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Does anyone want the Republican nomination?

By: tooncesthecat (Diary)  |  May 16th, 2011 at 04:30 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Maybe we should blame Jeb Bush.  He started the ball rolling by making not running for President an okay thing to do.  At least not in 2012.  Even when lots of people want you to run.  Even expect you to run. For the past year he has been saying that he won’t run for President.  His father wanted him to run.  His brother wanted him to run.  The National Review wanted him to run.  But no, not even when polls show him trouncing Obama in his must-win home state of Florida.

Or maybe we should blame Bobby Jindall.  Early on, he also said he wasn’t running.  Thanks, but no thanks.  How about Mike Pence?  He wins the Values Voters Straw Poll and then says, Sorry but I’m running for Governor instead.  John Thune? Maybe? Nope. No reason, just nope. Haley Barbour?  Hasn’t got the fire in the belly.  Marco Rubio?  Flattered but committed to the voters of Florida who elected him to the Senate. And Chris Christie? God Bless Him.  Doesn’t feel qualified but keep asking and I’ll keep saying No. After all what do I have to do, kill myself?   Chris, you’re breaking Ann Coulter’s heart.

And now that ball is picking up momentum.  Daily.  In the past week, five more major Republicans took themselves out of contention.  MIke Huckabee isn’t feeling it in his heart.  Donald Trump isn’t feeling it in his ego.  Neither will be candidates.  Meanwhile Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, and Newt Gingrich announced that they will put their names on the ballot, but don’t really want the nomination either.  Paul disqualified himself on the day he announced by questioning the killing of Osama bin Ladin and proposing that FEMA be abolished and heroin legalized.  Romney followed up with a sincere, heartfelt defense of Romneycare that destroyed his candidacy.  He shoulda flip-flopped.  And Gingrich pulled a two-fer on Meet the Press: defending the individual mandate on health care and attacking Paul Ryan‘s proposed Medicare Reform.  Dead. Dead. and Dead.

If this keeps up we’re going to end up with a choice between Buddy Roemer and Gary Johnson.

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  • westbrook348

    Humorous, well-written summary of how so many potential candidates have declined to run, or screwed their chances.

    I personally would be thrilled if Gary Johnson were one of my choices in Nov 2012. He has a great record as governor & as an entrepreneur.

    • red_oakster

      So far, he’s played his hand well. And he’s been helped immensely by the non-candidacies.

      • http://www.tooncesthecat.wordpress.com tooncesthecat

        Ryan will not run for U. S. Senate seat in Wisconsin. Reason:

        “What matters to me is not the title. It’s my ability to impact policy,” Ryan said in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I don’t want to be in Congress for the rest of my life.”

        • gpclaw

          Maybe the Republican leadership in the Senate expects him to take a back seat?

          Sure, the Senate seems like a much sweeter gig, but Ryan has clout in the House. Going from chairman of the budget committee, to the guy stuck holding the gavel, while Al Franken and Bernie Sanders debate the best borsht recipe, may lack appeal.

  • grandma

    He’s right on all the issues.

    • http://www.tooncesthecat.wordpress.com tooncesthecat

      The draft was abolished by Congress in 1973 at the end of the Vietnam War. Since that time we have had an all volunteer nominating process. But you can add Rick Perry to the list of great candidates with a best-selling book who have declined to run for the Republican nomination.

      • gpclaw

        That Perry may be considering a run. I don’t know much about the guy, but at first glance he seems like a pretty cool cat.

        Seriously though, before I start scouring the inter-webs, does anyone have any insight on Perry’s bona fides?

        • grandma

          the only negative is that he used to be soft on illegals, but no longer is soft.

          A few days ago Mark Levin sang the praises of Perry. Levin seldom sings anyone’s praises. Levin said Perry was correct on amnesty, environment, and obamacare.

          • gpclaw

            Immigration is a further down my list (I lump it in with states rights), but it’s good to know. I must say, even if I don’t agree with him 100%, the country would be much better off if it were more like Texas.

  • http://www.tooncesthecat.wordpress.com tooncesthecat

    Add Jon Huntsman to the list of those who don’t want the Republican nomination. Not that he ever really had a chance, but decided to sabotage his own campaign prior to an official announcement. He shouldn’t have quit his day job. For a rational see this:

    http://www.redstate.com/dhorowitz3/2011/05/17/jon-huntsman-for-mike-bloombergs-vice-president/

  • rightwingmom52
    • http://www.tooncesthecat.wordpress.com tooncesthecat

      Palin, Bachmann, and/or Daniels gets in the race, we seem (sadly) headed in that direction. At least they want the nomination. Plus They’re the only 2 candidates not being really savaged here at RedState.

      • acat

        Pawlenty is running, and other than the “blandwagon” charges, his record is pretty solid.

        Cain is running, and other than the “lack of government experience”, his record is also very solid.

        I’d like to think a future rock star candidate will join the fray, but I really don’t think it’ll happen… the ones who are “inside” enough to be generally recognized as rock stars are too influenced by the gutless D.C. wing of the party who don’t think Obama can be beaten, so aren’t willing to try.

        Finally, I think Johnson would be a lot better (or at least a lot different) from the last President Johnson…. and an improvement over Obama…

        Mew

        • http://www.tooncesthecat.wordpress.com tooncesthecat

          But I didn’t really forget either him or Cain. I’m just anticipating that both of them will crash and burn at some point. Maybe debate #2 or maybe the Ames Straw Poll. Or maybe I’m wrong.

          • acat

            By the way, I am not going to mention Johnson again. I just can’t bring myself to think positively about someone endorsed by … Willie Nelson.

            http://www.politico.com/click/stories/1105/willie_nelson_endorses_gary_johnson.html

            (I blame too many road mixes where someone thought it’d be funny to put “On the Road Again” on the 8-track, or cassette, or CD, or iPod …)

            Mew

          • http://www.tooncesthecat.wordpress.com tooncesthecat

            I agree about “On the Road Again” But thank goodness Huck isn’t running. If I heard “Cat Scratch Fever” one more time, I swear I would take one of my nine lives.