# 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:** 9
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/161 "2011-03-31T01:48:39Z")
**AbloyProtec** , I don’t think you’re violating any rules here, but what you’ve said so far (nothing positive about your candidate - just glee that his name has been mentioned) is not going to encourage people to take him seriously. Perhaps you’d like to give some reasons to explain your enthusiasm? ---
**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, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/162 "2011-03-31T01:59:31Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > **AbloyProtec** , I don’t think you’re violating any rules here, but what you’ve said so far (nothing positive about your candidate - just glee that his name has been mentioned) is not going to encourage people to take him seriously. Perhaps you’d like to give some reasons to explain your enthusiasm? The point was to put his name in the thread so that anyone seriously considering candidates would at least have one more avenue to research. Anyone seriously researching candidates won’t end their journey on the offhand comments by members of the Straight Dope. ---
**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 31, 2011, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/163 "2011-03-31T02:31:12Z")
If you genuinely hope people will want to take a serious look at Cain, you probably want to stop with the “Under there!” “Under where?” “Tee hee, I made you say underwear!” style of political discussion. ---
**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 31, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/164 "2011-03-31T02:41:36Z")
And when people do seriously research Cain, one of the things they’ll find about him is that even his supporters can’t find anything better to say about him than “He’s running”. ---
**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, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/165 "2011-03-31T03:05:54Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And when people do seriously research Cain, one of the things they’ll find about him is that even his supporters can’t find anything better to say about him than “He’s running”. Ok? I’d hope they’d rely on his stances instead of the promotion techniques of his supporters. Then again, you, and the rest of the U.S., may pick your candidate(s) differently from me so I may be wrong. Press is press, Google/Yahoo trends are heavily dependent on links. I’ve just generated 2 and counting and you’re all now aware that the man exists months before the first debate. All I had to do was type a few small responses. Ain’t technology great? ---
**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 31, 2011, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/166 "2011-03-31T03:07:47Z")
> [@AbloyProtec](#): > > Press is press Ask Rick Santorum about that. ---
**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 31, 2011, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/167 "2011-03-31T03:47:00Z")
Again, if you’re so eager to get the word out, and you consider his stances so important, why not tell us about them? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/168 "2011-03-31T04:53:19Z")
> [@AbloyProtec](#): > > Press is press > [@jsgoddess](#): > > Ask Rick Santorum about that. Or George Allen Or Michael Dukakis Or Howard Dean Or Richard Nixon . . . but then again, for someone as low on the totem pole as Cain (pretty sure he’s just above that one popular kid at the high school down the street), maybe press _is_ press. ---
**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 31, 2011, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/169 "2011-03-31T05:46:48Z")
> [@AbloyProtec](#): > > Press is press, Google/Yahoo trends are heavily dependent on links. I’ve just generated 2 and counting and you’re all now aware that the man exists months before the first debate. All I had to do was type a few small responses. Mods, seriously, how is this any different than Viagra spam? ---
**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, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/170 "2011-03-31T11:11:18Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Again, if you’re so eager to get the word out, and you consider his stances so important, why not tell us about them? Because I’m not about to get drawn into a massive debate over the issues on a predominantly liberal board. I mean this as no insult but, by and large, this board is mainly comprised of liberals > [@](#): > > but then again, for someone as low on the totem pole as Cain (pretty sure he’s just above that one popular kid at the high school down the street), maybe press is press. He’s actually not that low on the totem pole. Going by most of the polls, he’s anywhere from 2nd to 4th from the top of it. I realize it’s entirely too early but to write him off as a nobody at this point is blatantly ignorant. He’s polling very, very well. > [@](#): > > Mods, seriously, how is this any different than Viagra spam? You know, rather than making them do the work, why don’t you cite specific rules you believe I am breaking? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/171 "2011-03-31T14:35:19Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > Mods, seriously, how is this any different than Viagra spam? Because he’s not really doing anything (other than embarrassing himself and his candidate). But it’s getting on my nerves. So here are your options, **AbloyProtec** : you can attempt a serious discussion of the issues and the candidate you say you support, or you can stop posting in this thread. We’re not here to boost your guy’s Q rating. ---
**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 31, 2011, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/172 "2011-03-31T14:37:09Z")
Well, most of us aren’t. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/173 "2011-03-31T15:58:57Z")
Merged thread by **Qin Shi Huangdi** (and three responses) into this thread. ---
**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 31, 2011, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/174 "2011-03-31T17:26:02Z")
Tim Pawlenty is now [publicly telling the Birthers to shut up](http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/03/pawlenty-obamas-birth-certificate-no-issue/1). So now, he’ll be getting an equal share of “who?” and “RINO!” reactions. ---
**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 31, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/175 "2011-03-31T17:51:15Z")
Yes, but he also just described his past environmental actions as “stupid” “clunkers.” So he is getting right with the party there. ---
**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, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/176 "2011-03-31T21:52:04Z")
I’d love to hear your criticisms of the Fair Tax Act that Governor Huckabee and Herman Cain have been highlighting on their respective campaigns. Also, please no 30% figure - that’s been thoroughly debunked. ---
**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 31, 2011, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/177 "2011-03-31T22:08:05Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Tim Pawlenty is now [publicly telling the Birthers to shut up](http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/03/pawlenty-obamas-birth-certificate-no-issue/1). So now, he’ll be getting an equal share of “who?” and “RINO!” reactions. I was curious, so I checked out the Freepers. This is golden: [ > [@](#): > > I wish I knew where I could write to Trump to add my support of what he is doing. I sort of hope that his running is just to be a voice in the wilderness, so to speak, and bring to the front this constitutional issue, then once he has done that, to back off and allow someone like Palin to run and win. If anyone could do it… he can! > > If he did that, I bet his legacy would be that of a savior of our country. ]([Trump’s Quest For Obama’s Birth Certificate](http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2696801/posts?page=20#20)) ---
**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 31, 2011, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/178 "2011-03-31T23:37:22Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I was curious, so I checked out the Freepers. This is golden: Don’t you feel all dirty and sticky now? ---
**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 31, 2011, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/179 "2011-03-31T23:41:50Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Don’t you feel all dirty and sticky now? It’s all educational and stuff! ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160/180 "2011-03-31T23:53:48Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > > [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > > > Don’t you feel all dirty and sticky now? > > It’s all educational and stuff! That’s what \*she \*said! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handicapping-the-2012-gop-presidential-nomination/571160.md?page=10)