Politico is making guesses about who will be the VP on the Republican ticket already. Christie, Rubio, and others names are mentioned....... http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/61616.html My contention is that it will be either a hispanic candidate or a female candidate. It's important to remember that in 2008, Hillary and Obama were stealing the show and all the talk was about identity politics.......Then the GOP responded to Hillary with Palin.....and later trying to capitalize with Steele as chair... It seems like a no brainer to me that the bottom of the 2012 ticket will not be an old white guy as the Republican nominee will seize on the advantage to contrast their VP candidate with that of Joe Biden.....which adds no identity politics advantage. To date, this strategy has failed.....Palins inclusion resulted in a loss and Steele's tenure was pretty ugly as people funneled money around the RNC. Some of the names floating around are Bachmann, Rubio, Susan Martinez (jackpot! woman AND hispanic), Herman Cain? I don't know who it's going to be, but I would bet money that it's not going to be Christie, Mitch Daniels or any of the other white guys they're talking about.....for the sake of trying to capitalize on "identity politics". What are your thoughts?
Too early to say Scout, because as I see it, the nominated candidate will dictate a complimentary VP for the national vote. I.e, Romney is nominated, maybe Perry will be VP oe even Bachmann, but it definitely would not be Pawlenty. I don't disagree that the "identity" is important, but I don't believe it carries the majority of the weight in making that decision.
GOP candidates will embrace 2A & the NRA in public & in Debates and the top tier candidates will demand border security and a stop to the invasion of illegals from the south .
Rubio would be my first thought. I would like to see the following in the cabinet: Secretary of Treasury - Ron Paul Secretary of Energy - Sarah Palin Secretary of State - John Huntsman Secretary of Commerce - Mitt Romney (if not President - he does not have my vote for President) / Herman Cain Chief of Staff - Newt Gingrich Secretary of Defense - Alan West Secretary of Homeland Security - Rudy Giuliani Now that would be a stellar cabinet that would get things done.
I agree wholeheartedly that Steele was a horrid choice. Much like Debbie Wasserman Schultz is for the current DNC. Palin's inclusion didn't result in a loss. McCain was leading for a month after her announcement. A ticket of Lincoln/Reagan or FDR/Clinton couldn't survive being linked to the incumbent party after the economic collapse of October 2008. I will say, however, that McCain was the goat. First for running for President wearing his little boy pants and kid gloves. Second, because he stifled Palin.
I think the term is "defining deviancy down." I can remember when the goal was an America where everyone was judged by the content of their character but now all anyone cares about is the color or their skin. Even the Republicans who used to know better. I guess we could say that bleeding heart liberalism has won another round.
I don't know if I'd call him the most promising, but he's definitely one of the most conservative....
Its not really something just happened, just the awareness of it and the awareness that it can be wielded politically............ Humans are tribal. We gravitate toward people that appear to be "like us" and away from those that aren't. Using women to capitalize on this dynamic this was a natural step as they are 1/2 the population. Focusing on minority group support has now reached a point where it's also effective b/c of the growth of those minority populations.
It only became a problem in the lib and moderate community when conservatives began to play the game. But I will never be for it.
I don't think it's a problem at all actually......it's a new way to play the game. It will definitely result in some less qualified people holding office. But that will happen less as people get over the novelty of it and the "firsts" are out of the way.
Tell that to the libs and moderates who still have not completely calmed down over the idea that Sarah Palin might be president someday.
