Presidential Primaries

**Roguish Lawyer** · 01-02-2008, 18:06

Iowa is tomorrow. Who's going to win? Who are you guys supporting? I haven't been paying much attention. I'll go look at the Thompson thread a bit more, but I thought we should start fresh here.

Guy · 01-02-2008, 18:12

Thompson is out of it...

Stay safe.

**The Reaper** · 01-02-2008, 18:13

I just want to know why the 30th and 40th smallest states in the union get to pick the Presidential candidates for the rest of us?

Why not hold all primaries on the same day, just like the general election?

TR

**Roguish Lawyer** · 01-02-2008, 18:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Reaper

I just want to know why the 30th and 40th smallest states in the union get to pick the Presidential candidates for the rest of us?

Why not hold all primaries on the same day, just like the general election?

TR

If you did that, you would make it even harder to be a viable candidate. Fundraising ability already is probably the most important thing in Presidential politics -- take away the ability to win some early victories and build momentum, and you'll deter even more good people from running because they can't afford nationwide media.

Just my 2 cents, YMMV.

You still like Thompson best? What do you guys think about Huckabee?

**The Reaper** · 01-02-2008, 18:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roguish Lawyer

You still like Thompson best? What do you guys think about Huckabee?

I track with Thompson's positions better than anyone else's, and think that he is genuine about them. My belief is that the media has prosecuted an agenda to eliminate Thompson, though he could have worked harder earlier to dispel those myths.

My personal opinion is that Rudy, Huckabee, and especially Romney are running from their past and hold views that are opposed to the Republican base.

I understand the need to court moderates and independents.

For my taste, Huckabee is too liberal on social issues (especially illegal immigration, criminals, etc.) and is way to much into nambyism and big government. Not a Reagan Republican at all.

On the other hand, Rudy and Romney are even worse.

TR

**Roguish Lawyer** · 01-02-2008, 18:34

I'd like to see a debate. Have not seen any yet, and perhaps that would help. I am not excited by any of the candidates so far.

rubberneck · 01-02-2008, 18:42

Rudy has too much baggage. Mitt has flipped flopped all over the place. Fred doesn't seem to have his heart in it. Ron Paul is a little too far off the reservation for my tastes. Huckabee's only credential thus far is that he is more Christian than the other guys, which leaves McCain. I don't like a number of his positions but at this point he is the only republican candidate that I could see beating Hillary or Obama in a general election and the only candidate, other than Rudy, that really seems to understand the importance of having success in Iraq.

This election season reminds me of the 1996 election when our choices were bad and worse. As such I will hold my nose and vote for McCain as there isn't a true Reagan Republican in the group and I can't imagine how badly we'd be screwed with Hillary or that lightweight Obama calling the shots.

incommin · 01-02-2008, 18:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roguish Lawyer

I'd like to see a debate. Have not seen any yet, and perhaps that would help. I am not excited by any of the candidates so far.

I doubt that we will ever again see a real debate among candidates.

Jim

bricklayer · 01-02-2008, 19:02

I think Romney is gonna take the trophy, but any wich way it goes, were all screwed!

REMFlt · 01-02-2008, 19:09

I like Thompson, but considering the lack of media coverage, and his polling, I don't think he's going to make it past the primaries. Huckabee strikes me as a southern Democrat posing as a Republican. Romney may be a flip-flopper, but he was a successful businessman prior to entering politics, which leads me to believe he is a genuine fiscal conservative. Giuliani is pretty much out of the election, too much baggage, and realistically, he doesn't look "Presidential" ( >90% of CEOs are over 6' tall, as stupid as it may be, looks do matter, particularly in the current mass media environment). I don't think McCain is a viable candidate, he's made too many concessions to the libs.

As an aside, does anybody else think the MSM is building up Huckabee because they see him as the Republican candidate that can most easily be defeated in the general election? (I may have heard this on the Rush Limbaugh Program)

bricklayer · 01-02-2008, 19:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by REMFlt

As an aside, does anybody else think the MSM is building up Huckabee because they see him as the Republican candidate that can most easily be defeated in the general election?

I would agree with that statement.

**Peregrino** · 01-02-2008, 19:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by REMFlt

As an aside, does anybody else think the MSM is building up Huckabee because they see him as the Republican candidate that can most easily be defeated in the general election?

A pretty astute guess. I'm leaning that way myself. Huckabee is not my idea of a Republican; he's certainly not the man we need to lead us back to Constitutional principles and a federalist government. Thompson has disappointed me; his "non-traditional" campaign amounts to "no-campaign". Once again we get to choose between bad and worse.

GratefulCitizen · 01-02-2008, 20:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Reaper

My belief is that the media has prosecuted an agenda to eliminate Thompson, though he could have worked harder earlier to dispel those myths.

TR

The media have a vested interest in eliminating Thompson.
He won't play their game.

If Thompson is successful, other politicians will follow his lead and the media will lose significant power and influence.

Sdiver · 01-02-2008, 20:33

Boy, do I miss the old days.

I wish Pat Paulsen would run for President again, but I think we'd have to dig him up, to get him to run again.

http://www.paulsen.com/pat/

**Razor** · 01-02-2008, 20:35

Frankly, I don't give a damn about Iowa or their opinions. The fact that candidates will decide to run or not based of 1/50th of the information is pathetic.

(No offense to CPTAUSRET and his lovely missus, of course)