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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

DebateCorner

As we gear up for candidate recruitment in 2011, many discounting imperfect candidates, much to their detriment



So, here we are, heading into turkey day, 3+ weeks removed from an earthquake election. Each side has had it’s chance to spin the election in the way one would expect - Republicans calling for Obama to moderate to the will of the people; Obama acting tone deaf and defiant. We now know who the next Speaker of the House will be, and who the next Minority Leader will be (hey Democrats, you do know what the definition of insanity is, don’t ya?). As freshman orientation has taken place, transition teams are in place for transfers of power at the state level, and the end of another tumultuous year nears it’s end, many speculative polls are surfacing with potential 2012 match-ups. Questions abound whether Obama will receive a primary challenge from the left (Hillary, Russ Feingold, Dennis Kucinich, Uncle Jerry), and who will comprise the slate on the GOP side. There are many options on the right, ranging from northeast Republicans Chris Christie and Mitt Romney, to southern gentlemen Haley Barbour and Rick Perry. Each individual has fine qualifications, as well as shaky skeletons in their proverbial closets. There’s Governor Mitch Daniels (R-IN), former Budget Director in the Bush administration; Governor Rick Perry (R-TX), who took over, following the election of then-Governor George W. Bush and has since been elected to a 3rd term; Governor Bobby Jindal (R-LA) who showed earnest leadership in the Deepwater disaster; Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, who would represent a chance for Republicans to take Minnesota for the first time since Reagan; Governor Haley Barbour (R-MS), the outgoing chair of the Republican Governor’s Association; Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ), the bombastic Garden State leader who ‘s anti-union fervor has spiced up Republican interest nationally; former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-AR), a former Minister and current Fox personality; former Governor Mitt Romney (R-MA), who saved the 2002 Olympics; Congressman Mike Pence (R-IN); Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC); even newly elected Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL). All of these men have varying degrees of qualifications that would make him suitable for the presidency. However, the real cog in this whole ordeal could be brought about by former Governor of Alaska, and current fundraiser extraordinaire, Sarah Palin. The once-Governor, who famously was Senator John McCain’s running mate during the 2008 presidential campaign, and who quit her only term as Governor prematurely, represents a possible out for our current president.

Many Republicans are pushing a Palin nomination very strongly, touting her support for the Tea Party, her strong conservative roots, and her take charge attitude as supporting reasons to draft her, and propel her. Lets get 1 thing straight - Sarah Palin’s disapproval rating, as found in a Gallup poll released this month, was found to be 52%. That’s higher than President Obama’s disapproval rating, according to almost every poll. This same president destroyed the aspirations of our current Secretary of State, who was all but certain to become the next president of the United States 3 years ago; that is, until a certain freshman Senator from Illinois strutted his hopey-changey schpiel. By most accounts, Hillary Clinton is viewed more popular from New York to California than Ms. Palin, so why would conservatives be so gallant about supporting her? As you can grasp from the general tone of this piece, I am no fan of the former Governor. I did like her during the 2008 RNC, loved what she had to say, and thought she was great. Then I saw her debate against our veep, and started to wonder. Then, amidst controversy in her home state, she up and quit. Tell me something….did G.W. quit at any point during his 8 years? Was not his entire administration plagued by controversy and criticism? Were there not millions of people nationally that wanted him impeached, tarred, feathered? The man’s approval rating dropped below that of Obama’s, yet he stayed. If Ms. Palin is incapable of weathering a storm in her own state, how on EARTH will she manage in Washington? Not to mention the verbal bomb throwing she’s mastered as a lightning rod…don’t we already have someone of that caliber in the White House?

Arguably the top contender for the Republicans, at present, is Mitt Romney.  The slick talking, touch-of-gray, blue state Republican has a strong business acumen…but has the baggage of Romneycare, the oft-criticized health care system he passed as Governor. His socially conservative values of pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, and anti-gun control have all been questioned. Then there’s Mike Huckabee, who is very likable, but has a shady record from his time in Arkansas; raising taxes and spending, and legislating morality. And there’s Chris Christie, who’s been attacked for being a cap and tax supporter, in favor of funding alternative energy production, and gun control. But lets just take a minute, and analyze all 3 in contrast to Ms. Palin:

Mitt Romney. 1 term Governor of a blue state. Campaigned with Senator-Elect Marco Rubio. Condemns everything President Obama has done. Ms. Palin - ½ term Governor, accomplished nothing, calls people that don’t like her “bastards”.

Mike Huckabee. 2 term Governor. Supported Senator-Elect Marco Rubio. Condemns everything President Obama has done. Ms. Palin - still a ½ term Governor, with no accomplishments.

Chris Christie - 1 term Governor of a blue state. Has taken teachers union to task, and has blown up his state’s budget. Ms. Palin - still a ½ term Governor, with no accomplishments.

Getting the picture? No matter how great Sarah Palin’s rhetoric sounds….what has she done? No really, WHAT HAS SHE DONE? She was a Mayor in a small town. She was in the city council. Annnd…she was a ½ term Governor. Who quit. WHY is this not a big deal? We can attack and criticize our president for being a less-than-1-term Senator from Illinois, who did nothing but community organize, but we can’t attack and criticize Palin for quitting? People, lets get serious…if we want President Obama to be a 1 term president, if we want to repeal Obamacare BEFORE it destroys the system, if we want to end the wasteful spending, if we want to make lower taxes PERMANENT, we have to GET RID of Obama. The term RINO gets tossed around an awful lot, and it shouldn’t. Ultra conservatives love to use the term on politicians who don’t agree with them 100%. Well, I have news for them - I’m a Republican who voted for Marco Rubio, and Rick Scott, and for George Bush in 2004. That means I voted AGAINST Obama liberal Alex Sink, AGAINST flip-flopper CharLIE Crist, Obama liberal Kendrick Meek, and the traitorous, slimy John Kerry. Am I a RINO because I voted for Rudy Giuliani in 2008? Am I a RINO because I like Chris Christie and Mitt Romney?

Republicans have a beautiful opportunity to gain a nearly indestructible mandate from coast to coast, that can last the next 25 years. They will squander that opportunity if they alienate the segment of the party that chooses electability and pragmatism, in favor of lightning rod characters that are great at gaining a buck, but not great at governing. Give me a 1 term Governor who accomplished something, over a ½ term quitter who couldn’t take the heat. Each day that passes, our president becomes more and more vulnerable to defeat. If the Republican party chooses a candidate like Sarah Palin in 2 years, it will be squandering more than just an opportunity to bring the kind of change that this country needs (not the fundamental transformation that was promised); it will be squandering an opportunity to bring REAL leadership to this country. Riding the coat tails of a movement that would have picked up steam without her, makes not a true leader. Republicans, the choice is ours - lets NOT rescue defeat from the jaws of victory.

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