Posted on 07/11/2010 7:47:45 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The November midterm elections are just four months away, but a handful of politicians are already looking far down the calendar to 2012 -- and it's starting to show.
Though the 2012 presidential campaign arguably began as soon as the 2008 campaign ended, the water testing is starting to become more visible. It takes a long time to raise the millions needed to run for president and build national attention -- so with about two years to go until the conventions, a few potential candidates seem to be getting the ball rolling.
The political activity is taking place in all the familiar forums. Republican Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty this weekend returned to New Hampshire, site of the first-in-the-nation primary, for the third time in seven months. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a 2008 presidential candidate, is expected to be campaigning hard for fellow Republicans in the midterms while building visibility. And former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin just launched a splashy new online ad.
"I think that Romney and Pawlenty are getting a good head start," said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. "But it's also true that those other candidates, most of them, people like Palin and Newt Gingrich and Haley Barbour, could raise money very quickly. They could put a campaign together quickly if they had to."
Pawlenty is trying to raise his profile in a state critical to presidential politics. During a visit to New Hampshire's Strafford County Republican Picnic Saturday, Pawlenty didn't speak about any plans for 2012. But he told a crowd of about 100 people that Washington needs to change.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
They so do dislike her, don’t they. She will have to overcome non-stop MSM, DNC and RINO negative ads, interviews, news and blog articles, etc. She comes out with a 1 minute 50 second video and its all of a sudden has a major impact on all the cable news shows. She’s on her way, no doubt!!
Republicans Begin to Jockey for 2012 Position
RINOs supported by FNC begin jockey(ing) for position.
Will the real Conservative please stand up?
MONOPOLIES/DEADBEATS from the past.
My take (for what it’s worth):
Pawlenty - Yaaaaawwwwwwwwn
Romney - Too Yesterday
Palin - Needs to come clean on Amnesty
Gingrich - Too Flakey
Barbour - Probably good, but bad name
Huckabee - too much blood on his hands
Her tweets and Facebook blogging have the same or more effect than a full-court White House campaign and her little video is still the center of the news. If she’s not this generation’s Reagan, who the hell is?
I hate perpetual presidential campaigns. It always seems to be the same 3 or 4 names floated as the solution to everything. People who have already had a chance and blown it. So far, nothing has been fixed.
I think Sarah can fix things. But the MSM is out to break her.
Tim Pawlenty: Less exciting than watching paint dry.
Sarah for me as well!
They've already dug through her trash, moved in next door to her, tried to sue her into insolvency, intimated that her son is her grandson, attacked her in print, TV and pixels 24/7 and they haven't broken her yet. As a matter of fact, she's far stronger and more influential now than she was the day after the election, don't you think?
Thune in 2012
Good assessment of the list.
Add Jeb Bush - Going nowhere; don’t need another Bush WH — ever.
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I hope to see a dark horse candidate arise sometime after 2010. Ryan did excellent at the Obama-GOP Health Care summit. Bachman, perhaps. A few governors. A couple of Reps. But none of them have more than a term or two of experience.
“Thune in 2012”
A class guy.
“Add Jeb Bush - Going nowhere; don’t need another Bush WH — ever.”
Agree - the Bushes left a bad taste in a lot of mouths, and not just Democratic ones. Listening to the base is NOT that hard, but the Bushes seem to be deaf there.
She's said over and over again that amnesty is not a policy she supports. She was the first major heavy to come out in favor of the Az law, and every interview she has had since her book tour she has said she doesn't support amnesty, has said she is against illegal immigration and that would should do whatever is necessary to stop it, yet y'all keep bringing this up as if there is an ambiguity there.
What the h*ll is wrong with you people?
She wins hands down in that group and she is McCain’s girl. She is good and they suck. Gingrich is a POS RINO. I would take Mitt over Newt. Pawlenty is probably #2 in that group.
I wish Christie was better on guns and amnesty because he is much better.
Paul Ryan, DeMint, Ken Cucinelli.
Sam Donaldson is the one with a pet badger on his head.
Thune is a good guy. No Jeb Bush or his amnesty boy Marco Rubio.
Remember when people actually talked about queer Charlie Crist for veep? I say queer as is odd not as in homosexual queer. Crist is married.
Is Lindsay Graham-nesty married?
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