Power Up For 2012

The National Journal surveys the strengths and weaknessses of the Republican field and delivers their first Power Ranking of 2012.

Sadly, the first sentence of their first ranking leaves me shaking my head and reaching for another cup of coffee:

The A-List Tier
1. MITT ROMNEY

The GOP has a history of nominating the person who has stood in line, and after finishing second behind John McCain in 2008, Romney is now that person.

Huh? I have a dim memory of Mike Huckabee trailing around the country in a two man race that, like Huckabee himself, had an outcome that was ordained.

And I am not alone in my delusion - CNN thinks Romney dropped out in early February while the NY Times tells me that Huckabee dropped out in early March.

Not to go negative, but my confidece in the National Journal analysis is not enhanced by this sort of thing.

Tim Pawlenty, John Thune and Haley Barbour round out the A Team.  Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich and Mike Pence are placed in the "Fox News Tier", which makes me wonder if this report has been compiled by guys who meld ignorance and bias.

Comments

[Rex]

OT: Happy 235th, fellow Marines!

[Pagar]

Who runs in 2012 is not going to be nearly as important as whether the public employees unions are able to control the election process.

[sbw]

Not Mitt.

Not Huck.

Better Haley Barbour at first glance. At least he has executive experience, can speak, has principles, understands party politics.

And Sarah gets better each day.

[Pagar]

My 07:07 post fails to convey that the problem in that post was the AK Supervisors Union. I'm not sure I have ever known that Public employee supervisers had a union.

[Pofarmer]

I mean, it should obviously be Romney or huckabee, because they had such an impact on the last election.

[Janet the tea-vangelist!]

I'm waiting for Cher to weigh in...then I'll let you know. She's a big expert.

[Donald]

I just wanna say that any blog thread that includes the sentence "I hate to harp on the Blasters" is by default the single greatest thread ever. I was drinking a martini in despair Monday at a crappy bar. I started reading that and was smiling so much the super hot, stoopid redneck bartender (As a stoopid redneck I know) asked me what it was about. Of course she turned out to be from San Diego, worships Exene and John Doe and now has JOM on HER blackberry! So she is not a redneck but I still am.

I only spent six months in port in San Diego, but it was 1982-83 and all those guys were playing all over the place. I saw 'em all. A lot. Including The Beat Farmers and The Long Ryders (I did not see the Long Ryders until last year, they did a weekend gig in Atlanta out of nowhere!)

She thinks CA is going to hell by the way.

[Porchlight]

That was a fun thread, Donald. I certainly didn't think it would turn into what it did.

[Donald]

Oh yeah! By the way, who does your husband play with?

[Donald]

That doesn't look right.

[Paul Zrimsek]

I don't remember who finished second but it's not necessarily the guy who quit last. (That would be Ron Paul, would it not?)

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

Not Mitt.

Not Huck.

Better Haley Barbour at first glance. At least he has executive experience, can speak, has principles, understands party politics.

And Sarah gets better each day.

I agree with all of that. But I am hopeful Sarah will not run. I also want Mitch Daniels in that mix.

It will be interesting to see who the Buckley crowd supports. It won't be Sarah palin, I can promise you that.

[Jack is Back!]

How can they even consider someone like John Cornyn even if its on the bubble? Might as well put Trent Lott on the list. My gut tells me that they are going to go with the bridesmaid again and make Obama's 2nd term more of a reality. Romney has a lot going for him but I think the astro-turfers will make Mormonism look like a form of Islam mixed with witchcraft or something like that and the independents will go back to the left.

But then it could be someone not even on the list or the bubble. It only took the Tea Party movement under 2 years to make a difference with unknowns and it could happen again on a bigger stage.

[Donald]

I propose Liz Carter who ran against Hank Johnson in GA 4th.

She was just on The Regular Guys show in Atlanta. She's a complete babe, tea partier (We got so many!), smart, and really, really, funny.

Thinks like Sarah, better looking (!), and her accent kills unlike Sarah who's accent grates (My main problem with Sarah for president, not that theres anything...).

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

Why does Trent Lott keep popping up? He's not still in the senate right? Is he on K Street?

Romney will never ever ever overcome Romneycare,

[sbw]

"The National Journal . . . delivers. . ."

I mean, they had space they had to fill with something and "Hillary ticked at Elvis aliens having Slick Willy's baby" was already taken by The Globe.

