Posted on 10/13/2009 8:24:51 PM PDT by RobinMasters
I wish he was wrong.
As personalities, the syntax-mangling Ike and the self-consciously intellectual David Petraeus don’t have much in common. But politically, they’re in a parallel position. Today’s GOP has a right-wing base that can damage Obama, but none of its favorites have a prayer of winning the White House. The reason is that just like the Republican right of the early 1950s, which kept insisting that the New Deal constituted socialism (or fascism), today’s conservative activists have not accommodated themselves to some basic shifts in public mood. Over the past couple of decades, the American people have grown more pro-environment, more culturally tolerant, and more suspicious of the unregulated free market, and yet the Republican Party has responded with a series of litmus tests for its presidential candidates that represent the political equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears and yelling “la la la, I can’t hear you.”…
Like McCain in 2008, Petraeus could largely skip the Iowa caucuses, which evangelicals dominate, and instead focus on New Hampshire, where independents can vote. In both 2000 and 2008, it was New Hampshire that boosted McCain, and New Hampshire, as it turns out, is the closest thing Petraeus has to a home state. From there it would be on to South Carolina, where military pedigrees go a long way.
All this is wildly speculative, of course. But there’s a political logic to it: Parties that have grown narrow and extreme tend to spiral downward until they nominate someone who is not beholden to their narrow, extreme base. That person has to be so popular that he or she can defy the normal rules about how candidates get nominated.
(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...
Ping.
Petraeus is probably very good on Defense. But I’m looking for someone who understands that Conservative values are rooted in the Constitution. Sarah Palin understands that and can unite the base. I have yet to see anyone better.
We know little or nothing about Petraeus’s political views. But I frankly doubt that he is what we need.
Allahpundit is a rabid Palin hater. That’s all I need to know.
More BS from Allahpundit. Folks, Allahpundit HATES Palin with a passion. She is the only one who can unite the party and will not back down from the liberals. The fact that he completely ignores her and throws a name up in the air highlights this. Nobody knows enough about Petraeus to make a decision, although he is more than welcome to run. Palin, on the other hand, has been completely vetted and has executive experience. Plus, military folks with no civilian work running for President have historically been mediocre Presidents except for Washington of course. See Grant, Eisenhower for prime examples.
I don't think you can compare Petraeus to either Grant or Eisenhower - neither were Petraeus' intellectual equal. He has a Masters and PhD. from heady universities. He's the poster child for the new-breed of General grade officers, a consensus builder, a thinker and most importantly, a listener. He possesses skill-sets that were completely unknown and foreign to both Grant and Eisenhower.
Finally, the biggest difference is the fact that Petraeus is wildly media savvy. During his numerous Congressional hearings, he was masterful - displaying the skill and deft touch of a career politician, not a General officer, which is exactly why Move.org attacked him so viciously; He scared them, a lot.
I have no idea what his political ambitions may or may not be, but if he chose to enter the political fray, I have no doubt he'd be successful.
No longer! Never again!
Should the GOP nominate anything less than a stellar Constitutional Conservative they will not get my vote.
Obama is most definitely the worse coming from the Democrats! Ergo the lesser of two evil argument as been made moot!
I know I will never see it in my life time but my belief is that until we rid ourselves of the political parties, one and all, we will continue down the road to more and more loss of freedoms.
I am approaching the twilight of my life, but I sure am frustrated for my grandchildren especially. They will more than likely have no clue concerning the freedoms I enjoyed through most of my life.
“He has a Masters and PhD. from heady universities. He’s the poster child for the new-breed of General grade officers, a consensus builder, a thinker and most importantly, a listener”
What a contrast to the big O he would be.
Did I hear that he has cancer?
We must find someone who can win this time. The survival of the nation may be at stake. I love Sarah, but she has been so demonized that I am afraid we might not pull it off.
Best thing about them both? They AREN”T lawyers!
WE’ve got to stop electing lawyers = who have been trained to lie, twist, obfuscate - without a second thought.
Ike, REagan, Bush - not lawyers.
We are all frustrated, but please don’t give up. We need every vote that we can get.
