If the GOP fight goes to a brokered convention and Mitch Daniels gets it, are we in trouble?

[BrentWil]

Just a general question for discussion. I am not worried at all about Newt. To me, Newt is the prefect person to destroy. Romney is a harder candidate, but he is beatable. However, what if something unexpected happens? What if, the fight goes to convention and they can't pick someone? What if the professionals line up enough votes behind Daniels?

To me this would be the nightmare. We would have a few short months to take down someone that looks like an "adult" and is somewhat moderate. Thoughts? It does seem odd that he is the State of the Union Response person. That usually goes to someone in Congress. Could GOP strategist be thinking about this as a fallback strategy?

[ingac70]

1. Most people will be pissed....

they didn't get a voice in who is chosen if they end up doing it that way.

Bush's former Director of the Office of Management and Budget? Bring it on!

[roguevalley]

9. his wife will never allow him to do it. she left him, shacked up with someone else for a while

and then came running back. That is why he didn't run before. I would be astounded if he did now. he's got his own morality drama to mess with. He reminds me of casper milquetoast who can do bad things because others tell him to.

[BrentWil]

18. From what I understand, she left him and he allowed her to come back.... He is good on that front NT

[salin]

20. He is, but she isn't. Local perspective

is that she made an ultimatum. Take that run, put me in that spotlight, and I will leave.

If true, I have to respect him that he would put his family first. So many claim to do so, but then act in an opposite way (think Gingrich and his multiple families).

[BrentWil]

24. WHo knows why he didn't run...

I think it is also likely he knew the GOP wouldn't actually vote for him... he doesn't seem crazy enough.

I honestly don't think people will care about what she did. One, they are remarried now. Two, he does seem like the good guy here (he raised the daughters, I think)

On this issue, he (Or her) have nothing to worry about. Coming after a spouse when the actual future office holder has acted well, won't happen, I don't think.

[grantcart]

33. or that was the public reason

[roguevalley]

22. yes. he's the anti newt

[denem]

2. No.

t is really pure fantasy to suggest that some White Knight could step in at last minute to save the Republican Nomination. The idea that the rank and file would rally behind a Nominee that none of them had voted for is ludicrous. 'We couldn't get our act together so you can have Jack Daniels'? Say What?

[BrentWil]

6. They have a Kenyan Communist to unite behind...

They (GOP Primary voters) really really hate the President. I think that the GOP could put forth my cat, and they would rally behind her.

And if no one can get enough votes, they have to pick someone.

[denem]

13. That's not the feeling I'm getting around the traps.

The Mitt hatred at FR is astonishing.

[gateley]

15. What's fueling the hatred? Too liberal? Too Mormon? nt

[BrentWil]

17. Plus, too establishment NT

[Gman]

3. I think it will be a moot point in the long run

time favors Romney. He'll wrap it up sometime after Super Tuesday and Newt will speak at the convention and come across as the pompous ass he is. With any luck at all, he'll come across like Pat Buchanan did at the GOP convention in Houston 1992 and make statements about protecting "our way of life", i.e. the rich white class that will tell the whole country what the GOP is really all about.

[BrentWil]

7. I don't think he will rap it up on Super Tuesday...

But odds are he will get it, I think.

Though, if Florida does go for Newt, I think that changes things.

[Gman]

41. I agree, not on Super Tuesday, but at some point afterwards

but he will be the nominee. I hope I'm wrong too and it is Newt.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. The problem is

the GOP voters will scream that "the establishment" selected a candidate for them and thus their votes were meaningless.

They (the Old Guard) pretty much already conceded this long long ago and are working on those congressional and senatorial seats instead.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

5. I think Jack Daniels has pretty much sewed it up on this one.

[sharp_stick]

8. No a brokered convention is a pretty serious

sign that a party is pretty fucked up, especially if the winner of the brokered convention is someone that hasn't been running through the primary process.

Doing something like would be just giving up altogether.

[BrentWil]

14. He hasn't been through the process...

Thus hasn't been torn down. He is out of the blue and looks new. I wouldn't be so sure that would be a bad thing for them.

[sharp_stick]

26. He and the party

would be torn down by the simple optics of looking like a bunch of inept morons.

Not only that, forcing in someone that rank and file republicons didn't get a chance to vote for at all would piss off the same republicons that would have to vote for him in the general election.

In my opinion nominating anybody except those in the process would result in the lowest republicon general election turnout in history, or damned close to it.

Just voting against the black guy isn't going to work all over the country.

He would look new and I can see how any republican would be pretty happy to see someone other than the weird clowns currently running. I think the republicon "first team" took a look at their chances against Obama in the current environment and decided to hold off until 2016 when they may face better odds.

[Art_from_Ark]

32. On the other hand,

if there were a brokered convention, maybe the rank-and-file would be relieved that none of the current crop of damaged goods actually got the nomination.

[salin]

23. Especially given the poor vetting of recent times

I think most in the GOP were shocked and (akwardly awed) by the stunning ineptness of Palin. Barely any (was there any) vetting. After a few initial interviews with the press - kept far away from anything like a press conference. And those efforts didn't work. Try that on a surprise (per a brokered convention) candidate. Very, very dangerous calculation on the part of the GOP.

