SC Gov Mark Sanford

[TomC]

We are all minorities, whcih is why we all have an interest in protecting minority rights. If you don't care about rights that are being taken away or denied today, just wait a while, somebody'll come after yours before too long.

I know squat about Sanford. Have no clue what he looks like, and I pay attention. Not to say anything about him, necessarily, but the GOP is very patriarchical, they almost always give it to the guy whose turn it seems to be or who seems the most fatherly figure so to speak. This works for them a good amount of the time. Didn't work for Dole or Ford, and I'd argue Goldwater is about the only Repub since WWII who didn't fit this tradition. It worked for Nixon in 68, Reagan, Bush 41, and for Bush 43 because of family roots, and he sat 1996 out and waited for his turn.

That said, who seems most likely to be the inheritor of the GOP nomination? I'd argue McCain to a degree, except he's not GOP enough. Following that, I'd say Frist or Jeb. Frist because he has been pretty darn loyal to the Pres. Not that I like him at all.

Who do you all think is the one "whose turn it is"?

[TomC]

But Clinton was a Democrat. We aren't as patriarchical as the GOP. Unknowns rarely win the GOP nod. But the GOP base pays attention enough that McCain and Giuliani are toast, no amount of name recognition is going to hide the fact that Giuliani is NOT in concert with red state values. He's a northeatern liberal on social issues. He's a flagrant adulterer.

I see Frist as conservative enough and as known enough to pull it off. Don't get me wrong, I dislike the guy. Did you all know that Frist got into politics around the same time his family's company (HCA) was being investigated (and eventually fined big time) for fraudulently making Medicare/aid (not sure if one or both) claims?? He hadn't even registered to vote until he was in his 40s.

[TomC]

Sanford looks like that actor from JAWS. What was his name??

[TomC]

No, I don't know of a direct link between Frist and his brother's wrongdoings. Just seemed funny that one day he didn't care about politics wnough to register to vote and then he's running for senate around the same time his brother's in hot water with the feds.

 I knew Bredesen was in the health care industry, never heard he was with HCA. Bredesen had his own company.

[TomC]

No way! Bredesen is a manager, and a pretty good one. He's probably pleased or scared enough Repubs that he won't have a serious competetor for gov. The Senate race will have half a dozen electable Repubs vying for the nomination. I do hope some big name Dems are reconsidering running due to the Ford family saga. I like Harold Ford Jr and would support him, but hius uncle is an awful, awful man who should be in jail. The scandal will only hurt Ford Jr., even if it shouldn't.

Bredesen will stay put. I'd bet big money on it. I wish he were more vocal on social issues, but otherwise, he's a good guy.