Bernie's supporters are more enthusiastic, but they still only get one vote each in the general election. Rubio would hold the GOP base and get more of the moderates. Not to mention that electoral college math works against Bernie.
Is Rubio the GOP's only shot?
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Bernie's supporters are more enthusiastic, but they still only get one vote each in the general election. Rubio would hold the GOP base and get more of the moderates. Not to mention that electoral college math works against Bernie.
The media are doing their best to scuttle Trump. But if he bounces back in NH, that could backfire.
Imagine Trump claiming the "comeback kid" mantle for himself.
Imagine Trump claiming the "comeback kid" mantle for himself.
Hillary is actually hated by about 20/25% of the country; those who would never vote for a Democrat no matter what. I suspect you just spend more time hanging out with folks in the 20/25% of the country than anybody else, so it distorts your views.
Sanders is nowhere near the loon that Cruz / Trump are, and if he were the Democratic nominee that would be apparent to most Americans when they actually get a chance to listen to him speak. Rubio could beat Sanders, but Cruz/Trump would have no chance; Sanders would crush either of them in a debate, simply because it would be clear to all he is much more of a statesman than either of them.
I agree that Cruz seems least at home in New England air. But I don't know how many of the religious right folks live there. Can he get enough votes from that crowd?
Will NH be Christie's last primary? Hard to imagine him doing all that well in SC or the rest of the South - where more of the early primaries are being held this year, iirc.
Here's a link to the upcoming primary dates, for those who are interested. Why is everybody overlooking Nevada?
http://www.mytimetovote.com/2016-Primary-Election-Dates.html
If Bernie were to somehow get the Dem nomination a lot of people that think today that the country would elect a socialist POTUS will wake up on November 2nd and ask themselves WHAT WAS I THINKING?
By the looks of it, there are far more of these people out there than I initially feared.
There's a bit of "wisdom" circulating on Facebook with some woman holding a few sheets of paper that, in summary, claim that the U.S. could give free college and free healthcare with the money that we send to Israel in military support. And people are just lapping it up.
We give $3 - 3.5 billion/year to Isreal. Healthcare is a $2 trillion industry, and the federal govt. contributed about $85 billion last year towards tuition JUST at public universities. People don't get it.
They might be thinking why can't I figure out the difference between a democratic socialist and a socialist. They will have to turn focus inwards to figure out why they are such morons.
Was 3rd in Iowa, currently polling 2nd in NH. It's anybody's guess. But I wouldn't count him out.
He is the gop's only chance, but only if Trump doesn't run as an independent. Big wild card there.
If by that you mean they would realize that the nation won't elect a socialist, you may be right. But if you think they will regret supporting Bernie, you are wrong.
It won't be the "bad" decision to support Bernie that's the problem, it will be the bad thinking of an electorate that is unable to see past the propaganda smears and lies. It will be the bad rulings of a Supreme Court that turned our democratic elections into a commodity auction.
I voted for Nader in 2000. I get attacked for it even now. But it wasn't the fault of the people who voted for Nader that we got stuck with the Bush tax cuts, Bush wars, Bush deregulations, and Bush recession. It was the problem of the people who voted for Bush.
If we had a do-over of the 2000 election, I would urge everyone to vote for Nader. I mean if "anybody but Bush" works for you, Nader is also ABB - and I still won't be voting for Gore. So you might as well get on the side of the angels.
Why are we assigning Rubio to the establishment? He was a tea party guy who beat the establishment just 6 years ago.
It's approaching crunch time for Jeb, but I still think he'll be the eventual nominee, and we'll see a Bush-Kasich ticket.
I won't vote for them, but can you really argue that some other ticket would be stronger?
Bush's main weakness is that he's a crappy debater - especially with oxygen depleters like Trump and whiny zealots like Cruz on the same stage. He'll do fine in the general election.
Personally, I'm looking forward to the VP debate between Elizabeth Warren and John Kasich. Might even get to see an adult conversation!
Good point. Yet elements of the establishment - such as the aforementioned David Brooks - are moving his way.
I suspect part of that is that the establishment recognizes the desirability (necessity?) of having a Florida pol on the ticket, and Jeb has disappointed so far.
It's also the case that Rubio was absolutely the establishment politician on one of his signature legislative efforts: immigration reform.
As I have pointed out before, this was a bill that establishment icons like McCain supported, and the Dems were willing to accept. It was actually a crappy bill from a lefty perspective - way too punitive and too much border control silliness. Moreover, from a D perspective, it would give the Rs a chance to claim the credit for passing meaningful immigration reform. Which is to say the the Rs were idiots not to jump all over this before the Ds came to their senses.
Of course Rubio has been walking back his support for his bill ever since. Cruz is using it to hurt Rubio in the debates, although Rubio has been holding his own pretty well.
Trump has said he won't. But do we believe him? If Cruz is the nominee, I could easily see Trump going rogue. Maybe if Bush is the nominee.
What about the possibility of Trump being VP? The instant reaction is that his ego won't permit him to accept being #2. But is that really true? Despite all the mockery aimed at the office, it's still a damn impressive accomplishment. He won't get another chance at P, so why not? Sail into his golden-haired years with that feather in his cap.
As for campaigning as VP - can you think of a better attack dog than Donald Trump? It's what he does best! He could say anything he wants and if his principal is asked about anything, he can just brush it off as "Oh, that's just Donald..." and the press would let it go.
Isn't it fascinating how the political winds blow? At one time in the not too distant past McCain was the anti-establishment maverick to the Bush establishment.
Yep. Bush was another supporter of that immigration reform package, as I recall. Or something like it.
McCain liked to bill himself as a maverick, but that was more in his mind than in reality.
Trump as vp to Rubes? Then you would have an ideologue as president and a blowhard as vp. And neither with a clue as to how the world works. That would be interesting, to say the least.
I don't see it with Rubio. Trump makes Rubio look like a teenager, or maybe an over-eager puppy. But maybe with some others.
Trump is all about Trump and there is no way he could "work" for someone else. No chance of Trump as a VP.
Great discussion thread, so far, but I just couldn't let this comment go without asking...
So, did Rubio forget to give them the obligatory reach-around or something?
Second would certainly help Rubes. But he is still way down in the polls for S.C. Currently Nate Silver has him down 34 from Trump. No Republican has ever won the nomination without winning at least one of the first four states. Rubes is projected to lose all of them.
Can you imagine a Clinton vs. Rubio debate? You would have almost all the Goldman Sachs and lobbyists money on one stage.
Rubio is clearly a bottom. How do you think he got his ears so stretched out?Great discussion thread, so far, but I just couldn't let this comment go without asking...
So, did Rubio forget to give them the obligatory reach-around or something?
No, there are other candidates that can win. Rubio is the "establishment" choice. The establishment wants you to believe that he is their only chance to win.
