collapse but we will lead the way.  Do folks actually believe that what’s going on in our economy can continue?  We have to get China out of control and that means we have to get rid of Biden and elect the usual; ordinary crooks and a President who understands what’s going on and the risks we face.  

    • #148
  29. Stina Inactive
    Stina
    @CM

    lowtech redneck (View Comment):

    Manny (View Comment):

    We can select a candidate that unites us and not divides Republicans and turns away a good deal of independents.

    Name someone besides DeSantis, who might turn out to bomb at the national level like Walker did, or be undone by suspicious connections and a lack of understanding of or engagement with the base, like “you have no heart” Perry-both of whom were promising options on paper at some point.

    Most potential alternatives have already disqualified themselves, in the eyes of a large proportion of conservatives-and as for the squishes, they couldn’t even stand to unite behind Cruz at the 11th hour in 2016 in order to stop Trump, I don’t see them uniting behind any other actual conservative this time around.

     

     

     

     

    Add Bobby Jindal to the list.

    • #149
  30. Stina Inactive
    Stina
    @CM

    Red Herring (View Comment):

    Manny (View Comment):

    lowtech redneck (View Comment):
    Name someone besides DeSantis

    I’ll name four: Youngkin, Abbott, Kemp, Ducey

     

    Forget Kemp.

    I wouldn’t vote for Ducey.

    • #150
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