2016 elections - because it's never too early

[merithyn]

Okay, so who are the potential candidates for each party? What are the chances of a Republican taking the White House?

I realize that a lot will depend on the 2014 elections, but it will be interesting to see what predictions now come to fruition.

[derspiess]

Potential GOP field looks like it might be the best since 1988.  Rubio, Jeb Bush, Christie, Jindal, Scott Walker, and Rand Paul.

Haven't looked at potential Dems.  Who other than Hillary and Crazy Senile Joe has been mentioned?

[Berkut]

Unless something radically changes, I am going to be as anti-Republican as I have ever been in my entire life.

Maybe this actually happens more than I think, and I should not be so appalled by it, but the fact the entire Republican Party has spent the last eight years with the stated mission of what I see as "If we simply refuse to govern, the country will be fucked up enough that we can then blame it on the Dems since they are in charge" is simply astounding.

Rewarding them for that would simply make it obvious that the Dems should do the exact same thing, and establish that the role of the opposition party in US government is to work AGAINST governing the country in any way.

I know I've always been about the militant moderate, and that there is nothing fundamentally different between the manner in which each party pretty much acts as tribes that care more about getting the other guy, not matter what the actual policy issues might be, but even at the worst of the MoveOn insanity, I've never seen an entire national party apparatus openly and consistently operate in a clear effort to actually harm the country for political gain. The Dems did it in a narrow sense, but never across the board like this, and the nutcases never got buy in from the moderates the way the Republican nutcases have forced all the GOP to march to their tune.

Also, since the gun nuts are all pretty much right wing nuts, I want their to be political consequences for what appears to be most of our legislative representatives actually representing the NRA rather than their constituents. But that is probably an even more vain hope than the desire to see politicians punished for refusing to govern.

[garbon]

Potential GOP field looks like it might be the best since 1988.  Rubio, Jeb Bush, Christie, Jindal, Scott Walker, and Rand Paul.

Haven't looked at potential Dems.  Who other than Hillary and Crazy Senile Joe has been mentioned?

O'Malley and Cuomo.

Also what does "best" mean in your first sentence?

[derspiess]

O'Malley and Cuomo.

Forgot about them.  Cuomo would be destroyed in a general election.  Not sure about O'Malley.

Also what does "best" mean in your first sentence?

More interesting, better known, more likable, better able to energize the base.  And more diverse, in the terms of backgrounds, life stories, and personalities.

[merithyn]

Potential GOP field looks like it might be the best since 1988.  Rubio, Jeb Bush, Christie, Jindal, Scott Walker, and Rand Paul.

Haven't looked at potential Dems.  Who other than Hillary and Crazy Senile Joe has been mentioned?

O'Malley and Cuomo.

Also what does "best" mean in your first sentence?

[derspiess]

Oh, I forgot-- this is Languish, where hatred of Teh RIght obscures all objective thought.

[merithyn]

Oh, I forgot-- this is Languish, where hatred of Teh RIght obscures all objective thought.

garbon is on the right.

[Berkut]

Oh, I forgot-- this is Languish, where hatred of Teh RIght obscures all objective thought.

That is just ridiculous. There is plenty of perfectly objective thought that results in hating what the Republicans are doing.

Just like there was perfectly objective thought that resulted in hating what the Dems were doing during the Shrubbery's term.

[Berkut]

Oh, I forgot-- this is Languish, where hatred of Teh RIght obscures all objective thought.

garbon is on the right.

You forget this is the New Right, where everything to the left of the crazy fruitcakes who are happy to see the country go to shit as long as it takes Obama with it are somehow the enemy.

[CountDeMoney]

Not sure about O'Malley.

He's your worst nightmare.  He makes Obama's "progressiveness" look like Strom Thurmond.

[Viking]

Potential GOP field looks like it might be the best since 1988.  Rubio, Jeb Bush, Christie, Jindal, Scott Walker, and Rand Paul.

Haven't looked at potential Dems.  Who other than Hillary and Crazy Senile Joe has been mentioned?

Rubio - tea partier and latino. Unlikely to appeal to middle america and likely to reduce the enthusiasm of the nativists of the Republican Party
Jeb Bush - tainted
Christie - will be primaried to death
Jindal - too stupid to not fuck up
Scott Walker - has unions pre-riled up, but best option from your list
Rand Paul - tained, tea partier, nota team player

none of them look good to me. Rick Santorum still polls better than all but Rubio, Bush and Christie.


http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/30/2016-poll-hillary-clinton-lapping-potential-democratic-field/

Hillary seems to dominate the democratic field, but then again, she dominated the democratic field in 2005 (three years before) as well.

[garbon]

Just like there was perfectly objective thought that resulted in hating what the Dems were doing during the Shrubbery's term.

And during the Pelosi-Reid connection.

[merithyn]

Just like there was perfectly objective thought that resulted in hating what the Dems were doing during the Shrubbery's term.

And during the Pelosi-Reid connection.

I still struggle with not automatically disliking anything Pelosi does because of that whole mess.

[derspiess]

none of them look good to me.

Of course not

Rick Santorum still polls better than all but Rubio, Bush and Christie.

That's not very meaningful yet.  Besides, Santorum has had the benefit of actually campaigning within fairly recent memory so that skews things a bit.

But I hope Santorum does the right thing and stays the hell out.  On top of his other baggage, giving the nom to the last primary's runner up just doesn't seem to be working too well