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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBush lll is really a weak candidate. I am beginning to believe he can blow this thing...
Let us recount his gaffes.
-It took him several days to enunciate his position on the Iraq War.
-He said Americans don't work hard enough.
-He said we should spend less on women's health.
Wasn't he supposed to be the smart Bush or maybe the bar is just really low.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)I've always thought Scott Walker was the most likely to prevail--he's as rightwing as they get, thoroughly unprincipled, a royal asshole, but bland.
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,711 posts)He is the only candidate with one foot firmly in the "crazy" and "not crazy" camp.
ProudToBeBlueInRhody
(16,399 posts)And he's got a lot of money behind him.
Attorney in Texas
(3,373 posts)KamaAina
(78,249 posts)Although Ohio is a swing state...
Attorney in Texas
(3,373 posts)but who else would Walker pick?
Rubio seems the logical choice, but what other options are there for Walker?
Jebush and Paul aren't running for VP.
Christie and Cruz and Perry would be a drag on the ticket without delivering any state.
Jindal, Pataki, Gilmore, Huckabee, and Graham bring nothing.
Trump, Fiorina, and Carson have zero qualifications.
Kasich at least wouldn't hurt the ticket and would help in Ohio.
C Moon
(12,221 posts)Initech
(100,102 posts)But then again I would hesitate to think what is going to happen under a president Trump.
HughBeaumont
(24,461 posts)Oh, and arguing with a senior when she called him out on it.
That right there should sink him like the Lusitania.
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,711 posts)It's still early and he's still the de facto favorite but who would have thought the son of a president, the brother of another one, and the grandson of an senator would be trailing a carney barker.
tabasco
(22,974 posts)rank and file republicans have become completely depraved.
greymattermom
(5,754 posts)He can't be as extreme as Donald Trump. His family is Catholic and Hispanic, right?
Vogon_Glory
(9,128 posts)I think the Repugs will end up nominating Scott Walker. JEB! is a weaker candidate than his brother, Walker and his handlers will brand him as a RINO, and the true believers will line up to vote for him.
If we are lucky, the people at Hillary's campaign will show the good sense to recycle the stuff that the Donald is already throwing at him and portray him as a "the next recession is around the corner" candidate.
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,711 posts)eom
Still In Wisconsin
(4,450 posts)Scott Walker is a walking, talking Howdy Doody puppet who looks very, very beatable. However, he has this way of getting people to believe two things: (1) his extreme right positions are not really extreme but rather common-sense solutions to problems we all face and (2) he will look out for the average American because he is one himself. He is also very very skilled at the politics of personal resentment.
So Walker looks dumb and in most ways is dumb, he's mostly destroyed the state I have lived in my whole life minus a couple of years, and he has never had a position he didn't get from ALEC. But, as they say about some quarterbacks who look like crap throwing the ball but are on championship teams, "all he does is win."
Walker is dangerous, he WILL start multiple wars, and he WILL crash the economy if elected. He MUST be stopped now.
NewJeffCT
(56,829 posts)The guy was elected, survived a recall and then got re-elected, all in a swing state and all with him being a college dropout. And, he won each election by 5% or more.
Calling Bush an idiot didn't work in 2000 or 2004, so I don't think it would work with Walker. (To be honest, I never considered Bush stupid - just not as smart as I want a president to be and not a good speaker. I'm not stupid and I'm a bad public speaker as well, but at least I am smart enough to know I'm not smart enough to be president.)
Still In Wisconsin
(4,450 posts)What Walker lacks in innate intelligence he more than makes up for in political cunning.
global1
(25,270 posts)he could possibly be the sanest sounding one of the klown kar and fool a lot of Americans. I'd watch out for him.
n8dogg83
(248 posts)Awhile back when he was speaking at one of the Koch Bros retreats he responded to a question about welfare, saying something along the lines of "when i die, i will have to answer to my maker for how i treated the poor", which caused several billionaires in attendance to walk out of the event. He has not been invited to a Koch gathering since. I dont think he'll win because he has alienated himself with the right wing billionaires, which is really the only way republicans have a chance to win.
