Redstate

Too bad he dropped Newt who came in third last time and was my vote that time.

on the web.  I don't understand why my man, Sam Brownback, is doing so poorly.

social conservative has a realistic shot at the White House?  I'm not being sarcastic, I'm really interested in this question.  I would imagine that someone like Brownback has as much of a shot at President as Kennedy, too far out on the edges of the party, hence the low polling numbers.

He was my vote last time as well, so I just skipped the main ballot this time.  He needs a write-in option.

I am a social conservative  (stongly) .. stong fiscal conservative (but not a free trader) ...

And Brownback does nothing for me.

#1) I have an inherant fear of a non-governor given their inability to SHOW that they can lead.  (Newt gets a pass because of his good work with the contract with America).

#2) He doesn't have a national name at all.

#3) What's he done? (as oppossed to what does he believe).

#4) He wasn't much of a speaker the one time I saw him.

If he really wants to get into this thing he needs  to:

a) Talk about fiscal conservative

b) Talk about stopping illegal immigration

Cong. Cynthia McKinney needs to be removed from office.  Her remarks at this weekends (pathetic) anti-war (read anti-Bush) rally were totally irrational and unacceptable for an elected official.  They were also chock full of falsehoods.  It's hard to believe that the voters in Georgia put her in office.  Not knowing the difference between Wyoming and Montana alone should disqualify her!

I had forgotten Cynthia McKinney was back in office. Thanks a lot.

to back off of the "values" debate.  He's now talking performance.  If he doesn't put social conservative's issue front and center does he still have your support?

I'll admit that he's an intriguing figure.  I'm a big nanotech proponent and he's written some good stuff on that front.

Cynthia McKinney and Nancy Pelosi is that Pelosi is too smart to say what she really believes.

Cynthia McKinney is more dilusional than you can imagine an elected official can be.  Watch these short video clips of her:

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=15246&only

Folks, I have been looking at Mark Sanford for months now.  I have wondered why he has never EVER been mentioned as a candidate for 08'.  He is young, media savvy, socially conservative, economically conservaive, supports the troops, FROM THE SOUTH (Hello?), and is a GOVERNOR.  Isn't this the resumee we have been pushing for in elections?  Isn't this the resumee that seems to win in November?  It would be alot of work to get his name out there, but he would be wonderful.  I think he could lay the foundations for a Jeb run too.

We happy few at Americans for Dr. Rice decided to buy a 60 second ad on the new Geena Davis homage to a Hillary Presidency, Commander in Chief. Our buy is on WMUR in Manchester, New Hampshire, on the 9 p.m. premiere episode tonight.

Aside from getting a lot of press, we have it on good authority that a certain lady Senator is not terribly happy with us.

At any rate, Ruffini's poll is also good news. Condi is doing as well this month as she did last month. As in, she's in the lead again. Ruffini will, eventually, mix up all the candidates and we'll see how she shakes out in a Big Dog Race with McCain and Giuliani. Every poll we have seen that includes Condi, McCain, and Rudy usually has Condi running in second behind Rudy and in front of McCain. Which doesn't surprise me, as the Base really distrusts McCain.

he is willing to put up strict constuctionist justices then he would probably still have my support.

I would be happy with Sanford as well.  The question at some point in time is, can these people get past the noise of 12 candidates and get enough momentum to get into the top three.

Sanford of course would get a natural boost from the SC primary, but as Tom Harkin can attest, that wont take you very far.

Now Sanford placing top three in the NH or Iowa when the time comes would be a catipult.

Sorry for the OT...I saw the RedHot post about Ben Affleck running for Senate in Virginia against Allen and had to respond. If there were any way to ensure not only Allen's reelection but also a rapid rise in positive media coverage for his presidential aspirations and reaffirmed domination of Virginia by the Republican Party, well, that would be it.

race in Louisiana and afterwards a university did a study of voting patterns across the state.  He didn't get the support of conservatives in many parts who traditionally vote for conservative candidates.  My question: does Rice have a realistic shot at being the President based on her race and sex?  Will this country vote for a black woman?

I'm liberal but I voted for Jindal based on his intelligence, youth and endorsement from Ray Nagin.  I thought the 2 of them would work well together.  Just throwing that out to let you know that I'm not blindly partisan.

The field usually whittles away even before the actual voting starts. At this point the potential candidates are 'looking' at a run, though of course some of them are pretty set on it.

The chances for a Sanford or Pawlenty depend heavily on how many big-time names wind up running. Guiliani, McCain, J Bush, Rice... if there are even 2 of that group, no one without significant resources would stand a chance. Allen would still be in it.