Check out what Michael Medved says about the two parties:http://townhall.com/columnists/MichaelMedved/2009/10/07/the_only_way_to_beat_obamanism_elect_more_republicans?page=2
I still enjoy HotAir.com but Allah's hatred of Sarah Palin and Ed's pushing for Minnesota Rino Governor "Green Jeans" Tim Pawlenty gets old sometimes.
I Totally understand your feelings about your Grandchildren.
I am Banned from Political Speech in my Daughter’s home.
They Voted for Obama.
I had hoped that even though I had voted for the other guy,
perhaps Obama would do what was right for the Economy.
I don’t want to watch my grandchildren be made into Slaves.
It looks like it’s already too late.
The Boeing Forecast is for the Economy to be getting better, based on Aircraft sales. But they have a Ten year time Horizon.
My 401K just exceeded where I was Two years ago, But the market seems pretty volatile.
I am concerned about Inflation With the Fed Still printing dollars. So am I actually gaining ground or is it all meaningless due to Inflation?
I am going to hang in there and try to work another six years. I hope it will be worth something when I get there.
But, then again I may not have to worry about it if the Fascists Sieze all the Retirement accounts.
I agree we don’t know so why do we assume? I brings up another Powell moment.
Eisenhower was a great president.
Eisenhower was above all a professional bureaucrat and an organization-man. In the army, pre-supreme command, he was a staff-officers staff-officer - a genius in bringing order out of chaos. Eisenhower had no academic career like Petraeus, but he easily could have had one.
His WWII job was 90% political besides - herding cats among the services and the allies. He was also as media-savvy as any President; he knew what his image was and had to be, and he made it so.
Petraeus did a very similar job in Iraq, and in many other ways has much in common with Eisenhower.
Then we will certainly have to do without your vote. The real world offers only imperfect people.
Right from the start he’s wrong. He’s saying that the candidates proffered lately have been too conservative and that’s why they lose.
It’s the other way around. He’s completely, totally wrong. McCain was TOO conservative? Only someone completely blind could say that.
GOP would be damn lucky to have Petraeus and at the end of the day, you can unite the base but that will give you 30% of the vote. Like it or not, independents are where elections are won and lost and unfortunately Palin does not poll well in that arena. Standing by for all the rapid responses....
I agree...we also are going to need someone fairly young..
Keep an eye on Rep. Paul Ryan from WI...I like the cut of his jib.
From Wikepedia: “Peter Beinart is a senior fellow for U.S. foreign policy at the Council on Foreign Relations. [1]. He had been a vocal supporter of the war in Iraq, and chastised liberals and Democrats for failing, in his eyes, to adequately recognize the threat from Islamic fundamentalism and develop an alternative response to conservative and Republican policies. At the same time, however, Beinart has been critical of the Bush administration’s handling of the war and its aftermath. Beinart renounced his position supporting the war in his book, The Good Fight. At the same time, Beinart believes that the Iraqi “surge” policy worked and has stated that liberal opponents of it ought to admit that they were wrong.[2]”
This is an interesting guy but, alas, CFR member and still a Liberal. But a progressive Liberal!
He’s an editor at The New Republic.
He’s Powell light—and not what we need.
Allahpundit is why I don't read Hot Air. What is Malkin thinking? If the guy isn't bashing Coulter or Palin, he's spreading defeatism in some other way. Allah is becoming than another Andrew Sullivan. Wish he would make it official and just become a Democrat.
He’s a lefty but he does have some common sense....which is REALLY RARE on that side!
Living amongst liberals too long can make you write stupid columns like this and make equally stupid assertions such as: “Over the past couple of decades, the American people have grown more pro-environment, more culturally tolerant, and more suspicious of the unregulated free market...”
On every poll, the environmental hogwash comes in dead last in a list of concerns. In every vote for protecting traditional marriage, it wins in every state, even liberal California. And polls show the majority of American oppose bigger government and more regulation.
This article is the type of “convential wisdom” that liberals try to pawn off on the citizens, without proof of the assertions or citations to back the wild and stupid claims made.
