Republican 2012 Nomination Thread

[kapkomet]

How about Barack Obama's Crony Capitalism Problem?

 

If this is the best you've got, then Rick Perry is the next president.

[southsider2k5]

I'll beat Balta to the bad news Republican post

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/paw...?tid=sm_twitter

 

DES MOINES — Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty is ending his bid for the Republican nomination for president, he told about 75 supporters on an early morning conference call from Iowa on Sunday.

 

“Mary and I talked about this,” Pawlenty said, according to one supporter on the call. “We cannot envision a path forward to victory, and so therefore we made a decision to end the campaign.”

 

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Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) won a test vote of Iowans on Saturday, a show of strength five months before the state's caucuses. Texas Rep. Ron Paul finished second, ahead of former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty in third. (Aug. 13)

 

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) won a test vote of Iowans on Saturday, a show of strength five months before the state's caucuses. Texas Rep. Ron Paul finished second, ahead of former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty in third. (Aug. 13)

 

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Does the straw poll matter?

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Does the straw poll matter?

 

More on this Story

 

* Get the latest at PostPolitics

* Bachmann wins Iowa straw poll

* In Ames, the ultimate political carnival

* Tim Pawlenty calls it quits

 

View all Items in this Story

 

* Fact checking the GOP debate in Iowa

* GOP debate kicks campaign into new phase

* Huckabee raps Perry for stepping on straw poll

* Perry's entry into race sets up clash with Obama

* Bachmann, Pawlenty spar at debate

* Mitt Romney worth up to $264 million

* The Fix: No more Minnesota nice

* Ames presidential debate: Winners and losers

* The Take: Does Iowa even need a straw poll?

* All eyes turn to Ames straw poll

* Huckabee voters up for grabs

* Michele Bachmann takes her show on the road

 

Despite weeks crisscrossing Iowa and an investment of roughly $1 million, Pawlenty came in a distant third place after fellow Minnesotan Rep. Michele Bachmann and Texas Rep. Ron Paul in Saturday’s celebrated straw poll on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames.

 

The straw poll, which attracted about 17,000 voters — a fraction of the overall Republican electorate in Iowa — has a spotty history predicting the winner of Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses, let alone the eventual Republican nominee. But it is known for its role of winnowing the Republican field, and this year is no exception with Pawlenty the first casualty.

 

“We needed to get some lift to continue on and have a pathway forward,” Pawlenty said in an interview Sunday morning on ABC’s “This Week.” “That didn’t happen, so I’m announcing this morning on your show that I’m going to be ending my campaign for president.

 

“I wish it would have been different,” Pawlenty said. “But, obviously, the pathway forward for me doesn’t really exist.”

 

Despite high expectations at the start of the year due in large measure to his eight-year-record as governor of Minnesota, Pawlenty has struggled to raise money or gain standing in the polls. The idea was that a Republican who governed a largely Democratic state — and successfully did battle with a hostile legislature — was the right choice to challenge President Obama next year.

 

But Pawlenty never gained traction. He was overshadowed from the start by former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, whose deep coffers and national network from his unsuccessful presidential bid four years ago pushed him into the frontrunner position from the start of the year.

 

And when Bachmann joined the race in June, she quickly eclipsed Pawlenty in popularity — particularly in Iowa, where she was born and where her Christian conservatism and popularity among tea party adherents stirred a passionate response.

 

“It’s been a great honor for Mary and me and our team to convey the message of trying to get this country back on track -- and I think it is off-track -- by bringing my record forward as a two-term governor of a blue state, doing things like getting government spending under control, doing health care reform the right way, and much more,” Pawlenty said in the “This Week” interview. “But obviously that message didn’t get the kind of traction or lift that we needed and hoped for coming into the and out of the Ames straw poll.”

 

Asked what he thought went wrong with his campaign Pawlenty said: “Well, there’s a lot of factors that go into a successful campaign. Obviously, we had some success raising money, but we needed to continue that, and Ames was a benchmark for that. And if we didn’t do well in Ames, we weren’t going to have the fuel to keep the car going down the road.”

 

He congratulated Bachmann and Paul for their success, saying their numbers were “very impressive.”

