Who will be the Republican candidate(s) for the 2008 election?

[DanS]

Fred Thompson might run. He would be a credible candidate.

Also you have NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg, who may run as an independent rather than as a Republican.

Really, there's lots of oxygen left on the Republican side.

[Bosh]

The republican one should be one of the most brutal primaries ever. I can really see some of the candidates that are no names now coming from behind to at least make things intesting. After all that this point last election cycle Lieberman was leading in dem polls. This should be very interesting to watch.

[DanS]

Also, you can't count out the former governors: Gilmore and Huckabee. I don't see them as top-flight candidates, but they might work themselves into the mix.

[Apocalypse]

I think Huckabee could probably do well if the other candidates start making themselves look bad. He doesn't seem like a difficult guy to get behind.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

McCain was never a contender with the GOP. The contention that his support of Iraq meant his downfall is however laughable.

However, except in hindsight his only strength was his air of electability. BUt really the GOP faithful don't trust him. With the media turning a bright spot light on him and underlining his in-electability jois one time strenght has evaporated.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by DanS
Also, you can't count out the former governors: Gilmore and Huckabee. I don't see them as top-flight candidates, but they might work themselves into the mix.

A governor has plenty of time to look at the candidates, see if they really pummel each other and jump in while every one of them look bad. However, with a great number of primaries now jumping UP to the first month of primaries, its going to be harder, because you gotta raise all that money for that mega month of big primary battles.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Ogie Oglethorpe
McCain was never a contender with the GOP. The contention that his support of Iraq meant his downfall is however laughable.

However, except in hindsight his only strength was his air of electability. BUt really the GOP faithful don't trust him. With the media turning a bright spot light on him and underlining his in-electability jois one time strenght has evaporated.

I think you've undercut your argument a bit. The reason he had an air of electability was because he was a hit with moderates and independents. His full fledged support for Iraq, as it was going down, bombed his approval rating with indeps and moderates causing him to lose his air of electability (now he is definitely no sure thing in the general).

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui


I think you've undercut your argument a bit. The reason he had an air of electability was because he was a hit with moderates and independents. His full fledged support for Iraq, as it was going down, bombed his approval rating with indeps and moderates causing him to lose his air of electability (now he is definitely no sure thing in the general).

I know I was pausing midthought and saying as much. Regardless of my pause midthought, though McCain was never going to win the hearts of the base considering the electability premise applies equally if not better to Rudy. A man who has not demonstrated to date an alienation to the extent of McCain vis-a-vis McCain Feingold, Gang of 14, or McCain Kennedy.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Agreed.

I think McCain was far more doomed by the fact that Guiliani, who is also known for being electable with indeps and moderates (due to being Teh 9/11 Mayor) entered the race.

Though maybe they'll both be out once Guils' positions on abortion (and public funding of abortions, at least 15 years ago at any rate!!) and gay rights are better known by the base.

[Ramo]

Giuliani has really tapped into the authoritarian soul of the modern GOP, so he might be a lot more viable than his social positions (which can probably be airbrushed away by promising theocons the sky wrt judges) would predict.

Crane says he was disappointed with Romney's answer to his question the other night. Crane asked if Romney believed the president should have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens with no review. Romney said he would want to hear the pros and cons from smart lawyers before he made up his mind. Crane said that he had asked Giuliani the same question a few weeks ago. The mayor said that he would want to use this authority infrequently.

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=M2FiNjU1ZGY5Y2NiY2EyOWIyY2Q2ZWUyNmJlZmQ2NzE=

But if Thompson gets in the race, the nomination's probably his for the taking. No one currently in the race with any stature can really unite all GOP constituencies. Thompson could be the guy...

[Ramo]

Im merely challenging the notion that McCain "sold out", IE was inconsistent in his positions.

The latest appears to be immigration. He's backing away from the very same bill that he cosponsored last year.

[Admiral]

Originally posted by DanS
Also, you can't count out the former governors: Gilmore and Huckabee. I don't see them as top-flight candidates, but they might work themselves into the mix.

When I saw that Gilmore was forming an exploritory committee, i had to laugh. Gilmore is the reason that Virginia started electing Democrats. And as a Democrat, I couldn't be more happy to see that he is looking to get back into elective politics.

[Kuciwalker]

If Warner were in the Democratic field things would be very different

[Apocalypse]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
If Warner were in the Democratic field things would be very different

But he was, and he had too difficult a time raising money and decided to quit.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by DanS
Fred Thompson might run. He would be a credible candidate.

Also you have NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg, who may run as an independent rather than as a Republican.

Really, there's lots of oxygen left on the Republican side.

Did you see George Will's savaging of Thompson in his column recently? He lit into him for being a do-nothing senator who found the work of the Senate boring and never had to win a sharply contested election. I don't know how much GOP sentiment Will represents, but if a gOP stalwart like Will is attacking him already, he's sure to have a tough time once real opponents have at him.

Out of pure curiosity: when you mentioned governors, did you leave Tommy Thompson out on purpose?