Predictions: Who will be the GOP Candidate?

[Coito ergo sum]

Presuming you mean the white house, he seems not as disagreeable as some.

I figured as much.

[Svartalf]

As the sign says, you don't have to be a millionaire to be president here but it helps

Shouldn't it help?

Not if my vote isn't properly bought, I need a sportula that lets me live more comfortably, and regular updates of my computer and media systems.

[Coito ergo sum]

While Romney, they said, needs to win only 48 percent of remaining delegates, Santorum would have to carry 65 percent of what’s left and Gingrich 70 percent.
“The nomination is an impossibility for Rick Santorum or Newt Gingrich,” one senior campaign aide said. “All we have to do is keep doing what we’re doing [and] we can get the nomination. These guys, it’s going to take some sort of…act of God to get to where they need to be on the nomination prize.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/03 ... z1oT4dYRL2

[Ian]

Theory: Gingrich might secretly be a Romney supporter. If he were to drop out, many of the people who would otherwise be voting for him would vote for Santorum rather than Romney, thereby helping Santorum clinch the nomination and thus guarantee Obama's re-election. With him being the key divider keeping the Not-Romney voters from fully coalescing around Santorum, he's instead helping Romney. Example: if Gingrich wasn't on the ballot yesterday, Santorum would surely have won Ohio.

Or, much more likely, Gingrich is just a bitchy curmudgeon whose ego is too big to fit through the exit door, hence his not bothering to leave the race even though he no longer has a prayer of winning anything.
(Much thanks to electoral-vote.com for the ego analogy.)

[Seabass]

It's not surprising that people with the acumen to become President can also manage to earn a living.

What are you expecting? Unemployed shop clerks playing Playstation as President of the US?

Lol, right? What an odd conversation.

But hey, maybe it would be better to have a down to earth average Joe in the White House. Perhaps a plumber, or a soccer mom, or a "Joe Six Pack". You know, a regular guy you can sit down and have a beer with.

These ivory tower, rich fuck, arugula-eating, East-coast elitist Republicans are out of touch with real Americans.

[Coito ergo sum]

Theory: Gingrich might secretly be a Romney supporter. If he were to drop out, many of the people who would otherwise be voting for him would vote for Santorum rather than Romney, thereby helping Santorum clinch the nomination and thus guarantee Obama's re-election. With him being the key divider keeping the Not-Romney voters from fully coalescing around Santorum, he's instead helping Romney. Example: if Gingrich wasn't on the ballot yesterday, Santorum would surely have won Ohio.

Or, much more likely, Gingrich is just a bitchy curmudgeon whose ego is too big to fit through the exit door, hence his not bothering to leave the race even though he no longer has a prayer of winning anything.
(Much thanks to electoral-vote.com for the ego analogy.)

Well, I don't mind him staying in. Before today, only a few states had been allowed to vote. The system is supposed to allow people to try to win these things. And, there is nothing wrong with -- in fact, there is a lot right with -- good knock-down drag out battles in the primaries. If we're not going to have viable multi-parties battling it out in Congress, then we ought to at least have periodic battles for the souls of the two major parties.

I'm actually quite pleased with the fact that this year there several viable/possible candidates. They are debating. They are adopting different platforms. And, Republicans are choosing among them. And, it is a very much more public spectacle than I've ever seen before. Especially when I was a kid, the primary results tended to get brief mentions on the nightly news, there was no internet, and with the abominable "Fairness Doctrine" there was hardly any political commentary on the radio.

I think the system needs overhauling. I don't deny that. But, there several things about what we've seen this year that I'm pleased with.

Of the remaining candidates, I honestly think Newt would make the best President. I do not like Santorum, and Paul is not a serious option and he makes me nervous. I could live with Romney.

I think Romney will win -- it's pretty much over, despite what the media is saying. There is no way Santorum or Gingrich can win the percentage of remaining primaries needed to catch up and get past the minimum delegates. Now it would be time for Gingrich to withdraw, and to announce support for Romney.

And, lastly, why is Gingrich still in the race? It's not just pure ego. He wants a job. If Romney wants him out, he needs to promise him either the VP spot (which I doubt he will give) or some other high level position, like Secretary of State or something.

