# Not from the US but WTF kind of candidates are the Republicans really offering up? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 11, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182 "2012-01-11T18:02:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/21 "2012-01-12T21:00:40Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > And every one of them has supporters who would say exactly the same thing about Obama. That’s politics. Politics is one thing — I strongly disagree with all of the Rep’s political views. But I can at least think that Huntsman is not some combination of stupid, corrupt, or insane. I can’t say that about Perry, Cain, Bachmann, Gingrich, Paul, or Santorum. Given such a weak field, and given that people like Cantor, Boehner, and McConnell (and I’ll be happy if I spelled half the names right) love the spotlight, I’m wondering why they didn’t run. Surely they have the ego for it, and although I detest their political views, they wouldn’t look as idiotic as the people who _are_ running, so they might have a decent shot. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/22 "2012-01-12T22:05:20Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Anyway, that’s why the GOP candidates this year look like pinheads. Because, pinheads or not, they have to **appeal** to pinheads to win, or even to avoid the dread label of RINO. I understand that. I do find myself wondering how much of what these loons say is actually their opinion, or just part of the act they need to keep up to get the fringe votes. _Most_ of these people aren’t stupid…they are calculating and manipulative (though I also think they’d be terrible presidents). And that scares me, because it’s _choosing_ to be perceived as an ignorant, intolerant, stupid buffoon in order to appeal to even more ignorant, intolerant, stupid people that I wouldn’t trust to guard a pair of used socks. I guess I don’t feel that politics should be theatrical or entertainment; the US presidential neverending election is just theatre most of the time, and if some aspect of the world doesn’t boil down to a sound bite or catch-phrase, it’s automatically evil and distrusted. The whole thing really is entertaining…until I remember that (hyperbolically) the US and their “crazy politics” could bring us all down with them. Then again, we have Captain Sweatervest at the helm, so I’m not too sure who is winning what here. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/23 "2012-01-12T22:05:43Z")
> [@brocks](#): > > Politics is one thing — I strongly disagree with all of the Rep’s political views. But I can at least think that Huntsman is not some combination of stupid, corrupt, or insane. I can’t say that about Perry, Cain, Bachmann, Gingrich, Paul, or Santorum. > > Given such a weak field, and given that people like Cantor, Boehner, and McConnell (and I’ll be happy if I spelled half the names right) love the spotlight, I’m wondering why they didn’t run. Surely they have the ego for it, and although I detest their political views, they wouldn’t look as idiotic as the people who _are_ running, so they might have a decent shot. because the stats show that it’s harder to take out an incumbent than when you’re running against a new guy. Obama may be vulnerable on some points, but he’s not clearly in trouble; so if you’re thinking about a run, you may gamble that Obama gets re-elected and plan to run in the next cycle; especially if you’re relatively young, like Cantor or Jindal. that kind of calculation doesn’t always work, of course: Bill Clinton being the prime example of someone who ignored that and won; Mario Cuomo made that calculus and lost out in 1992, by not running. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/24 "2012-01-12T22:07:57Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > Then again, we have Captain Sweatervest at the helm, so I’m not too sure who is winning what here. 😉 You mean you don’t get a warm, comfy feeling from that? like coming home and Dad’s there, lounging around? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/25 "2012-01-12T22:14:40Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > I understand that. I do find myself wondering how much of what these loons say is actually their opinion, or just part of the act they need to keep up to get the fringe votes. _Most_ of these people aren’t stupid…they are calculating and manipulative (though I also think they’d be terrible presidents). And that scares me, because it’s _choosing_ to be perceived as an ignorant, intolerant, stupid buffoon in order to appeal to even more ignorant, intolerant, stupid people that I wouldn’t trust to guard a pair of used socks. Like you said, you’re not an American. You might not be aware that pretending to be an ignorant etc. to appeal to the voters is an American political **tradition.** It goes back at least to [1840,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1840) when Harrison beat Van Buren by portraying Van Buren as an elitist aristrocrat and himself as a plain common “Log Cabin and Hard Cider” man (actually, Harrison was himself just as aristocratic by American standards). ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/26 "2012-01-12T22:42:37Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > You mean you don’t get a warm, comfy feeling from that? like coming home and Dad’s there, lounging around? 😉 If I ever come home and find my Dad wearing a sweatervest, I’m having him examined for signs of a stroke. :smack: > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Like you said, you’re not an American. \*You might not be aware that pretending to be an ignorant etc. to appeal to the voters is an American political **tradition.** \* It goes back at least to [1840,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1840) when Harrison beat Van Buren by portraying Van Buren as an elitist aristrocrat and himself as a plain common “Log Cabin and Hard Cider” man (actually, Harrison was himself just as aristocratic by American standards). Italics mine. Oh, I’m aware of it. We get all the major American news/networks/cable channels up here (and we are subscribed to them), and through these boards and the rest of the internet I probably know more random facts about the USA than I do about Canada (I’m not proud of that, but we really are flooded with information coming out of the States). It’s an incredibly naive Canadian that doesn’t realize that what happens in American politics has an impact on what happens to us in our country. We can’t get away from the fact that we are such close neighbours with such strongly intertwined economies. Also, we get a perverse little thrill whenever an American politician mentions Canada. You should see the parties we throw when we make the Daily Show or the Colbert Report… ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/27 "2012-01-12T22:59:20Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > Also, we get a perverse little thrill whenever an American politician mentions Canada. Why, then, by gum, I promise you that when I run for POTUS I’ll promise to **invade** Canada! Party time! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/28 "2012-01-12T23:37:24Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Why, then, by gum, I promise you that when I run for POTUS I’ll promise to **invade** Canada! Party time! 🙂 No, no, no… let us bring the party to _you_. Besides, our beer is better! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/29 "2012-01-12T23:57:45Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > No, no, no… let us bring the party to _you_. Besides, our beer is better! Like hell it is! Them’s fightin’ werds! Remember [Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_World_Series#Game_6)! 60°N or Fight! ---
