Jack Conway in 2016 is a certain possibility

[zulchzulu]

http://image3.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/Conway,_Jack%282%29.jpg

As William S. Burroughs stated in the poem "Old Man Bickford", which was a cynical treatise on how the powers behind the limelight run the Presidential "brand", Jack Conway fits the part.

As Burroughs stated in the poem, "he has a good front and a f*ckin' fine mouth"...

Conway fits the bill with looks, southern cred and a fairly moderate angle politically.

On issues, he's an empty vessel:
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Jack_Conway.htm

In terms of branding, I just heard on MSNBC that his nickname is "Jack Tough". Who needs a red pickup truck with that brand identity?

[DefenseLawyer]

1. A purty mouth?

Squeal!

[FrenchieCat]

2. He reminds me of that SNL character!

[backscatter712]

13. Cue Blazing Saddles...

Hedley Lamarr: My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives.
Taggart: God darnit, Mr. Lamarr, you use your tongue prettier than a twenty dollar whore.

[DefenseLawyer]

15. Baby please! I am not from Havana!

Oh wait, wrong politician.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. I hope there is something good going on behind that face....

[brentspeak]

4. Sestak would be Presidential material n/t

[Clio the Leo]

6. on Mars.

I am rooting for the guy all the way now (for November) ... but I'm not overly impressed.

[zulchzulu]

10. Something about Sestak reminds me of an infomercial salesdweeb

I'm glad he handed Specter a lot of free time, but he makes me wince having to listen to his fairly cliche-ridden chatter.

Nobody's perfect.

[Jennicut]

5. Something tells me a Dem from Kentucky is way too conservative for my tastes.

[Clio the Leo]

7. What about a Dem from Arkansas?

(jokes ... I got jokes!)

[Jennicut]

16. Been there, done that.

I voted for Bill back in 1996. Couldn't in 1992, I was 16. But haven't we gotten enough Southern Presidents before Obama? I mean, really. }(

[Clio the Leo]

19. lol, you're asking that of a SOUTHERNER?

um.... NO!

There's um ....... well ....... give it about 20 years. lol

[Jennicut]

20. Well, no one wants a New Englander for a President. Unless we count HW Bush.

Which is icky.

[Clio the Leo]

22. Hey! What about Blumenthal!

.... lol .... ok maybe not.

[Jennicut]

26. Please...I am trying to savor some happiness today.

[zulchzulu]

8. Maybe an Evan Bayh 2.0

Not saying I'd support him, but the DNC might see a horse they could bet on. It's poly ticks after all..

[CherokeeDem]

12. He's no flaming liberal...

but Conway has some good, solid old-line Dems behind him, not blue dogs, and he ran on health care reform and financial reform. As AG, he's gone after some corrupt organizations within the state. He's done ok. Smart guy and personable. My only concern is he's a bit green yet...he's thoughtful when he answers questions, not a quick comeback usually. They ran an exceptional campaign, however, and beat a candidate that was well known statewide as Lt. Gov. His campaign ads rocked...some of the best I have seen recently. Can he beat the Tea Baggers; if it greats crazy around here...he just might. KY is a more conservative state but there are some strong progressive areas. I know one thing; we're going to try.

[Jennicut]

17. Okay, he sounds reasonable. I hope he totally gives that Teabagger Paul a good race.

[zulchzulu]

21. I think Jack Tough will shred Teatard Paul into finely shredded tinfoil slivers

It will be fairly easy to embarrass Teatard Paul like they've done with his wacked out dad.

The Paul family brand will be one of tinfoiled snake oil salesmen.

[zulchzulu]

23. Good analysis

Thanks!

:hi:

[Cha]

24. Thanks for that background on

Jack Conway. He's got the name.:P

[JohnnyLib2]

33. That's the way I see him (and the general election) too.

More mainline Dem vs. tea party/Palin, anti-Obama candidate. Tough months ahead; winnable, but only with a hard effort.

[angee_is_mad]

9. well we know what happen to johnnie

not to put it out there since I'm tickle to death by tonights results.

[karynnj]

11. Why because he is as close to looking like Barbie's Ken as John Edwards and Scott Brown are?

It is completely irritating to again hear the nonsense that being Southern is something special. The fact is that there are not enough "observations to make that claim.

Before Obama won, I pointed out that you can see the silliness of when you consider that with enough voting machines in Ohio Kerry would have won. That would mean that since 1960, the only non-VP or President wins would be 2 southern governors with VERY different personalities and two MA Senators with very thick hair and initials JFK. Now no one in their right mind would claim that good looking MA Senators with initials JFK were the most likely to win - it would be a coincidence. Yet people stick to the nonsense that Southerners - who might lose their own state will win.

[zulchzulu]

14. A "strong" southern politician with a (D) next to HIS name has "movement"

I lived in the South and love Southerners, but the simple fact is that a southern Democrat with good looks and a moderate political record can go far in the southern region. You'd have to assume the East and West Democrats would vote for a puppy if he was a Democrat.

Jus' sayin'.

[karynnj]

28. I get what you are saying

but I think it's more the year and the person. The fact is that the two years when Carter and Clinton (the first time) won were Democratic years. In 1992, GHWB had a 33% approval by Nov 1992. 1976 was the rejection of all things Watergate. It is true that an abysmal race could lose a good year, but it takes real work.

The fact is that if we win the South it is a landslide. (Note that Neither Edwards or Clark did as well in Southern primaries in 2004 as Kerry did. Both were considered strong candidates at the time.)

[nyc 4 Biden]

34. he is catholic. not sure how popular that makes him down south.

although he did get elected AG.

[angee_is_mad]

18. I almost feel bad for writing that

since I feel so damn GOOD tonight.

I will be keeping an eye on him and see what he is really about. Only thing that I know at this time is that he is 100% better than that crazy ass rand.

Hell what kind on name is RAND?

[karynnj]

30. I'll agree there

What I object to is that this thread is all about looks and being Southern - neither are the criteria I think should be used. It may turn out he's the best Senator ever - but lets at least wait until he is elected and in office taking positions and pushing legislation.

[Ter]

25. Oh great, back to white Christian males...

:(

[FrenchieCat]

27. In KY, it wasn't ever anything else!

[liberalpragmatist]

29. He'd have to run after just one term, and would have to forgo reelection...

... granted, there *IS* Obama. But I suspect that first-term senators getting presidential nominations is still going to be the exception, not the rule. Obama was a very unique candidate at a very unique moment. Generally, I think it's a good thing for people to serve at least a full term and win reelection to their office once. It breeds some humility - we don't need another John Edwards, running for president his whole term and turning out to be an empty suit.

And of course, even against Rand Paul, Conway is going to face an uphill battle, given how right wing Kentucky has been swinging. That's not to say that Conway doesn't have a bright future - he could easily run again in 2016 or against McConnell in 2014 if he loses this year - just to say that he's not necessarily going to win this year.

[Mass]

31. This reminds me of my junior senator. Anybody who would be selected by the criteria

MA selected Scott Brown should be avoided. These people are walking catastrophy. (Now, you may be doing him a disfavor by describing him this way, but selecting a nominee and president the way you do is the reason we got GWBush as president).

As an aside note, hopefully he can beat the nuts that Ky Republicans sent to the general election. I remember how, six years ago, the Dems could not beat Bunning (probably because they could not figure out who was the Democrat listening to them).

[KingFlorez]

32. I knew somebody was going to bring this up

I don't think 2016 will be his year for President, but I do think he would be on the VP short list, that is if he's elected to the Senate this year.