I'd prefer none of those 4 I list run. But at least 1 and probably 2 will be competing in the primaries.

why anyone thinks we should elect a person who has never held elected office nor served in our military.  

I respect Condi Rice but she is woefully unequipped for a Presidential run.

Supposedly he's going to buy some property in Charlottesville.

I can just see Rick Boucher running and hiding now.

And why would we wish to elect someone who has never been to Irkutsk or hotwired a fine Italian automobile?

The U.S. Presidency is a civilian office for which one can have collected the necessary experience in a number of ways: elected State government or elected federal government are two ways, military service and unelected civilian service are two others.

If she wanted the job, though, I'm certain she would not bank on your particular vote.

...unlike Al Gore, she never invented the internet, NOR, I might add, does she have a newly minted roman a clef television show pimping her candidacy like Hillary does.

Dadgum! Who knew Condi Rice was so unqualified! Back to the drawing board. Best to get my Tom Tancredo buttons out!

Jindal is loved by most conservatives, including Louisianians.  He did marginally worse in David Duke's old stomping grounds.  The race was close enough that it covered the difference.

will this country vote for a black woman?

Taylor, Grant, Hoover, and Eisenhower are the presidents who never held elected office (prior to the presidency) of which Hoover was the only one that did not serve in the military.

Whether she is counting on my vote is largely irrelevant to the point.

She is a lifelong civil servant with little to no experience in anything other than foreign policy analysis.  While she may be an extraordinary foreign policy wonk I fail to see how she has the experience to hold the highest elected position in our government.

I'm not making this point as a snark.  I sincerely want to understand why there are so many people that want to see her run.  She isn't particularly Conservative, at least from what I've heard.  She has very little domestic experience.  And she has almost zero legislative experience.  And while she is likable and intelligent she doesn't strike me as someone who can lead by force of personality either.

Your argument seems to be that qualifications don't matter.  I strongly disagree.

I don't understand why anyone thinks we should elect a person who has never held elected office nor served in our military.  

to convince him to run. I suspect he may, but not in 2008. He's up for reelection in 2006, should win, and will be term limited (imposed by law, not campaign promise this time)in 2010. This would position him well for a 2012 run, if there is no incumbent Republican running.

The way I understand Sanford, he sees his current job as being Governor, and will not give that up to seek another job. When he first ran for Congress, he promised to serve only three terms, and that is exactly what he did. I believe he intends to serve two full terms as Governor.

I think Sanford would be a great president for small government conservatives. And as for supporting the troops, he IS one. AFAIK, he is still in the Reserves.

There was a recent story that came out about Governor Sanford. It seems that the beach near his private home is eroding. His neighbors thought, "Hey, the Governor lives here. Let's get him to use state money to restore the beach (and our property values)!" Well, Sanford refused. He said something along the lines of not telling Mother Nature where to put her sand.

For me, this falls under the same category as the story about Congressman Sanford sleeping on the couch in his House office, rather than spending federal money for lodging in DC (refusing to use the people's money for his own personal comfort or gain).

That is just a more general statement.  I am simply qualifying my statement.

IMO, anyone who has never held elected office nor served in our military, has to have an pretty extraordinary resume otherwise.  

Maybe a Jack Welch type guy might fit the bill.  

But a lifelone civil servant with minimal managerial  skills doesn't strike me as Presidential material.

And I hope McCain gets his donkey kicked.

that the first non-white president will likely be a Republican. I would like to believe that a significant portion of the black vote would cross over for a black Republican.

There are a number of people of color who I think could do well. Bobby Jindal is near the top of the list once he gets a little older. J. C. Watts would do well. Colin Powell could have been the first black president, if he had wanted to be (a lot of Republicans begged him to run in 1988, IIRC). I would really like to see Herman Cain elected to office. (I don't know exactly where in Georgia he lives, but maybe he could move and run against Cynthia McKinney.) I think Lynn Swann has a real shot at the Pennsylvania Governor's Mansion. And I am really pulling for Ken Blackwell in Ohio.

So, to answer your question, yes, I think that Republicans would support a non white, or more specifically, a black woman. I would.

...to have pulled Stanford out of major financial debt, thank you very much and seems to be running State like a clock. Where you get the "managerial skills" assertion is a mystery to me.

She was picked as provost of Stanford partly for her ability to say "no" to people.

Back to drawing board. Please to come up with other rationalization that disqualifies this super qualified woman for the Presidency. Clock is ticking. Final Jeopardy.

Please give it up, flyerhawk. You know that you wouldn't be asking these questions of Condi Rice to her face, now would you? This is pure snark.

I ask because I live in New Orleans and was raised in Mississippi.  Racism is alive and well down here, not as overt as in the past but it remains.  I agree that it would probably be a conservative.  At one time I would have supported Colin Powell but I don't have any real knowledge of the others you listed.

