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Meet The Candidates: 2012 GOP Thread

We're a year and a half away from the 2012 presidential election, but why not have one ongoing thread and discussion as the debate rages on, candidates get stronger/weaker, and those pesky scandals rear their ugly head knocking people out of the race.

I've separated the candidates into three tiers. Of the the top three candidates, Mitt Romney is widely considered the front runner and the odds on favorite to win the party's nomination. The second tier are household names, but it will take a few missteps by one, or all three, top tier candidates for them to have a clear path to the nomination. The bottom tier are too old, too fat, or just too weird to be taken seriously.
Meet the candidates.
[B]
Mitt Romney[/B]: [I](Former Governor Massachusetts[/I]) Mitt Romney has officially launched his second bid for the presidency of the United States. I think the nomination is Romney's to lose honestly. Is he the most conservative candidate in the field, God no. But he has, by far, more money and the establishment will more than likely hold their noses and support him if it means unseating President Obama. Romney's obvious flaw is his implementation of healthcare in Massachusetts, a plan very similar to President Obama's Affordable Healthcare for America Act, which passed in Congress in 2009. It will be a major sticking point for Romney as he'll try to convince voters that "Obamacare" is a government takeover when, in fact, his plan was the template for it and was widely accepted among conservatives in the 1990s.

Romney also co-founded a successful private equity firm in 1984, Bain Capital. Conventional thinking goes if you can run a large investment company, then you can run the country and put it's economy back on track. Well, such wisdom didn't work too well for Mitt in 2008 when he ran for president. Let's see if voters are warming up to him this time around.

Trivia: What is Mitt Romney's father best known for?

[B]Tim Pawlenty[/B]: ([I]Former Governor Minnesota[/I]) Of the entire field, Tim Pawlenty has displayed the most message discipline and fire in the belly to win it all. This guy wants to be president badly. Like Romney, though, Pawlenty governed a liberal state and he has a few "clunkers" (see Cap and Trade) on his record that may not sit well with Tea Party types and fiscal conservatives.

The knock on Pawlenty is that he's not a household name and he's not a terribly exciting campaigner. Say what you will, but boring doesn't go over very well in presidential elections. Rightfully or wrongfully, American politics is just as much about style as it is about substance. Conventional wisdom says that T-Paw needs to win Iowa if he stands a chance at winning the nomination. If he can keep his message sharp, hang healthcare around Mitt Romney's neck, you'll hear more from him this time next year if not before then.

Trivia: What do Tim Pawlenty and Vikings DE Jared Allen have in common?

[B]John Huntsman[/B]: ([I]Former Governor Utah[/I]) Most insiders believe this is the guy the White House is most afraid of and could give the president a run for his money. But the flip side is, how will a Mormon (same is true of Romney) fair in the bible belt. One could argue, however, if the country just elected it's first African-American to the highest office, it's quite possible that people have moved on from the idea that your faith disqualifies you for president. John F. Kennedy faced similar doubts regarding his Catholic roots when he ran for president decades ago. Huntsman is smart, good looking, and is a capable politician with some very good ideas. Me thinks 2016 will be his time to run though. Vice President Huntsman anyone?

Trivia: Besides English, what language does John Huntsman speak fluently?

[B]Herman Cain[/B]: ([I]Former CEO Godfathers Pizza[/I]) Of the entire field Herman Cain is the wild card and is very quietly turning some heads within GOP circles. Mr. Cain is the former chairman and CEO of Godfather's Pizza and like Mitt Romney brings his business savvy to the presidential race; undoubtedly a desirable quality during harsh economic times and high unemployment.

While I don't think Cain has a real shot at winning the nomination, I do think he'll stick around long enough to get a lot of second looks. I wouldn't be surprised to see him run for a senate seat or Congress at some point in the future.

Trivia: Before Barack Obama, who was the last African American to hold a Senate seat?

[B]Sarah Palin[/B]: ([I]Former Governor Alaska[/I]) Her name recognition and star power will give her an instant boost if she decides to run. Whether Palin was simply testing the waters during her flag waving, I love America --still-- family vacation tour or seriously thinking about running for president is anybody's guess. She's a great campaigner and can draw a crowd like no one else, save President Obama. If Palin announces that she's running, she'll steal the thunder from the other female candidate expected to run, Michele Bachmann. It's now or never for Sarah Palin.

