# The 2016 Republican candidates **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 9, 2015, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444 "2015-01-09T22:38:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 40
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/782 "2015-02-22T14:48:33Z")
The reason for Carson’s current popularity is written across his face, isn’t it? Without that, he’d be just another nutbag writing angry letters to the editor as a retirement hobby. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/783 "2015-02-22T15:19:32Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Can he win? Sure he can, if he finds some discipline and hires people to handle him. He’s in the same class as Herman Cain and Cain was in front briefly before allegations of sexual harassment brought him down. But, Cain never could have won. Not the general, not the primaries. You know it. He had a better shot at becoming president of Uzbekibekistanstan. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/784 "2015-02-22T15:21:37Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Or perhaps he’s a normal guy who doesn’t know much about politics and has weird opinions, much like any average guy you’d meet. Yeah, well, that’s not the kind of guy we want for president, is it? ---
**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:** [February 22, 2015, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/785 "2015-02-22T20:46:32Z")
John Kasich, Governor of Ohio, is in South Carolina and making Presidential noises: [Ohio Gov. John Kasich in South Carolina: 'You may find me in New Hampshire before it's over' - cleveland.com](http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2015/02/ohio_gov_john_kasich_in_south.html) ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/786 "2015-02-22T20:57:33Z")
Won’t help, there is extradition in New Hampshire as well. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/787 "2015-02-22T21:16:20Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The reason for Carson’s current popularity is written across his face, isn’t it? Without that, he’d be just another nutbag writing angry letters to the editor as a retirement hobby. Speaking as someone who’s actually on your side of this argument…stop helping. You just basically reiterated the standard right-wing mouthnoise about why Obama got elected. Of course, it’s not true in Obama’s case, but handing them ammunition is kind of stupid, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/788 "2015-02-22T21:34:36Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Speaking as someone who’s actually on your side of this argument…stop helping. You just basically reiterated the standard right-wing mouthnoise about why Obama got elected. Of course, it’s not true in Obama’s case, but handing them ammunition is kind of stupid, isn’t it? No, I think they’re different claims altogether. The lefty claim about black conservatives is that, in what might be regarded as a weird parody of affirmative action, any black conservative who is able to string coherent sentences together and not embarrass himself in public has a bright future on the wingnut welfare circuit, and will have plenty of encouragement to run for office, with the idea being that even if there are practically no black conservatives in the general population, the GOP can make it look otherwise by putting every last one of them in the limelight. While the right may claim that the skids were greased for Obama because he’s black, (a) it’s definitely not because the Dems are trying to cover up the lack of left-of-center blacks, and (b) who the heck didn’t notice that Hillary Clinton, who practically **is** the Democratic establishment at this point, did her damnedest to win the 2008 nomination herself, and indeed made it the most hard-fought nomination fight since 1976. If wingnuts think that’s skid-greasing, they’re too confused to try to explain things to. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/789 "2015-02-22T23:55:42Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > You just basically reiterated the standard right-wing mouthnoise about why Obama got elected. I’m pointing out how it doesn’t mean anything either way from those guys. It’s a way to avoid dealing with the lack of support they get from African-Americans. Carson is their latest “front-window Negro”, that’s all, following the likes of Herman Cain and J.C. Watts, and a few others who can be named individually. > [@](#): > > Of course, it’s not true in Obama’s case Not primarily, of course not, but not in the slightest? Really? You’re quite confident of that? :dubious: > [@](#): > > but handing them ammunition is kind of stupid, isn’t it? Not if they’re going to shoot it into their own feet. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/790 "2015-02-23T02:04:49Z")
Well, it’s all moot, Obama won’t be running in 2016 and Carson, if he does, won’t be in it long. Race – at least, the races of the candidates – simply won’t be a factor, they’ll all be white (no, Jindal won’t last long either). ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/791 "2015-02-23T04:09:54Z")
You’re forgetting Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/792 "2015-02-23T04:17:49Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > You’re forgetting Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. They’d have to be Icelandic to be any whiter. And neither will last long past the first round of primaries. Rubio probably won’t even run. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/793 "2015-02-23T04:21:06Z")
That’s true of most Latinos. I guess demographic change isn’t working for your side after all. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/794 "2015-02-23T04:32:58Z")
It would be really nice if being wrong were painful, somehow… ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/795 "2015-02-23T04:33:43Z")
Tell that to Brainy over here. If Rubio and Cruz are white, then most Latinos are white. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/796 "2015-02-23T12:23:05Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Tell that to Brainy over here. If Rubio and Cruz are white, then most Latinos are white. This does not follow necessarily. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/797 "2015-02-23T12:34:08Z")
What is your standard? If it’s skin tone, Rubio and Cruz are comfortably in the medium range. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/798 "2015-02-23T12:44:10Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > What is your standard? If it’s skin tone, Rubio and Cruz are comfortably in the medium range. I don’t have a standard. I don’t think Cruz has ever referred to himself as Latino. Rubio may or may not have; I don’t recall. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/799 "2015-02-23T14:44:20Z")
FWIW, for statistical purposes at least, the Federal government treats race (white, black, Asian, Native American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, etc.) and ethnicity (Hispanic, non-Hispanic) as independent variables. If you’re a Hispanic, you can be white, black, Asian, Native American, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, just as you can be if you’re non-Hispanic. Something like 90% of Hispanics in the U.S. report themselves as white on their Census forms. Just from their photos, I’d expect Cruz and Rubio would fit comfortably into that group. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/800 "2015-02-23T15:35:04Z")
[Brent Bozell of the Media Research Center](http://www.salon.com/2015/02/19/jeb_ghazi_a_conservative_groups_hilarious_campaign_to_tie_jeb_bush_to_benghazi/) [takes aim at Jeb](http://www.salon.com/2015/02/23/secrets_of_the_right_wing_brain_the_hilarious_wingnut_scheme_to_pretend_jeb_bush_is_a_squishy_liberal/) with an ad that seems to tie him to Benghazi, no really. > [@](#): > > On the surface this would seem to be the message. Jeb is “unelectable” because he was nice to Hillary but Hillary was responsible for Benghazi and therefore Jeb is tainted by his friendly association with her at this event. It’s hard to believe that anyone thinks this very thin association of Bush with Benghazi could possibly be used by, well … anyone. But Bozell is much cleverer than that. He’s making the case that Jeb is unelectable for an entirely different reason. He has taken the _exact_ case against George W. Bush and 9/11 — “ignored evidence,” “refused to act,” “happened on his watch” — and applied it to Hillary and Benghazi. I’m sure many right-wingers have internalized the idea that this event is an act of terrorist aggression that Hillary failed to stop, but when you put it in the context of _Jeb Bush_ it takes on another dimension, doesn’t it? > > What are they really saying with this ad that immediately evokes the comparison of Benghazi with 9/11? They are really saying that Jeb Bush is unelectable _because of his brother,_ not because of any award he gave to Hillary. Bozell isn’t aiming this ad at the rank and file. He’s aiming it at the Big Money Boys whom he obviously feels need to be reminded of the serious baggage Jeb brings with him. > > These movement conservatives really do not want another Bush on the ticket. And the smart ones like Bozell who’ve been playing this game for many decades know how to undermine their own better than anyone. They can’t admit that “W” screwed the pooch, but it is the most powerful line of attack against Jeb and they know it. This is their way of getting that out there. ---
**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:** [February 23, 2015, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/801 "2015-02-23T16:38:40Z")
I’m no fan of Jeb, but that makes my brain hurt. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444.md?page=39) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444.md?page=41)