That’s why I said serious run. There are always perpetual candidates. They won’t get any traction.
Oooooh no, squire! No! No, no, no. Absolutely not! No!
Well, yes. A bit.
Bachmann and Cain? No, probably not. I don’t think they’ll do any better in 2016 than they did in 2012.
But Santorum? I disagree on that. I think Santorum has the best shot at the Republican nomination in 2016.
Someone who will have been out of elected office for nine years by then? He didn’t have a ghost of a chance this year. He’ll never get over being a Google joke. What can possibly happen in four years to elevate him?
Exapno Mapcase is right: this was a horrendous crop of candidates, and none of them has a shot at 2016 assuming Romney loses.
I’m standing by my prediction. The 2012 campaign moved Santorum from the joke candidate list to the serious candidate list.
Obviously not among everybody but there are people who still don’t believe George W. Bush could ever be considered a serious candidate. You don’t need to convince everyone, just enough people to get elected.
And Santorum showed he could do that. He got strong showings in primaries all over the country. He didn’t do as well as Romney but he proved he can draw votes - he’s not a fringe candidate like Paul or Bachmann or Cain or Trump. And he got more votes than conventional candidates like Perry and Pawlenty and Huntsman.
Which means in 2016, he’ll be able to start his campaign in a strong position. He’ll be drawing donors and supporters from the beginning rather than having to prove himself as a viable candidate first.
And he’s weathered a campaign at this point. Anything that can said about him has been said and people have heard it. Unless he screws up in the next few years, there won’t be anything new to throw at him in 2016.
Guys like Rubio and Christie are more likely to run in 2016. Santorum won’t look good against them. He only looks good against other bozos and the chronically insincere, i.e. Romney.
Question: Has anyone ever gone from Cabinet secretary to president without holding some other office in the meantime?
Herbert Hoover, from being Secretary of Commerce, so it’s not impossible.
Ignorance fought… not sure if that’s a precedent worth emulating, though. 
Why yes, that was the exact exchange, as a matter of fact. 
Actually, I did not hear the exchange myself. A BBC reporter passed the info along as part of a main-headline round-up. Thanks to those providing links.
As for Hillary’s lesbian affairs, I think we need to see photos of those before we can judge. I certainly do. Preferably ones from her younger days and not, say, last week.
BBC: Photographs eh!! he asked him knowingly
Clinton: Photography?
BBC: Yes. Nudge nudge. Snap snap. Grin grin, wink wink, say no more?
Clinton: Holiday lesbian snaps?
BBC: Could be, could be taken on holiday. Could be yes - swimming costumes. Know what I mean. Candid photography. Know what I mean, nudge nudge.
What are you insinuating?
What you have to keep in mind though is that the Republican electorate was desperate for a non-Romney in the run-up to the primaries. And he got his turn in the spotlight only after most of the other alternatives had flamed out (Bachmann, Perry, Cain, etc.) He also got lucky in that he peaked just before the Iowa caucuses. If the caucuses had been held a week before, it likely would have been Gingrich giving Romney a run for his money. If they had taken place a week later, it could well been someone else.
I just can’t see him doing well in a field that might include Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, Mitch Daniels and other contenders who aren’t total clowns.
BBC: Look, Mr. President, you’re a man of the world, yes?
Clinton: Yes.
BBC: I mean… you’ve slept?
Clinton: Yes.
BBC: …with a lady?
Clinton: Yes.
BBC: …what’s it like?
Perhaps nothing new to throw. But lots of old stuff to spread.
Wink, wink. Nudge, nudge.
. . . Don’t they ever learn?!
At least one of the big young stars will be running in 2016 should Romney lose. Ryan, Jindal, Rubio, Christie. Rick Santorum won’t beat them if he can’t beat Romney.
None of them went up against Romney either. They may all look like contenders but nobody really knows until they make the run. Look at Rick Perry - back in 2010 the conventional wisdom was that he’d be a major contender if he chose to make the run. Or Giuliani in 2008.
All I know is Monica Lewinsky was on his staff.