[Pagar]

"Romney will never ever ever overcome Romneycare,"

or the Massachusetts Voter Fraud.

IMO, any discussion of Romney or Huckabee as future presidential candidates is a waste of time.

[Extraneus]

The threat, and the left's terror at the prospect of her winning the presidency, is the essence of Sarah Palin's power. If she doesn't run, she will be greatly diminished. Therefore, win or lose, I think she has to run.

[Clarice]

we ought to start a movement for a WWT (Words Wasted Tax) for empty , pointless and silly punditry.

[centralcal]

IMO, any discussion of Romney or Huckabee as future presidential candidates is a waste of time.

I agree, Pagar. And I especially start feeling negative about any candidate the MFM starts hyping.

[DebinNC]

There are a lot of good choices there. I just wish the power to choose the Republican "frontrunner" could be forcibly removed from the idiots who've inflicted Tom Harkin on the rest of us for decades.

[jwest]

OT – Daily Caller Confirms Director of Plame Movie Not a JOM Reader

http://dailycaller.com/2010/11/10/hollywood-hit-job-fair-game-propagates-easily-disprovable-myths-about-lead-up-to-iraq-war/

[Janet the tea-vangelist!]

I don't want any candidate that softens their conservative message to please or get along with the media. I want ornery...like a Rumsfeld or Cheney personality.
Like sbw - Not Mitt. Not Huck.

[DebinNC]

via Insty: Power Pundits...top 50 and guesstimates of what they earn. It's nice to know that whatever Sarah Palin chooses to do next, it's not because she needs the money.

[Rick Ballard]

Here's the electoral college map from 2008. The GOP candidate has to hold the states McCain took and then add about 100 electoral votes (redistricting is going to move 7 votes to McCain states).

I believe Barbour would do well in FL, NC and VA which would leave 44-45 (depending upon reapportionment) to go. That's not insurmountable at all - IN, OH would be relatively easy, leaving 24 - 25 as the real target.

[narciso]

I recall Adam Brinkley telling me at CPAC, of the day that Romney quit, in the middle of a major rally, these were the same idiots like Feehery, Hastert's major domo, who wasn't giving the tea party the time of day, a year and a half ago.

They had another of this brain trust who on PJM, Myra Adams, who was being third sreing
Maureen Dowd, he writes for Tina Brown, that probably explains it, she was part of McCain's Ad Council, that's like the XO on
the Andrea Doria

[narciso]

Barbour, is fairly solid, he steered the RNC much better than Steele did, although he wasn't the largest offender by far, Cornyn
needs to go like Steinbrenner used to to Billie Martin

[centralcal]

Completely off topic - but I think you will enjoy this series of photos with your morning coffee. Michelle is particularly unhappy looking in each of them, as she visits a Mosque in Indonesia.

Once again, her outfit doesn't fit.

[PD]

the "Fox News Tier"

Sounds like the beginning of an upcoming meme-to-be: Don't vote for X because this is the candidate being run by FOX News. A continuation of the effort to paint the GOP and FOX as one and the same.

[Porchlight]

Donald, he plays with the Gourds.

[MarkO]

Great idea Clarice. May I be the chair of the Word Tax Forum (WTF)?

[glasater]

Former ambassador to the UN John Bolton is saying he is considering getting into the mix. He says current foreign policy is a mess...

I think he's betting Obama is going to be a one-termer. And my better half--who reads a fancy, dancy on-line newsletter--maintains that there are going to be serious problems in the ME coming down the pike--soon.

[Danube of Thought]

Minus 17 at Raz today.

[Donald]

I got three Bruce Springsteen songs I can listen to. Darlington County is in the top one. Ms. Porch, they're awesome.

[Donald]

Love the Glory Days fake out!

[Donald]

Does Bmoe know about this?

[Danube of Thought]

Bolton would have to win over the George Voinovich wing.

I sure like what I've seen so far from Mitch Daniels.

[Donald]

I know I'm not real bright and all, but I can never understand how bands like this don't rule the world. I just don't.

[Danube of Thought]

Darlington County and Cadillac Ranch. Maybe Racing in the Streets. A lot of his stuff is very bad, and I'm sick of his teenage politics.

[Donald]

Yeah, CR ain't bad. I like Crush on You and Ramrod. He's a fraud, and a bad tipper from what I understand. I don't like bad tippers at all.

I'm listening to this Gourds Darlington County thing and am having a revelation. I have no idea how I've missed them.

