No Huckabee in 2012

[grumbler]

What did Clinton do that was so terrific as Governor?

Education, tax reform, health care reform, reduction in teen pregnancies, economic growth/unemployment reductions, and welfare reform.  Plus his work nationally as chair of the National Governor's Association, forging a number of bipartisan positions on all those issues.

[Neil]

What character do Huntsman and Rubio bring? Being mostly unknown?

Don't be too harsh.  Rubio has been a national politician for several months now.  Clearly, he has the experience to be a President.  He even wrote a book!

[Admiral Yi]

I could maybe vote for the New Jersey Tubbo if he ran.

[Razgovory]

I think you underrate the importance of the President having some standing in his own party (a weakness for Romney in many places to be sure).  Obama's "character" didn't seem to help much when members of his own party had better standing in Congress.

True.  Bush was much more effective as a party leader than Obama has been.

Bush had the Hammer.  Obama has Steny Hoyer.

[Razgovory]

What did Clinton do that was so terrific as Governor?

Education, tax reform, health care reform, reduction in teen pregnancies, economic growth/unemployment reductions, and welfare reform.  Plus his work nationally as chair of the National Governor's Association, forging a number of bipartisan positions on all those issues.

Okay, thank you.  I actually didn't know all that.  I was wasn't very old in the 1980's.

[CountDeMoney]

What did Clinton do that was so terrific as Governor?

Education, tax reform, health care reform, reduction in teen pregnancies, economic growth/unemployment reductions, and welfare reform.  Plus his work nationally as chair of the National Governor's Association, forging a number of bipartisan positions on all those issues.

And before that, he successfully cockpunched utilities on behalf of the consumer as Attorney General.

[Razgovory]

I could maybe vote for the New Jersey Tubbo if he ran.

Guy is impressive, and smart.  Which is why he won't run in 2012.  If he doesn't have a heart attack and die, he has a good chance in 2016.

[Neil]

I think you underrate the importance of the President having some standing in his own party (a weakness for Romney in many places to be sure).  Obama's "character" didn't seem to help much when members of his own party had better standing in Congress.

True.  Bush was much more effective as a party leader than Obama has been.

Bush had the Hammer.  Obama has Steny Hoyer.

And Cheney was a heavyweight in the administration.  Compare that to a guy who got caught cribbing speeches from Neil fucking Kinnock.

[DGuller]

I could maybe vote for the New Jersey Tubbo if he ran.

Give him a few years, if God will.  It's easy to make a splash and create waves, it's harder to put together a record of accomplishments.  Maybe his accomplishments will back up his bluster, but we can't know that now.

[Razgovory]

I could maybe vote for the New Jersey Tubbo if he ran.

Give him a few years, if God will.  It's easy to make a splash and create waves, it's harder to put together a record of accomplishments.  Maybe his accomplishments will back up his bluster, but we can't know that now.

He's one to keep an eye on.  He'll have a hard job ahead of him as most Govs will for the next few years.

[garbon]

Huntsman has the background for the job (governor, ambassador, Trade Representative, White House staff). Nothing about his character seems to make him a standout, but he certainly is someone for whom an argument could be made (unlike Rubio).

Oh he's certainly a different case than a junior senator from Florida. However, I'm not sure that he has the "character" factor if many Americans have no idea who he is.

[Sheilbh]

Huntsman has the background for the job (governor, ambassador, Trade Representative, White House staff). Nothing about his character seems to make him a standout, but he certainly is someone for whom an argument could be made (unlike Rubio).

I want to clarify that I don't think Rubio should run yet but based on what I've seen I think he'll be a really strong 2016 candidate.

Oh he's certainly a different case than a junior senator from Florida. However, I'm not sure that he has the "character" factor if many Americans have no idea who he is.

That's what the primary season's for

Guy is impressive, and smart.  Which is why he won't run in 2012.  If he doesn't have a heart attack and die, he has a good chance in 2016.

I'm unsure about Christie.  I liked him until I found out he has staff filming those Youtube 'magic moments'.  That makes him seem a bit of a bully to me, I don't think that's how a Governor should treat his constituents.  Also how would he play outside the Northeast?  This could be totally wrong but he seems very much of his area and I don't know how well that style would go down in, say, Iowa or Nevada.

[garbon]

That's what the primary season's for

Nah the primary season is a time to listen to irrelevant attack ads and have absolutely no idea what the candidate stands for. Actually that's the whole election cycle.

[DGuller]

Christie definitely is a bully, and a bit too loose with the facts even for a Republican.

[Admiral Yi]

Christie definitely is a bully, and a bit too loose with the facts even for a Republican.

I don't want a guy who nods lovingly and feels the pain of the teachers' union.  I want a guy who calls them out on their bullshit.