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DeMint Surveys the Field, Praises Jeb
National Review Online ^ | February 7, 2011 | Robert Costa

Posted on 02/07/2011 7:07:16 PM PST by ejdrapes

DeMint Surveys the Field, Praises Jeb

February 7, 2011 8:15 P.M. By Robert Costa

Sen. Jim DeMint, the conservative star from South Carolina, is keeping a close eye on the emerging 2012 presidential field. New names, he observes, keep popping up. One of those, of course, is former Florida governor Jeb Bush. Rich, Kathryn, and John have all written about Bush’s appeal in recent days.

DeMint, in an interview with National Review Online, calls Bush “one of the best” possible presidential contenders. “Maybe the person we are looking for has not stepped out yet; it could be a Rick Perry or a Jeb Bush.”

“[Bush] would be a really good president and a good candidate,” DeMint says. “He had a solid record as governor; he showed that he was willing to push innovative things in education and elsewhere.”

DeMint says President Obama is “clearly beatable.” But the GOP nominee, he argues, will need to be formidable, since the president may be able to bounce off of a rebounding economy. Numerous potential candidates, he says, “are watching to see where Obama’s popularity will be. A lot is going to depend on whether people believe that he has anything to do with the economy coming back. And it will come back; you can’t keep the American economy down.”

NRO wonders: In coming months, if Bush and other conservative favorites decide to sit out 2012, will DeMint feel compelled to jump in? “I really am trying to avoid that,” he tells us. “I’m looking for good candidates out there in the field.”

“I would have to feel a strong pull from people all over the country,” DeMint says. “Again, it’s not something that, right now, appears to be in my future.”

But could a grassroots ‘Draft DeMint’ movement stir him to run? “I don’t want to suggest that I’m waiting for any kind of draft,” he says. “It’s really not what I want to do. I really don’t have any intention of running. . . . I’m not ruling anything out, but it’s not something I want to do.”


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: demint; election2012; jebbush; jimdemint; nomorebushes
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To: 9YearLurker

Holy cow! You’ve just given me an insight into pissant’s misogyny.

Self stroking is all he knows!

It all makes sense now...


101 posted on 02/07/2011 8:33:09 PM PST by t-dude (Sarah causes banal and vituperous evil snarks to shriek in horror!)
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To: 9YearLurker

DeMint will be formidable.


102 posted on 02/07/2011 8:33:46 PM PST by pissant ((Bachmann 2012 - Freepmail to get on/off PING list))
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To: FTJM

That is not true.

You are misinformed.


103 posted on 02/07/2011 8:34:18 PM PST by t-dude (Sarah causes banal and vituperous evil snarks to shriek in horror!)
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To: ejdrapes

Jim, you’re the man. Jeb isn’t.


104 posted on 02/07/2011 8:35:33 PM PST by marron
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To: t-dude

Ha!!!


105 posted on 02/07/2011 8:37:48 PM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: t-dude; FTJM

They are not exact, to be sure. Palin supports Mccain’s version of amnesty while Jeb supports his own.


106 posted on 02/07/2011 8:38:06 PM PST by pissant ((Bachmann 2012 - Freepmail to get on/off PING list))
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To: pissant
DeMint will be formidable.

In the Senate. Not running, maybe you missed that part...

You're best bet is the pizza maker. He's the self-stroking vote, replacing Duncan Hunter in this cycle.

107 posted on 02/07/2011 8:38:14 PM PST by t-dude (Sarah causes banal and vituperous evil snarks to shriek in horror!)
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To: t-dude

That’s a great pairing of photos!


108 posted on 02/07/2011 8:39:21 PM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: ejdrapes

Well just you wait until Fred Thompson gets in this race.


109 posted on 02/07/2011 8:40:11 PM PST by byteback
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To: t-dude
I guess you missed this part: I’m not ruling anything out, but it’s not something I want to do.”

On top of that, he presented two names that won't be running. DeMint runs, and your little cultish world collapses.

110 posted on 02/07/2011 8:40:34 PM PST by pissant ((Bachmann 2012 - Freepmail to get on/off PING list))
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To: pissant

DeMint ain’t flyin’ outside of the South.