Jindal would have had the Governor's mansion if not for the few who couldn't get past his race.

Why you guys are getting so testy because I raise questions about her is beyond me.  

I wouldn't say this to her face?  What is this?  A schoolyard?  

Hey if you think that being Provost of Stanford is good enough work to merit being President that's your choice.  

J.C. Watts - former Oklahoma Congressman. I thought he was going to run for Oklahoma Governor, but I guess now he is not.

Herman Cain - formewr president of Godfather's Pizza, and former  Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, he ran for Senate in Georgia in 2004, but was defeated in the primary by Johnny Isakson.

Lynn Swann - Pittsburgh Steeler wide receiver with four Super Bowl rings, running for Governor in Pennsylvania.

Ken Blackwell - Ohio Secretary of State, running for Governor

I don't see him losing any of the states that President Bush won in 2004 and I think that he could do very well in Pennsylvania and Michigan.  He has consistently shown moral courage throughout his life and that is exactly what we need in 2008.

doing so poorly on internal polling?  Granted, it's just a small section on this website.

with you on immigration.  He needs to strengthen his record on that issue.  But, on other issues, his record is perfect.  What I most like about him is that he never minces words on life issues and those are, far and away, the most important issues for the future of our country.

Did you see him during the Roberts hearings?  I thought that he stood out on the committee with a combination of intellectually acute questions tempered with passion.  He will have national name recognition soon.  

I actually think Affleck is an attractive candidate for the democrats, (for a congressional seat, not a major office). Besides his good looks and name recognition. I have heard interviews with him and he is not a far left moonbat, but a reasonable left of center voter.

  Come to think of it, that would disqualify him from the current democratic party. Never mind.

He is still known and, while he may not be the first choice of people here in a primary, I would think that everyone here would gladly support him over Hillary in the general election.

him over Hillary?  Thanks for the news flash.  I was asking a serious question.  I posed it specifically because conservatives like my parents, who strongly backed Bush on the war and tax cuts, are extremely uncomfortable with the gay marriage and intelligent design issues.

is that the biggest hurdle for Brownback is the primary.  As the Republican nominee, he would take good positions on taxes and defense and would, I hope, keep your parents in the fold.  I would also hope that your parents would not allow his morally necessary positions on gay marriage and intelligent design to keep them from voting for him.  

Anyway, Brownback is a man of such steadfast character that even those who disagree with him would come to respect him.

on gay marriage and intelligent design would drive them away from him.  I know it would for my mother.  She's a teacher and she actually changes color when the subject of intelligent design comes up.  I know you believe that people will support him but is that realistic considering that there are conservatives who are not overly interested in the religiously conservative aspects of the movement, who are actively uncomfortable with it, in fact.

He hasn't done anything to get himeself noticed and he isn't in a position to do so either unless he comes up with something that gets Republicans attention.

I suggested two possible thrusts:

1. Step up to the plate on limited government (perhaps getting on board the cutback to fund Katrina bandwagon)
   
2. A coherant policy on immigration (i.e. Jump on Kyl's bandwagon )

If he voted for the transprotation bill then he isn't on the limited government leadership trail.

I don't usually agree with you, but I do on this point.

I think Condi Rice is great, but she hasn't shown the type of leadership that I think the country would like to see ... or to put it another way .. if she were a white male, would we be listing her here?

Is Sandy Berger on the Democratic list?  Wasn't he Clinton's NSA?

but I think, overall you are right. I think she's a brilliant defender of the war but you make some good points that cause me to change my position on her as a candidate for vp or p.

would elect a conservative Black. No doubt. The racism doown here is mostly the lib dems or angry blacks. There is some close to old style white racism in smaller towns in GA, but there is nothing like that in SC much anymore.

Powell has been a big disappointment to me though.

Keith Butler - frontrunner for Republican bid to the US Senate in MI.  Former Detroit city-councilor.

Lt. Gov. Michael Steele - Republican nominee for US Senate in MD.  Former state GOP chair and current Lt. Gov. of Maryland.

Sec. of State Randy Daniels - Candidate for GOV of New York now serving as Sec. of State or NY.  He was appointed SoS as a Democrat and switched parties after 9/11.

So running for statewide office right now are Steele, Swann, Blackwell, Steele, Daniels, and Butler.

1.  Vote For Me Or I'll Make Pearl Harbor II.
   
   
2.  Affleck - Not Just A Pretty Face.
   
   
3.  Virginia Is For Gigli-Lovers.
   
   
4.  If The Red Sox Can Win The World Series, I Can Be Senator.
   
   
5.  Senator Bennifer - Need We Say More?

Please feel free to add ...