[Warren Dew]

Of the remaining candidates, I honestly think Newt would make the best President.

I agree. Gingrich has the best understanding of both economics and international relations of any of the five candidates. The only reason he isn't getting a lot more support is because many people, like myself, don't think he's sufficiently organized to run a winning general election campaign.

I think many, perhaps most, Gingrich supporters would switch to Romney rather than to Santorum.

If Gingrich can sweep the south, where Romney is frankly weak, he'd have a very good case for being on the ticket.

[Coito ergo sum]

Of the remaining candidates, I honestly think Newt would make the best President.

I agree. Gingrich has the best understanding of both economics and international relations of any of the five candidates. The only reason he isn't getting a lot more support is because many people, like myself, don't think he's sufficiently organized to run a winning general election campaign.

I think many, perhaps most, Gingrich supporters would switch to Romney rather than to Santorum.

If Gingrich can sweep the south, where Romney is frankly weak, he'd have a very good case for being on the ticket.

The problem with Gingrich now is that he is in a deep hole. Of the remaining races, I think he needs to win like 70% of them to beat Romney. I don't think that is likely at all. He only got 47% of the vote in his home state. That is probably his high water mark.

[Warren Dew]

He only needs to be the vice presidential candidate to be "on the ticket".

[eXcommunicate]

It's not surprising that people with the acumen to become President can also manage to earn a living.

What are you expecting? Unemployed shop clerks playing Playstation as President of the US?

Lol, right? What an odd conversation.

But hey, maybe it would be better to have a down to earth average Joe in the White House. Perhaps a plumber, or a soccer mom, or a "Joe Six Pack". You know, a regular guy you can sit down and have a beer with.

These ivory tower, rich fuck, arugula-eating, East-coast elitist Republicans are out of touch with real Americans.

I don't know... Someone not knee deep in the status quo and born with a silver spoon in his mouth would be nice for a change, or someone who doesn't have 30 years experience in Washington pissing on everybody's shoes (Gingrich).

[JimC]

CES wrote:

There is baby-bathwater problem here if we try to shut up certain message because the people expressing them are rich.

Perhaps this issue needs re-framing; not just for the US, but any democracy with mass media...

The re-framing involves seeing that great wealth involves the ability to buy whatever is needed to influence voters...

There are those who do not see this as a problem...

They are either very wealthy, or those who feel that they will do better riding on the coat-tails of the wealthy...

I don't know if that's the case.

I mean - rich people can by bigger cars, luxury boats, and bigger houses -- if they can buy a radio station, are their words to be controlled? By whom?

Well, they (and their like-minded friends) can pour millions into the electoral war-chests of candidates they support, candidates whose policies will
help to maintain their privileged position in society...

You see, I am not being reflexively anti-capitalist. There are many aspects of a free-enterprise society that I think are positive. However, it has some negatives, which includes a tendency to allow the development of a wealthy class capable of having an influence on the structure of a society way out of proportion to their numbers. A significant part of this influence involves trying, with much success, to influence political events in a very self-serving way.

[Clinton Huxley]

Presuming you mean the white house, he seems not as disagreeable as some.

I figured as much.

Not my fault that you have such a chip on your shoulder about him, old chap.

[Coito ergo sum]

Presuming you mean the white house, he seems not as disagreeable as some.

I figured as much.

Not my fault that you have such a chip on your shoulder about him, old chap.

Not my fault you have such a chip on your shoulder about other politicians, old chap.

[Clinton Huxley]

Presuming you mean the white house, he seems not as disagreeable as some.

I figured as much.

Not my fault that you have such a chip on your shoulder about him, old chap.

Not my fault you have such a chip on your shoulder about other politicians, old chap.

The GOP candidates are all arses, so a chip is natural.

[Coito ergo sum]

Presuming you mean the white house, he seems not as disagreeable as some.

I figured as much.

Not my fault that you have such a chip on your shoulder about him, old chap.

Not my fault you have such a chip on your shoulder about other politicians, old chap.

The GOP candidates are all arses, so a chip is natural.

Still not my fault. Obama is an arse too, in his own inimical way. If that is a chip, then so be it.