The Short List
By Mitch Berg
I’m not the only whom events are dragging into near-existential political conflict.
Kouba writes:
With Duncan Hunter out of the race, it surprises me to no end, given that a few months ago I wouldn’t have given him the time of day, I am all but prepared to declare myself a McCain supporter.
I’m not quite there yet; I’m still sorting out who’s on the short list.
- Reagan said if you agree with someone on 80% of issues, give him the benefit of the doubt on the other 20 and support him. Giuliani comes in somewhere between 65% and 85%, depending on my mood.
- So, as a matter of fact, does McCain. Thorley’s excellent defense aside (we did forgive Bush for signing McCain-Feingold; I respond that now – rather than after the election – is the time to register that displeasure, and so I shall), McCain-Feingold is a problem, and I plan on raising it until such a time as JMac is the candidate, in the unlikely hope he repudiates it.
- Do I dock points because someone seems too slick, smooth and polished? If not, Romney looks good. But is he a wartime leader? That’s the $64,000 question.
- Fred? Fred? Any ol’ time, here.
- The Hucker has one advantage; he’d be better than any Democrat. It’s not enough to get him elected, of course. He’s got all of Bush’s weak spots ($pending) and none of his strengths.
On the other hand, I do love a horse race.
January 10th, 2008 at 10:42 am
[…] However, when it comes to staring down those who saw heads off people, and blow up children, McCain’s temper and stubbornness become an asset. Mitch asks the right question: If not, Romney looks good. But is he a wartime leader? That’s the $64,000 question. […]
January 10th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Anybody who wants the job as badly as Hillary is manifestly unsuited for it.
Anybody who lacks the “fire in the belly” to campaign for the job as hard as Hillary, is manifestly unsuited for it.
Hmmm.
Frankly, I’d prefer a lazy President who campaigned on a promise to spend ALL his time sitting on his porch sipping moonshine in Tennessee. Who was the guy who ran for Minnesota Treasurer or Auditor or something, who said the job was meaningless so he wasn’t going to do it? Mattson, maybe? That’s my kind of office holder – show up, make some coffee, read the paper, answer a few citizen questions, gone to lunch early and out for the rest of the day. If somebody needs bombing somewhere, the Army can send a guy out in a car to get permission.
Hillary, a person who wants the job to Get Something Done, is my idea of a nightmare because I’m pretty sure who she wants to do it to and I don’t think I’m going to like it. You won’t, either.
So ease off on Fred, huh?
.
January 10th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Frankly if Huckabee is our candidate, in my opinion, the election becomes largely irrelevant
Both parties will offer a big spender who will very likely move us in leaps and bounds toward European-style socialism
Both parties will offer a candidate that has proven complete ignorance of foreign policy
About the only benefit of Huckabee is that at least he’ll be able to say a nice prayer as a US city goes up in flames or we descend into socialism.
January 10th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Haha! As Angryclown predicted long ago, the wingnuts are all falling in line behind McCain.
“Principles? We don’t need no steenking principles!”
January 10th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
I predict that Huckabee wins the GOP nomination. Get ready to live with it.
January 10th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Nate said, “So ease off on Fred, huh?”
Isn’t garnering fewer votes than Dennis Kucinich in the New Hampshire Primary enough punishment for a few weeks, perhaps months?
January 10th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
As Angryclown predicted long ago, the wingnuts are all falling in line behind McCain.
And, as Angryclown showed long ago, there is a solid (albeit flawed) conservative case for supporting Mac.
He’s trying to have his pie in the face and eat it too.
January 10th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
McCain is wrong about many things. But if the question is whether to support him or support Mrs. Clinton or Barack Obama, it’s a pretty easy choice. I didn’t know that many D’s who were all that crazy about Kerry, but he still got a hell of a lot of votes.
If McCain is nominated and somehow becomes president, he will at least give our side a fair hearing; conservatives will get bupkes if Clinton or Obama become president.