Likely 2012 Republican Candidates

I have laundry a-spinning around, so what better time to wax philosophical about potential 2012 Republican candidates?  By the way, there is a good resource for this kind of information (of the factual kind, as opposed to my snarky kind) HERE.  Anyway, here is the list and my stupid/silly commentary. Note that I'm not going to mention every Tom, Dick and Limbaugh-wannabe who is considering a run (sorry John Bolton).

Michele Bachmann
Ms Bachmann is a Congresswoman from Minnesota and is certifiably insane.  I can't believe that anyone, well outside of immediate family and people suffering from head-trauma would even consider voting for her.  Want 4 more years of Barack Obama?  Then support Michele Bachmann.

Haley Barbour
Mr Barbour is the current governor of Mississippi and a former chairman for the GOP.  He also speaks with such a southern accent that you'd swear he was doing voice-overs for a remake of Deliverance.  I have nothing against Mr Barbour, outside of the fact that he's probably more of an ideologue than anything else.  If the party were united behind him I could see him posing something of a challenge to Obama.

Herman Cain
I've actually heard of this guy by the way, hence inclusion on this ridiculous list.  The Republicans will nominate a black guy to be president right after the College of Cardinals nominates me to be the next Pope.  Next.

Mitch Daniels
Mr Daniels is the governor of Indiana, which is a fairly conservative state (home and J. Danforth Quayle).  I like Mitch Daniels...not on every issue, but he seems more intellectual and honest than many of his peers.  I also believe that he is not well liked in the hard-core talk radio circuit, which is a plus.  He was born in Western Pennsylvania by the way. 

Newt Gingrich
Mr Gingrich is famous for two things:  first for getting kicked out as Speaker of the House and second for serving a former wife divorce papers while she was in the hospital getting treated for cancer.  Obviously a "family values" candidate.  To be honest, when Mr Gingrich is NOT running for office I do enjoy listening to him speak on economic issues.  Stands zero chance of getting nominated and even less chance of (if a miracle happened and he did get nominated) beating Obama.

Mike Huckabee
Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is someone what I really want to like.  There are elements of his personal story, such as his weight loss and advocacy for healthy living, that I find compelling.  However, it's become clear over the past few months that Mr Huckabee will resort to all manner of truth bending (to the point of breaking...see reference to his comments a month or so ago about Obama, Kenya and Boy Scouts) in order to win favor with the tea baggers of this world.  I think the guy has a shot at the nomination, but in the end I don't think he will get it precisely because he is a nice guy.

Ron Paul
Texas Congressman Ron Paul is nuts, but not in the same way that, for example, The Bachmann is nuts.  No, Congressman Paul actually actually nuts about serious issues, which is actually rather refreshing.  For example, as The Bachmann is railing on about how Obama was born in Kenya (or is that Indonesia?) and is a Muslim, Congressman Paul is talking about the perils of not auditing the Federal Reserve.  The Libertarian in me...the one who thinks that people should just be left alone to do what they want as long as no one else gets hurt in the process...really likes Ron Paul.  While I don't agree with Ron Paul on many issues, I really do admire his honest "I don't care if it's popular or not" attitude.  Precisely because he is honest he will not get the Republican nomination, as hardcore politicos...the kind that run primaries...only want to be told what they want to hear, not what they need to hear.

Tim Pawlenty
Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty isn't someone that I know an awful lot about.  I do like many things Minnesota...Prince and Garrison Keillor come to mind...so I'm going to keep an open mind about Mr Pawlenty.  In looking over this stance on the issues I'm not sure there is an awful lot that stands about about Mr Pawlenty.  They all seem to love God, unborn babies, and guns.  Next.

Mitt Romney
Also known as Guy Smiley.  There are a few things that stand out about Mitt Romney:

1) He is the policy father of President Obama's Healthcare Reform act
2) His father was an executive at a failed car company (AMC)
3) He is a Mormon

The first two things will probably not mean a hill-o-beans when it comes to hard-core Republican voters.  The third probably will. I actually think Romney will probably get the nomination, eventually, but the Evangelical Christian base will not be all that excited about Mitt in a general election.  As someone who has spent quite a bit of time studying Mormon beliefs (and I actually once made something of a field trip to Salt Lake City once), I can basically state for the record that Mormon's don't actually have all that much in common with main-stream Protestants.  That's not a negative value judgment on my part by the way, as I actually find the Mormon faith to be fascinating (hence the studying of it) and the LDS I have met to be nothing short of extremely friendly.


What a long, strange trip it will be.