All about looks and image for “sequels” (re-election), nothing to do with substance on what is good for the people.

If I hear “looks presidential” about anyone, I’ll puke.

People are touting Thune for President because they are looking for a fresh face instead of the 2008 retreads. I agree with the sentiment, but I don’t want Thune. He just another establishment Senator. Thune defended Murky keeping her seniority on the Energy Committe and called DeMint out for expressing unhappiness over the GOP leadership to let Murkowski keep her ranking committee position. If Thune really backs Miller, he should be demanding Murky to return the money and campaign for Miller and slam Murky.

The AK Senate is a very important race for the Tea Party movement. Murky is running ads slamming the Tea Party movement. Also a possible Murky victory could encourage other RINOs to run as Indepedent if they lose the primary. Any GOPer that is aiding Murky, directly or indirectly, needs to be blacklisted.

For those looking for a fresh face from the Midwest, try looking at Tim Pawlenty or Mitch Daniels.

because he adds exactly ZERO electoral votes to the GOP column. (We already HAVE all three of South Dakota’s votes).

..and not be so quick to crown the next Republican candidate for president. I remember when Scott Brown was elected in MA. For a few weeks, people were falling all over themselves about Brown as a presidential candidate. Then repeat the same thing with Chris Christie. Now, Thune. People need to take a little time and look at the actual records of these guys. If things continue in our favor for the next few weeks, Conservatives will make HUGE inroads. We don’t have to make rash decisions now, nor do we need to settle. Let’s see what happens over the next 10-12 months so we can pick the best candidate.

John Thune for President……….not so quick.

-nt-

The purpose of being a Republican Presidential candidate in 2012 is not to make Romney look good. Thune is Romney without the executive experience.

than it took to elect Thune a Senator. He looks like he shops at the same Empty Suit store that outfitted Obama. The guy has never held a private sector job in his life. Remind you of anybody? Granted, he is clean and doesn’t speak with a Canadian dialect.

Let’s see, this election cycle Thune has racked up how many favors around the Country in the Republican ranks? How does his total compare to say, Sarah Palin’s. LOL

How many Tea Party candidates has he supported? How many Tea Party rallies has he been to? If anyone thinks the Tea Party isn’t going to a factor in the POTUS primaries they are either dopes or smokin’ it.

Anyone seen his birth certificate? I bet he was really born in Winnipeg

my neck of the woods. Quite frankly, southern GOPers are just not getting the job done in terms of leading the conservative movement. They are great at preaching about Jesus, but they end up muddling Christianity with conservatism too much. Don’t get me wrong, the two are not mutually exclusive. I just can’t imagine Jesus would give two shakes over tax policy and American exceptionalism. Just sayin’ I don’t like my politics and religion mixing too much and western Republicans seem to do a better job of staying conservative and keeping the preaching reserved for Sundays.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not lumping Thune in with us here in the west. He’s borderline, but more midwest.

But I’m liking Herman Cain more and more.

as long as we’re on the subject

For 2009, Thune has a 100% ACU rating for his votes as Senator. He has the same voting record as rock-ribbed conservative Senators like Coburn and DeMint.

Looking at the other names that are being thrown around, I’ll take Thune.

Mitt Romney? A Republican that signed into law ObamaCare 1.0 for Massachusetts. It’s been absolute trainwreck for the state. Huckabee? A pro-life version of Jimmy Carter that doubled his states spending. Sarah Palin? Too easy. Now will I take all of these figures over Obama? Of course, but our bench is not exactly stellar.

Thune is a solid conservative in my view, and yes, having someone that’s telegenic on camera is actually very smart and something we should seek out, that was a big reason why Reagan was as effective as he was.

There are no perfect candidates out there, but looking at our bench, I really don’t see candidate out there that puts Thune to shame, and I certainly don’t think Thune is a closet RINO because he gave money to moderate Republicans.

Nobody is about to become the clear frontrunner for 2012. Has fund-raising for the “wrong” Republicans now moved to the headf of the important issues list?

RedState has been an important player in the conservative awakening. but it will all become a footnote to history if we don’t elect our candidates next month.

We have a nation to save, peopl

We absolutely do NOT have to settle this time around.

