Ranking the GOP contenders (Hunter at bottom)

MSNBC ^ | 10.10.07

[meandog]

Rudy Giuliani Former New York City mayor Last Ranking: 1 Stars are aligning. It's not his nomination to lose, but there's a clear path to win for him. The latest NBC/WSJ poll shows that three out of four GOP voters care more about issues Giuliani can prove he's conservative on (terrorism, taxes and education/health care) than issues he struggles with re: conservatism (moral values and immigration).

Mitt Romney Former Massachusetts governor Last Ranking: 3 After languishing a bit for the last month, it seems Romney's camp has a plan for how to tackle Rudy: Ignore Thompson and try to make this a two-person race again.

Fred Thompson Former Tennessee senator Last Ranking: 2 If anyone is in need of a re-launch, it's Thompson.

John McCain Arizona senator Last Ranking: 5 His base (the media) seems desperate to deal him back in, but what's going to happen to McCain if he loses in Iowa to Paul and Huckabee?

[joe fonebone]

i will NEVER vote for mcpain.......

[longtermmemmory]

NYC based MSNBC favors the NYC liberal....

Last night was a romney in the lead with Guilain fighting him.

Thompson moving solidly into the front row.

Ronpaul showing he should be in the silly party of monty python. Enough already, kick him out he is a fake candidate.

The rest of the red tie squad (because that is what they wore) should just get out of the race and stop wasting our time.

Hillary is counting votes why we are counting candidates.

[Wallace T.]

Get ready for a New York vs a New Yorker.

In such a case, I will probably hold my nose and vote for Giuliani, if only because he will not push socialized medicine and would be better on defense.

[zerosix]

You have correctly identified the problem. I mentioned this to my husband last night when discussing Thompson (who he had thought he'd really like to get on board for--until he was faced with the many facts as to why Thompson is not particularly conservative.)

I believe that many people, like my husband so dearly wish for a true conservative, they are willing to lay that mantra on Thompson, until shown the facts of his weak conservative positions.

There are far more conservative candidates and even ones who are telegenic and engaging but our media, FNC included, won't sign on to them, at least not willingly.

Hopefully it will be the actual voters who show the truth to fiction spouted by the media elites.

[wastedyears]

Hunter ping

[Just A Nobody]

Hunter is at the bottom at least in part because the media wants him there.

And the other part is the GOP establishment.

Why anyone would take this rating by the enemedia seriously, is beyond me.

[Just another Joe]

Neither did the 1994 Contract with America...

And that got us what?
Unless a politician signs something in blood, I'll believe it when I see it.

[The Pack Knight]

Hunter certainly looked good last night, and that's coming from someone who thought Hunter has been flat and repetitive in all the previous debates. I loved the last line of his "fleeting target" answer, where he said it was (paraphrasing) "a responsibility the President will have to take on his shoulders."

Whether that translates into support is still unclear, but I'm at least willing to wait and see if a bump materializes before writing him off. Not terribly likely, but I think he gave more Republicans reason to vote for him last night than Paul or Huckabee did.

Yes, "National Journal", it does seem silly to say Fred needs a "re-launch" after only a month. I think this guy, and the media in general, are in Fred denial. They haven't been impressed with Fred's performance, so they believe the voters haven't been either. The polls and the money suggests otherwise, however. See where he is in another month before you say he needs a relaunch. That is, unless you like eating crow.

One kernel of truth here, "[D]on't write off Paul's supporters as simply angry anti-U.N. black helicopter types. There's been anger from the GOP's less-government libertarian wing for some time, and Paul may be becoming the protest vehicle for those folks." I think there still are Paul supporters that are mainly protesting against the nanny-state, big-spending party the GOP has become, but are still uncomfortable with his kookier views, particularly on foreign policy. I actually think he was a loser last night because, if anything, he made it less comfortable for these supporters to stay on board by his goldbuggery, complaints about the "wealth gap", and his constant mentioning of the war.

The article goes on to say, "It'll be interesting to see which of the front-runners actually 'gets it' and tries to co-opt some of Paul's supporters." I think a candidate who comes out with a hard-line small-government but pro-defense message can benefit from a defection by the less committed (or committable) Paul supporters. Fred can certainly be this candidate if he can clearly and forcefully articulate that his "first principles" would, in a Thompson Administration, include a strong push for a drastic reduction in the size, scope, intrusiveness, and expense of the federal government.

Indeed, Fred's ability to put forth a clear-cut, common sense message that connects with voters from across the conservative movement will likely be the test of his campaign.

[RedCell]

Have a look-see at what CNN has to say about Duncan (after last night’s debate):

http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1669812_1669813_1669827,00.html

I didn’t catch the whole debate, but how in the world do these @sshats come the this conclusion?

[wastedyears]

Well it is PMSNBC.

[jer33 3]

Hunter is still on the top on my list.

[Just A Nobody]

I believe that many people, like my husband so dearly wish for a true conservative...

We have ONE running. Check him out!

Core Principles

History

[wastedyears]

Mark Halperin is a turd sandwich.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“If anyone is in need of a re-launch, it’s Thompson.”

Oh, no! And with only 13 months to go, LOL! What a bunch of hogwash.

Thompson/Hunter or vice versa, works for me for now. I’ll never vote for: The Beast, Obama, McCain, Romney or Guilliani, no matter how amusing it would be to hear Sean Hannity say President “Gee-oo-li-annie” every day for four years. *SNORT*

[dforest]

They do not want him to catch fire and will do all they can to get him out.

If CNN rates him bad, he must be the one that would really worry them.

Imagine, these are the same people that think that cackling, lying shrew nutcracker Hillary, actually is qualified to be POTUS.

[bboop]

I really like Duncan Hunter. Those who watched — how do you think he did? I did not see the debates.

[NordP]

"Hunter is at the bottom at least in part because the media wants him there."

So true! So sad. He IS the Conservative that says it like it is...the true "cowboy" John Wayne kinda GUY...strong and able to protect the American people.

The media certainly wouldn't want a guy to really be a guy. You wouldn't want a politician who really doesn't negotiate with terrorists (even if they're in his own Country). You wouldn't want a leader who would tell the UN to shove it if it were a matter of us or them. You wouldn't want a MAN as the Commander in Chief.

[Just A Nobody]

how in the world do these @sshats come the this conclusion?

They simply MUST come to this conclusion or they would have to report on him favorably and that simply would not do.

[NordP]

I watched and he did VERY well each time he was asked a question.

The problem remains that when you're annointed with being the "second tier," questions only come at you once in a while.

Even with that problem, Hunter spoke well and was concise. He has content and timing down.

The media doesn't want someone of his confidence level to be on top....He's not your typical "politician."

[Calpernia]

>>>Ronpaul showing he should be in the silly party of monty python.

Hey! I like Monty Python!