Succeeding Bush: A GOP short list

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/10/04/succeeding_bush_a_gop_short_list/

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Only two people mentioned as possible Republican presidential contenders seem eager to adopt the Bush image of a president who is boldly aggressive overseas, committed to a steady run of tax cuts, and willing to pursue the social agenda of the religious right.

Those would-be Bush inheritors are the president's younger brother, Governor Jeb Bush of Florida, who is downplaying the possibility of a run, and Senator George Allen of Virginia, who is actively drumming up enthusiasm for an '08 run.

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But at least seven other would-be candidates have broken with the president on a variety of important issues.

They are: Arizona Senator John McCain, Bush's sparring partner on everything from judicial nominations to some military matters; Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, a Vietnam veteran who has been relentlessly critical of Bush's handling of the Iraq war; former House speaker Newt Gingrich, who has criticized Bush's handling of homeland security; Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who once promised to uphold state abortion laws; Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who dramatically broke with the president over stem-cell research; New York Governor George S. Pataki, who supports abortion rights; and former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, an unabashed social liberal who endorses gay marriage.

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The second course correction seems to be an inching away from the religious right. All seven, except perhaps Giuliani, would cater to the religious right in some respects, but none are likely to march alongside the social conservatives as closely as Bush has. (Gingrich may be willing, but after his two messy divorces and his affair with a subordinate, the religious right will not be eager to march with him.)

I must admit I'm looking forward to the Repukes trying to select a candidate in '08. I'll be ready to chill the beer and pop the popcorn. Going to be amusing.

... overcoming his adulterous past among some on the right. But he knows how to play their games.

have to bend over backwards to appease the Religious Right.

Giuliani will never win the nomination. Being pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage and an adulterer puts you right out in most of their books. It amazes me how those 2 issues dominate everyones thinking.

They'd call him a sinner in all the crowds.

the torch has been passed and I don't believe that someone over 65 could get elected.IMHO.

Of course, none of this will matter when Feingold and Clark (not necessarily in that order) are elected in 2008!

:scared:

He'll be lucky to be alive in 08

The whole gay daughter thing. I wonder if they'd take him. :shrug: Cheney is pretty quiet.

We're in trouble. ( don't bring up the voting machine thing..I think that's hogwash) We are in trouble because of his criticism of the Iraq war. Unless we have another anti-Iraq candidate, he will be hard to beat. By then, if we are still there, the public will hate anything and anyone associated with it. Oh, and he is well spoken and nice looking too.

and have been saying so for a while.

His toughest task will be the primaries with fundie money going elsewhere. But if he starts making overtures to hard right ala Bob Jones trip look out. They (Corporate Media) will try to bury that and make him a winner - especially against Hillary.

Against any real Dem he will look "moderate" and non confrontational.

He is qualified - much more thoughtful than Rudy and even Melanoma McCain.

a good "hate-on" for him. I suppose if he started talking anti-choice or something that would change, but I've never noticed him being a bible-thumper.

He has a good image too and I think people know he's been critical of the war and by then people will want them home. Plus, his service in Vietnam too (they can pull a John Kerry). And the voting machine's as well. If you think it's hogwash you're mistaken highly and should do your research on him and ES&S machines.

Absolutely no evidence.

:popcorn: I wonder if any of them will flipflop their current positions to pander to the religious right who now pretty much own the party.

he is the ideological clone of Bush.

Not to mention he seems like one of the few potential candidates that can please both social conservatives and the business interests of the GOP.

I think that Allen v Warner would be an amazing race, with Virginia being the ultimate swing state.

don't know enough about Warner to judge whether he can make a go of it without some major national exposure.