# Does Haley Barbour have a serious chance of becoming president? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 22, 2011, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612 "2011-03-22T15:28:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/21 "2011-03-22T20:08:11Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > I voted for Obama, but in Oakminster’s defense, I think if you had mentioned even five years ago that our next president would be some guy whose last name rhymed with Osama and whose middle name was Hussein, many folks would have been stunned. > > Hell, I was one of those skeptics who was saying, “There’s no way this guy’s going to become president. He may be smart, but that name will just turn off too many people and be a ripe target for his opponents.” I should also add that it speaks of volumes about Obama’s savvy and the effectiveness of his political organization that the name didn’t prove too big a handicap, because his opponents did, and still do, use it as a line of attack. It doesn’t appear to me though that Barbour has the savvy and appeal that Obama did in '08. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/22 "2011-03-22T20:25:02Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > And if you go to the [PollingReport archives](http://www.pollingreport.com/wh08dem2.htm), you will notice that, at this point in the last cycle, Obama was already running a fairly strong second to Hillary in the polls for the Democratic nomination. While so far in this cycle, Barbour has yet to score above 3% in any poll showing on PollingReport, and usually does worse. He’s down in the white noise. > > In short, it’s no comparison. Yeah, the election is next year, and at this point Haley Barbour is scoring Dennis Kucinich or Joe Biden numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/23 "2011-03-23T00:50:16Z")
IIRC, someone here on the Dope actually called President Obama minutes after he finished his keynote at the 2004 DNC. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/24 "2011-03-23T01:10:06Z")
_Lots_ of people said Obama would be president (at least some day) after his 2004 speech. As far as Barbour goes; as a Mississippian, I hate the guy. Of course, I am a liberal Mississippian, if that matters. The government of this state is utter shit, and he is a corrupt asshole to boot. The idea of him as POTUS makes me want to puke. And his accent makes him sound like an idiot, whether he is or not. Sorry, **Oakminster** , but I’m allowed to say it because I am a Southerner. Some Southern accents are lovely, his ain’t. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/25 "2011-03-23T02:30:45Z")
> [@Cyberhwk](#): > > IIRC, someone here on the Dope actually called President Obama minutes after he finished his keynote at the 2004 DNC. I think Diogenes called it fairly early. I think. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/26 "2011-03-24T17:03:59Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > _Lots_ of people said Obama would be president (at least some day) after his 2004 speech. Hell yeah, I waved my wife into the TV room mid-speech for exactly that reason: he was going to be President someday. That was an easy call. Now if someone had told me, “you’re right, he’s going to be President _in four and a half years_,” I would have told them to get real - no _way_ he’d be getting there that fast. _Someday_, sure, but not the very next election cycle. That’s crazy talk, man! Apparently reality didn’t take my opinion on that part very seriously. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/27 "2011-03-24T17:21:08Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > In some pictures, he looks like William Shatner, only less svelte. I don’t think this is probably a good thing. I had the same thought. For any bets on Obama’s 2012 chances, or for those confident they’ve found a GOP candidate to unseat him, see here: [I'll bet Obama gets reelected - Politics & Elections - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=598342) ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/28 "2011-03-24T17:33:59Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I had the same thought. On the other hand, if there is some complicated diplomatic thing, I guess he could come into the room while the Priceline Negotiator song plays. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/29 "2011-03-24T17:37:14Z")
> [@Cyberhwk](#): > > IIRC, someone here on the Dope actually called President Obama minutes after he finished his keynote at the 2004 DNC. Yeah, but people here also predicted that Howard Dean would win in '04. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/30 "2011-03-24T18:40:41Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > the key word is “serious”–of course he has a chance. Hell, YOU have a chance, you dumb motherfucker with a drinking problem and a slew of unpaid debts and three ex-wives and two bankruptcies. What you and Barbour have in common is a Chinaman’s chance of being elected President. Ooh, is a Chinaman running? I could go for a Chinaman. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/31 "2011-03-24T18:59:21Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Ooh, is a Chinaman running? I could go for a Chinaman. [birther] Why not? We’ve got a Kenyan in the White House right now! [/birther] ---
**Author:** ![Walmarticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Walmarticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walmarticus)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/32 "2011-03-24T20:33:07Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Ooh, is a Chinaman running? I could go for a Chinaman. _Chinaman_ is not the preferred nomenclature. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/33 "2011-03-25T04:00:26Z")
> [@Walmarticus](#): > > _Chinaman_ is not the preferred nomenclature. What the fuck you talkin’ about? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/34 "2011-03-25T04:19:50Z")
He’s not a serious contender, no. he has no crossover appeal to moderates, and he’s not crazy enough for the primary base. He’s also an asshole, and he will read as an asshole if enough light is put on him. I’ve been predicting since day one that the nominee will be Romney, and I still feel that. If there’s a dark horse, it’s Jeb Bush. I think he could get the nomination, but he hasn’t shown any indication that he’s interested in it. I suspect he’s waiting until 2016 since he’s knows that Obama’s reelection is a forgone conclusion and the Dems don’t have an obvious successor yet. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/35 "2011-03-25T04:25:50Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > What the fuck you talkin’ about? Asian-American, please. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/36 "2011-03-25T12:01:08Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Asian-American, please. Saying that ‘he doesn’t have an Asian-American’s chance of getting elected President’ just sounds stupid. Plus Asian-American is much more inclusive than Chinaman and thus is not synonymous. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/37 "2011-03-25T13:12:51Z")
The guy has more baggage than a 747. He has a confederate flag in his office signed by Jeff Davis? Come on, do you think you can get elected without ANY minority vote? I have to agree that the nomination is Romney’s to lose, and the business suit Republicans aren’t going to let the Teahadists nominate a True Believer only to go down in flames. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/38 "2011-03-25T19:25:21Z")
Quoth **Diogenes** : > [@](#): > > I’ve been predicting since day one that the nominee will be Romney, and I still feel that. If there’s a dark horse, it’s Jeb Bush. I agree with you about Romney, but I think that Mitch Daniels is a much more likely dark horse than anyone with the Bush name. Yeah, yeah, he’s not his brother nor his father, but that’s still going to be a huge hill for him to climb. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/39 "2011-03-26T04:13:10Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > …the business suit Republicans aren’t going to let the Teahadists nominate a True Believer only to go down in flames. Did you make up “Teahadists”? I like it! The Asian-American thing reminds of me of a possibly-apocryphal story that the _Boston Globe_ once had a macro for all of its reporters’ word processors that changed any use of the word “black” to “African-American.” Supposedly, a few weeks later, a headline slipped through that read, “Budget for next fiscal year has state back in the African-American.” ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612/40 "2011-04-26T02:10:45Z")
Haley Barbour will not run: [http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/us/politics/26barbour.html?\_r=1&hp](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/us/politics/26barbour.html?_r=1&hp) > [@](#): > > In a telephone call to supporters, followed by a brief statement, Mr. Barbour said he lacked the “absolute fire in the belly,” that a candidacy would require. He apologized for flirting with a presidential bid over the last six months and then backing away, but said he had concluded that he was not ready to dedicate himself to the “all-consuming effort” a campaign would require. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-haley-barbour-have-a-serious-chance-of-becoming-president/575612.md?page=3)