December 7, 2010--The Anti-Newt
All along it's been about finding an anti-Romney who could stay on top of the polls for more than a week or two.
First we had the Trump boomlet. But he quickly came a cropper on his own petard--Obama birtherism. Then there was Michele Bachmann who took the lead for a few days after winning the inconsequential Iowa Straw Poll before slumping to single-digit status. Next there was Rick Perry, the Great White Hope out of Texas who seemed so promising for a week or two until he couldn't remember what government agencies he wanted to eliminate. He had his oops moment and it was curtains for him. Then who could forget Herman Cain of 9-9-9 and roaming hands fame? He dropped in the polls almost as fast as he rose and "suspended" his campaign so he could continue to raise money for his own purposes.
Weathering all this, clinging his his 22 or 23 percent of support, was Romney who behaved as if he was the inevitable, above the fray nominee, entitled to win because he had been the runner up to John McCain last time around.
But now there is Newt. Perhaps the last man standing who can take the nomination that for years seemed ordained for the flip-flopping Romney. But as Newt soars in the polls members of the Republican establishment are getting panicky that he might actually wind up winning the nomination and then get trounced by Obama once voters learn about his various crimes and misdemeanors.
And that same establishment does not care very much for Romney. Though they see him as having a better chance of defeating Obama, in the end to them he also looks like a loser.
Could they get behind a Ron Paul? Inconceivable. He's too radical in his libertarianism for them--if he carried out his threat to eliminate the Federal Reserve who would be around the next time their banker friends need bailing out?
Rick Santorum? Too much of a Boy Scout and his shrill positions on social issues such as marriage and abortion would turn off Independents.
Finally there is Jon Huntsman. Though nationally languishing at two percent he is rising in the polls in New Hampshire where he is hoping to come in a surprising second. A more likely outcome there is Romney winning but by less than anticipated with Gingrich and Paul fighting it out for second and third place. Look for Huntsman, then, to drop out after NH. Even his father's billions won't make him competitive in South Carolina or Florida.
So what are Karl Rove and Fox News to do? Try to get Chris Christie to change his mind? If he did all the Obama people would have to do in the general election is run videos of him over and over again saying he is not ready or yet qualified to be president. Lure Jeb Bush out from whatever undisclosed location he is inhabiting? Would the country go for another Bush? Even the "smart one"? I doubt it. My guess is that he is biding his time and plans to run in 2016 when no one will remember that we already had two Bush presidents. If two Adams were enough in the 19th century, two Bushes are enough for modern times.
Out of desperation they could turn to one of their Midwestern governors. A John Kasich or a Mitch Daniels. But I think all of them are involved in recall elections, fighting to keep the voters in their states from kicking them out of office because of their "overstepping" in slashing budgets.
Though GOP party leaders may be feeling frustrated, Rona the other day came up with the solution to their desperation--Sarah Palin.
Rona speculated that she too has been in an undisclosed location but in her case for the purpose of being tutored on the issues so that when Donald Trump, who has reemerged to bring even more chaos to the GOP race in order to get himself on TV so he can remind us that his TV show, The Apprentice, is resuming in early February, when Trump is finished making a mess of the Republican race, Palin will resurface, declaring there is no suitable candidate to take on Obama and thus she is reluctantly entering the fray.
What else is there for her to do? There are no more multi-million dollar book deals for her. Herman Cain and Gingrich have sewed all those up. No $60,000 a pop appearance fees. As he boastfully revealed the other day, Newt is the one these days commanding that much to "lecture."
If Palin in fact comes to the rescue, the media will be thrilled to have their favorite unintentional jokester back to make fun of and Tina Fey will be sending her red Chanel suit to the dry cleaners.
So for a day or two they will rerun clips of her interview with Katy Couric; but then, if the tutoring has worked, they and the hyper-excited GOP base will discover that Palin knows something credible about the "Stans" (there will be no Herman Cain "Becky, Becky Stans"); that she knows where Libya is on the map (again, there will be no Herman Cain moments); that she now knows where Lexington and Concord are (unlike Michele Bachmann she will have learned that they are not in New Hampshire); and she will know which government departments she would eliminate (Rick Perry will be reduced to looking on in amazement as she rattles them off).
She is the perfect anti-Newt who is the perfect anti-Romney. If I were Obama I'd put Air Force One back in the hanger, kick back, and light up a cigar. That is if his Michelle will let him.
* * * *
On the other hand, tomorrow, I will make the case here for Obama not seeking another four years.
