Palin and the Other Big Ticket Names Seem to be Skipping Next Year.....
With Memorial Day, it is now the unofficial beginning of Summer... Normally, it represents the dead season in politics. However, for presidential races, it is the time where teams are built, and plans for raising cash and tactical strategies are made. Barack Obama has a clear path to next November, with no serious roadblocks to the election. That's usually the first reason people do not like running against an incumbent.
Still, with Obama having a clear vulnerability next year, it is surprising to many to see such a weak field coming from the GOP. Mike Huckabee is out. So is Donald Trump and Mitch Daniels. Sarah Palin seems to be declining... And why not? For these guys, running for President is a huge hassle they don't need. Ask Rudy Giuliani. He went that route, and got eviscerated at the hands of his own party in 2008. The guy could have just kept doing speaking engagements, but he thought running was a good idea. How'd that work out?
I'll be honest... Right now, I couldn't even tell you the GOP field that are officially in. It's that 'weak'. Why do I put it in parenthesis? Because weak is based mostly on on their name recognition. Yeah, a couple of them need to go home, and others have weak platforms. But a few are workable candidates, although the odds get longer as time goes by, and they fail to raise money.
You see, as Barack Obama sits quietly on the sidelines, the Republicans will be battling, getting free exposure, and one of them will have a meteoric rise from relative obscurity, much like Obama did on 2008. Who will it be? Who knows.. With the GOP in such a mixed mess right now, who knows if we will go for a hardline conservative (and defeat), or go slightly more centrist.
Yeah, Obama will be hard to beat next year, despite his weaknesses. He will have a boatload of cash, and plenty of time to set up a game plan. But, there is room for a Republican nominee to sneak in a win next November. If he/she can put together a sensible plan and be on point with the message , it can happen. Not easy, but possible. We'll find somebody....
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2 comments:
Obama will be hard to beat and that is a good reason the GOP Leaders are having problems with a Candidate.
Mike--I have to agree with you and Moye; Obama will be difficult to beat. But if one looks at the polls in 1979 (the year before the 1980 election, Carter was crusing to re-election and we all know how that turned out.
If history has taught us anything, it is that all elections are fluid and victory is always fleeting (George Patton's words not mine). At this point I think conservatives, Republicans, and independents would be well advised to follow the words of Andrew Jackson and keep their powder dry. The primary season is still months away, much less the convention in August 2012 and the November 2012 general election.
In the meantime, get the popcorn ready, this is election cycle may be the most interesting thing on TV,or at least since American Idol...teg
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