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)That tells you all you need to know about the oligarchs.
Personally I think a day of judgment by an omnipotent magical being is bunk, but at least Kasich at least has a glimmer of compassion (if only for selfish reasons, in that he doesn't want to spend eternity in some fiery pit).
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)Being from Ohio, I have to agree. He is popular, as governor ... has shown a willingness to buck the gop, in favor of his constituents (e.g., Medicaid expansion) ... his doesn't yell a lot and his sentences are general complete and understandable ... but he has some serious conservative positions.
Cosmocat
(14,572 posts)in terms of getting the nomination.
An R POTUS candidate is not going to get any air unless they tow the line 100 percent and either are flat out fire breathers OR can dog whistle the bullshit.
That was Bush IIs gift, he was one smarmy ass MFer, and with Rove's help was able to say what they all wanted to hear without saying it.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)If he starts to gain any traction at all, he will be hammered on that.
Still In Wisconsin
(4,450 posts)I don't think the country will elect another Bush and I have to believe that Walker will eventually be identified as the mediocre former county executive, college dropout that he is.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)He's awful, but not awful enough for them
Still In Wisconsin
(4,450 posts)The Utah governor- seemed relatively sane for a Republican. I don't think he ever got above like 2%.
HughBeaumont
(24,461 posts). . . . once you get to know the real Kat$hit, he's just as bad if not worse than the rest.
Kat$hit hates workers and the unions they belong to. This was one of the first things he adamantly tried to legislate and failed miserably. To this day, he's visibly uncomfortable around blue collar workers who ask hard questions. Without that support, I'm afraid he doesn't stand much of a chance (of course, it's not like ANY of those clowns have the worker's best interests in mind, right?).
Apparently, he also has a temper problem halfway to par with Fred Flintstone Christy. That, and I'd rather be doing ANything other than listen to him speak.
brush
(53,845 posts)I mean who is dumb enough to say that we're spending too much on womens' health?
NEWSFLASH, JEB: Women vote.
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,711 posts)Gafffes will hurt him more than Bush ll because he is being held out as the smart one.
Cosmocat
(14,572 posts)they played to W being a moron - guy you would like to have a beer with, RESOLUTE vs a stubborn dumb ass ...
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,711 posts)Precisely...The pundits said Bush ll's gaffes made him endearing, like a regular guy... That doesn't work when you hold yourself out as a serious, sober, wonky candidate.
I am not Nostradamus...The fundamentals still suggest he should win this thing but he is certainly not off to a propitious start.
brush
(53,845 posts)Because he doesn't have much of a chance at winning the presidency after all these missteps this early in the race.
I mean, what's his next goof up going to be?
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,711 posts)Bush ll got away with being an idiot because enough folks thought it was endearing. Bush lll can't get away with being an idiot because he is running on competency...
I don't have a clue who will the GOP nomination but I suspect it will be Bush lll or Walker with a nod to the latter.
brush
(53,845 posts)He knows how to manipulate the media from being on TV all those years, and he's got all the buzz words and phrases down that get headlines.
There is a certain charm to him, sorta Reagan-like but with bombast and bluster.
Hillary will beat them all though.
Republicans, with their racist, anti-women, anti-immigrant and anti-gay history can't elect a president anymore with the changing demographics of the country.
Even if they try to steal it too many people are watchful of their tricks now.
Social media gets the word out fast on the shenanigans they used to get away with, plus Dems come out to vote in presidential years.
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,711 posts)I agree...
I am content to watch the Rethugs duke it out.
