So Romney has quit the race. He has seemingly given up one of the highest aspirations of Mormonism. It has not been central doctrine, but it gets a wink of the eye endorsement to those anointed as their premier politicians. Romney’s first political meeting when he entered the race the first time was with Church Elders. However his third trip was waylaid by Gov Jeb Bush’s entry into the circle.
They met in Utah in the last week. What was discussed? I’m sure the major topics were not the weather or football. My guess? They were playing the game of who had the most cash from donors to run a primary campaign. Romney lost.
Last night Jeb Bush met with Gov Chris Christie, and I’m sure again they were not throwing bean bags. If the Florida Gov again showed a strong financial hand, then this theory would mean Christie drops out in the Spring, the start of real campaigning.
We’re dealing with big egos here so there has to be some kind of compensation for these two Republican heavyweights to forego Presidential ambitions. This would most likely come in the form of a cabinet post. Take your pick: VP, AG, SS, Sec of Commerce, Sec of Labor, Sec of Housing(Romney’s father’s old post), etc. The trade would be close enough to win a cigar.
Left out of all such political conjecturing, of which I am guilty today, is pushing these candidates to a real reality, not appearing much in the news. For political junkies this postulating without knowing is a favorite pastime. Here’s what we are not hearing. Who would any candidate, R or D, appoint to the Supreme Court? Domestic and Foreign Policy pales in the face of this power of the Presidency. Perhaps more on this in another post.
I think this is better news for Scott Walker. He’s got a better chance than Bush at getting the blessings of the Tea Party and the primary voters. At the moment, I would like to see Walker run against Jim Webb in 2016.
SC nominees? Who is in line with his values presently on the SC?
Are sometimes hard to pigeonhole.
Here is is issues page. He is a staunch supporter of Roe v Wade, was an early backer of civil unions and repealing DADT (hard calls in 2006 Virginia) and a more recent convert to marriage equality. Had a great line that he feels that government ‘should stop at my doorstep unless it has a damn good reason’ which indicates broad civil libertarian tendencies. Unfortunately, he does apply that standard to guns too and also to oppose affirmative action. Not sure how that effects his SCOTUS picks, but he voted for Kagan and Sotomayor.
This piece is subjective and from a conservative admirer of Webb on economic populism, the wars, and restraining executive power who was disappointed Webb was a party line voter on the bailouts, gay rights, and abortion. But it shows how much to the left of Clinton he is on the issues that matter without really being all too far to her right on social issues.
Sanders is my first choice, since it doesn’t seem anyone will beat Hillary I might as well vote my heart in the primary. But I hope Webb still runs and does better than the pundits expect, he is the rare candidate that could push the party to the far left on economics while winning back places like West Virginia.
for the input.
My guess is they compared notes about who was the bigger bully in prep school.
Maureen Dowd’s Sunday column digs up the White Horse Prophesy also.
The 2014 mid terms were the trend hint. The tea party insurgency fad was a disaster that took a while to tamp down.
But the mid terms saw a subtle smothering of the insurgency and marginalization of its candidates in favor of more electable suits in places where it mattered.