I think Perry will get their nomination, & I think he is VERY beatable IF Obama/Dems do their job.

[RBInMaine]

Barring a huge mistake, Perry wins the RePUKE nomination. He wins the money war and he wins the base. Romney is too boring and too "moderate" to win. And even most TeaBaggers know Bachman can't win. And if Perry gets their nod he is VERY, VERY beatable. Yes, it will be TOUGH in a TOUGH economy. However, Obama/Dems CAN and WILL beat him (and win back the House too) IF they get the hell on CLEAR and BRUTAL OFFENSE. Simple as that. You MUST fire up the base AND win the Indies, and to do it, you MUST effectively brand Perry and his Pukes as the WHACKOEXTREMISTS that they are. Look at Nevada's Senate race last year. Economy in the tank, yet they put up Angle-the-NutWhacko. THAT is what saved Harry Reid's ass. He and his team were smart and effectively painted her as the EXTREMIST that she is. The very same can be done to Perry. His state is at the bottom on education and the environment. He essentially supports secession and virtually has said SS and Medicare are unconstitutional and if they did exist at all should be run by the states. He's a church nut and a gun nut. And it goes on and on. He's a freaking nut. A George Bush-II on steroids. And he's none too bright. So they have to embrace SS and Medicare, have a better jobs plan rather than just ultra corporate trickle down, and RELENTLESSLY ATTACK this nut (and the GOP in general) as the extremist whackjob that he is. CLEAR. POWERFUL. RELENTLESS. Do that, and you heat up our base and you beat him (and the House Pukes too) by making him unpalatable to enough Indies. Don't do it, and you have some real problems. Axelrod and Plouffe know just what the hell to do. They need to do it.

[tblue]

1. I wish you were running the campaign!

Heck, I wish you were running the WH! I think they're pretty good at the campaign/election thing, and I have heard the plan is to go all-negative. I just hope they figure out how to fight for policy. They seem to get broadsided all the time.

[PearliePoo2]

2. Nice post.

Democrats and Indies CAN NOT sit home and not vote.
That is crucial and that is how the tea-bagging
taliban-fundies got elected in 2010.

[RBInMaine]

25. Spot on perfect. Too many D's and D-leaning Indies stayed home and let the TeaPukes win.

[Deep13]

3. I hope you are right, but I doubt it.

He kind of blew his chance when he did not make jobs his first priority out of the gate in 2009.

[RBInMaine]

16. The stimulus and MANY other stimulus type bills passed.

[Deep13]

30. Kudos for that, but it wasn't enough.

No one is going to care that he tried. They're only going to care that unemployment is still officially around 10%. That's why our side lost in 2010. People were still getting poorer. Frankly, these budget cutting deals with the Rs have negated any progress he made.

[notGaryOldman]

4. If Obama and the Dems were doing their jobs.....

...the likes of Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann wouldn't even be considered serious candidates.

[RBInMaine]

24. VERY early yet.

[Vincardog]

5. You are suggesting that BO ATTACK. That is not in his character. You might as well ask that he STAND

FOR Democratic principles.

[RBInMaine]

23. Interesting many were criticized here in 08 for asking him to attack, and now they are mad he isn't

attacking. On "principles," you want far left purity. Get real. No Democratic president has EVER done that. FDR locked up the Japanese Americans. Was that a "Democratic principle"? He has signed the most PROGRESSIVE legislation since LBJ hands down. Case closed.

[Vincardog]

27. I do not want 'far left purity' I want the leader of the Democratic party to support Democratic

Policies and stand for Democratic PRINCIPLES.
I agree that FDR signed progressive legislation. He also fought for that legislation.
Please tell me one progressive thing that BO has fought for much less passed.Case closed my a$$ more like mind closed.

[bigdarryl]

6. OH PLEASE!! Obama can sit on his ass and do nothing and he's still going to win

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppcBGvomX0Q at least the popular vote anyway. You must haven't seen Allan Lichtman being interviewed by Lawrence O'Donnell when he said they 2012 election is already over based on past history of Presidential elections.By the way Lichtman is so damn good with his predictions he even predicted G W Bush would win the popular vote count against Kerry before the 2004 elections.