111 posted on 02/07/2011 8:41:17 PM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: 9YearLurker

Yeah, I look at that and can’t figure out for the life of me how people can’t see she would wipe the floor with that effete, effeminate, wimpy, gay poseur.


112 posted on 02/07/2011 8:42:21 PM PST by t-dude (Sarah causes banal and vituperous evil snarks to shriek in horror!)
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To: pissant

Good point.


113 posted on 02/07/2011 8:43:53 PM PST by FTJM
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To: ejdrapes
No more Bush's! No more political dynasties!

Sheesh! I'm really disappointed with DeMint. It isn't like there haven't been Bush family members all over the place lately displaying their RINO credentials...

114 posted on 02/07/2011 8:44:14 PM PST by Kay Ludlow (Government actions ALWAYS have unintended consequences...)
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To: Ethrane
But Reagan didn’t speak ill of other Republicans either.
Good point. One I wish others would pay more heed to.

I personally like Palin for the nomination but she hasn't said she's going to run and we have to think of other possibilities. DeMint is saying he doesn't want to run but he's got to be considered a possibility. Just because he said some polite things about Bush and Perry doesn't remove him from the list of possible good candidates. Not in my book.

115 posted on 02/07/2011 8:44:48 PM PST by samtheman
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To: pissant

And you’re a pissant. Small time.

- JP


116 posted on 02/07/2011 8:45:03 PM PST by Josh Painter ("The only thing these 'investments' will get us is a bullet train to bankruptcy." - Palin)
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To: Brices Crossroads; sarah fan UK; Al B.; The Cajun; Virginia Ridgerunner; DJ MacWoW; Clyde5445; ...
I hate to be repetitive, so I'll just link my Post#54, and thank you very much for yours.

Seems to me like several Republicans are trying to follow the lamestream's demands by pushing others to declare. "Timing" is said to be "everything," so I am all for each potential candidate to declare according to his or her own timetable.

117 posted on 02/07/2011 8:46:16 PM PST by onyx (If you truly support Sarah Palin and want to be on her busy ping list, let me know!)
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To: Ethrane

“But I am not as convinced as you that she is electable nationally.”

*******************************

Well, we’re going to find out, aren’t we? That is what elections are all about. No one was convinced Reagan could win a national election until he actually won one. His poll numbers in the run-up to the 1980 election were in the crapper. I well remember telling my friends that he could win. I had heard him many times in person and he was great. No, they told me. He might be able to win in California, a reliably Republican state at the time, but not nationally... Too old, too conservative, too dumb, too dangerous. On November 4, 1980, they got a little education. I already knew he could win nationally. The doubters had to be convinced. A 44 state landslide did the trick.


118 posted on 02/07/2011 8:48:47 PM PST by Brices Crossroads
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To: Josh Painter

Well, at least I’m willing to support candidates that don’t have identical amnesty plans as Mccain.


119 posted on 02/07/2011 8:50:24 PM PST by pissant ((Bachmann 2012 - Freepmail to get on/off PING list))
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To: Ethrane
Just because someone is adept at picking and endorsing local candidates, doesn’t mean that their subsequent election was as the result of her endorsement. Perhaps Sarah is better served as being a new Rove...

And comparisons to Reagan are dangerous...they have the same ideals (which I like), but not the same pedigree.

Reagan was a national figure for almost two decades before he was elected...he served two terms as the Governor of the largest state in the Union. Successful terms too.

Sarah had promise, I hope she continues to fuel the fire of the Tea Party and Conservatism. But I am not as convinced as you that she is electable nationally.

I like Palin very much and if she declares I will be working for her and contributing to her as much as I possibly can. If she announces, I will drop all further consideration of other candidates and be on her team.

But she hasn't announced. In the meantime I think all of us, particularly the Palin supporters among us, should consider what you posted here.

I would bet that Sarah, as brilliant a tactician as she's proved herself to be, is considering ideas along the lines you have posted here.

Fix your typo in the beginning of the last paragraph: "Sarah HAS promise..."

And in the first paragraph, by "Rove" I'm sure you mean Republican Party Leader and eventual Presidential Adviser [the posts he held], not back-stabbing traitor [the person he is and was].

120 posted on 02/07/2011 8:56:21 PM PST by samtheman
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