If Thune is literally a “Do-Nothing” as a legislator, then he jumps to the head of the pack in my book.

I would just love to have a president like Calvin Coolidge who did nothing, and opposed everything, Good God we need that!

Daniels 2012!!!

Ron Paul is one of the more prolific earmarking and pork-spending Republicans in Congress. His long standing practice has been to ensure all of his pork and earmarks are in the spending bills’ final versions, then vote “NO” (when overwhelming passage is assured) and brag how he “opposes spending.”

Since Rand lacks a track record of his own, are you just taking him at his word?

That would have been a big mistake with Daddy.

comparing Bob Dole to John Thune because Dole actually had an amazing set of legislative accomplishments from 1981 to 1996. Yes he had the 4 years of ferrying Reagan Tax policies through the Finance committee but then he carried the legislative water for Reagan and Bush41 for 8 years. Then he fought Clinton tooth and Nail for 4 years. Bob Dole-love him or hate him-was a top 5 senate guy for 16 years. Top dozen or so more important senators in the last century. Bob Dole did all the heavy lifter for the Reagan budgets-tax plans-foreign policy moves–ditto for Bush41.

He and Jack Danforth got Thomas confirmed by the skin of his teeth-high tech lynching and all.

I know Erick’s point had to do with GOP senators getting elected President but Senator has massive accomplisments to his resume while John Thune just votes very very conservative.

I also second the motion that discussion of 2012 Presidential races might wait until 11-03-2010

If Newt, Thune, Palin, Romeny, or Huckabee becomes the Republican nominee I am going to puke. They are all the same neocon establishment crap. Corporatists, if you will.

We need to look for better candidates.

Thanks for posting this.

The problem the Republicans have for 2012 is that while they have a host of exciting new faces, most of them won’t be ready for a Presidential run in 2016. By then, people like Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, John Kasich, Kelly Ayotte, Nikki Haley, Susana Martinez, etc., will be ready for prime time.

About the best prospect who’s not a retread for 2012 is Bobby Jindal. He had to recover from a lackluster national appearance rebutting Obama’s first State of the Union address, but seems to have refurbished his image since then, as one of very few people who looked like they knew what they were doing during the Gulf oil spill.

Tim Pawlenty is a good man, but just doesn’t seem to have the oomph to be a strong candidate. Newt Gingrich is almost overwhelmingly brilliant, but is carrying more baggage than a 747–he’s our counterpart to the Clintons, who, whether one likes them or not, are terribly smart people but are just loaded with baggage (which is probably why the party pros ditched Hillary in favor of Obama in 2008). Rick Perry has made some statements along the way with which the press would have a field day; they’d have him painted as a nut case in no time–and it’s too recent that we elected a governor of Texas whose administration did not end happily. Jeb Bush? A last name people still aren’t too keen to hear.

Thune’s too tied to the party’s establishment; he might win an election, but in office, no matter how conservative he might appear in his campaign, he would move to the center in no time. Think Nixon. Once he went to New York to meet Rockefeller in 1960, he was never again really a conservative.

Lindsey Graham isn’t nearly as liberal as his reputation–but he’s not going to overcome that reputation with conservatives, and the base won’t fight for him. He’d be a powerful candidate; he was the best speaker in favor of the Clinton impeachment ten years ago. But he’s been far too willing to make deals on judicial appointments, and he’s burned some bridges that he would need for a Presidential run with that.

The temptation on the Right will be to nominate Sarah Palin. That urge is understandable, because she is beloved among large segments of the conservative community, but it should be resisted. Almost no one who is not a movement conservative likes her; her negative poll numbers are over 50 percent, a pretty prohibitive number. 2012 is a year of opportunity; she would blow it big time, and another movement conservative would find it well-nigh impossible to get nominated in 2016.

The problem the Republicans have for 2012 is that while they have a host of exciting new faces, most of them won’t be ready for a Presidential run in 2016. By then, people like Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, John Kasich, Kelly Ayotte, Nikki Haley, Susana Martinez, etc., will be ready for prime time.

About the best prospect who’s not a retread for 2012 is Bobby Jindal. He had to recover from a lackluster national appearance rebutting Obama’s first State of the Union address, but seems to have refurbished his image since then, as one of very few people who looked like they knew what they were doing during the Gulf oil spill.