Trivia: What country can Palin see from her house? No seriously, she had a brief foray into what industry prior to entering politics?
[B]
Michele Bachmann[/B]: ([I]Congresswoman Minnesota[/I]) I would be slightly surprised, though not stunned, to see both Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann run for president. They essentially appeal to the Tea Party and socially conservative voter. Bachmann's Iowan roots, where she'll announce her candidacy later this month, will give her a leg up over Palin if they face off during the Iowa Caucus. Congresswoman Bachmann seems hell bent on repealing Obamacare, which many of the freshmen members of the GOP caucus pledged to do once they were in office. This rhetoric could gain traction and appeal to primary voters in some red states, but she'll have to round out her message and broaden her platform as we get deeper into campaign season.

Trivia: How many children does Michelle Bachmann have?

[B]Ron Paul[/B]: ([I]Congressman Texas[/I]) (see Ron Paul thread) This is Ron Paul's third time running for president. I know, I know Ronald Reagan ran three times and won on his third shot. Ron Paul is no Ronald Reagan. Congressman Paul's candor about the nation's current fiscal crisis, our occupation of the Middle East, and a host of other civil liberty issues resonate with Libertarians and the conservative wing of the party. On the other hand, Paul's positions on abolishing the Department of Education, discontinuing all foreign aid (even Israel) is politically toxic and a non-starter for most moderate and independent voters. That said, I think he's very necessary for the debate and will keep the other candidates on their toes early on.

Trivia: In which sport was Ron Paul state champion?

[B]Rick Santorum[/B]: ([I]Former Senator Pennsylvania[/I]) Of all the candidates I had the toughest time being objective when writing about Rick Santorum. Sometimes I get the impression that Rick Santorum should have been an evangelist instead of running for public office.

Of the entire field Mr. Santorum is easily the most socially conservative and perhaps further right on foreign policy than most of the current field. However, the voters in Santorum's home state of Pennsylvania rejected him to the tune of an 18 point defeat in a senatorial race in 2006. How he squares that huge loss with a run for president remains to be seen.

Trivia: Nothing interesting about this guy at all. [sarcasm]

[B]Newt Gingrich[/B]: [I](Former Speaker of the House[/I]) When people refer to Newt Gingrich you'll hear the usual stuff, he's an ideas man or leader of the conservative movement. But ever since he gave that stinker of an interview on Meet The Press three weeks ago, saying Paul Ryan's Medicare Plan was "right-wing social engineering", he's been on the DL (that means down low, firstdown) and has fallen out of favor with the Republican party. Now he's, get this, on a two week vacation taking some time off. Dude, we haven't even put on the pads yet and you're already winded? Beyond some of his moral mistakes from the past, is the country really in the mood to elect someone who last held office during the 90s?

Trivia: Under his Speakership, the House went Republican for the first time in how many years?

[B]Summary[/B]:

The majority of Americans have moved on from accepting gays as a part of the fabric of everyday life in America or a woman's right to choose and say what's best for her body. These will always be legitimate hot button topics, but with the country's now facing a host of other crises, domestically and internationally, that's simply not where most Americans are right now. Any candidate, in my opinion, that makes social issues or religion the center piece of his/her general election campaign will be a non-starter.

The country has fallen woefully behind in education compared to other industrialized nations, chronic unemployment that neither side can seem to fix and an anemic housing market has continued to slow economic recovery. The idea of socialized medicine has been accepted by nearly every other country, while the cost for healthcare here in America continues to soar and remains the number one contributor to our deficit problems.

The views of these candidates will evolve and gain clarity over time, so don't expect them to get too specific about their policy positions right now. Keep your eyes peeled for the next two GOP debates on CNN, June 13th and Fox, August 11.

[B]Honorable non-mentions.[/B]

Gary Johnson - Former Governor New MexicoCharles Elson "Buddy" Roemer III- Former Governor of Louisiana