UTUSN
(70,740 posts)His tech dude was a bust. He dumped his routine e-mails while it was clear what are needed are the ones from his dirty business deals with Cuban-Exile (1st Gen) partners, suitcases of cash. The other night on the first "debate" he was truly pathetic. That's GREAT!1
The worst thing will be, however, if he "wins" (like how Shrub got his coup) anyway and we'll have the totality of f***-up AND jerk all in one package. Again.
merrily
(45,251 posts)No, not turd blossom. We got that from Dimson.
Democrats called Rove Bush's brain.
fadedrose
(10,044 posts)He's not dumb and can put down anyone.....
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,711 posts)I have been waiting for him to implode and he hasn't so I am a tad bit reluctant to predict his projectory but that has never stopped me before.
He's polling in the mid twenties and that's impressive in a seventeen person field but if that's his ceiling it's not high enough to amass enough delegates to be the nominee when the field is winnowed down.
I doubt he's the nominee...
fadedrose
(10,044 posts)unless somebody shoots him (just kidding FBI)
ConservativeDemocrat
(2,720 posts)* He has a narrow fan base that loves him.
* Most everyone else doesn't take him seriously.
* Much of his most vocal support comes from people who hate the party they supposedly belong to.
* He's mastered the art of gesture politics.
* He has no real record of accomplishing anything in a divided landscape.
* The media is largely laying off him because he's making great TV.
* If he won the nomination, he'd basically guarantee an opposition party win.
* He's not going to win anything.
Obviously there are differences too. Chief among them, the Donald is an asshole. Bernie is not.
- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,711 posts)He is polling well in a seventeen person field, in the mid twenties, but if that's his ceiling it's not nearly enough to win when the field is winnowed down...
And if he starts acting like a normal candidate he won't be nearly as much fun for us to watch and the press to cover and the outsized attention which he has enormously benefited from will cease.
Oneironaut
(5,524 posts)The debates will kill him. The only thing going for him right now is that the media loves him and refuses to say anything bad about him.
n2doc
(47,953 posts)No one will care next march about this. There will just be massive bombardments of ads.
He may blow it, but I would not write him off until his backers do so.
fadedrose
(10,044 posts)after he finds some cutting insults to disqualify the other candidates or they disqualify themselves to hide from him.
n2doc
(47,953 posts)fadedrose
(10,044 posts)because I don't know what BFEE means.
I think Turd Blossom means the dumbest or maybe the best remark....with my luck, it's the dumbest...
n2doc
(47,953 posts)Sorry, I lapse into DU jargon too much sometimes.
fadedrose
(10,044 posts)thank you. I have to spend more time here apparently.
fbc
(1,668 posts)NewJeffCT
(56,829 posts)like being the tallest munchkin from Wizard of Oz.
(All joking aside, I honestly never considered W to be stupid - just not as smart as I would want a president to be.)
Attorney in Texas
(3,373 posts)chief -- only? -- qualification for the Republican nomination).
This is what Republicans mean by "smart" -- as in "he's can get on the telephone and raise 10 million dollars before lunch and neither you or I can't to that so he must be smarter than us." This is a sad criteria for securing a major party's nomination, but it is almost surely the only skill Jebush needs to become his party's nominee.
Response to DemocratSinceBirth (Original post)
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Cosmocat
(14,572 posts)I was never impressed with in Florida, he is not as prettied up as most pols are.
But, I didn't really pay attention to him, but god all mighty he is slow.
Just because he wears glasses and looks geeky does not make him smart.
He is a horrible politician. Doesn't have the looks, isn't a sweet talker ...
W was a dumb ass, but he had that smarm to him that people eat up in pols, and he also was very disciplined in his way. He let Rove coach him and stayed on task with what he said. They came up with well crafted, poll tested bullshit and he stuck to it.
The religious right just loved the shit out of him at at time when they were at the peak of their power.
His name is literally all this guy has.
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,711 posts)He beat Buddy McKay and Bill McBride in his gubernatorial races, neither political heavyweights, and the latter was running in the first political race of his life.