Tim Pawlenty is a good man, but just doesn’t seem to have the oomph to be a strong candidate. Newt Gingrich is almost overwhelmingly brilliant, but is carrying more baggage than a 747–he’s our counterpart to the Clintons, who, whether one likes them or not, are terribly smart people but are just loaded with baggage (which is probably why the party pros ditched Hillary in favor of Obama in 2008). Rick Perry has made some statements along the way with which the press would have a field day; they’d have him painted as a nut case in no time–and it’s too recent that we elected a governor of Texas whose administration did not end happily. Jeb Bush? A last name people still aren’t too keen to hear.

Thune’s too tied to the party’s establishment; he might win an election, but in office, no matter how conservative he might appear in his campaign, he would move to the center in no time. Think Nixon. Once he went to New York to meet Rockefeller in 1960, he was never again really a conservative.

Lindsey Graham isn’t nearly as liberal as his reputation–but he’s not going to overcome that reputation with conservatives, and the base won’t fight for him. He’d be a powerful candidate; he was the best speaker in favor of the Clinton impeachment ten years ago. But he’s been far too willing to make deals on judicial appointments, and he’s burned some bridges that he would need for a Presidential run with that.

The temptation on the Right will be to nominate Sarah Palin. That urge is understandable, because she is beloved among large segments of the conservative community, but it should be resisted. Almost no one who is not a movement conservative likes her; her negative poll numbers are over 50 percent, a pretty prohibitive number. 2012 is a year of opportunity; she would blow it big time, and another movement conservative would find it well-nigh impossible to get nominated in 2016.

NO FORMER CANDIDATES!

Let’s find some new blood – a governor who has proven that he/she knows how to GOVERN! A businessman/woman who knows how to meet a payroll! And definitely one who will decide to surround him/herself with people with EXPERIENCE – NOT academics who haven’t a clue as to how to make ends meet.

Americans are tired of tightening their belts and living within their means and following the laws of our land while those in Washington continue to ignore the law-abiding and instead are doing their very best to take our hard-earned dollars and give them to those who have chosen to sit with their hands out, waiting for the next government check!

The current president has NEVER left the campaign trail! He is supposed to be the president of the entire population of the United States of America!!!! I am sick and tired of him speaking ill of 50% (or more) of us.

WE THE PEOPLE – citizens who LOVE America are NOT going to stand by idly while our country is destroyed!

would anyone see Thune as qualified to run for POTUS. He’s always been a pork king. He was a great fit in the last republican majority.

That said, he “also sided with Lisa Murkowski on her keeping her Senate seat”? Do you mean in the primary? Because lots of senators sided with Murkowski and the only major player endorsing Miller in the primary was Palin, I think.

Thune is in danger of turning into another Charlie Crist, in more than just looks. If he has a problem with electing Conservatives, then something is wrong.

Just in case you missed it
http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/dakota-dreaming

was that he stood for modernizing the land based leg of the nuclear deterrent. But of course he has Minuteman III missiles in his state.

Out of that, however, no Presidential gravitas is present.

I had been previously sympathetic to a Thune run for POTUS, but not anymore. Thanks for sharing this information. Now I want DeMint to run even more than I did already.

I guess having a 100% ACU rating means you are “part of the establishment”.

I guess actually hosting a fundraiser for Buck means you are “part of the establishment”.

I guess a man warning that if the GOP doesn’t follow Tea Party principles, it will rightfully be toast is “part of the establishment”.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/122147-thune-third-party-likely-if-gop-strays-from-principles

There was an article at The Hill in which several House Republicans say “he will likely launch a bid for higher office.” One said he believes Pence will dip his toe into the water of the 2012 presidential election. Some others think he may run for the IN Governor’s seat that Daniels will be leaving.

http://thehill/homenews/house/120719-pence-is-likely-to-seek-higher-office-say-fellow-republicans

Mike Pence gave a speech at Hillsdale College in September. The speech was on the role of the American President. It is a knock your socks off speech. Here is the transcript.

http://www/spectator.org/archives/2010/09/20/hillsdale-speech-on-the-presid

One of the problems that some have with Pence was with his “alternative immigration plan” that he proppsed at the time of the Kennedy/McCain immigration debacle. Some called it “stealth amnesty.” He was interviewed not long ago by John Hawkins at Right Wing News, and, John asked him about his current position on immigration. This is what he said-

_____________________

Now let’s go into a few other areas here. You’re very well liked by the base in general, but your immigration plan — there are quite a few people that weren’t exactly excited about that one. Of course, that was awhile back, so I just want to ask you: Some politicians have changed how they feel about the issue; how about you? How do you think we should be handling illegal immigration today?

