Posted on 08/09/2009 6:28:44 AM PDT by Virginia Ridgerunner
While hundreds of millions of dollars are spent in battles over President Barack Obama’s ambitious legislative agenda in Washington, underneath the radar some of the Republican Party’s next best hopes are laying the groundwork for the bid to replace him — or at least secure their place in the GOP hierarchy.
Consider this: In the first half of 2009, Mitt Romney’s political committee paid $188,000 to a small army of consultants, Newt Gingrich’s dropped $628,000 on charter flights, Mike Huckabee’s wrote staff paychecks totaling $131,000 and Sarah Palin’s spent $107,000 raising more money.
All four are considered potential presidential candidates, and the flurry of campaign finance activity, outlined in reports filed late last month with the Federal Election Commission and Internal Revenue Service, may hold clues about their prospects — and intentions.
Each insist they’re using their efforts to help rebuild the party — and the conservative movement — after the GOP’s debilitating losses in the past two election cycles, not jockeying for 2012 pole position.
But the manner in which such money is being spent suggests they are as much focused on accumulating the resources for a national infrastructure and keeping high their national profiles as party-building activities.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0809/25923.html#ixzz0NgyCa2df
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Palin ping please! And I believe that there is a poll somewhere on that page that needs to be FReeped, unless they’ve already taken it down.
PLEASE, NO MORE ROMNEY!!!! He couldn’t even beat Huck in the primary so how the heck would he beat the Obama machine?
No, we need a strong grassroots conservative candidate with a lot of appeal. :)
The Romneyites and RINOs are already on it, so we need to vote for Sarah quickly.
If “elections” are to be part of the cure for what is happening NOW, electing a conservative and patriotic majority in the House and Senate OUGHT to be the focus, rather than ignoring 2010 as this article invites us to do.....
If conservatives don’t win big in 2010, there won’t be anything left to win in 2012.
It should be the entire thing.
Obama can pound sand without total control.
Gingrich would be 2012’s Dole of 96 and McCain of 08.
Unless The O screws up so badly that Hillary defeats him in the primaries, Gingrich wouldn’t get as many electoral votes as Dole did.
Let them ‘stand up’. . .push back hard; against what will be a tidal swell of the worst politics ever from Soros/Obmama,Inc. We see it already; and they have just begun. But then; so have ‘we’. . .
So are they counting on ACORN fraud that will make the last election look like child’s play?
We could give a rats behind about "republicans" and 2012 at the moment.
We want Conservatives who will tell us the hard truth.
That SSI, Medicare/Medicade are broke and we have 4 sets of books and are 62 trillion in debt, maybe more and that we need to make hard choices.
Anything else is bread and circuses.......
No Romney and no Huckabee. This country can surely do better than that. If we can’t, we are in deep trouble.
Politico — WaPo rejects, ‘early fires’.
Thanks to the Head Loon, I will actively campaign for ANY non-dim-bulb-cart in the ‘10 elections. I will be political. I will be active.
And ANY dim-bulb-crat that tries violence will regret it.
some great Sunday morning Muzak (thoughtful video, too) on youtube:
When the Bullet Hits the Bone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4iw4B2mB5E
I am VERY VERY worried about the 90% of the unspent stimulus money. Just what does BO (and the DEMS) plan to do with it, I think it’s their “re-election” slush fund to flood the market, thereby improving the economy - and the DEMS are re-elected.
I am VERY VERY worried about the 90% of the unspent stimulus money. Just what does BO (and the DEMS) plan to do with it, I think it’s their “re-election” slush fund to flood the market, thereby improving the economy - and the DEMS are re-elected.
Astute observation. More junk from politico.
“Republicans banking on 2012 election”
The next election will make the battle over Obamacare look like a tempest in a teacup. The Democrats are clearly prepared and determined to take a stand against representative deomcracy. If we don’t understand that yet, we may as well let them tattoo a number on our arms and line up for that free shower.
I would like to see a Jim DeMint/Michelle Bachman ticket.
They can spend what they like. If Zero and the democrats legalize illegals (which he’s already said they’re going to do in early 2010 - right before the mid-terms) then the Republican’s can start counting their days into oblivion. Thsi is the political agenda the Democrats have REALLY been itching to pass - more than socialized medicine. Once they not only legalize illegals, but then throw open the borders to the Chain Migration of the newly legalized’s family members to join them, Zerobama will have created a voting block for him so committed that it won’t matter if every single conservative and Republican voter got out of their hospital beds to vote - we’d be outnumbered.
The Zerobama Demonrat plan is simple now to see: 1) destroy capitalism via Porkulus, Corporate Takeovers, Socialized Medicine, etc., and make people broke (the less money we have the less of a threat we are); 2) Legalize Illegals and their existing descendants and make them your devoted voting block for the promised goodies in perpetuity (the jokes on them - they’ll never get them); and 3) settle in as rulers for life - the wettest of their dreams.
