When Bush loses, will Rove make him the Rep. candidate in 2008?

[kevinhnc]

When Bush loses, he will of course think that the evil-doers have stolen away his second term, which of course has already been pre-ordained by God. I wouldn't be surprised to see him throw his hat in the ring.

I suppose technically he could run (what horror!). Discuss.

[Brucey]

1. More likely

Guiliani, McCain, Schwarzengroper, or Frist.

[kevinhnc]

3. Any of those except Mccain make me shudder at the thought.

Even the thought of McCain isn't too appealing.

[chyjo]

45. I'd rather have Arnold than McCain

McCain got a free pass for too long for being a war hero, and acting like a decent guy. At least Arnold has several plusses in the domestic column.

[rndmprsn]

4. i hope its ghouliani...

DAMAGED GOODS by 2008 for campaigning for this FAILED/CRIMINAL ADMIN.

[pacalo]

32. I'm hoping that the coWard's crimes will be exposed for everyone to see,

& that anyone they're priming for the 2008 election who campaigned for him this year will be considered damaged goods in the credibility department.

[eataTREE]

10. McCain is too old.

He will be 72 in 2008. 2000 was his big chance.

Guiliani won't appeal enough to the base; he's from New York City and he's had mistresses.

Beefyboy isn't eligible unless a Constitutional amendment is passed, which could happen, but hasn't yet.

I think * might try to run again, but will not get far in the primaries. After losing the '04 election and having to steal the '00 election, he will not have a winning reputation.

Bill Frist is a more serious contender, but he has ties to the medical industry that will make him unpopular among the Republican base. (He owns an interest in health care companies that perform abortions, gasp, shriek)

Maybe one of the Senate moderates? Dick Lugar?

[alexisfree]

41. bush brothers will give the try!

[djg21]

12. Not Shwarzengroper!

Whule he'd like to run, it would require a constitutional amendment. There's no chance that an amendment would be passed assuming a vote along party lines in the senate.

[GiovanniC]

23. It Might

In contemplation of a Jennifer Granholm run.

[Dinger]

27. Gropenator Can Forget It

NEVER happen, no way!

[Czolgosz]

37. It's Frist.. Guiliani, McCain, Schwarzengroper would never get the

nomination.

[amber dog democrat]

2. Ann Coulter, Katherine Harris, or Phyllis Schafley

for my money. Lets have some crazy vennom infusions !

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

5. I hope he DOES run again in 2008.

Because after Kerry guides us to 4 years of prosperity, he's going to remind people of what Republicans do when they're in charge, sending people running back to the polls for Kerry.

[GDoyle]

6. I have heard....

Rove's next project is Frist. I say Rove has been exposed as severely overrated. Hey Rove, bring it on bitch, you've been owned.

GDoyle

[Homerr]

34. Is Rove smart enough to jump off the Bush ship?

[Anaxamander]

42. Not just owned, but PWN3D! (nt)

[Richardson08]

7. Bill Owens of Colorado

[Hamlette]

8. If Rove can get Bush the nomination in 2008 I'll call him a genius

oh wait. he's already a genius for getting Bush into office in 2000.

[AntiCoup2K4]

9. How about Frist/Asscrotch '08?

Their entire platform could be based on hatred of cats.

[dr.strangelove]

22. Don't joke I -think it will be Dr. Freak and

some other right wing nut from the mid-west in 2008.

[Bunny]

11. I think they'll run someone else in '08.

Assuming that Kerry will run for re-election. They're saving Jebby for '12.

[quaoar]

13. It won't be Frist

He has been a less than spectacular majority leader from the Republicans' point of view -- tainted by the huge deficit, Medicare drug benefits, etc.

Arnold is barred from running by the Constitution because he is not a native-born citizen.

Anyone who is pro-choice is just not going to win the GOP nomination, so forget about Guiliani. Besides, he does have that nasty little adultery scandal.

Bush can run again but after losing he would be damaged goods.

Here's a scenario for ya:
In 2006, former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore will likely run against Gov. Bob Riley in the Alabama GOP primary. He has a good shot at winning (God help us!) In 2008, there could be a dearth of heavyweight candidates willing to go up against a popular President Kerry so the nomination could fall to someone on the far right. Moore is a rock star to the evangelical right and would have the shock troops at his command to make a run at the nomination. It would be the sicko, right-wing version of the McGovern campaign.

[Jack Rabbit]

14. He might try, but he won't get anywhere

If I were a Republican looking to unseat President Kerry in 2008, I would look at Bush's record as a candidate. Assuming he loses tomorrow, Bush will lose with all the advantages of incumbency. And then there is the nasty little fact, which Republicans acknowledge in their heart of hearts, that Bush has never won a presidential election in the first place.

Even if I were a dedicated neoconservative, I'd look for somebody else.

[pmbryant]

15. This is why it's important that he be dealt a decisive defeat

If he loses very narrowly, the GOP can play up the legal aspects and paint it as a stolen election. That sets the stage for the GOP congresscritters to waylay Kerry as they did Clinton and for Bush to run again in 2008.

Defeating Bush soundly, by at least 2-3% (which is within reach with a great turnout effort, I believe), would prevent this scenario at least.

The congresscritters would still try to ruin Kerry, but at least the GOP couldn't come back with the "Cult of GWB" in 2008. They'd have to go with someone new, I'd think.

All speculation on my part.

