you could have avoided writing the rest and turning it into a diary (which is really an open thread comment rather than a diary). Yes it’s far too early to start picking favorite candidates for 2012.

I mean he was the first one to start proposing baling out Detroit during the Michigan Primary and was a vocal supporter of TARP.

I like Romney ok, but he really didn’t resonate in ’08. And that was against Mr. Squishy Republican himself. And even though I personally wouldn’t hesitate to vote for him despite my disagreement with his religion, there are enough people who would to make him, IMHO, unelectable. Maybe as veep, though.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.
One of my great “political potential” tests is the introduction. As in a business or social situation, when you are FIRST introduced to someone, that’s when your first impression forms. In mere moments, your gut tells you whether this new individual in your circle if worthy of your time and energy to further develop a realtionship with. You know it to your core.
Some whom you meet, your gut says, “I’m not judging this one quite yet, let’s see where it goes.”
Then, thankfully, there are this few who force you to run to say your prayers to the porcelain god. you want NO part of them, and then you go around looking for someone or something to make you feel better.

Palin: Warmth eminates from every pore os her inner AND outer beuaty and strength. Stick with her, WELL worth the investment, Even if it doesn’t work out, you’re the better person for the experience of meeting her.

McCain, Romney, Huckabee, and the like: It may not have been the ideal first date, but with a little effort on the part of me and them, there’s some potential.

Obama, Biden, Clinton(s) et al: I would rather drive in a NASCAR race in shorts and a T-shirt. At least there’s a doctor that can heal me form that kind of exposure. There is no greater risk of involvement that LIBERALS.

RS’ers and RSSF, I’ll share a cold adult beveragewith you ANYTIME, ANYPLACE.

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can still read it in English, You’re Welcome
Deskpilot, AM(H)1 (AW), USN (Ret)

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Of course she could change it by some particularly egregious misstep or going off the deep end for some left wing cause…but I don’t see anyone currently in Republican circles who can change my mind!

The “Big Tent” analogy isn’t the correct one…the correct one is a MAGNET…we need to be a MAGNET that draws these independents in who are sick and tired of what’s going on in Washington—Fred Thompson

But……… I don’t think so………………….

still, I go for Palin.

Jindal made it clear that he wouldn’t run for POTUS by 2012.

She is not ready now to be president and she wont be ready when 2012 rolls around. The fact is she needs to get more experience under her belt. Its nice to run as vice president and be able to say you are currently the most popular governor in America but there needs to be more to her resume. How bout in 2020? More over how bout she runs in 2020 from the position of the most popular Senator in Alaskan history, and maybe while shes in the senate she can get a seat on a committee to help her beef up her foreign policy experience.

I agree run Sarah run, but when shes ready. What we don’t need is for Sarah Palin to become the candidate that makes a run of it all to often only to be faced with failure again and again. We criticized P-bo for not having adequate experience to be POTUS and yes Sarah Palin had more experience than he did, but would you really be comfortable with Sarah Palin as POTUS?

I wouldn’t, not in 2012 at least, she needs to hold onto the things that make her great not, i.e. her lack of all the qualities that make me consider nearly EVERY politician a prostitute, and at the same time become more of a Washington insider. Now most people would read that sentence and say that’s impossible, but nothing is impossible especially for a great leader. Sarah Palin needs to bide her time beef up her resume, stay above the fray in Washington, and then chose the right moment to strike while the iron is hot.

Id bet my entire life savings, in gold, that if Sarah runs in 2012 she will lose, I don’t consider myself a pessimist I am a realist. If you don’t like it, let me know.

Nominating Sarah Palin would be disastrous for GOP.

Yes, I know, the media attacks on her were vicious and unfair. And yes, she may be more genuine in her conservative beliefs than Mitt Romney. But folks, we’re talking about the leader of our party, and potentially, that of the country. Both as a businessman and executive Romney has proven to be a highly competent leader. This is the man who could’ve gotten us out of the recession which will only deepen under Obama. Romney is the kind of president, who, while not Lincoln or Washington, would keep America safe and strong.