7962
(11,841 posts)Half-Century Man
(5,279 posts)It would become a trip hazard for toddlers.
If it were not for inherited wealth, the last 2 generations of the Bush family would have cemented their legacy in the service side of the fast food industry.
Orsino
(37,428 posts)Money can do a lot of things, but it can't turn an even less interesting frat bro into Top Gun.
The Bush name isn't quite the all-access pass it used to be.
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,711 posts)eom
lark
(23,155 posts)He's not looking good now and I'm actually surprised. He was much more adroit when he was governor of FL., though he did really blow it at the last with Terri Schiavo. I still fear this family and their cronies can somehow steal the election like they did for his younger bro. Bushes are very conniving, sneaky and part of the original founders of the 1%, so I still have a bit of fear about him. Every time lately he opens his mouth, I feel a little better, because he keeps sounding even more stupid.
dem in texas
(2,674 posts)I don't think he is burning to be the Repub nominee. He probably is going along with the Bush family and advisers. If he was feeling strong about running for President, he would be better informed and not make so many stupid statements. That said, I still think he will be he nominee, simply because the other Repub's running are all bat-shit crazy.
Kablooie
(18,641 posts)Bush will come across as as dimwitted, weak willed and too liberal for the base.
Trump will implode in some loudmouthed spew.
The others will all have dedicated but smaller followings.
That leaves Walker as the most destructive and blindly ideological candidate which is exactly what the base wants.
That is unless the ability to play the game Operation impresses the hell out of our bumpkin brethren.
Vincardog
(20,234 posts)rtracey
(2,062 posts)I am really tired of his bullshit blanket statement " I misspoke". 1st with the...I would go into Iraq, and now this last statement about womens health costs....You don't misspeak, you say what you feel, then try to step back a bad statement..... you think Trump would be bad, the 3rd Bush would be totally outlandish.
glowing
(12,233 posts)for seniors after a certain cut off point. He and his corporate friends want all of that Medicare monies to be placed into the private health insurance market. Who cares that it will cost everyone more all the way around, deny and delay treatments for elderly patients. If Garandma and Grandpa can't pay, too bad (kill those mooches right off). If they did have a retirement package and a mortgage free home, too bad, better start using a reverse mortgage to the bank, and take all of that retirement money away in some sort of "lump sum" cash for such items as an emergency medical crisis. Then Wall St has your retirement account wrapped up in health insurance fees and the banks have your home wrapped up in a nice little profitable package when you pass away (or you happen to outlive their life expectancy quotient and will have to either find money resources to pay "rent" to the bank to stay in the house OR you will be kicked to the curb by the bannisters.
Don't forget the crap that the politicians who aren't Trump are saying on the stump... They aren't being overly scrutinized because of the Trump Show taking up media space and ignoring the rest of the field. People aren't hearing from the rest of the clown car and their nutty ideas. The media is following around the poop mobile, known as The Donald Trump Show & It's Band of Angry White Dudes, lapping up the excrement like it was a Fillet Minion.
I think it's easy to say, we may have just hit the breaking point in the experiment called Democracy. I think it's quite easy to say that we are now an Oligarchy (or rather "OILigarchy" , and that we absolutely need a Democratic Socialist to swing the pendulum far to the left. Just skirting around the edges of social/ civil justice issues is NOT going to cut it. And for sure, NO republican president is going to help this country out with a damned thing other than to bankrupt the nation with more wars, no bid contracts to wealthy friends, more tax give always and subsidies to the wealthy, and literally create their perfect idea of a modern feudal society.
old guy
(3,283 posts)I think this stuff happening this early will have little effect a Friedman or so down the road. Repub attention spans are very short.
d_legendary1
(2,586 posts)Every gaff he spits and goof he displays will hurt him even more. I'm with you that Walker might walk out with the nomination.
Unless of course, he hires Carl Rove...
Gothmog
(145,554 posts)JCMach1
(27,572 posts)or just as bad really.