Posted on 05/15/2011 10:21:38 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
I took a much needed break this weekend with friends and family and so I wasn’t around to blog the big news. Mike Huckabee is out of the running for the Presidential nomination.
Now, I said as early as February 22nd that I was betting Huckabee wouldn’t run. So I’m happy to have a winning prediction under my belt. But besides that, this really shakes up the calculus for 2012.
Iowa is now going to be wide open, and it leaves the “not Mitt Romneycare” position as one much easier to fill. The question is, who does this benefit? Palin? Bachmann? Someone else? Personally, I’ll be bold and say that Sarah Palin jumps in later in the year and consolidates that large chunk of the far right base that is, for all intents and purposes, the majority of the Republican Party. It will be her and Romney clashing state to state, right up to the end. Of course I reserve the right to be wrong, but after calling Huckabee’s non run for what it was I’m feeling lucky.
This also makes things easier for Dems in Arkansas. 2012 may end up being rough, but it’s starting to look, potentially, better than last year. Sure Obama isn’t going to help Democrats in Arkansas out, but Mike Huckabee would have come to the table with very real, and long, coattails in this state. As unpopular as Obama has been here in this state, I can’t see someone like Romney, Palin, or Gingrich getting Arkansans fired up for the Republicans. And while it may not make things a great deal easier, there is a big difference between a fired up base and a base that is holding its nose, especially if things continue to get worse for Republicans across the board as seems to be happening.
As for the Mike Huckabee Presidential Fan Club in Arkansas? To them I say get over it. Your man was a con-artist who was using you. All he cares about is himself and making money. So much for that “Godly preacher” business. Oh, and you get so very few chances in politics. This was probably Huckabee’s last, best shot to be President. It will not come around again.
AR was one of just 3 states that I believe McCain did better in in 2008 than W did in 2004. I think Palin would fire up AR just fine.
I was just thinking that maybe Huck should have done the announcement later because now the MSM/AP will be sharpening their knives now that the candidates have been trimmed. There’s still a long way to go before filing anyways.
I'm no Huck supporter, but that's a hard conclusion to draw from this story. Doesn't matter though; he's not running.
It tells me it’s Arkansas & that the people there are stupid as usual.
I’m not drawing that conclusion from the article, although the author does briefly touch on that. I’m going by what FReepers from Arkansas have told me for years and years...
The first of the ho-hum potential ‘R’INO candidates to bite the dust. Next?!!
Well, if it’s Palin or Romney. Pailin gets it. The Dem’s will vote for Romney, but the conservatives pretty much don’t like him. He’s a RINO and not one of us.
Who ever the Republican nominee is, he or she either needs to have a billion that they are willing to spend or raise the cash.
I don’t think Mitt would commit a billion if he had it, and he sure as hell isn’t going to get the average Joe to kick in. Trump probably has it and would spend it, but I don’t think he’s that conservative. Palin could probably raise it... and she IS conservative.
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Somehow I doubt it’s going to be Palin versus Romney.
Might be, but I think Romney’s pretty much toast with real conservatives, and Palin’s toast, unfortunately, with a lot of people due to Palin Derangement Syndrome in the media.
That opens things up for a lot of other people.
Name some of them, if you would.
Not much.
I would love to see Sarah run. But I’m thinking she wont.
Romney will win if he can sell his 10th amendment shpeal.
Well, I’m going to raise $2 million dollars for Gov. Sarah Palin and I challenge each of her supporters to raise at least $10,000. I will show them how. BTW, Mr. Obama doesn’t have that billion dollars yet and may not ever get it. He was a novelty back in 2008, but not anymore. And as Rush Limbaugh has said, every gas station price board is a free advertisement for the Republican candidate and their party. And I’ll add that every price tag in Walmart, Kroger, King’s Soopers, Publix, Winn-Dixie, etc is also a free ad for the GOP.
Cain, Pawlenty, Christie, Bachmann, Santorum, maybe Jindal. Who knows?
Propaganda works with a very large segment of the American population.
Personally, I have no problem with Sarah Palin. I think she would probably make a good President. I just doubt that she can get there after the degree to which the media has poisoned her image.
Hey, I’d be happy to be proven wrong. I just think we have to be realistic about her chances.
Which one of them has been vilified in the media?
And if you want to support her, go right ahead. Take her to the White House if you can.
I’m just not that optimistic. Because I know that a LOT of people are hugely affected by the media, and her poll numbers aren’t that good.
Could they come up? Maybe so.
But if you think the American public can’t be misled by the media, then I’m sorry, but you’re simply in denial.
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