Sarah Palin is energetic, appealing and strong. But quite simply, she does not have the experience or the intellectual foundation that are necessary for leading the free world. Katie Couric and Gibson staged ugly ambushes for her during the interviews. But I truly wish she was able to name a SINGLE NEWSPAPER which she read on a daily basis. No, our presidents do not have to be book worms or college professors. But Palin’s lack of knowledge was obvious to anyone who watched her painfully struggle with even some of the pedestrian questions that came her way. Without palpable intellectual foundation, Palin cannot and will not be ready to make hard decisions on the issues that will come accross her desk. She will inevitably rely on advisors who may or may not make the right call. At the end, the majority of the American people (mostly, independents) saw that Palin was woefully unprepared and turned away from McCain.

Let me be abundandtly clear: I believe Obama is a Manchurian candidate whose policies will undermine American security and prsoperity. A person of his caliber should have never been the president of the United States. The only way we will send him packing in 2012 is by presenting an anti-Obama alternative. And with her plethora of family problems, accomplishment shortages, and obvious lack of intellectual curiosity, Palin is not it.

She’s a good conservative. But not a presidential material. There is a difference!

the only candidate I know who leaves me wanting more.

Good as gold, indeed.

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Activists Taking Action: Unified Patriots

Whoah! I didn’t realize I‘d be kicking up such a storm and so many people would be offended by what I thought was only a slightly bold message. I apologize to fellow RedStaters who were offended by my post. Starting an intra-fight was the farthest from my intentions. But I do think it’s important that we come up with a sound strategy to defeat socialists on the opposing camp. To be concise, I want our side to win!

Now, I have enormous respect for Governor Palin. I was quite impressed when she gave her opening speech standing next to McCain. I also adored her speech at RNC. But as the subsequent events proved, while she gave a significant boost early in the game to McCain, ultimately, the ticket went down in defeat. Of course, several factors, independent of Palin, contributed to that defeat. But one must admit, in times of severe economic crisis, her impromptu interviews and the deer in headlight moments didn’t exactly instill confidence in the electorate. Of course, she’d be a million times better president than Barack Obama, even if she didn’t do anything, but many voters don’t look at elections through our right-left prism. That is unfortunate, but it is the reality. Which is why a fraud like Obama was able to talk his way to presidency. Radical underneath, Obama came through as an unflappable, confident, and YES, moderate, person. At some point over 50 percent of the Americans concluded that he looked presidential enough. And that is the hardest hurdle for most candidates – the ability to convince voters that he or she is made out of presidential material.

The next four years will bring many changes – most quite negative. Along with these developments, the internal Republican dynamics will also change. It is entirely possible that some new candidates will emerge out of nowhere, just as Sarah Palin did. But what will not change is the economic state of affairs. Under Obama, the stock market will not substantially recover. His war against capitalism will ensure that America will continue to experience high unemployment, bear markets and probably, inflation, given the amount of money that is about to be injected into the economy. By then, the American people will be tired of Obama shenanigans and will likely regret for having taken a chance on someone with shaky record and no experience. All GOP needs to do at that point is to nominate someone who looks capable and competent enough to fix things. Some in this forum believe Sarah Palin is such person. I respectfully disagree. I believe that person is Mitt Romney. He possesses most of the right ingredients for successful presidency, even if not all the ideological credentials.

One more thing: Let’s take it easy with calls for censorship in this forum. Drowning out dissent is not the best way to move forward. It’s not the Republican way. And certainly not the American way.

This is about leadership and making good decisions. Decisions that will be good decisions 10 years from now. I see that happening for Governor Palin. Decisions such as the gas line that will feed America’s energy needs for the next 50,60,70 years. She also forward funded education to ensure that many of Alaska children will get the quality education they need for the future. Stashing 5 billion dollars into a savings account will get the state of Alaska through this horribly economy.

Our leaders need not only to be able to deal with the problems we are facing on a daily basis but still be able to look into the future and make sure the decisions they are making will still be good decisions 10 years from now.

Mitt Romney? See RomneyCare. It has been only three years since the signing of universal health care in Massachusetts and they system is in severe trouble. It is hundreds of millions of dollars over budget and is not yet three years old.