So the Republican’s can spend whatever money they like. But none of these they listed here, with maybe Palin as the exception, will offer a full frontal assault that what’s going on is wrong. The others: Romney, Gingrich and Huckabee, as well as Giuliani, are nothing more than political hacks. They believe in government being “somewhat intrusive” into people’s lives. None of the men listed are Reagan in the least. If Palin is she has a small chance, but the odds are stacking against all of them daily.
Not sure this article has much of a point. The dollar amounts mentioned are not big money when it comes to presidential politics. Just a little walking around money until we are nearer the next primaries.
On FOX this morning they were talking about the fact that the unemplyment rate for men is more than 3% higher than it is for women. The reason they gave is that nursing and education are still hiring.
Basically you have the two most ideologically pure unions adding members while the rest of us are screwed.
I agree with you and I’d add Gingrich as well. The adultery, draft deferments, book deal, are enough of a black mark for me.
We need to get strong party leadership and come up with another Contract with America. High on that contract is that Republican candidates pledge to read every bill before voting on them and will see that the people have access to full bills weeks before the vote. I would also add to the pledge to sell off Congressional airplanes, ban Congressional junkets and that any health plan that passes Congress will require all federal employees, members of Congress and the President be covered under the plan. The people need to see that Republicans hear their complaints and are going to run hypocrisy out of Washington.
“I would like to see a Jim DeMint/Michelle Bachman” ticket. Now that would something to get excided about!! The next election will have to be won by a landslide to out pace Acorn and leave no doubt!
I wish everyone would focus on 2010 and worry about 2012 after that. It is more important now to increase are numbers in Congress than worry about beating Obama.
DeMint has the right ideas but he has the personality of a clam. The Republicans need someone with charisma as well as ideas.
Not sure this article has much of a point. The dollar amounts mentioned are not big money when it comes to presidential politics. Just a little walking around money until we are nearer the next primaries.
Probably true to a large extent. Romney maybe paying a little back to his failed campaign of 08 but as you say most is going to continuing fundraising efforts. Romney did put some dollars towards other candidates [$60,000 I think it was] but not a great lot when looking at the total effort. Base building and name recognition is the main focus at this point, imo.
You’re right, Newt would be. I would like to see the following run for the Repub nod in 2012:
Paul Ryan
Eric Cantor
John Thune
Mitt Romney
Mike Huckabee
Sarah Palin
Bobby Jindal
Tim Pawlenty
Haley Barbour
Mitch Daniels
John Hoeven
I would like to see a governor at the top.
We simply can’t wait until 2012, we’re hoping to start the turn around in 2010! Yes, we’re going to see Republican leadership take some steps to see where they stand, but the move needs to happen way before 2012.
I agree.
It’s not surprising that Republicans lost seats during the last 2 election cycles. The part in power normally loses seats during off=year elections and the party that wins the Presidency normally pickups up seats for his/her party.
2010 is the Democrats off-year election. We must gain seats to remain competitive. If the economy remains a mess, the GOP should win big. However, Republicans must shows themselves as an alternative to Obama’s policies and communicate that to the masses.
Palin did not quit, Palin reloaded.
I could vote for Huck but never never never for Romney. You couldn’t hold a gun to my head and force me to vote for that RINO empty suit. I like the fact that Jim Robinson puts that video of Romney talking about how pro-choice he is on so many of these Free Republic pages. It reminds people of what an opportunist and fake he really is. When the political tides turn Romney turns with them. He allowed for 50 dollar co-pay abortions in his state. At least I KNOW that Huckabee is solidly pro-life.
There will not be a next election. At least not with any canidate other than Dem. What ACORN is really for - the creation and maintaining of a one party system. The Republican party is worthless and helpless to stop this from happenning.
Is it hopeless? No, but sometimes you have to break something, take it completely appart - in order to rebuild it as it was meant to exist.
Personally, I like Tom Coburn from OK. Not sure what kind of President he would make but I believe him to be honest and caring about our country.
Gee, you think that is an accident or a coincidence?
IMHO if Americans don’t whip the communists BADLY in 2010, which I don’t believe will happen, I don’t believe there will be a 2012 election. At least one not rigged. The Dims will pass amnesty soon and we will have 20 million or so new voters that will probably vote 70% or so for socialists / communists. If we don’t get amnesty the Republic has a chance. Otherwise not much of a chance. As to the states rights movement...if the “States” have the military muscle to enforce their rights and the determination to use it then they will have rights. Otherwise they will not. Personally I think the states will fold up like a cheap suit. So goes the nation.
maybe way before Jan 1 2010.
I’m guessing its intentional.
You are absolutely correct. Chavez anyone?
Needs much more Palin FReeping; she’s a distant second to Romney.
Gingrich would be 2012’s Dole of 96 and McCain of 08.
^^^
Exactly! I guess the GOP, with its usual lack of sense, is considering the fact that it’s Newt’s “turn”, like they did with those guys. Idiots!
We want Conservatives who will tell us the hard truth.
^^^
Correct!
Re your tagline: I am changing mine to Palin/Hunter 2012.
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