06 February 2008

Time Machine...





Super Tuesday is behind us and the road to the Presidency is just as foggy as ever. Both democratic candidates are claiming victory and the republican field is in some disarray, due to the “anti-vote” in support of Mike Huckabee.



Full disclosure, I pulled the lever (touched the screen) for McCain.



Huckabee appeals to the old line conservatives of the party who clamor for a rigid adherence to values. Although I think that Romney is the best manager in the group, the President has little effect on the economy. I prefer McCain’s stronger national security posture and flexible domestic policy.



Ron Paul had a decent showing in the northwest, a location of fierce independents and the former home of Ted Kaczinski (the Unabomber), various militias and many adherents to the “code of the west”. Paul, who hasn’t a prayer of influencing the convention or making a dent in the news cycle the moment he drops out of the race, remains the crotchety curmudgeon.



Ron Paul: “In my day we had to barter in gold and beaver pelts..”



Interviewer: “But congressman, when FDR moved from the gold standard, isn’t that one of the most commonly cited reasons for recovery after the crash of 1929?”



Ron Paul: “When I was a flight surgeon, we had to wing walk to look after our patients…”



He is, bless his heart, a crank.



Huckabee, however, poses a much more challenging puzzle. He will have some influence in the convention.



Hopefully very little.



The specter of a revival of the religious right in the GOP is depressing. Frankly, there is enough to work on with security, economics, education and health care without resurrecting rhetorical constructs like abortion, gay marriage and the inclusion of the ten commandments in public documents.


8 comments:

sonicfrog said...

The moderates have been shut out of the Republican party for eight years (or more), and now, with McCain and Huck, they are getting their revenge.

Citizen Deux said...

Hee hee. It looks like McCain will be the nominee. What about a McCain / Romney Ticket?

BostonMaggie said...

I think a McCain/Romney ticket is the way to go. The advantages that Romney brings to the table work if he's vice-president. whereas, only one guy can be CINC.

Citizen Deux said...

Can Romney be a VP? What about Powell or someone to counter the ethnicity / gender of an Obama / Clinton ticket?

Could Hillary take on Obama as VP or vice versa?

Would they?

BostonMaggie said...

IMO -

I think Romney would be excellent as VP & I think that for a) the good of the country and b) the sake of positioning himself for another run at the White House, he could do it.

Powell won't do it because of his wife's issues. It's unfortunate, but those are the breaks.

I have heard Condi & Kay Bailey Hutchinson floated as possibles to bring diversity to McCain's ticket.

I think that Obama could take the VP spot if offered for the same "positioning" reason, but don't know if Hillary is smart enough to offer it. Obama is too smart to trust Hillary if the shoe is on the other foot.

I am 1000% behind my bad boyfriend John McCain - UNLESS - he picks Huckabee as a running mate. But I think he is too smart for that. I hear it being floated and it makes me through up a little in my mouth everytime I hear it.

Citizen Deux said...

Huckabee as VP would force me to vote democrat.

Let's hope McCain sees that as the fatal third rail. I, for one, am sick to death of evangelical influence in the GOP.

BostonMaggie said...

Huckabee as VP would force me to move to Ireland to herd sheep.

ep417 said...

My respect and admiration for Bostonmaggie has just increased tenfold. Honey, come on over to the UK. There are enough sheep around Colchester that you can herd, and I have a spare room.