Meet The Candidates: 2012 GOP Thread

[Beemnseven]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

Gov. Mitch Daniels
Gov. Chris Christie
Rep. Paul Ryan
Gov. Haley Barbour
Sen. John Thune
Gov. Mike Huckabee
Gov. Sarah Palin

That's a pretty good list of candidates that don't think they can beat Barack Obama. Within GOP circles, I would consider them hitters.


Jon Huntsman still in single digits in every poll, he'll be out of the race in a couple of months if not before. #fail
Rick Perry is fading faster than a pair of Levi jeans.

Your nominee will be flip-flopping Mitt Romney.

That's not quite true. Apart from perhaps Haley Barbour (it's debateable if he's a "hitter"), the people you listed didn't run because they didn't want to. In the case of Mitch Daniels, it was his family that persuaded him not to make a run for it. Others, like Ryan and Christie believe they have to fulfill their commitment to serve the remainder of their terms. Palin and Huckabee don't want to take a pay cut.

Campaigning for president is a life-altering event that takes enormous time away from your family. Sometimes winning the presidency doesn't even make it worth running.

It's quite a stretch to claim that they refused to run because they don't think they can beat Barack Obama.

[12thMan]

Originally Posted by Beemnseven

That's not quite true. Apart from perhaps Haley Barbour, the people you listed didn't run because they didn't want to. In the case of Mitch Daniels, it was his family that persuaded him not to make a run for it.

Campaigning for president is a life-altering event that takes enormous time away from your family. Sometimes winning the presidency doesn't even make it worth running.

It's quite a stretch to claim that they refused to run because they don't think they can beat Barack Obama.

On the contrary, I do think that was the ultimate deciding factor. Of course family is always a consideration as it should be. With the exception of Senator John Thune, they all criss-crossed the country and openly flirted with the possibility of running for president. Chris Christie just gave a big speech at the Reagan library two weeks ago and strung the media along for months before finally saying no. Bottom line, it just wasn't there. Same with Palin, same with Huckabee. Mitch Daniels said his family was the ultimate factor, but he didn't seem to have the fire either.

The point I'm making is, I've heard them all give substantive TV interviews about what they would do to change the direction of the country; that Obama could be beaten and he's a one term president. But when opportunity came knocking, they didn't have the guts to put skin in the game and back it up.

[Beemnseven]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

On the contrary, I do think that was the ultimate deciding factor. Of course family is always a consideration as it should be. With the exception of Senator John Thune, they all criss-crossed the country and openly flirted with the possibility of running for president. Chris Christie just gave a big speech at the Reagan library two weeks ago and strung the media along for months before saying no. Bottom line, it just wasn't there. Same with Palin, same with Huckabee. Mitch Daniels said his family was the ultimate factor, but he didn't seem to have the fire either.

The point I'm making is, I've heard them all give substantive TV interviews about what they would do to change the direction of the country; that Obama could be beaten and he's a one term president. But when opportunity came knocking, they didn't have the guts to put skin in the game and back it up.

And once again, not having the guts, or not believing you can win isn't the same as "I don't want to run for president."

12th, you may not be up for a cage-match against Gary Coleman's dead corpse. But it won't be because you don't think you can win.

[12thMan]

Originally Posted by Beemnseven

And once again, not having the guts, or not believing you can win isn't the same as "I don't want to run for president."

12th, you may not be up for a cage-match against Gary Coleman's dead corpse. But it won't be because you don't think you can win.

But why Gary Coleman? lol

That said, I don't think you cross the country, hold focus groups, dozens of TV interviews if you don't want to be president. It's one thing to add your voice to the debate, it's another to be the center of the conversation.

[12thMan]

Originally Posted by Beemnseven

That's not quite true. Apart from perhaps Haley Barbour (it's debateable if he's a "hitter"), the people you listed didn't run because they didn't want to. In the case of Mitch Daniels, it was his family that persuaded him not to make a run for it. Others, like Ryan and Christie believe they have to fulfill their commitment to serve the remainder of their terms. Palin and Huckabee don't want to take a pay cut.

Campaigning for president is a life-altering event that takes enormous time away from your family. Sometimes winning the presidency doesn't even make it worth running.

It's quite a stretch to claim that they refused to run because they don't think they can beat Barack Obama.

I agree with you that campaigning for president is arduous and is an all in proposition. You have to want it badder (bad grammar) than breathing.

That's why I think Mitt Romney will be the Republican nominee. He wants to be president and in his heart he thinks he can beat Barack Obama. Mitt Romney really believes he has the answers to get the economy going. He's been running for president for, what, six or seven years? It's his time.