The guy singing sounds like one of the Red State Update guys, which is pretty damned cool.

[Threadkiller]

From Pagar's 7:07:

* From: Peggy Wilcox [mailto:[email protected]]...

Subject: Vote Tuesday November 2nd!

Hello SU,...

In this election we will be electing:

...

* the US Representative & Senator who will decide whether or not Alaska needs federal money, or if we should go it on our own....

The punishment for using government resources:

"I asked Deputy Commissioner Kevin Brooks to meet with union representatives to explain the State’s position. He did and advised the Business Manager that further infractions could result in restriction of access to the State’s email system. It’s important that you know we follow the CBA in resolving these issues and I appreciate those who brought the matter to light."

Nice. What was Millers crime? He used official computers to vote in his own stupid poll. His was bad, and he lost his job. This is worse.

[Clarice]

MarkO, You are certainly a promising candidate for the position. as you may expect, the WWT Commission has a great deal of expenses and depend upon the kindness of strangers to remain operational. Our nice treasurer, Mr. Rick B is available to answer all your questions about the selection process.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Too many headlines to watch today, Brazil is the surprise, so far.

Banco Panamerico on the ropes.

[RichatUF]

glasater-

Not dissimiliar to the problems that the Carter Administration had in Central America. What would one expect-Wikileaks burned hundreds of sources and Obama has stated over and over that he is looking for the door in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Add in that he went out of his way to embarrass Karzi in Afghanistan. I'd also keep an an eye on Cuba and those so called "unemployed" state workers. Wouldn't surprise me to see another Mariel.

[Walter]

...like Huckabee himself, had an outcome that was ordained.

Oddly enough, Mitt! was ordained around age 18. You know what that means? He really is holier than thou Huck! heck.

[sbw]

Bolton? Please. Doesn't he have about as much executive experience as Obama.

Sure he isn't lobbying for a promise to be someone's Secretary of State if he drops out of the competition?

[Ann]

cc:

OMG! :)

[Danube of Thought]

Speaking of 2012, this is about as sweet an article as one would dare pray for. A taste:

Republican State Legislative Committee Executive Director Chris Jankowski estimated the GOP will gain between 25 and 30 additional House seats from the reapportionment and redistricting process alone, a number that makes it all the more difficult for Democrats to win back the seats necessary to retake the majority.

[glasater]

Wouldn't surprise me to see another Mariel

Say it ain't so Rich!

Keep an eye on Santelli this AM on CNBC folks and his reports.

[Appalled]

I have no idea who the GOP will come up with in 2012. Sara Palin is the name everyone knows, which is not necessarily a good thing. I would prefer a governor, myself, as they have hands-on experience with budget issues.

The problem with the Republicans over the years is that they have essentially refused to deal with cutting government, and covered that up by doubling down on either Foreign Policy aggressiveness (McCain, Frum, Rockefeller in the good old days) or social issue intrusiveness (the Terry Schaivo fiasco). It will be interesting to see whether the GOP will keep up the government cutting heat, or whether they will fade.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Students shut Tory HQ in London. Trying to storm inside over austerity cuts.

Huge crowds on screen.

No sign of Ted Rall.

[narciso]

they let the back door open in Central America since 1998, when Chavez got into power, and then the plotters failed to dispatch him in 2002,

[Thomas Collins]

I think a Palin-Rubio ticket adds the necessary electoral votes, Rick. No popular vote landslide (probably something like 51-48 or 50-49, with the popular vote in Massachusetts, NY and California going overwhelmingly to the Obama-Clinton ticket), but with your target states going to a true American Exceptionalism ticket.

[narciso]

Well having Emmanuel, the one who has qualms about the Hippocratic Oath, and Berwick running the 'death panels' I think it's a legitimate concern. The class of '94 was spooked by the govt shutdown, and acted accordingly, including accepting the phony
Enron accounting of the CBO, which presaged a similar debacle at Fannie Mae, which Bush tried to avert.

[Danube of Thought]

It will be interesting to see whether the GOP will keep up the government cutting heat, or whether they will fade.

If they do fade, we will probably see a disastrous third-party attempt. Here's hoping they know that. Rubio says it's their second chance; he should have added that it's their last.

[Ann]

Sarah was a governor, Appalled. Oh nevermind, I think we should go for Pawlenty, don't you? or Romney or Huckabee? They are just so much smarter and exciting. That's it!

