I wish Rick Perry would drop out of the race before the SC primary

[Pryderi]

Santorum would have a great chance of winning it with both Perry and Bachmann out of the race.

[SixthSense]

1. nah

Santorum has no chance because he didn't have any money to set up organizations and get on ballots when he needed to, and now it's way too late.

This is Romney vs. Paul, with the other guys just hanging out to increase book sales or maybe grab a few delegates to trade for a cabinet post.

We may just end up with a Obama vs. Paul general election. I have a strong feeling it's going to end up that way, especially after the disastrous comment Romney made today, almost as bad as the Dean Scream.

[LAGC]

2. What did Romney say?

I've been away all day, so I haven't heard...

[SixthSense]

4. "I like to be able to fire people"

there was more in context which made it not quite that bad but the soundbite clips of this are going to murder him

[BootinUp]

3. Paul will be taken down a notch

don't forget Huntsman.

[SixthSense]

6. Huntsman is not a serious candidate

he didn't even get on the AZ ballot

the requirements to get on the ballot:

1) be Constitutionally eligible to become President
2) fill out a form and send it in by Jan 9th (today)

He missed the IL and VA ballots as well, and a candidate like him would need to sweep all those states 'cause he sure ain't winning the South as a Mandarin-speaking Mormon.

[BootinUp]

8. He's serious about NH.

When all is said and done, Paul will be lucky to break 15%.

[RZM]

5. No way

Not a chance in hell that Paul gets the nomination. Were Romney to implode (and that won't happen because of this comment, which will not significantly impact his chances) the nomination would go to Santorum, Perry, or Gingrich.

Paul just can't appeal to the Republican mainstream the way the other candidates can.

But it's all moot, because it's going to be Mitt.

[SixthSense]

7. what republican mainstream?

The GOP is fractured

there are the Rockerfeller/neocons
there are the social cons/evangelicals
there are the libertarians

there's no candidate out of all of them that can get any more than two of those groups... one of those groups will have to suck it up in the general and hold their noses, or sit it out

I'm pretty sure the libertarians are all-or-nothing in the basket for Paul
The Rockerfellers are with Romney but might settle for any other except Paul
The socons would prefer Perry, Santorum, Gingrich in that order but when push comes to shove they will break for Paul before Romney (they hate his guts)
And Huntsman has no natural constitutency at all, I'm not sure why he's running or who he expects to vote for them

It's as open a race as you're going to see in a generation, but only two of them have the already established organizations and ballot access and money in the bank, and that's Romney and Paul.

Now that we have Gingrich on a scorched-earth campaign against Romney in particular it has gotten popcorn-chewing fascinating!

[RZM]

9. It's a lot more complicated than those three groups

And there is plenty of common ground between them, especially between the neocons and the evangelical base (isn't that how George W. got the nomination?)

Paul's the odd man out on a lot of issues, especially foreign policy/security, which is a very big deal to a lot of the Republican party. Even some self-described libertarians aren't on board with Paul.

The most important thing for all of them (aside from the Paulistas, who are small in number and not all Republicans) is that a Republican get elected in November. And Romney is the logical choice there, same as Kerry was in 2004. Only the most wide-eyed Paulistas think he wouldn't be utterly trounced against Obama.

[Rex]

10. Are you kidding me?

He is costing the GOP a fortune in damage control!!!

Let him open his mouth one more time! Comedians haven't seen gold like this since the GWB days!

[1stlady]

11. Its too late

for Satantorum, I was just browsing the polls on real clear politics and its clear that Romney will be the nominee. This election year, the rethug voters will hold their noses and vote for who they think will beat Obama. They don't give a damn about anything else, just who can beat Obama. For some reason they think Romney is that guy. I think he has the best chance to beat Obama, because the rest of the clowns are too radical. But of course I think Obama will be re-elected.

[BeaufortPenguin]

12. Being From SC

I just wish that someone would drop a bomb on em' all so that I wouldn't have to listen to all of the racism and bigotry for the next 10 days. There are some really old fashioned racists down here..........still using things like chicken feet on people's houses to scare them. Jim Clyburn is the only voice of reason in this entire state as far as politicians go. Jugghead Joe is my congresscritter and Demented and the Gayham are my senators. I feel sick just thinking about the next 10 days.

[MADem]

13. His "job" is to block for Mittsy, and prevent Santorum from surging again....

He's probably been promised a cabinet job if he plays ball.

[Pryderi]

15. I don't know about that. Perry's "Vulture Capitalist" comments seems pretty harsh for a

republican talking about another republican.

[Javaman]

14. Selfishly, I want cement head perry in till the bitter end.

you see, he's my halfwit governor. as long as he continues to spew unbelievable stupidity, it lessens his chance to be reselected as governor of Texas.

spew on moron perry, spew!

[Pryderi]

16. Does TX have a chance to elect a democrat? n/t

[MilesColtrane]

18. The past two gubernatorial elections, Perry beat the Democratic challenger by 12 points and...

10 points.

As Texas becomes less WASPy it is also becoming more big "D" Democratic.

Who knows what 2014 holds if Perry continues to display his cement-headedness on the national stage, and if we get a strong challenger and some luck?

[Major Nikon]

19. Almost all the big Texas cities are a solid D

All you really need to appeal to the rural masses is a candidate that speaks with a fake Texan accent, lives on a ranch, and pretends to know one end of a cow from the other. Honestly I think political considerations come a distant second to the rubes. They want a candidate that is just as stupid and ignorant as they are, or at least one that sounds that way.

[Texas Lawyer]

17. Perry isn't pulling enough support to make much of a difference if he left, and he's wasting Koch

brothers. I'd like to see Perry waste a few more millions before he quits.

Plus, Santorum will never be the anti-Romney.

Paul and Gingrich will both out perform Santorum.