Next Republican Presidential Candidate?

Since W can't run again. Unless of course that part of the Constitution disappeared along with the Bill of Rights after 9/11, that is.

So, who have the Republicans got? John McCain? Or has his swing to the right alienated independents and failed to to convince the far right skeptics? Who else? Tom Delay? Bill Frist? Anybody think Condi Rice has a chance? What about Giuliani? Too many mistresses for the religious wing of the party? Mitt Romney the governor of Massachusetts? Would the Republicans elect the governor of the only state in the union where gay marriage is legal? Sure he's against it, but he hasn't been very effective in banning it, has he?

So any ideas? Are there any moderate Republicans who could get the blessing of the religious right? Are we seeing the end of Republican dominance in the White House?

Rice/Blair '08!

-Kiamat Dusk

McCain would be a huge hit with those undecided and more centrist Democrats -

to be honest hed probably be the Worst candidate for the Dems to go up against.

However the republicans probably would never go for him, since hes amoung their most liberal members.

Is that because Blair will be out of a job in the UK?

would be nice if American truely was ready for Rice to run. Reguardless of how people might feel about the politics, Id love to live in an America where a Black Woman could beccome president.

Or even a white woman. Or a black man to start with.

someday i hope it will happen. I dont think by '08 people will be unpredjudiced enough though.

And even if they were i dont think the politcal machines that make up the parties would risk it yet.

Remember when the Dems ran a woman as a VP candidate they Knew they were going to lose.

He's not. He's not a liberal. He's a very conservative, pro-life, anti-gay marriage Republican. McCain's appeal is that he doesn't seem to be a weasel like Delay or Frist, or Bush for that matter. But he's not a liberal, not even a moderate. Just Google "McCain" and "Liberty University" and you'll see.

Amen to that, sister! That guy is basically a semi hawkish Democrat in my book. He really lost my support with his watered down illegal immigration proposals. Are the only good Republicans all in the House or something?

-Kiamat Dusk

Maybe they could get a mentally challenged monkey-faced sociopath and an ever-grimacing war-mongering bridge troll to run. Oh wait. It's been done.

~Ulrika~

Come on Kiamat, name one. Name a possible candidate! You feel free to criticize the possible Democratic contenders, why not just give us a name or two? Is it that you can't imagine a White House without W?

sometimes perception matters more than reality in presidential politics.

Many Neo Cons think hes liberal

And the Dems see him as Centrist -

Weve had 8 years of CNN/ABC/CBS/NBC telling us this =pPp


There are those republicans who like Mcain whove been saying what you just pointed out for years that McCain is actually a conservative. it doesnt seem to have changed the neo cons minds.

McCain says he's a conservative. His positions are all on the conservative end. The reason the neo-cons and religious right don't like him is that he actually had the stones to run against their hand picked candidate in 2000. Besides, when have the neo-cons been right about anything? LOL

Additionally -

im not sure being anti gay marraige and pro life makes you a conservative these days.

Based on the numbers a Candidate that would be FOR true unrestricted gay marriage would be shooting thmselves in the foot.

-- Presidential candidates base their politics on the numbers not whats right or wrong.

As far as abortion - Republicans kind of have to be against it or the base throws them out of the party. (this is just a casual impression)


really though i think abortion stance is a by the numbers prospect also. if 70 percent of america favored abortion rights youd see many more candidates who were pro-choice in some form.

George W Bush was against a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, then flip-flopped and now supports such an amendment. So, yeah, politics plays a huge role in "morals".

But the majority of Americans support some form of legal abortion, and that doesn't seem to affect the far right grip on power in the Republican party.

well .. they did win the last two elections - so i guess they were "right" in the running of those campaigns.

(the 2000 debacle they "won" also since Bush got the job)

If McCain was considered a conservative republican by his own party wed be WORSE off

becuase a lot of Dems still like him. what saves us from him running is the republicans think hes liberal. (whether he is or not is not really relevant)


---

More abstractly on issues your not necessarily right or wrong - on many issues theres more than one possible right or wrong.

Or like on abortion theres two bad choices to choose from.

There is only one good choice in the abortion argument. You keep government out of private medical matters. That's a good choice.

I dont know - although im very much for limiting governement power , i wouldnt call the result a "good" choice persay.

Since

Pro Life = no access to safe abortion, loss of women's reproductive say, potential health deterants

Pro-choice = some very irresponsible people will use abortion as birth control and abortions DO end a potential human life

neither of those is a "good" choice.

but - its a very necesarry decision to have a rational policy on.

you could perhaps aregue in your veiw its the only "correct" choice in your statement above.

I just cant feel "good" about either side of the arguement.

Actually, I would have voted for McCain in 2000. And I've already given you a name. Condi.
I think a Condi/Powell ticket would be great, but I know he'll never do it. Rudy could pull it off-not sure how I feel about him, though.

-Kiamat Dusk

Make abortion illegal for other than medical necessity AND AT THE SAME TIME increase sex education in school, give better access to birth control-if Viagra can be covered by your health insurance, various forms of BC should be, too.

-Kiamat Dusk

as much as i respect Rice and Powell , do you really feel America would vote for them?

Additionally do you think the republican Machinery that is , would let them get to that point?

I personally dont think Hillary would be able to run on the Democratic side either - even if she lacked her negative qualities that opponents will exploit.

I simply think that Americans on the whole ( Second Lifers are much less prejudiced in general than "America" ) is far to biased to let it happen yet.

and even if Americans arent, the Political machines are too "conservative" (not politically) to let it happen.

Younger people seem less biased along these lines, hopefully as they get older these things will change.

I think Rice would stand a very good chance-an even better one if the press would get behind her. I think you're selling America short. I really think that we're ready for a black and or female President.

-Kiamat Dusk

I know your a black man Kiamat, and i find your optimism is admirable. As much as i dont agree with your politics and i really dont understand your definition of treason, it doesnt mean i think your opinions lack value.

However my inlaws alone are enough proof to me theres still a huge number of racist bigots in America not to mention people ive known at work, etc.

White people who would never let on to a black person they were prejudiced.

Perhaps its me having grown up in several different places but it is definitely less pronounced in more cosmopolitan areas (My dad was in the navy like you are)

I just dont see Americans being ready for it - and I know the polital machines dont take those chances.

I predict we wont see a Black Man or Black woman on the Presidential ticket that the party thinks they have a shot at winning for 20 years. I think a White woman wont be far ahead of that. It almost been 20 years since a woman was on a ticket that the party knew it would LOSE.

In an America where discrimination based on sexual predjudice is not only popular, but sanctioned - i just dont share your optimism.


*****
Ill add - i kind of hope im wrong

would be interesting for there to be a Hillary / Rice election - wouldnt it?

Actually, I'm mullatto. My mother is black, dad is white. But I understand where you're coming from.

All my life I've been accepted by white people and ostracized by blacks in about %99.9 of cases. Any theories I have on why would not be PC so I'll keep them to myself.

I know there are still bigots in this country, but they aren't exclusively white-just listen to gangsta rap for a little while. This President has the most racially diverse cabinet in history. The GOP has made blacks two of the most powerful people in the nation and by extension-the world. All the while the primary detractors have been from the "tolerance and diversity crowd". I've been really suprised by the response by many on the Left. It's like they feel betrayed that minorities-especially blacks dared join the GOP.

-Kiamat Dusk

Considering Rice and Powell are arguably war criminals. I'll pass.
Frankly its not a concern --after the Bush Presidency the Republican Party will be toast for generations.

But not an incompetant one --oh wait --we did elect Bush --you might be right.

Given your political views I don't doubt it.