# Handicapping the 2012 GOP presidential nomination **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 12, 2011, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160 "2011-02-12T21:14:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**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 29, 2011, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/141 "2011-03-29T22:58:37Z")
I’ve got the slogan now! “Cain Ain’t Able.” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/142 "2011-03-29T23:22:38Z")
> [@AbloyProtec](#): > > Played like a fiddle. Thanks for the press. Are you connected with the campaign? And you are not allowed to insult other posters (calling them trolls, for example) in this forum. So don’t do it again. ---
**Author:** ![AbloyProtec](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@AbloyProtec](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbloyProtec)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/143 "2011-03-29T23:40:43Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Are you connected with the campaign? Nope. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/144 "2011-03-29T23:48:23Z")
So you’re actually that excited that your candidate was mentioned a couple of times in this thread? ---
**Author:** ![AbloyProtec](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@AbloyProtec](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbloyProtec)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/145 "2011-03-30T00:05:27Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > So you’re actually that excited that your candidate was mentioned a couple of times in this thread? Fighting ignorance everyday! ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/146 "2011-03-30T03:15:52Z")
Who will become the Republican nominee for President in 2012? I would say it will be either Mitt Romney (if he runs) or Tim Pawlenty (if the former doesn’t run). ---
**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 30, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/147 "2011-03-30T03:32:46Z")
Probably Romney, though I predict one of the flamethrowers (Gingrich, Palin, Bachmann or the like) will win the Iowa Caucus and cause some early excitement. We’ve seen similar phenomena with red meat candidates like Pat Buchanan or Pat Roberston doing well in Iowa or New Hampshire with appeals to the most hardcore of the conservative base, but the party always corrects itself and ends up with some safe default. There are so many dipshits this time around - more than usual, that it will be hard for any one of them to coalesce the teabaggers, and once the Primaries get to Super Tuesday, the Party will correct like it always does and Romney will be a _fait accompli_ Pawlenty has a shot at the VP spot, but, he will be hampered by the fact that he’s boring and can’t deliver his own state. He’s definitely _mean_ enough, though, even though he tries to work a “nice guy” persona. Don’t be fooled. Pawlenty is driven completely by soulless ambition and has neither principle nor conscience. He can play a bomb thrower if need be. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/148 "2011-03-30T03:33:12Z")
If Romney’s able to convincingly ratchet up the crazy and appeal to the birthers and Tea Party, he could be the nominee. I don’t think Pawlenty has a shot no matter what he does, unless he’s simply the last man standing. At this point, I think it’ll be someone no one’s thinking about right now. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/149 "2011-03-30T05:00:38Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > I would say it will be either Mitt Romney (if he runs) or Tim Pawlenty (if the former doesn’t run). Romney has been preping to run since 2006. He’s about as likely to run in 2012 as Obama is. But I think he’ll loose to Pawlenty. The GOP hatred of the ACA is too strong to let Romney get nominated after passing Romneycare in Massachusetts. Also, we already have this same basic thread going already. [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=596908) ---
**Author:** ![AbloyProtec](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@AbloyProtec](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbloyProtec)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/150 "2011-03-30T11:31:17Z")
FWIW: [Huckabee Continues to Lead in GOP Positive Intensity Tracking](http://www.gallup.com/poll/146864/Huckabee-Continues-Lead-GOP-Positive-Intensity-Tracking.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/151 "2011-03-30T11:47:33Z")
Ah, that guy who **AbloyProtec** is shilling for sounds like a winner: **AbloyProtec’s** candidate: Many American Muslims ‘Not Dedicated’ To U.S., Constitution > [@](#): > > In an interview with Fox News’ Neil Cavuto on Monday, [he] sought to clarify remarks he made over the weekend to a Think Progress reporter, when he said that he would not appoint any Muslims to his cabinet or federal judgeships were he President. In defending that statement, [he] said that his concern is not with Muslims per se, but with Sharia law, and that he would need a “commitment” from prospective Muslim appointees that they would remain loyal to the Constitution before he would consider giving them a job. Sounds like **OttoDaFe** was wrong–_only_ knuckle-dragging fundamentalists are likely to vote for him. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/152 "2011-03-30T12:29:09Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Ah, that guy who **AbloyProtec** is shilling for sounds like a winner: > > **AbloyProtec’s** candidate: Many American Muslims ‘Not Dedicated’ To U.S., Constitution > > > [@](#): > > > > In an interview with Fox News’ Neil Cavuto on Monday, [he] sought to clarify remarks he made over the weekend to a Think Progress reporter, when he said that he would not appoint any Muslims to his cabinet or federal judgeships were he President. In defending that statement, [he] said that his concern is not with Muslims per se, but with Sharia law, and that he would need a “commitment” from prospective Muslim appointees that they would remain loyal to the Constitution before he would consider giving them a job. In other words, they must pass a religious test? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/153 "2011-03-30T14:20:03Z")
I wonder who Cain will pick for his VP. For balance I would suggest he take someone who people outside of his immediate family have heard of. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/154 "2011-03-30T15:54:45Z")
> [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](#): > > I wonder who Cain will pick for his VP. I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess “not a muslim”. ---
**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 30, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/155 "2011-03-30T16:27:39Z")
> [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](#): > > I wonder who Cain will pick for his VP. For balance I would suggest he take someone who people outside of his immediate family have heard of. Maybe that’s what **AblyProtec** is angling for. ---
**Author:** ![AbloyProtec](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@AbloyProtec](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbloyProtec)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/156 "2011-03-30T22:51:04Z")
More Cain talk? I love it! But really, discussing VP choices at this point is kind of far fetched considering most, including Cain, are only at exploratory stages. It seems as if Newt has been courting Rubio as of late, however - that’d be an interesting ticket. ---
**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 30, 2011, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/157 "2011-03-30T23:29:10Z")
Did Herman Cain help Glenn Beck rape and murder a young girl in 1990? ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/158 "2011-03-30T23:31:34Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > I would imagine there are only so many loses allowed until you start to see damage to the brand. Tell that to the Chicago Cubs! Seriously, though, being a persecuted underdog can be a successful strategy. Some people love scrappy losers; Hollywood has sure made enough movies about them. She could run a dozen campaigns over the rest of her life, lose them all, and maintain her image as someone worth listening to. ---
**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 30, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/159 "2011-03-30T23:35:43Z")
> [@AbloyProtec](#): > > More Cain talk? I love it! > > But really, discussing VP choices at this point is kind of far fetched considering most, including Cain, are only at exploratory stages. It seems as if Newt has been courting Rubio as of late, however - that’d be an interesting ticket. Allowing the man who almost single-handedly ruined Florida’s economy to ruin the nation’s? Doubtful. Rubio is way too shallow to handle a national campaign right now. ---
**Author:** ![AbloyProtec](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@AbloyProtec](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbloyProtec)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/160 "2011-03-31T01:36:39Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Allowing the man who almost single-handedly ruined Florida’s economy to ruin the nation’s? Doubtful. Rubio is way too shallow to handle a national campaign right now. With Gingrich expected to announce candidacy in May and Rubio publicly stating he has no intentions to run, I think it’s safe to deduce a VP spot for Rubio on such a ticket given current circumstances. > [@jsgoddess](#): > > Did Herman Cain help Glenn Beck rape and murder a young girl in 1990? Personal attack? Fighting ignorance everyday, huh? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160.md?page=9)