[boris]

"social issue intrusiveness"

Seriously? Don't you mean the "Mark Foley Page Scandal" ?

More likely that average citizens should worry about a gay Republican senator texting love notes to their teen age sons than the government will intrude to keep them alive after suffering liquid brain syndrome.

Certainly both are really really bad but ... one of those things is not very likely to be a problem to worry about.

[JM Hanes]

TM:

I'd be a whole lot more interested in hearing your first power ranking of 2012. Take up the challenge, so we don't have to fumble around in the dark!

"Sadly, the first sentence of their first ranking leaves me shaking my head"

Sadly, their first sentence leaves me shaking my head. As I read it:

National Journal answers the question of who is best positioned to win the 2012 nomination by asking who is currently in the strongest position to secure the nomination.

They then proceed to ignore their own criteria -- glaringly in the case of threshhold #3, to give us a thoroughly pedestrian roundup of conventional wisdom on the usual suspects which amounts to moving magnets on the fridge.

[Clarice]

So, it's fairly unanimous. The article is WWT worthy. Mark round up the Journal's tab.

[Extraneus]

AP: Government Audit Says ACORN Should Pay Back $3.2 Million in Federal Funds

WASHINGTON -- A government audit said Tuesday that the advocacy group ACORN should pay back $3.2 million in federal funding, mostly because it hasn't shown that its lead removal work was performed at a reasonable cost.

The auditors also said some of the grant money was spent inappropriately, including for political campaigns and fundraising.

[Danube of Thought]

Maybe this absurd buffoon will give it a try:

In a head-to-head race between Obama and Trump, the entrepreneur would get nearly half the vote, 47 percent. Trump polled strongly among Republicans and conservatives, and got 50 percent of the vote among independents.

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

The prosecutor in the case where the ACORN person plead guilty yesterday is not asking for jailtime. The plea was something like 30 or 18 or 569 counts. (I can't remember but it was alot) So what is that about? I want Acorn to go to jail forever. (Perhaps I am over reaching a bit)

Acorn declared bankruptcy so they aren't paying back anything.

[Porchlight]

Thanks, Donald! So glad you like them. I love that fakeout too. Both the Springsteen covers are pretty halfassed - mostly the band is a lot more competent. ;)

Are you in ATL? They play Smith's Olde Bar about 3-4 times a year. You will love the live show, I promise.

Speaking of half-assed covers, here's one for DoT:
Miss You
Mr. Porchlight is on accordion. Yeah, they are winging it.

[glasater]

I believe that Trump would place a tax on any product coming in from China.
Death Wish?

[narciso]

Trump is a blithering idiot, not surprising one of those who flacked for him is Roger Stone, the one who gave us Paladino

[Janet the tea-vangelist!]

So what is that about? I want Acorn to go to jail forever. (Perhaps I am over reaching a bit)

We are selectively lawless. Nobody goes to jail or pays back money unless they are an unlicensed barber, a trans-fat serving restaurant, an unleashed dog owner,...
Looking at Michael Steele's private records gets you a tut-tut.
Looking at Obama's school loan records gets you jail time.

Equal protection under the law...my a%#.

[Army of Davids]

Tom Coburn is my choice.

Chris Christie a close second.

Watching Sen. Kirk's swearing in for the lame- duck session.

[Chris]

"...The auditors also said some of the grant money was spent inappropriately, including for political campaigns and fundraising."

Who could have seen that one coming? Seriously?

[Appalled]

Ann:

Palin was a governor, briefly. Of a smaller state with no revenue issues because of pipeline wealth.

boris:

Um. That's not what I meant, exactly. But you get extra-special debatng points for that one.

[Rick Ballard]

TC,

I have to wait to see how the populist movement does. If the oligarchs continue to resist paying the appropriate forfeit for their idiocies (history suggests that they will), then Palin/Rubio (or Smith/Jones, for that matter) would prevail rather easily. I really enjoyed Palin's frozen flounder to the forehead response to Bernanke and, given the very high probability that QE2 is going to be a flop, I believe it was a fairly shrewd political move. It was certainly delivered in the correct populist vein and grocery prices do happen to be one of those "kitchen table" topics with which the multitude can readily identify.

I certainly don't care to pay more for bread in order to maintain Wall Street banksters' bonuses.

Kill the zombies Ben - or we'll be coming for you.

