Thursday, February 06, 2014

Paul Ryan...?

Keven Drum speaks as though it were a done deal. He thinks Paul Ryan will get the Republican nomination in 2016.
On the flip side, who are his big competitors? Chris Christie is toast. Marco Rubio is inexperienced to begin with, and then muffed his chance for statesmanlike glory when he staked his reputation on immigration reform and came up empty. Jeb Bush can't even get his mother's endorsement. Scott Walker is getting buzz, but he strikes me as having too much baggage. Rand Paul and Ted Cruz are novelty candidates, not to be taken seriously. And although I used to think Bobby Jindal might have a chance, he's had a rough past couple of years.
What do I think of the idea? I'm torn.

On one hand, "Lyin' Ryan" is very beatable. Everyone will always remember the ludicrous insincerity of his photo op in that soup kitchen. His mendacity engine has no off switch, and he has no Reaganesque charm to compensate for his chronic fibbing or his ideological inflexibility. The country does not really like this guy.

On the other hand, my heart freezes when I think of so staunch an Ayn Randroid getting that close to the presidency.

Huckabee? He does have a certain charm which mush-ifies the evilness. The trick doesn't work on me, but it seems to work on others. Would he run? Not at all sure.

A guy like Jon Huntsman would win in the general but hasn't a hope in hell of attaining the nomination. John Thune (Senator from South Dakota) sure looks like a president, and has made the right noises, but most people think he's a big yawn.

New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez has a lot going for her -- she won in a swing state, and she would certainly aid her party's appeal to Latinos and women. But she has almost no experience, and I don't see the crazies going crazy for her.

I think Drum was too quick to discount Marco Rubio. 

2 comments:

Grung_e_Gene said...

P90X Ryan is beatable, even if he could crossfit you into the ground, but yes your heart should freeze with him being that close. Sadly a Republican will always have a chance at the Presidency.

Remember that Ryan is ostensibly a Catholic so they'll need is a Southern or Evangelical to get the real jesus vote what with Pope Francis not washing the feet of the 1% at every turn.

Anonymous said...

Chris Matthews insists Rand Paul will be the GOP nominee--the Ayn Rand acolyte. Walker is the bridesmaid to Christie. But Walker, too, has many legal and political complications--a shady past, present and future. Jeb Bush is a possibility, an establishment candidate. Who, btw, has always favored immigration reform. Until he didn't. Rubio is not ready for prime time [he who walked back his own immigration plan and will be forever known as 'water boy']. Huckabee is a total joke. As is Santorum. I've heard some whispering about Martinez, the GOPs answer to Hillary Clinton.

And then there's John Bolton, the neoconservative darling. Or Mitt, recently redeemed by his Netflix film and his wife's insistence that the 'country lost' in 2012.

The GOP has no one. Ryan, the Wonder boy, will be laughed off the stage. They have no one, and they know it. The best the Republicans can do is hold onto the House through gerrymandering peculiarities and make a stab for the Senate. Not a slam-dunk by any means.

On national elections? They're toast. As they should be.

Peggysue

PS: Huntsman was the best candidate the GOP has had in years. So, of course, they rejected him.