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Three More Presidential Candidates — Plus Another 300 or so
It’ll be a busy week in presidential politics, what with three Republican hopefuls making their candidacies official in the next few days. That would include:
1) Dr. Ben Carson. After traveling the nation the past six months, looking to all the world like a presidential candidate, the retired neurosurgeon made his announcement today at the Detroit Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts (now it’s off to Iowa). Why Detroit? It’s Carson’s boyhood home and plays a big part in his story of personal growth (poor inner-city child becomes world-class neurosurgeon). As he recently told a Detroit News interviewer: “My mother was so disappointed that I was a poor student, that she didn’t know what to do. She prayed to God for wisdom. And he gave it to her: to turn off the TV and make us read books.” Of note: as the only African-American in the GOP field and at a time when the Republicans are in dire need of expanding their base, can a black icon like Carson develop a multiracial political following?
2) Carly Fiorina. Also today, Carly Fiorina is expected to formalize her candidacy (the former Hewlett-Packard chair was on ABC’s Good Morning America this morning to talk about her campaign and her new book). Californians who remember her failed U.S. Senate run scoff at her presidential bid. What they overlook: her life’s journey is the stuff of real flesh and blood (cancer survivor, started out as a “Kelly girl”) and plays well to less jaded electorates. Like Carson, Fiorina’s also a standout: she’s the lone woman in the field. Perhaps that’s why she has the most combative words to say about that other woman who’s seeking the presidency. Here’s what Fiorina declared at this weekend’s National Review Institute Ideas Summit: “We can’t let [Hillary Clinton] run on the stuff that she wants to run on — and we all know what she wants to run on. If I were the nominee, I will not falter . . . and I will land every punch and on the ground where she has to explain her transparency, her policies, her track record — ladies and gentlemen, on that ground we can win this fight.”
3) Mike Huckabee. The former Arkansas governor and Fox News host will jump into the race tomorrow. His venue choice: Hope, Arkansas — yep, the same Hope that gave us Bill Clinton. Which also makes for an easy kickoff speech: denouncing the Clintons’ Arkansas tenure. Two things to mote about Huckabee: (a) he’s folksy and likable, which could again pay dividends in Iowa: (b) as this video shows, he has a unique way of communicating — with passages such as this: “”Every day of my life in politics was a fight and sometimes it was an intense one. But any drunken redneck can walk into a bar and start a fight. A leader only starts a fight that he’s prepared to finish.”
By the way, once these three candidates make it official, you’ll hear a lot of media talk about six Republicans in the field (Carson, Fiorina, and Huckabee + Cruz, Paul and Rubio). Actually, it’s more like nearly six-dozen Republicans, give or take a few.
One of the blessings (or curses) of this country is it doesn’t take much to run for the presidency. All a man or woman of proper age has to do is fill out a one-page document called the FEC Form 2 — that, and an FEC Form 1 if you plan to accept more than $5,000 in campaign contributions.
As you’ll see here, lots and lots of Americans have taken advantage of the easy form-filing — so far, over 300 men and women are on the FEC’s list of “Form 2 candidates”.
And what a field it is: there’s a Dean (Daniel, not Howard), two Edwards (Katee and Jenny, but no John), a Johnson (Barry Lester, not Lyndon), a Moynihan (Shawn Stephen, not Daniel Patrick), a Scarborough (Larry, not Joe), and a Ventura (Andre, not Jesse).
You’ll also find a Bush (Willita Bush, a Green Party hopeful) and a Carter (Willie Felix).
There’s a Republican named Paul Debow, who would seem the perfect running mate for a certain pro football quarterback with the same-sounding last name.
For those of you looking for tough-on-crime types, we have James ‘Titus the Great” Law and Brenda Dawn Justice.
If you prefer a candidate who appreciates how good he has it, we have a George Bailey.
And there’s my favorite: President Emperor Caesar, a Democrat from Cape Coral, Florida, and a veteran of the 2008 and 2012 elections.
We can only assume that he’d have a better working relationship with the Senate than did Julius . . .
Published in General
I like the idea of a lot of candidates because it is good advertising for our side and our ideas. I want to support someone who has done something other than law and politics. That would leave Paul (doctor), Fiorina (business), and Carson (medicine).
As of right now, I am going to support Carson. Not because of his race, or his story, but he is the only person that has been clear when he uttered the two magic words, “Flat Tax.”
I know he isn’t polished and he said something stupid about gays, blah blah. But any candidate that will work to put in a flat tax and start making everyone have some “skin in the game” will get my support.
Carson — President isn’t an entry level position in politics. He can say “flat tax” but can he deliver it? I doubt he is a fighter. He strikes me as one of those “reach across the aisle” guys. He would get rolled by the Schumers and Pelosis with talk of compromise and fairness.
Fiorina – I like her background. I also like the whole lack-of-a-penis thing when going up against Hillary. It’s the battle of Super Women – one private sector honed, the other public sector honed.
Huckabee — sure, folksy plays well in Iowa. But nationally, he is too redneck and too overtly Christian. Big tax raiser too, if recollection serves.
Huckabee’s book sales must be flagging.
Who, at this point, is NOT running? I know we don’t have announcements from Walker, Bush, Christie, Jindal, et al – but I expect all of them to officially announce. At this point, the bigger story is going to be someone announcing they are NOT running for POTUS. Our bench is deep, but politics lacks the coach who can put the right people on the court, 5 at a time, to ensure the best outcome for a game. None of these three (especially Huckabee) belong in the top tier.
Carly will make the race interesting. She is the best person to play attack ninja on Hillary, candidate or later. I like Ben Carson, but the only thing worse than a lawyer at running things is a doctor. Both fields train you to pretend to be godlike. Terrible in an executive.
Huckabee? No more old guys. I am an old guy and I am demanding younger blood. Plus, we have already seen Arkansas pragmatism.
Carson: I’m glad he’s running. His candidacy is doomed, though. Even if this non-politician doesn’t commit any major gaffes, the MSM will create some. Anything to destroy a black Republican’s chances.
Fiorina: She is running for Vice President.
Huckabee: For me, his folksiness makes him unlikable. I don’t like his shtick. He lacks gravitas and doesn’t add anything of value to the slate of candidates.
The candidate will be Rubio, Walker, or Bush (and the VP candidate will be a woman). All the rest is a sideshow.
All these no-chance candidates make the Republican side look bad. Since when is the impression of chaos marketable? I heard Fiorina, on Megan Kelly, approve of the State Attorney’s quick charges against cops in Baltimore. What’s the politics on that one?