[narciso]

It's a huge state with a small population, with a small population, circumscribed by the
climate, but almost as much by the Federal Govt's tenacious hold on further development,
the PFUD tax only came in 1976, partly arising
out of the oil boom.

[bgates]

Maybe this absurd buffoon will give it a try:

Of course that absurd buffoon will give it a try. He's the incumbent.

Trump's not that much better, though.

Strike that - Trump's a lot better than what we have, but not nearly as good as what we could get.

[centralcal]

Just saw a tweet via Major Garrett/National Journal that Dems are making "overtures" to Olympia Snowe.

::eyeroll::

[boris]

"you get extra-special debatng points for that one"

Well thanks, but I think it could have used some more sarcasm.

[matt]

right now, I don't see a viable presidential candidate. The Repubs need someone who rises above the rest with some real experience and who walks the walk. So far, few of the names mentioned do.

X was a phenomenon, and I still can't forgive the Blasters for the whole tattoo/rat rod rockabilly thing. Death to the Stray Cats.

Now we have a bunch of yahoos with bad tats and weird hair and clothes who think they're in a movie. Almost as bad as G..D.. hippies, as Cartman would say.

[narciso]

All we need to know about the National Journal's judgement, beside their obvious
cluelessness (Santorum, seriously) is this piece which is begging for snark

[MarkO]

I'll round to the highest number:

MarkO, WTF?

[JM Hanes]

Ann:

It's Hillary's pant suit in chartreuse crêpe de Chine! I'm convinced that FLOTUS faces her mirror straight on, strikes a pose, and thinks she's good to go. The hem dragging shot is an entirely new kind of remarkable too. Why stop with the head scarf? She's the very vision of feminine modesty, no?

Notwithstanding Michelle's usual fashion faux pas, however, I've been really relieved to see that the business side of the Obama's trip is actually getting some pretty decent reviews for a change.

The American Enterpirse blog posts a Report Card and Walter Russell Mead's Obama in Asia adds some context. While Obama may be selling the excursion as a Jobs, Jobs, Jobs jaunt for domestic consumption, India has enormous strategic importance.

[Pagar]

"Maybe this absurd buffoon will give it a try"

There is a rumor Alvin Greene is weighing a
presidential bid. It is also rumored that he can find his US birth Certificate.
Remember 365,000 plus voters in SC thought he should be a US Senator.

[centralcal]

JMH: you wrote: The hem dragging shot is an entirely new kind of remarkable too.

Sadly, no, it isn't. Remember when she horned her way into the 9/11 Memorial with Laura Bush in PA? Her pants puddled at the hem that time, too - so badly you couln't tell if she even had feet, much less shoes upon them.

I know puddled draperies were once an interior fashion fad, but I don't think puddled pantsuits have ever been in vogue.

[JM Hanes]

Extraneus:

"The threat, and the left's terror at the prospect of her winning the presidency, is the essence of Sarah Palin's power."

I know the folks who hope she'll run like to believe this, but I think that the Republican establishment is arguably more afraid of her than the left. That could change, but a whole lot of liberal pols welcome the idea of turning Palin into the face of the Republican party, in much the same way that Pelosi's continuing prominence gratifies the right.

[Captain Hate]

He's a fraud, and a bad tipper from what I understand. I don't like bad tippers at all.

WTF? Brooooooooce "Workin' at the Factory" Fraudsteen doesn't shell out much for the little people having the honor of waiting on him? I never saw that one coming::rolleyes::

[Silent Member of the Seminar]

"Bolton? Please. Doesn't he have about as much executive experience as Obama.

Sure he isn't lobbying for a promise to be someone's Secretary of State if he drops out of the competition?"

No, word on the street is he's thinking President. Also, Andrew McCarthy is mulling over a Senate run in NJ. Or so the street, yet again, says.

[JM Hanes]

ccal:

The hem-dragging was really meant to be an aside. It was the bizarre attempt at a modest pose I found striking. Sort of like the FLOTUS version of bowing.

[Captain Hate]

That could change, but a whole lot of liberal pols welcome the idea of turning Palin into the face of the Republican party, in much the same way that Pelosi's continuing prominence gratifies the right.

I'm sure that's true but attitudes can change if things get bad enough. Exhibit A is how Reagan used to be portrayed on "All in the Family" as Archie's candidate (pronounced "Reegan"). Norman Lear's circle surely hates Palin.

[bgates]

a whole lot of liberal pols welcome the idea of turning Palin into the face of the Republican party

Same crowd that thrilled to the idea of making Obama synonymous with the Democratic party.

