GOP Primary Megathread!

[Berkut]

I think Newt would be a dreadful President.  He's temperamentally entirely wrong.

Yeah, the thought of him as the most powerful man in the world is actually seriously terrifying. Smart guy, but not nearly as smart as he thinks he is, and the kind of person who seems convinced that he is not only smarter than everyone else, but believes he knows more than everyone else as well...hence no need to listen to "experts" because he is both smarter AND more knowledgeable. That is a very, very dangerous ego combination in someone with power.

[Phillip V]

The debates this past week. Romney did poorly in them. Gingrich did awesome in them

If Romney wants to stop getting electorally embarrassed, he needs to debate better. He also needs Ron Paul now more than ever.

[DGuller]

I don't think he really needs Ron Paul.  Ron Paul voters aren't spoilers, they're nutcases.  They don't typically have a second choice.

[Phillip V]

I don't think he really needs Ron Paul.  Ron Paul voters aren't spoilers, they're nutcases.  They don't typically have a second choice.

Attack dog. Paul destroyed Gingrich and Santorum the week of the New Hampshire primary and prior. This past week: not so much.

Though, I am willing to claim that part of that was the media's fault to significant degree. In the last debate, the moderator continually moved on to other questions without asking Ron Paul. Finally, the audience booed loudly in the last 20 minutes when this happened again, finally allowing Paul to contribute.

When it comes to electoral strategy, it is continually demonstrated that (social) conservatives refuse to embrace Romney. Romney (and Paul) need to try and weaken Gingrich and Santorum and have the two fight each other.

[Sheilbh]

I think it's more that Newt and Santorum aren't going to do well in NH than that Paul destroyed them to be honest.  But I agree that Paul was ignored in the CNN debate, he wasn't in the Fox debate though.  It was just one of his worst performances (especially the killing Osama bin Laden bit).  He was rambling and incoherent even by his standards.

Gingrich and Santorum did have a big fight this week.  Santorum was on form on healthcare (I think, in the long run, his attack on Romneycare will matter more than Bain or tax returns) and really went for Newt being wrong for a decade.

But he also attacked him for his time as Speaker.  'Grandiosity has never been a problem for Newt...That is not a cogent thought...An idea a minute.  No discipline.'  As I said at the time I think it's very effective.

But I don't know that it'll actually hurt Newt.  I think the fact that he's egotistical and undisciplined are part of his package, so it's a bit like a Democrat attacking Biden because he might make gaffes in the White House.  That's an accurate, valid attack but it's already priced in.

One interesting and possibly terrifying thing, which I mentioned earlier, is just how much Paul has actually influenced the GOP since 2008.  Last night Gingrich made a blatant play for Paul supporters.  I think the biggest reason Paul won't do a third party run is because he's starting to get real influence and he's laying the ground for Rand Paul 2016.

[Phillip V]

Who's the new gal behind Mitt Romney?

[Sheilbh]

They dumped the ugly Romlets!

[Caliga]

Yeah, the thought of him as the most powerful man in the world is actually seriously terrifying. Smart guy, but not nearly as smart as he thinks he is, and the kind of person who seems convinced that he is not only smarter than everyone else, but believes he knows more than everyone else as well...hence no need to listen to "experts" because he is both smarter AND more knowledgeable. That is a very, very dangerous ego combination in someone with power.

I agree.  I can't stand Newt and would vote for practically anyone, including Obama, before I've vote for him.

[Eddie Teach]

I don't think Newt's personality should be *that* big a deal. Sure, he's full of himself, but is the ability to hide that fact that great a requirement? 

[Sheilbh]

A candidate's personality should be the biggest issue.  Especially when it's as bad as Newt's.

[Razgovory]

I don't think Newt's personality should be *that* big a deal. Sure, he's full of himself, but is the ability to hide that fact that great a requirement? 

It's hampered him before.  As Speaker he was so despised that is own party members tried to toss him out.  The ability to get along well with others is a huge part of being a leader.  This deficiency was also what allowed Bill Clinton to consistently out maneuver him.

[grumbler]

And yet I'm odd for liking people like Santorum, Paul and Huckabee who seem quite nice, decent guys and all seem to have convictions of some sort.

No, just Santorum.  Santrum is a bigger kook than Paul, but with less conviction and more calculation.  He argues that scientists are immoral and must be heavily regulated, and that human rights should not be promoted/protected where they interfere with his stone-age view of that is "natural."  He is smart enough to know that those positions are purely ideological, but promotes them anyway for political gain.

I think Newt would be a dreadful President.  He's temperamentally entirely wrong.

A Gingrich presidency would be almost hilariously bad.  I'd rather laugh at it while reading about it in one of his alt-hist books, though.  In reality, his arrogance and tantrums would shoot the whole world right in the ass.  Even when his ideas are right, his methods are crap.

[CountDeMoney]

A candidate's personality should be the biggest issue.  Especially when it's as bad as Newt's.

Thought the GOP would've learned their lesson with Nixon.

[Razgovory]

I'm beginning to suspect Grumbler of being Paulite.

[Ed Anger]

I'm beginning to suspect Grumbler of being Paulite.

Grumbler is an Optimates. He remembers when Sulla stormed Rome.