 

“They lapped the field almost,” he said, “and so congratulations to them.”

 

Mark McKinnon, a veteran GOP presidential campaign strategist said Pawlenty made an early mistake that doomed his chances.

 

“I think his refusal to take on Romney in the initial debate was a fatal mistake,” said McKinnon, who is unaligned this year. “Voters want bold leaders. And that sent a message of weakness and the air went of his buzz, his fundraising, everything at a critical time in the campaign. He never recovered.”

 

Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who was on the straw poll ballot but did not compete in the contest, said Pawlenty should be proud of his campaign.

 

“Tim should be proud that he brought to this race ambitious solutions to turn around our nation’s economy and to tackle debt and spending,” Huntsman said in a statement. “I hope that all of his supporters continue to stay engaged in this defining election and work with us to ensure that our party wins in November.”

 

Pawlenty does not boast a deep network of donors, but there certainly will be an effort by the remaining campaigns to scoop up their support in the coming days. More formidable, perhaps, is the team of political operatives that Pawlenty assembled to build his organization. With Texas Gov. Rick Perry just starting up his presidential campaign, he could turn to some of Pawlenty’s aides to build his team.

[Soxy]

I'll beat Balta to the bad news Republican post

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/paw...?tid=sm_twitter

 

This surprises me. I thought that he could have been a contender. He seems like a pretty traditional Republican.

[BigSqwert]

Good point Kap. What we need is a leader that defers problem solving responsibilities to God and praying.

Edited August 14, 2011 by BigSqwert

[Balta1701]

This surprises me. I thought that he could have been a contender. He seems like a pretty traditional Republican.

Wow, I'm surprised also. usually people don't fall out this early.

[Soxy]

Wow, I'm surprised also. usually people don't fall out this early.

 

Especially after such a meaningless poll.

 

It'd be like quitting because an AP Poll showed you were down a few points (although the AP Poll might more reliable and more valid).

[Balta1701]

Especially after such a meaningless poll.

 

It'd be like quitting because an AP Poll showed you were down a few points (although the AP Poll might more reliable and more valid).

It's clearly not just the strawpoll, his fundraising has been awful. He probably has had people behind the scenes telling him to get out, and now Parry is in there in the "playing to the base but former governor" role.

[Soxy]

It's clearly not just the strawpoll, his fundraising has been awful. He probably has had people behind the scenes telling him to get out, and now Parry is in there in the "playing to the base but former governor" role.

Fair point. And Pawlentry probably wouldn't even have been able to carry his homestate.

[Texsox]

Once Perry has the nomination sewn up, y'all are going to like him more and more.

[Balta1701]

Once Perry has the nomination sewn up, y'all are going to like him more and more.

Because if we don't he'll sentence us to die for crimes we didn't commit?

[Texsox]

Because if we don't he'll sentence us to die for crimes we didn't commit?

 

Really? If that really becomes a key issue, if that really is what the Dems will attack Perry for, start making a set of keys for Perry to the White House. Do you really believe no innocent people were convicted in Arkansas while Clinton was governor? Wasn't the system in Illinois so bad a pro capital punishment governor halted executions?

 

This election will be about jobs. No state did better at creating jobs than the one that Perry ran. He has been governor long enough that good or bad, he gets the credit. And btw, he did that with the help of all those illegal immigrants along the border. Thankfully, other states don't want undocumented workers.

[Texsox]

Good point Kap. What we need is a leader that defers problem solving responsibilities to God and praying.

You mean reflection and thoughtful consideration? Most Americans will at least admit to some form of spirituality. So far we have now knowingly elected an atheist. Will we tolerate a fanatic? Probably not, but praying will not sink a candidate.

[BigSqwert]

You mean reflection and thoughtful consideration? Most Americans will at least admit to some form of spirituality. So far we have now knowingly elected an atheist. Will we tolerate a fanatic? Probably not, but praying will not sink a candidate.

 

Other than praying, what solutions has he proposed to address energy concerns in Texas? Why does he refuse to incorporate solar into the mix? Last I heard, it's quite sunny in Texas.

 

And how can you support someone that hinted at secession? That's about as un-American as you can get.

