2016 Presidential Campaign

[Gaspar]

Figured it's probably a good time to start this thread, and with today's report from NBC, it looks like President Obama will not be needed on the campaign trail.  More time for golf!



Hillary is the natural strong candidate for the Democrats, and no one has really taken the field for Republicans.  There is also some speculation that "The Godfather" Rahm Emanuel will either pose a challenge for Hillary or replace her all together as an option for Democrats that want to see Obama's agenda continued.  Emanuel has proven himself in the realm of Democrat politics by effectively bankrupting Chicago, and his achievements have not gone unnoticed by the party.


Also, Biden. . .LOL! Never mind.

Remember back in 2006-7 when Obama emerged onto the scene and no one thought he had a chance against the Clinton power-house, because of his lack of experience and lethargic voting record, but his ability to generate cult-like followers was all he needed to snatch the nomination away from the Clintons, who simply considered him an amateur with no economic, domestic, or foreign policy ability.  Immediately after the election, the Socialist world embraced him, by awarding him the Nobel Peace Prize for being present, and the rest is history.

I assume IF Hillary decides to run, she already has a plan to put down Emanuel, and simply pat Biden on the head.  What she has to fear most is a challenger that can cultivate that rock-star image that causes Democrats to abandon reason and fall prostrate in hopes of a back-stage pass, a wave or even a wink from the deity.  She simply does not have that power.  Bill does, but not Hillary.

I will be very interested to see who the Republican challengers are.  I would also like to see some additional parties really participate.  I think the Tea Party should field a candidate, as well as the Libertarian party.  I also think there is an opportunity for the Socialist party to offer a real candidate now that the Occupy movement has displayed an active demographic for that group.

[carltonplace]

too early.

[Gaspar]

too early.

Not really.  This is exactly when things started to mix up in the 2008 election.  At the time, Hillary was expected to run, and by the time she announced her "exploratory" committee, Edwards, Richardson, Kucinich, Gravel, Biden, and Dodd had all been taken down with surgical efficiency.

This is when the players hit the field, and it will become increasingly interesting to watch how the Clinton machine eviscerates them with leaked scandals and media marginalization tactics.

Edit:  The Clintons use ridicule very efficiently, and candidate Obama simply held some additional cards that prevented much of the Clinton weaponry from being deployed.  To do so would paint them as "racist" by a good portion of their constituency, so they simply considered him as a minimal player and excellent VP choice for Hillary. This was a huge mistake, but I can't see that they had any other options.  That combined with his ability to rally large groups through rhetorical exercise and promise made him the only viable choice for the DNC.

[Townsend]

Here's what is available so far...

2016 Presidential Candidates

http://2016.presidential-candidates.org/

Coburn's on there.

[AquaMan]

Yes, Gas, this is a good thread for you. Writing fiction and re-writing history to fit your fictions, are your strong points.

No one wanted to run on Bush's tail either. Or Clinton's. Or Daddy Bush or any two term pres for that matter.

[Hoss]

Yes, Gas, this is a good thread for you. Writing fiction and re-writing history to fit your fictions, are your strong points.

No one wanted to run on Bush's tail either. Or Clinton's. Or Daddy Bush or any two term pres for that matter.

Just pointing out the Daddy Bush was a one-term president.

[Gaspar]

Not really talking about Bush here, but that's ok, there is always room for you guys. 

[Conan71]

Why do all the male GOP candidates look like their photos could have been from an Ernie Miller Pontiac newspaper ad?

[Gaspar]

Why do all the male GOP candidates look like their photos could have been from an Ernie Miller Pontiac newspaper ad?

That's just the way Republicans look today. 

I hope Cynthia McKinney runs.  That's a bag of crazy that I just can't get enough of!

[AquaMan]

Just pointing out the Daddy Bush was a one-term president.

Nonetheless, no one wanted to run on his references. Gas loves to talk to himself mostly. That way he doesn't have to suffer from people using his own tactics.

Note to our "independent libertarian" who never fails to criticize a Democrat or use Socialist in the same paragraph .....presidents having served two terms or wearing out their welcome with wars and bad economies don't generally carry much referral power with the next crop of candidates. That is indeed related to your topic and why any Bush is relevant.

Fallin! That's our girl. She'll just destroy that other girl. Her slogan?  "Its the politics, stupid!"

[Conan71]

Curious to see if history will be in favor of the Republican party this time around.  Ever since Eisenhower, with the only exception being Bush I following Reagan, power has alternated back and forth between the Democrats and Republicans in the White House. 

I believe there's enough dissatisfaction with Obama's policies, even by people who were great supporters of his in the '08 and '12 election that it could mean a major swing in favor of "something different".

Republicans would do well to wake up and see that many of their former rank-and-file members like myself want to see them drop their long-held social issues. 

[Townsend]

Republicans would do well to wake up and see that many of their former rank-and-file members like myself want to see them drop their long-held social issues. 

T'ain't happenin'.  At least not openly.

[Gaspar]

T'ain't happenin'.  At least not openly.

I'd have to agree.  They now think that they can run on the dissatisfaction with Obamacare alone and maintain the status-quo when it comes to their judgmental social platform.

CPAC again showed a huge energetic push for a more Libertarian Republican party, but I doubt that will happen until the dinosaurs retire or die off.

[Townsend]

I'd have to agree.  They now think that they can run on the dissatisfaction with Obamacare alone

That has a good chance of working for the mid-terms.

[Conan71]

T'ain't happenin'.  At least not openly.

You mean they are...closeted...