[RBInMaine]

17. In a very tough economy you NEVER "just sit on your ass." So get real.

[AlinPA]

7. He could be unbeatable with Rubio on the ticket. Media will love it.

[golfguru]

9. Perry-Rubio ticket is indeed formidable n/t

[RBInMaine]

18. Rubio is on record saying SS and Medicare created laziness. He's toast.

[babsbunny]

8. Run Bernie Run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RBInMaine]

19. Keep smoking the pipe dream.

[Douglas Carpenter]

10. will he be questioned about his religious connections and their foreign policy implications?

I know that it is considered treading on dangerous ground to criticize a political figure regarding religious beliefs - but in the case of Perry and the branch of fundamentalism he has gone out of his way to identify with - these have genuinely chilling implications.

Specifically Gov. Perry closely identifies with Rev. John Hagee and others who strongly insist that America MUST push for the destruction of the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem in order to rebuild the Temple of Solomon specifically for the purpose of provoking a catastrophic world war against he Arab and Islamic world and thus usher in the Second coming of Jesus Christ.

Given that Gov. Perry publicly identifies with those who advocate this - will he be questioned about this? Does he believe that we are living in the end of times? Does he agree with his public religious connections that America must push for the destruction of the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem? Does he believe like his co-religionists that America is commanded by God to enter into an apocalyptic war in preparation for the second coming of Jesus Christ?

[totodeinhere]

11. Most people won't give a damn about that. They care about jobs and the economy and

if Perry can convince them that he will be better for the economy then he will be elected regardless of his religious beliefs.

[Douglas Carpenter]

13. even if they think that he might just cause World War III?

I agree that the general pattern has been that when the economy is perceived as doing poorly - the incumbent President almost always becomes unpopular and looses reelection. When the economy is perceived as doing well - the incumbent President almost always becomes popular and wins reelection. That is how things almost always go. But is Perry so far out of the mainstream and are some of his beliefs so far removed from the vast majority of even religious Americans - and is the thought that he might cause catastrophic war - will these matters over come the likelihood that the economy will almost certainly be perceived as doing poor in October/November 2012. I would certainly hope so.

[totodeinhere]

28. I don't think that Perry will win merely because the economy is doing poorly.

The winner will be the candidate who can convince people that he or she has the best chance to implement polices that will improve the economy. That's why I think Obama still has a good chance. Even if the economy is in bad shape we wouldn't want to elect a Republican who will make it even worse.

As far as starting WWIII goes, I doubt if that argument will fly anymore. The cold war is over. Whom would he start WWIII with? There is nobody left to fight it with. Of course his foreign policy would be a disaster and he might start Iraq type wars albeit not world wars, but desperate people will care more about economics than foreign policy.

[RBInMaine]

20. Well, not if he is seen as a dangerous nutjob, and his religious whackyness helps.

[totodeinhere]

29. I wouldn't write him off as a dangerous nutjob who can't win. Democrats

have written off too many candidates before that they thought couldn't win only to be bitten on the ass for it later. Reagan comes to mind. So does Bush Jr. who although he didn't really "win" nevertheless did get sworn in as president.

[jaysunb]

12. Perry won't be the nominee

Romney or some other unannouced will be there.

Perry will be exposed from inside the Republican camp. Think BUSH DYNASTY. :evilgrin:

[Glimmer of Hope]

14. Yep; I think that dynasty is pretty powerful.

[RBInMaine]

22. On what planet? The "dyansty" is limp as a wet noodle. Jeb doesn't have a chance in all hell.

[jaysunb]

26. I didn't metion Jeb,

the Bush clan has lots of "soldiers" to do their bidding. Don't ever sell them short. Seriously.

[RBInMaine]

21. The Bushes are DONE. Stick a fork in them. Perry beats Romney in that base hands down.

[Maeve]

15. Point out his "pay to play" form of politics and other smoozing with donors

Corruption is another of his weak spots and it will get the attention of the "good government" independents.

[BlueIdaho]

31. Mittens gets the call, Perry scares Wall Street and the Banksters.

One thing about republicans, they know who butters their bread.. Forget the "Tea Bagger" = popular revolt nonsense. The Baggers always have been and always will be the craziest 15% of the republican party. They are a MSM sideshow. The candidate will be chosen by the filthy rich and they know who's turn it is. This year, it's Mittens turn. You can bank on it.