**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:** [January 13, 2012, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/30 "2012-01-13T00:42:36Z")
Ptah! If elected, I will cede _six_ states to Canadian conservatorship! ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/31 "2012-01-13T01:42:17Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Like hell it is! Them’s fightin’ werds! > > Remember [Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_World_Series#Game_6)! 60°N or Fight! Wait, what? You want me to care about something out of Toronto?!? You _really_ don’t understand Canadians! ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/32 "2012-01-14T14:38:24Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > No a lot of good people such Huckabee, Jindal, Rubio, Pawlenty (who dropped out), and Giuliani are regrettably not running this year. With the exception of Pawlenty and perhaps Rubio, the rest of that list belongs on the clown car with the current crop of yahoos. Huckabee would fit right into the current slate of weak candidates. His appeal is too narrowly focused in evangelicals, and his statement about changing the Constitution to reflect God’s law like some Christian Sharia law would alienate moderates and independents. Jindal would need a complete makeover. Maybe it plays well in Louisiana, but his speaking style appears comical to the rest of the country. Like many conservatives, Jindal also suffers from “too earnest by half” syndrome, where they think they can make up for lack of substance with an excess of enthusiasm. Giuliani might have had a chance if his rhetoric wasn’t limited to a noun, a verb, and “9/11”. The country has moved on; they want their Republicans to keep up with the latest fear mongering, not the boogeyman of ten years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/33 "2012-01-14T15:00:05Z")
It really seems odd that the GOP can’t come up with anyone better than Romney. But, heck, look who their last candidate was. We really need a viable 3rd party. But it apparently won’t ever happen. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/34 "2012-01-14T20:21:51Z")
Strange women in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government! I eagerly look forward to reading the history books’ take (say 50 years from now-yes I have had several relatives who were centenarians or nearly so) on the current crop of candidates, and just bask in the disbelief that anybody anywhere thought any of these bozos were qualified for anything more than the local dog poop picker upper. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/35 "2012-01-15T06:22:00Z")
[quote=“Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi, post:15, topic:609182”] > [@](#): > > Unless your definition of right wing is anybody to the right of Pol Pot, that is ridiculous. You have been around here long enough to know that that is EXACTLY Der Trihs’s definition of right wing. Pay her no mind. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/36 "2012-01-15T14:29:54Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > There is no “liberal media”; that’s just a right wing catchphrase with no truth to it. Originally invented to deflect criticism of Reagan IIRC. We have a right-leaning corporate media, one that tends to bend over backwards for Republicans not the other way around; and that ignores the parts of the media like Fox News that are outright right wing propaganda. Actually, that complaint comes up in Joe McGinniss’ _Selling of the President 1968_. It’s an article of faith for Nixon’s media advisor, a young television producer named Roger Ailes. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/37 "2012-01-15T14:36:26Z")
It’s not the candidates that are the problem, it’s americans in general and the republican base most of all. I doubt any of the people running for president on either side believe that intelligent design should be taught in schools, that global warming isn’t real and man made, that cutting taxes is the solution to everything, that gay marriage is wrong or any of the other idiotic positions they have to support in order to have a chance at being nominated. They HAVE to look like complete idiots to get the complete idiots that vote for them to chose them. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/38 "2012-01-15T15:35:29Z")
Actually scratch that, Bachmann probably did believe every idiotic thing she sprouted. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/39 "2012-01-15T15:57:33Z")
Slander! There is no way, none, that you can prove she isn’t a lying, two-faced sack of crazy! Take that back! ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182/40 "2012-01-15T21:13:43Z")
GOP candidates no longer represent anything but corporate interests, yet are forced by the system to attempt to convince voters that they represent the actual American population. Their appearance of idiocy springs from their need to peddle their views. They can’t run on what they actually intend to do, which is remove all barriers to the corporate rape of the majority of America’s population. So they twist it and turn it to convince people that they actually want to make this a theocracy, or that Muslims hate oil and so do liberals, so the only patriotic thing to do is poison the water supply with methane and fracking fluid. And wealthy people need more tax cuts, and the poor and the weak need to be cut off because the inherent immorality of those groups turns them into an unfair burden on us good, white people. They need to somehow sucker the evangelicals once again into believing that lying about who they really represent (Mammon) is somehow the ultimate Christian stance against the straw man they’ve spent so much effort creating: liberals. It is tricky and requires enormous amounts of bullshit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-from-the-us-but-wtf-kind-of-candidates-are-the-republicans-really-offering-up/609182.md?page=3)