[BrentWil]

25. Daniels has been around for a while and has done more then a governor of a small state...

He isn't Palin.

[bullwinkle428]

10. The Mitch Daniels that was G.W. Bush's budget director?

He doesn't have me shaking in my boots.

[JoePhilly]

11. I agree with all of the prior posts ... and I'll add this ... let's play it out ...

So at the convention, the GOP picks Mitch Daniels (or some one else).

The GOP has spent the entire primary season playing "flavor of the month". Some one "pops up", generates some excitement, and then crashes and burns.

The same is likely to happen to any "surprise" candidate.

The RNC convention is in late August ... which allows 2 months before the general elections. No GOP front runner has been able to hold steady for more than a month.

As others note, many in the GOP would scream foul ... claim that their votes had been usurped (you know dems would feed that argument).

And oh ... the tea Party nuts supporting Newt ... the LAST thing they want is an "adult" or a "moderate"... those folks would allow the US to burn to the ground first.

If anything ... a brokered convention signals the death of the GOP as we know it.

[BrentWil]

16. You are right, they would scream... at least some of them...

However, the vast majority would also come out to vote because who is President. That said, Mitch looks moderate and would appeal to the middle. We would have a very short time to show that he is not. The 2 month thing is a positive thing, not a negative for them, IMHO.

[JoePhilly]

27. Where I disagree ...

The crazies who want Newt now ... the very crazy far right base ... they are not logically people.

They are people who will see a new candidate as a trick. They are crazy people.

They were unwilling to vote for McCain. Even with Palin.

I don't plan to underestimate them. But if this happens, the GOP will fragment even more.

[BrentWil]

28. They came out and voted... we just won more of the middle..

However, their base showed up in 2008

[eppur_se_muova]

12. No. Most voters have never heard of Mitch Daniels.

I'm betting on Santorum to be the nominee. Gingrich isn't even on the ballot in a lot of states, and Romney has developed a stink.

I don't think Santorum's going to be much of a challenge to Obama, but a lot of R's will find him a reasonable choice.

[gopiscrap]

19. If they have to go to a brokered convention

the Democrats will win this race in a walk..because it will mean they are so messed up they can't unify!

[BrentWil]

21. Whoever they pick, Obama will unify them NT

[Stinky The Clown]

29. I think Mr. Daniels ahs some pressing family issues that may stand in his way

[frazzled]

30. He will sell off every thing this country owns to the highest private bidder

Everything: our roads, our national parklands, our water and natural resources. Hell, he'll sell Mount Rushmore itself to a conglomerate of Spanish and Slovenian businessmen and the Lincoln Memorial to some Russian billionaire.

[silvershadow]

31. Exactly. He is the manifestation of the true R ideology

and our state is the laboratory. I would worry if he gets the nomination only because of that...I'm not exactly sure he can out-maneuver Obama in the Fall? jm2c

[grantcart]

34. I think it would be stronger than the idiots they have now

Daniels/McDonnell would help them in Indiana and Virginia

But they should expect that the people who fought it out would feel betrayed.

The Ron people would be out of the tent completely.

Others including the evangeclicals would support it but they wouldn't get the volunteers.

In any case it is very very difficult to defeat an incumbent president who is succeeded on national security affairs.

Moreover Obama has put together a very very strong professional operation.

I prefer to see Romney because he is a terrible candidate and people really don't like him but I have been worried about a convention and a new draft candidate for several months.

[MrSlayer]

35. We're in trouble no matter what happens.

President Obama is obviously the best choice but I don't expect much more than what we've been getting. He'll be Obstructed at every turn and we'll continue our slower slide to the right with every compromise as opposed to the flat out violent rape a complete Republican cabal would inflict. And frankly I'm not so sure that won't happen either. This is a very stupid country.

[2pooped2pop]

36. My bitch Mitch

as he is called in Indiana, sold Hwy 6 to foreign investors. My bitch's grandfather is Syrian. My bitch let his wife leave him and took her back. While that is part of life for the rest of us, it is a weakness for them.
I would have to request he summit his long form birth certificate in triplicate, then not believe it anyway. I would have to question what other pieces of America he would sell to foreign interests. I would definately get more info on his marriage.

Lastly, My Bitch, Mitch is very small. Short and petite. THis is not considered the look of a strong leader to pugs. He would look very small and tiny compared to Obama. Almost laughable.

no, I don't think My Bitch, Mitch is gonna get the nod.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

37. Checking in from Indiana

The establishment loves him and hold him up as a symbol of "fiscal responsibility" but he's pretty bland like Romney and he and the Pubs are busy pushing "right-to-work" here right now- even though he promised unions he wouldnt when he first ran for office in 2004. Just another 1% out for the 1%. He has governed mostly as a moderate on social issues but signed law defunding Planned Parenthood last year.

Think a slightly less obnoxious Walker or Kasich.

[Bucky]

38. Yes. He's their best hope.

I doubt there'll be a brokered convention, but it is the GOP's only viable victory scenario.

[gkhouston]

39. No. He's a prissy little dull man with all the appeal of cold oatmeal. n/t

[JCMach1]

40. You are correct...