[kapkomet]

Other than praying, what solutions has he proposed to address energy concerns in Texas? Why does he refuse to incorporate solar into the mix? Last I heard, it's quite sunny in Texas.

 

And how can you support someone that hinted at secession? That's about as un-American as you can get.

 

 

Get off your sunshine s***. If it worked efficiently and cheaply, we all would have it.

 

In case you hadn't heard, there's this thing called natural gas, but I know, I know, global warming, crack and all that s***.

[Texsox]

Other than praying, what solutions has he proposed to address energy concerns in Texas? Why does he refuse to incorporate solar into the mix? Last I heard, it's quite sunny in Texas.

 

And how can you support someone that hinted at secession? That's about as un-American as you can get.

 

Drive through Texas and see all of our oil/natural gas wells. They are huge employers in the state. And once again, the secession line isn't going to cost him votes with anyone who was going to vote for him.

[BigSqwert]

Get off your sunshine s***. If it worked efficiently and cheaply, we all would have it.

 

In case you hadn't heard, there's this thing called natural gas, but I know, I know, global warming, crack and all that s***.

 

 

LOL. What the hell happened to you? You must have multiple personality disorder. One day Perry's the biggest slimeball around. The next he can do no wrong.

[BigSqwert]

Drive through Texas and see all of our oil/natural gas wells. They are huge employers in the state. And once again, the secession line isn't going to cost him votes with anyone who was going to vote for him.

 

How could you trust someone who's governing tactics include running away (i.e., secession) or deferring to a higher being?

 

And if I need spirituality I'll go run over to the neighborhood church. I need someone who's actually going to effectively govern and has some actual ideas.

[Texsox]

LOL. What the hell happened to you? You must have multiple personality disorder. One day Perry's the biggest slimeball around. The next he can do no wrong.

 

He's the front runner for the only party Kap will vote for in a Presidential race.

[Texsox]

How could you trust someone who's governing tactics include running away (i.e., secession) or deferring to a higher being?

 

And if I need spirituality I'll go run over to the neighborhood church. I need someone who's actually going to effectively govern and has some actual ideas.

 

Being prepared to run away from a bad deal would have served us well in Vietnam and Afghanistan. Mock spirituality all you want, but we have never elected someone without it, including our current President who played that card pretty hard. IIRC, and I do, Carter also played it well. Even Clinton gave it a wink and a nod. I am a little surprised as I sit here and think about it, but the Dem Presidents have embraced it more than say Reagan or Bush Sr.

 

Jobs ~ Texas created them better than any other state during Perry's terms. Hard to dispute that. And that is what the rest of the field and Obama will have to deal with.

[kapkomet]

LOL. What the hell happened to you? You must have multiple personality disorder. One day Perry's the biggest slimeball around. The next he can do no wrong.

 

 

I still don't like him. Yet, what you're throwing out there is pure BS, BS.

 

Like I said, if this is all you got, you're looking at the next president. Solar energy?

[BigSqwert]

Like I said, I want someone that doesn't turn to fairy tales and mythology to fix the answers to tough problems. That's straight up lunacy.

[Texsox]

Like I said, I want someone that doesn't turn to fairy tales and mythology to fix the answers to tough problems. That's straight up lunacy.

 

So you don't like Obama, did you vote for McCain? he was the least spiritual of the two.

[BigSqwert]

So you don't like Obama, did you vote for McCain? he was the least spiritual of the two.

 

No I don't like Obama but he doesn't shove God down people's faces or want to get rid of evolution in text books.

[Texsox]

Social justice, humility and "to walk closer with God" are President Obama's daily prayers, he told the National Prayer Breakfast this morning.

 

In a speech laced with Scripture, he initially covered familiar ground, noting how he came from a non-religious family that, nonetheless, showed him "the imperative of an ethical life and the necessity to act on your beliefs." Then through his work as a community organizer he says, he "came to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior."

 

Now, he says, "The presidency has a funny way of making a person feel the need to pray."

 

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Re...eakfast-doubt/1

[BigSqwert]

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Re...eakfast-doubt/1

 

Where's the part where he relies on God to solve the nation's problems? And the part where he appoints creationists to remove evolution from textbooks?