like Martinez in New Mexico.

they are going to want someone who wasn't attached to this fiasco. Maybe the republicans are going to be sitting in a room trying to figure out how to get rid of the tea party folks. Good luck.... cancer is hard to beat. I always worry about people's short memory... If elections were held today these folks would be losing their seats. It is a whole year until the midterms. I sure as hell hope people remember WHO caused this mess.

It's been 10 years of a GOP downward spiral. Do you really think that after Palin, Romney and now a financial catastrophe that anyone is really 'calling the shots' for the GOP?

"Look at the bones!"
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Birds are territorial creatures.
The lyrics to the songbird's melodious trill go something like this:
"Stay out of my territory or I'll PECK YOUR GODDAMNED EYES OUT!"[/center][/font][hr]

After Bachmann, Ryan, Santorum and Romney, I don't think I could take it!

that the big money in the party is already getting behind Christie. They're apparently in it to win it this time.

From their point of view - they tried running a liberal in 2008 and again in 2012 - Why would they want to follow the same failed strategy and nominate another liberal in 2016? From the attitude of the base - they think they were ignored in the last two election cycles - and perhaps they may think that they are not going to take it anymore. However, the events of the past two weeks and past 24 hours have weakened that wing of the party. But that wing of the party makes ups such a major portion of registered Republicans and rank and file foot soldiers - If they revolt against a Christie nomination or are lukewarm to it - it may present a problem for them. But then again there might be enough Republicans who are just sick of loosing that they would back someone like Christie. But the demand to finally run a true believer is going to be there.

is to move further to the right. They're just like Friedman and his economic theory; when the economy crashed in Chile as a result of his policies, he thought that his policies weren't radical enough. Republican policies have been an utter failure and we've watched the country fall apart, but they still think they need to go further to the right.

is there a point at which saner minds come out to vote for relatively sane Republicans? Lots of middle-of-the-road republicans vote for whichever guy has the R behind his name, so IMHO, the pubs will need to get out the vote of the mushy middle, which has lots of mushy Republicans. But it has lots of mushy Democrats, too.

Coming out against same sex marriage, talking against entitlements...he is setting the stage. And he is the best candidate they have to even have a chance at winning the WH. However, the hard RWingers will forever hold it against him that he made nice to Obama. They will remember ...their hate is that ferocious.

I would think they wouldnt back Jeb because they think he didn't step in and do enough in the Terri Schiavo case when he was governor of Florida.

They'll run as common sense candidates, attempting to get moderates and right leaning liberals in addition to moderate/non insane repubs. They will have to throw some bones to the insane and religious right of their party.

I was thinking the same thing. There are already calls from the tea party talking heads about doing just that, starting their own party. I think Cruz knows he can't win the republican nomination, but a new party of "tea party" loons, just what he needs! He would be the tea party dream come true. Of course he could never win the WH, but like so many others, Ron Paul for example, he could simply go on and on running till he was ready to retire. He could take the tea party nuts away from the Pauls, and unlike Palin, he could continue milking the crazies for years and years.

are politically savvy enough to know what the consequences of that would be. Back in the mid to late 70's when the Reaganite right-wing were maneuvering for control of the GOP - but still meeting a great deal of resistance - there was serious talk of forming a national conservative party since many were convinced that the liberal and moderates had a permanent grip on the GOP - But their big financial powerhouse backers fought it out and took control of the GOP instead. Of course - I really don't think the mainstream of the current GOP will allow the Tea Party to take control of the party. They are right-wingers but they know enough about economics to recognize the disaster the Tea Party would be for the country's financial interest. Unless the Koch brothers and their other big financial backers really are that delusional.

The monster may have gotten too big for its handlers to control.

teabaggers, gun nuts, anti-government and the rest who are convention attendees who write the platform and do the voting at the conventions. They are also the main base of GOP voters who control the results of their primaries.