This is equivalent to the idiotic qualifier: “Most people believe...blah, blah, blah.” It’s all sophomoric propaganda and allahpundit isn’t even good at that.
Exactly. Anyone of us could write Allahpundit material in our sleep. Its the Kultursmog which drifts over us as we sleep. Whatever I read Allah on FR (and no more than the first paragraph is ever needed) I wish he would spit out what he really thinks. While I can't, of course, know for sure, I believe, behind the Kultursmog, are some venomous thoughts--particularly regarding Christians. He's coy about it but, looking at who he attacks on the right I suspect he has an animus toward those like Palin who are unapologetic about their faith.
IMHO, the General has too much personal integrity to become a political whore.
Looked at your link. Please look over my profile and take the time to read George Washington's farewell address. I have some very interesting excerpts from it.
I have simply gotten to the point that "my vote" will be cast according to conscience in align with my values as a traditional Constitutional conservative.
And I don't know what you mean by "getting along without me".
If you are talking about me being in lockstep with the GOP, then you are correct, you will be without me in the parade.
Listen, my days of sitting at the keyboard or in discussions and arguing about how one should or should not cast their vote are long over.
I take no exception as to how or why any individual casts their vote. I may not agree with their logic but I am not out to change this perfect world.
And I really have no interest in engaging with a tet d' tat with you on the subject of how either I nor you cast our respective votes.
God Bless you and yours!
That being said (and I agree) he is most likely intelligent enough to eschew any effort to draft him as a candidate.
It is my thesis that anyone seeking the job of President has serious mental problems. The pay is mediocre (but the perks are non perel!) compared to the private sector considering that at the best of times some 150 million people really don't like you and at the worst of times all 300 million would like to tar and feather you and at any given moment there are scores of fanatics who would cheerfully die if they could get a shot at you. I suspect that anyone actively seeking the position is a bit dim as to what he is actually volunteering for or, as in the present case, is such an ego manic (clinical narcissist) as to automatically disqualify himself by undergoing even casual vetting.
Nether condition recommends the candidate for the position. I suspect the General Petraeus is much more intelligent than that.
Regards,
GtG
Perhaps you should re-read my last sentence. Americans simply aren’t favorable to those who spent a lifetime in the military and then run for office. You have to spend some time in the civilian sector too. Not diminishing Paetraus’ background at all, but recognizing reality.
I heard the same argument for Colin Powell in 2000.
My definition is derived from American tradition and voter perception. Voters are more likely to support Governors for President than they are for military careerists, Senators, and Congressmen. Your comparison of Paetraus' military experience to Palin's 17 years of political experience is not a valid comparison.
When they surround themselves with lawyers...the point you make is moot.
I like Palin, Unfortunately I believe there are too many Haters among Independants and Republicans for her to be Electable.
I have not heard Sarah attack anyone for their Religion, except perhaps for the Jihadis.
I have heard Both Huckabee and McCain attack people for their Religion.
McCain Denying his Hatred of Mormons while giving his Mother a platform to Attack Romney was just dishonest.
Things are going to have to get Really Bad before the Haters decide to overlook a Candidates religion for the good of the Nation.
And those independents are fleeing Obama in droves, and Palin has a history of battling Republicans as well. Where do you think they're going to go?
“Kultursmog?’
Not familiar with that word. Sounds Germanic.
What does it mean, and please use it in a sentence that insults king obuma.
Thanks.
Very popular with R. Emmett Tyrrell, who founded The American Spectator. I think he actually originally came up with the term. It’s the liberal social and intellectual consensus, considered as if it were a cloud of pollution. Which it is.
Doesn't really apply to Obama as he emits it. Allahpundit inhales and breathes it out to us because that is easier than clearing his head of it.
Additionally, I don't think voters look at Palin’s body of political experience in the terms of 17 years. Although you may be technically correct, most voters are going to remember her political run as a governor who stepped down mid term.
Lastly, what makes people think that Palin even wants to run in 2012 anyhow? That is a huge foregone conclusion which I think is extremely presumptuous. I felt when she stepped down that she may be back in 16 at the earliest.
Who’s Peter Beinhart?
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