[Pagar]

"We are bankrupt...and are gonna give 150 million "

I wouldn't be surprised if one couldn't find a trillion dollars a day of this kind of garbage. Money just thrown down a rathole. No one will see a penny worth of benefit from the entire 150 million.

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

John Boehner will continue to fly commercial, canceling pelosi's booze ridden freebee.

So today he is my hero

[JM Hanes]

Captain:

"I'm sure that's true but attitudes can change if things get bad enough."

If things keep getting worse now that Republicans have clinched the House, attitudes toward the right are not going to change for the better.

[JM Hanes]

Jane:

You do realize I called dibs on Boehner like a gazillion years ago, right?

[boris]

"welcome the idea of turning Palin into the face of the Republican party"

Even if that were so they are not doing that themselves. They have to keep up the Palin bashing or by helping her win the primary they can't stop her in the general.

One scenario, Sarah wins nomination but is too polarizing to win the general. Obama term II.

Another scenario, to prevent that ... the GOP does not give her a fair shot. Palinista's bolt. Obama term II.

The second scenario would be self inflicted. There is no amount of "let's be sensible" rhetoric that could possibly save us from losing big in the second scenario.

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

You do realize I called dibs on Boehner like a gazillion years ago, right?

Boehner and Issa?

Okay well I have Steyn and Rove. Perhaps on occasion we can switch.

[Jane (sit on the couch or save your country)]

Third option Boris is that Palin chooses not to run - which I think is what will happen.

[matt]

can we please have a photo op that shows the First Lady dressed with some style and dignity? I really am getting tired of Princess Shopping Cart.

[Rob Crawford]

That could change, but a whole lot of liberal pols welcome the idea of turning Palin into the face of the Republican party, in much the same way that Pelosi's continuing prominence gratifies the right.

Pelosi -- corrupt, venal, intent on running your life because she honestly believes you're incapable of doing it.

Palin -- anti-corruption, wants you to run your own life, unlikely to strike erotic poses with a giant gavel after destroying the US health insurance industry.

Ya know, I don't care anymore. I'm not 100% convinced Palin would make the best candidate or the best President, but I am 100% sick of people going out of their way to crap on her. Every site I normally read seems to be going out of their way to attack her -- Jacobson at Legal Insurrection appears to have even brought in a co-blogger particularly for that purpose.

Run another focus-grouped, blow-dried, "it's his turn" machine pol. It's worked so damned well for us so far, hasn't it? Let's just do what the Democrat-lites have always asked, and maybe they'll throw us a bone by cutting the increases in spending on teaching African men genital hygiene, or maybe even hold a hearing into the anti-American excesses at the NEH. (Followed by funding increases in the NEH, of course, because All Serious People support it.)

I expect the leftists to attack conservatives who stand up for what we believe. I expect leftists to make up crap, muckrake, and generally act like scum who consider their power over the rest of us the most important thing in the world.

But WTF is the right doing savaging its own? Are we incapable of offering those on our own side constructive criticism without turning it into a kneecapping? Are we incapable of siding with our allies against our common enemies? Why the hell do we so easily accept the press narrative about our own? Why do we so slavishly crave the approval of people who have shown again and again they'll lie before they'll say anything good about any of us?

[boris]

"now that Republicans have clinched the House"

The bad stuff happened AFTER the dimorats clinched the House in 2006. Seems to me they won the other two branches handily anyway.

[Rob Crawford]

One scenario, Sarah wins nomination but is too polarizing to win the general. Obama term II.

Yeah... Sarah Palin vs. Obama -- which is more polarizing? "Punish our enemies and reward our friends" is not something Palin said.

[Frau Sowienoch]

"Palin was a governor, briefly"
Small state or not, she did more executive work than Obama did in his brief careers on law review,boards, IL state, and U.S. Senate combined.

I don't think Palin is the best for first place on the ticket. She has been unjustly defined by the opposition. I hate to think than Fey will earn more money sliming a remarkable woman and natural politician. Her voice is important. I think she understands what was done to her. It would not have happened to a lefty candidate. Oh, wait, there was Teresa's consort, Sen. Backbench, but he did it to himself.

[Pagar]

Citizens against Government Waste usually has some pretty solid ideas. The Link says the USAF doesn't want the hardware, but no one in government has the ability to stop the insanity of giving the Air Force something they don't want.
How crazy is that?