First we had the Trump boomlet. But he quickly came a cropper on his own petard--Obama birtherism. Then there was Michele Bachmann who took the lead for a few days after winning the inconsequential Iowa Straw Poll before slumping to single-digit status. Next there was Rick Perry, the Great White Hope out of Texas who seemed so promising for a week or two until he couldn't remember what government agencies he wanted to eliminate. He had his oops moment and it was curtains for him. Then who could forget Herman Cain of 9-9-9 and roaming hands fame? He dropped in the polls almost as fast as he rose and "suspended" his campaign so he could continue to raise money for his own purposes.
Weathering all this, clinging his his 22 or 23 percent of support, was Romney who behaved as if he was the inevitable, above the fray nominee, entitled to win because he had been the runner up to John McCain last time around.
But now there is Newt. Perhaps the last man standing who can take the nomination that for years seemed ordained for the flip-flopping Romney. But as Newt soars in the polls members of the Republican establishment are getting panicky that he might actually wind up winning the nomination and then get trounced by Obama once voters learn about his various crimes and misdemeanors.
And that same establishment does not care very much for Romney. Though they see him as having a better chance of defeating Obama, in the end to them he also looks like a loser.
Could they get behind a Ron Paul? Inconceivable. He's too radical in his libertarianism for them--if he carried out his threat to eliminate the Federal Reserve who would be around the next time their banker friends need bailing out?
Rick Santorum? Too much of a Boy Scout and his shrill positions on social issues such as marriage and abortion would turn off Independents.
Finally there is Jon Huntsman. Though nationally languishing at two percent he is rising in the polls in New Hampshire where he is hoping to come in a surprising second. A more likely outcome there is Romney winning but by less than anticipated with Gingrich and Paul fighting it out for second and third place. Look for Huntsman, then, to drop out after NH. Even his father's billions won't make him competitive in South Carolina or Florida.
So what are Karl Rove and Fox News to do? Try to get Chris Christie to change his mind? If he did all the Obama people would have to do in the general election is run videos of him over and over again saying he is not ready or yet qualified to be president. Lure Jeb Bush out from whatever undisclosed location he is inhabiting? Would the country go for another Bush? Even the "smart one"? I doubt it. My guess is that he is biding his time and plans to run in 2016 when no one will remember that we already had two Bush presidents. If two Adams were enough in the 19th century, two Bushes are enough for modern times.
Out of desperation they could turn to one of their Midwestern governors. A John Kasich or a Mitch Daniels. But I think all of them are involved in recall elections, fighting to keep the voters in their states from kicking them out of office because of their "overstepping" in slashing budgets.
Though GOP party leaders may be feeling frustrated, Rona the other day came up with the solution to their desperation--Sarah Palin.
Rona speculated that she too has been in an undisclosed location but in her case for the purpose of being tutored on the issues so that when Donald Trump, who has reemerged to bring even more chaos to the GOP race in order to get himself on TV so he can remind us that his TV show, The Apprentice, is resuming in early February, when Trump is finished making a mess of the Republican race, Palin will resurface, declaring there is no suitable candidate to take on Obama and thus she is reluctantly entering the fray.
What else is there for her to do? There are no more multi-million dollar book deals for her. Herman Cain and Gingrich have sewed all those up. No $60,000 a pop appearance fees. As he boastfully revealed the other day, Newt is the one these days commanding that much to "lecture."
If Palin in fact comes to the rescue, the media will be thrilled to have their favorite unintentional jokester back to make fun of and Tina Fey will be sending her red Chanel suit to the dry cleaners.
So for a day or two they will rerun clips of her interview with Katy Couric; but then, if the tutoring has worked, they and the hyper-excited GOP base will discover that Palin knows something credible about the "Stans" (there will be no Herman Cain "Becky, Becky Stans"); that she knows where Libya is on the map (again, there will be no Herman Cain moments); that she now knows where Lexington and Concord are (unlike Michele Bachmann she will have learned that they are not in New Hampshire); and she will know which government departments she would eliminate (Rick Perry will be reduced to looking on in amazement as she rattles them off).
She is the perfect anti-Newt who is the perfect anti-Romney. If I were Obama I'd put Air Force One back in the hanger, kick back, and light up a cigar. That is if his Michelle will let him.
* * * *
On the other hand, tomorrow, I will make the case here for Obama not seeking another four years.
posted by Steven Zwerling at
5:27 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home