Well, I think the issue of proposals that we brought forward with Senator K. Bailey Hutchison four years ago continue to be a source of enormous satisfaction to me. I simply believe that some day down the road we can find an intersection between the rule of law and the deep compassion of the American people — but in the intervening years, what’s become clear to me is that we must focus on border security and internal enforcement first.

I think that the American people have understandably grown so frustrated by a failure to secure our borders and a failure to enforce our laws in this country that the possibility of introducing any kind of a new guest worker program, where people could come into the country and work for a period of time and be able to return home, is frankly not possible today.

We have to restore the confidence of the American people in our commitment to border security and our commitment to internal enforcement. Then and only then do I believe that we could have a thoughtful debate over how we could meet the needs of our economy going forward.

For me amnesty was then and remains completely off limits. I just think it is wrong to, you know, grant amnesty to people whose first act in this country was a violation of our law. But I continue to believe that if the day came that we restored public confidence in our commitment to secure borders and internal enforcement, that we could have a national discussion, a national debate, and come up with national solution to meet our needs with a 21st century guest worker program…

Pence voted against many of Bush’s bills including, Medicare Part D, No Child Left behind, and TARP. He is a FISCAL HAWK, MUCH LIKE pAUL rYAN.

Just flipped on the TV to CNN (which I only do on rare occasions) and guess who Wolf Blitzer is interviewing about plans to run for President….none other than John Thune! As I mentioned in an earlier post on another topic, I said to beware of who the liberal media starts pushing as the best Republican candidate (just like they did with John McCain).

Buyers beware.

Palin’s accomplishments as governor in ONLY 2.5 years:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/35447297/Governor-Palin-s-Accomplishments

She has 10 years of EXECUTIVE experience.

When asked in the primary about quitting, she’ll simply state the truth like this:

“I resigned because of frivolous ethics complaints filed through a loophole in Alaska’s laws that enabled opponents of my Administration to pin down over 80% of the time of government workers, force me to spend my own money to defend myself while governor, and cost the state over two million dollars. Since I finished EVERY major objective of my first term early, and knowing these attacks were because of me, I stepped down to allow the Executive branch to function properly and then stepped UP and took the fight NATIONALLY against the most leftist President and administration in US history knowing full-well that it may destroy my political future. There are other things more important than me, including my state and my country and I chose to STAND UP and do something about it.”

The GOP candidate will have to have three things to defeat Obama:

1) Convictions – Sarah is THE Common-Sense Constitutional Conservative

2) Courage – She is fully-vetted and there is ZERO dirt on her. She has run the media gauntlet and is stronger. She is FEARLESS. And, has the guts to actually try to REDUCE the size of the federal government. No other GOP national level possibility has the GUTS with the possible exception of Chris Cristie who has already said he is not running. DeMint is not running for President either.

3) Charisma – She will fire the base and is in a perfect position to fuse together the GOP and the TPM. She is the Anti-Obama in far more ways than any other. Although people clain she is polarizing, she is LESS polarizing than Obama.

She only needs to win six states including IN, OH, VA, NC, FL + one from the following – CO, NV, NM, NH, IA, WI.

A Palin/West ticket will defeat Obama if the economy is still bad and we are still bogged down in Afghanistan.

Thune? Get real! Like Pawlenty he is afraid of his own shadow. The last thing we need is another elitist dork who is out-of-touch with the people.

But the tea party’s only actually-elected candidate so far is the biggest RINO in the Senate.

Not that you’re speaking for the tea party, but I think it’s clearly a huge factor in 2012 presidential politics.