:shrug:

Peter

[Arcadia1]

16. Bush will be an outcast if he loses

The conservatives will completely disown him. They will blame him for starting a war that can't be won. He'll be their Carter.

Right now, they are rallying around him because they are stuck with him. If he loses, no one will return his phone calls ... not even Jeb.

BTW, there are virulent rumors about how stupid and uninformed he is, how he only listens to advisers who flatter him (Condaleeza Rice), how he is so threatened by Dick Cheney that Cheney doesn't even speak up at meetings, how Colin Powell can't bear to explain something to him AGAIN ...

Fukyama (big conservative ideologue), referring to Iraq, said "some responsible for a policy failure of that magnitude needs to be held accountable"

Even if he wins, they'll start criticizing him ... afraid that they'll be saddled with responsibility for Iraq in 2008 ...

[newyawker99]

30. Hi Arcadia1!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[patricia92243]

17. When Bush loses, the Republican Party will implode. THEY will take back

THEIR party from tne neo-cons and be Republicans again. It is good for the nation to have two viable parties, but NOT the neo-cons who have hi-jacked the Republicans. Lots of Republicans want their party back!

[Stinky The Clown]

44. I'm with you on this one ........

Just encourage the re ascendancy of moderate, intellectual republicans. I absolutely believe we need a strong two party system. What we do NOT need is a party (on either side) that is radicalized or extremist. When (not if) they implode, they'll have years of rebuilding unless they can muster a candidate in 08 who can truly appeal to both sides.

[aden_nak]

18. That's only ever worked ONCE.

Groverl Clevland. I mean, he could run, but after the shit starts hitting the fan (and hopefully the Kerry administration will start sorting out the mess left behind) I don't think George W. has a chance. However, you can fully expect to see Jeb Bush make a bid for the White House. Oh man, that'll be rich.

Fool me once, shame on. . . shame on you? Uh-foo-muh can't git fooled again!

[Johnny 99]

19. Rudi Giuliani, Chuck Hagel, Bob Taft, Liz Dole

Those are the ones I see as getting hyped up.

[SammyWinstonJack]

20. First Rover will have to put the chimp in rehab

to dry him out, just like he did before he ran the chimp for Tx Gov. I wish I could remember where I read that. :shrug:

[elehhhhna]

21. Fat chance Gw's sentence(s) will be up that early.

[lectrobyte]

24. Won't happen, but there might be another Bush candidate in 08, Jeb?

[skordane]

25. How About a CrossOver Democrat

Like Zell Miller

[dkamin]

26. Don't forget JAIL

If Kerry is smart, he'll authorize an independent prosecutor, and/or DOJ, to pursue all of the allegations of illegal and potentially treasonous activities committed by partisan Republicans during: a) the buildup to the Iraq war, and the subsequent coverup; and b) the illegal anti-democratic activities.

With a little bit of moxie and some aggressive prosecutors, I'd hope that many of the key components of the current Republican regime (i.e. Rove, Libby, Cheney, Harris, Gillespie and perhaps even Bush himself) will be facing indictments and/or serious jail time.

Treason ought to be exposed...

[midnight armadillo]

39. Nope, they'll be pardoned

Bush will pardon all of his cohorts in crime on his way out the door. Cheney, Halliburton execs, Rumsfailed, all of 'em.

[kurt_cagle]

43. Can't Pardon

You can only issue a pardon to someone who has been indicted for a crime. One of the few blessings of having had a GOP controlled Congress - not a one of the bastards has been indicted for anything so much as a traffic ticket. This of course means that there will be NO immunity to prosecution when the reconstituted DOJ gets underway.

I think Bush will skate out of any indictments, so long as Congress is controlled, but most of his administration won't. Look for jail terms for Rumsfeld, Wolfewitz, Ashcroft and maybe Condi Rice, and I suspect corruption charges for many of the less visible administration members once the anthill is turned over.

[maine_raptor]

46. Sorry, but Prez can pardon anyone for anything at anytime.

US Constitution does not limit Presidential pardons. Can be given without regard to any indictment (actual or pending). In fact in theory Presidential Pardon can be given for crimes not yet committed.

[yellowcanine]

28. Nope. A Bush loss poisons the well for all Bushes - and that includes Jeb

and that little carfucker George P. or whatever his name is. The Pubs will finally have exorcised the "Bush syndrome" when W loses.

[MsTryska]

29. Nope....Bush will have the stink of LOSER on him....

bushes are destined to be one-termers. we now have a pattern of that.

[AnIndependentTexan]

31. Bush Senior for 2008 and Bush Junior as Vice President

[requiem99]

33. Throwing out GWB decisively will mean no Bush ever again.

Fool us once, shame on... shame on you. (GHWB) Fool us twice... *stammer* can't get fooled again. (GWB)

[archineas]

35. my guess of '08

tom ridge

tho' it wouldn't shock me if * tries again. it might be neat to see him run for the nomination against his brother. talk about the dirt you'd see fly during that campaign.

that actually sounds fun. (it might be the flu talking...)

j

[Claire Beth]

36. naah..he is gone when he loses this one....

the gopers wouldn't see him as a viable candidate.

[jeffhoo]

38. i'm thinking lindsay graham of sc

from the south and had lots of exposure in '98 (edit) with the impeachment hearings. sort of their counter part to john edwards.

oh what the hell, let zell change parties and let's go at him ;)

[Johnyawl]

40. yes. bush will announce for '08 in his concession speech

Can Rove keep him interested enough, and sober enough, to campaign for four years? That's the big question