[The Pack Knight]

What about the DARK Dark Horses? The new Governor of Virginia? Or THE DONALD has been floating his name around and he actually has said some stuff that I would support. John Bolton, too.

I'm liking Bob McDonnell, though I think it's a tad early in his career for him to run for President. Of course, as we get further into the campaign season, a lot of those "too early" candidates are starting to look better than the candidates whose "turn" it is. I think I'd be open to supporting him if he decides to run, especially if the only other choices are the "top tier" as it stands today.

I really like Bolton, and think it's about time we had a President who "gets it" on foreign policy. I am concerned by the fact that he has no real political or executive experience - Condi Rice's tenure as Secretary of State should serve as a warning that deep knowledge of foreign policy issues does not necessarily translate into leadership abilities. He has also made some recent comments on "Don't Ask Don't Tell" and gay marriage that will turn off a lot of conservatives.

Trump has said a lot of things a like and some things I don't, but he has a blunt, common sense way of expressing himself that I think a lot of people would find appealing in a Presidential candidate. That could help his candidacy pass the initial "laugh test" - which i think is a serious obstacle in his case. He does have some similar issues to Bolton in that some of his professed stances (in Trump's case, on abortion and gun control) will turn off a lot of conservatives.

On the whole, all three of those candidates have problems. However, I'm not sure we would have been better off starting with Trump, Bolton, and McDonnell as our "top 3" instead of Romney, Palin, and Huckabee.

[ExSoldier]

Well crap, if Trump is pro gun control he's dead meat right out of the gate. No way I'm standing for THAT.

[Darren McCarty]

Donald Trump? He's given more to dumbocrats than republicans. Trumps donations

[Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!]

Rudy is testing the waters.

http://gop12.thehill.com/2011/02/giuliani-scoping-out-new-hampshire.html