A Weblog of Centrist Voices in American Politics
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A Weblog of Centrist Voices in American Politics | |
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December 18, 2006Keating Considering, Warner ReconsideringRon is posting a lot of 2008 drama this morning. Apparently Governor Warner is sending out Christmas cards to New Hampshire voters and reconsidering. I bet with Bayh out he is seeing a hole in the DLC crowd that can be filled, and is waiting to see if Obama runs. If he doesn't, then John Edwards automatically becomes the anti-Hillary and leaves some room for more to enter the race. What this news does do is tarnish Warner's Boy Scout image a bit, as people will doubt that his original exit had anything to do with family, although I truly believe that it did. Also, former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating is considering the race because he feels there aren't enough Ronald Reagan Republicans running. I did a campaign swing with this guy once. He doesn't have the name ID or the money yet, but is charasmatic, articulate, smart, and polished enough to raise it fast, especially if the anti-McCain/Giualiani crowd get desperate. Another leg up Keating would have on potential candidates is that he, like Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, is from the deep red south that has become the base of the Republican Party. The social conservatives may have found their man. Keating is not without baggage, as he was passed over to be Bush's Attorney General due to a bit of financial scandal in the Sooner state, but then again either is Giuliani or McCain. Finally, Governor's Napolitano (AZ), Bredeson (TN), Sebelius (KS), and Schweitzer (MT), all centrist all from red states, jointly said they are out of the running in 2008. IMO, if you include Warner (if he isn't the nominee), Obama (if he isn't the nominee), Evan Bayh, and maybe Bill Richardson, if one of these names aren't number two on the ticket than the Democratic nominee is a moron. UPDATE: On another note, the media giveth and has begun to taketh away from Obamamania. Apparently the junior Senator purchased a slice of land from a political contributor who is now in some legal hot water, giving the appearance of wrong doing but not actually breaking any campaign finance law. Obama's response: "There's no doubt that this was a mistake on my part. 'Boneheaded' would be accurate... There's no doubt I should have seen some red flags in terms of me purchasing a piece of property from him." Obama now has given political contributions, around $11,000, from the individual in question to charity. This just goes to what Brian has been arguing. The fact that a lame attempt to accuse Obama of scandal has arisen at a lightning speed pace can only mean his potential candidacy is for real. Comments
I wouldn't be at all surprised if Napolitano is the VEEP candidate for '08 ticket. Successful centrist in a majority red state with a large re-election margin. Good track record of collaborating with moderate Republicans. Out of the rising Western Dem base. Likeable but not the greatest public speaker. I've voted for her twice (if that means anything) Posted by: c3 at December 18, 2006 02:08 PMThis just goes to what Brian has been arguing. Funny, I thought you were going to follow that sentence up with something else. Which is that it goes to show that he gets politics, that's he's astute enough to almost feel like a savant. He's the opposite of tone-deaf, like say John Kerry. He didn't cycle through the whole defend-your-friend(or statement)/get badgered/look bad/get-forced-into-day-after-tomorrow-apology. He went directly to "my bad." Granted, it's a very small thing, but I am continually surprised by how many pols don't get this. Posted by: bk at December 18, 2006 02:51 PMBrian, I should have followed up with that, and agree. It does sound like he did a good job of dealing with it, unlike ex-Sen "Macaca." A good sign. I don't know whether Warner is actually reconsidering or not, but I thought this post at TNR's Plank to be rather funny: Poor Joe Biden. He can't seem to get anyone to believe that he's running for president. Here's an AP account of his visit to New Hampshire this past weekend:Posted by: mitch at December 18, 2006 03:45 PMMANCHESTER, N.H. -- Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden is making no bones about it -- he intends to run for the Democratic presidential nomination. Yeah, Biden's clue phone should be ringing. He seems to be the only one who cares that he is running, or enthused that he is running. He's maybe not as much of a non-starter as Kerry and Gore, because he isn't in the "well-known quantity with big loser's stank" category. Mayube he's going to stick with it in the hopes of capturing the same brand Kerry got in 2004, the uncharismatic but electable guy who gets the nod by default when the party gets scared off by the big negatives of the larger light(s). But if he gets the nom under those circumstance, he heads into the general with a less than ringing endorsement by his party. Bottom line: if you can't capture the genuine enthusiasm of your own party by the force of your personality and character, what hope do you have of capturing the votes of independents and folks of the other party? Posted by: bk at December 19, 2006 10:28 AMBrian; if you can't capture the genuine enthusiasm of your own party by the force of your personality and character, what hope do you have of capturing the votes of independents and folks of the other party?As long as that "force of personality" doesn't include a loud yell! YEEEEEEAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGG ;-) Posted by: c3 at December 19, 2006 01:19 PM If Keating wants to even have a prayer, he'll have to get over his ongoing case of foot-in-mouth disease rather quickly. |
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