The "Who is running?" tea leaves thread

[justfollowingtheelections]

They're so desperate to find an anti-Obama, aren't they?  They seem to think that if they nominate a black guy, the blacks will become Republican, or if they get guys like Rubio or Cruz in the Senate, Hispanics will vote for them.
Do they really think people are that dumb?

I hope not.  One of the reasons I'm proud to be a Republican is that we nominate based on ability, not which boxes can be checked off.  Let the Dems pick a minority for the sake of picking a minority.

You mean like Sarah Palin or Michael Steele?
I'm not a Democrat but Obama is clearly one of the most qualified to have ever become President.  You cannot possibly believe he was chosen because he was black.

[Mr. Morden]

I'm not a Democrat but Obama is clearly one of the most qualified to have ever become President.

What?

You could make the case about him being one of the "smartest" or something like that.  You can say that he's shown himself to be more up to the job than others who were far more qualified....

But how is he one of the most qualified?  He was only a US Senator for four years before being elected president.

[Paul Kemp]

I'm not a Democrat but Obama is clearly one of the most qualified to have ever become President.

What?

You could make the case about him being one of the "smartest" or something like that.  You can say that he's shown himself to be more up to the job than others who were far more qualified....

But how is he one of the most qualified?  He was only a US Senator for four years before being elected president.

Yea, even as an Obama guy I can't stand behind that.

[Mr. Morden]

Rubio has announced that he'll be making his second trip to Israel (and first to Jordan):

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/marco-rubio-heads-to-the-middle-east-87733.html?hp=l2

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Israel is of course a frequent stop of American politicians with presidential ambitions.  Christie, Rand Paul, O'Malley, and others have all visited Israel in recent years.

[RogueBeaver]

That's a reason I wouldn't support Rubio: too inexperienced.

[justfollowingtheelections]

I'm not a Democrat but Obama is clearly one of the most qualified to have ever become President.

What?

You could make the case about him being one of the "smartest" or something like that.  You can say that he's shown himself to be more up to the job than others who were far more qualified....

But how is he one of the most qualified?  He was only a US Senator for four years before being elected president.

What?  According to that logic Strom Thurmond is more qualified than any president ever.  What makes Obama one of the most qualified people to ever run is his education, his community work, his knowledge of the Constitution and his intelligence.  Very few presidents if any have a resume as strong as OBama.

[Mr. Morden]

According to that logic Strom Thurmond is more qualified than any president ever.

No, George H.W. Bush is more what I would call one of the most (if not the most) qualified presidents ever: member of Congress, Ambassador to China, Ambassador to the UN, CIA Director, Vice President for 8 years.

Intelligence isn't a qualification in the normal sense one means when speaking of applying for a job.  "Qualifications" are normally meant to refer to what one has actually done, not what one is capable of doing, if given the chance.

[seanNJ9]

Hillary Clinton may be the most qualified candidate since George H.W. Bush.

[mattyman]

That's a reason I wouldn't support Rubio: too inexperienced.

Florida house of representatives 2000-2009
Speaker of the house in a mega state 2007-2009
JR Senator 2010-2016

Let me guess, your an Obama supporter?

[Mr. Morden]

Politico on how Jindal's recent moves in Louisiana are being seen through the prism of his desire to run for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination:

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/bobby-jindal-is-governing-like-its-2016-87736.html?hp=t1

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[RogueBeaver]

Jeb: I'd deal with Congress like LBJ.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/14/3234145/former-gov-jeb-bush-talks-immigration.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=cpy

[RogueBeaver]

Ryan: "I don't know."

http://www.politico.com/blogs/politico-live/2013/02/ryan-on-i-dont-know-157217.html?hp=f1

[Nhoj]

That's a reason I wouldn't support Rubio: too inexperienced.

Florida house of representatives 2000-2009
Speaker of the house in a mega state 2007-2009
JR Senator 2010-2016

Let me guess, your an Obama supporter?

He was one of the biggest romney supporters on the forum this year. His current avatar is I believe to show solidarity with the idea of defeating berlusconi in italy.

[Mr. Morden]

Another non-denial from Carson on whether he'll run for president:

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/02/17/carson-says-2016-run-up-to-god-after-pushing-flat-tax-at-national-prayer-breakfast/

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[Lupo]

They're so desperate to find an anti-Obama, aren't they?  They seem to think that if they nominate a black guy, the blacks will become Republican, or if they get guys like Rubio or Cruz in the Senate, Hispanics will vote for them.
Do they really think people are that dumb?

I hope not.  One of the reasons I'm proud to be a Republican is that we nominate based on ability, not which boxes can be checked off.  Let the Dems pick a minority for the sake of picking a minority.

You mean like Sarah Palin or Michael Steele?
I'm not a Democrat but Obama is clearly one of the most qualified to have ever become President.  You cannot possibly believe he was chosen because he was black.

Palin was chosen by the McCain campaign.  Steele by the RNC. 

Response to your statement regarding President Obama was addressed by other posters, with whom I agree.

[BluegrassBlueVote]

What were Dubya's "abilities" again? You know, other than being able to raise a ton of money.

[Asian Nazi]

What were Dubya's "abilities" again? You know, other than being able to raise a ton of money.

He could throw a baseball pretty darn well. 

[JQ]

Women haven't been a minority for the past six decades, I think.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

That's a reason I wouldn't support Rubio: too inexperienced.

Florida house of representatives 2000-2009
Speaker of the house in a mega state 2007-2009
JR Senator 2010-2016

Let me guess, your an Obama supporter?

First of all, RogueBeaver was one of the biggest Republican supporters of Romney who was not a hack. I don't judge fully by experience-my favorite for 2016 is a freshman Senator as well, but Rubio is far from the perfect standard-bearer for our party. He has many skeletons in his closet that will eventually come out.

[Mr. Morden]

Christie wants people to know that he's been traveling abroad:

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=167746.msg3631870#msg3631870

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[Paul Kemp]

wtf the "Gifted Hands" guy might run for president? lolz.

[Mr. Morden]

Bob McDonnell apparently just had a meeting with Spencer Zwick, the finance chair for the Romney 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns:

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/02/sources-mcdonnell-talks-romneys-finance-chief

Obviously, they won't say what was discussed, but this seems like a strong hint that McDonnell has some interest in a national campaign of his own.

[Mr. Morden]

A few days ago, I mentioned Rubio's trip to Israel.  Well, he's arrived there, and met with Netanyahu.  Even posed for another joke about his State of the Union water gaffe:

[Paul Kemp]

A few days ago, I mentioned Rubio's trip to Israel.  Well, he's arrived there, and met with Netanyahu.  Even posed for another joke about his State of the Union water gaffe:

ugh

[Mr. Morden]

Some news on Schweitzer: That poll of him being ahead in the 2014 Senate race in Montana was posted on his Facebook page, but Schweitzer said it was hist staff who posted it, not him:

http://www.kpax.com/news/poll-schweitzer-would-beat-baucus-in-senate-race/

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Not goofy enough to be in the House, nor senile enough to be in the Senate?  Schweitzer's actually used that line before, when explaining why he would never run for Congress:

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=164982.msg3542863#msg3542863

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