# 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:** 60
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1182 "2015-04-10T04:07:05Z")
There’s a right way to handle that. Reagan was an expert at it. Rand’s problem though is that he’s not ready to be President. He’s more ready than he was a few years ago, but still nowhere near where he needs to be. What he should be saying, if he was a ready for prime time guy in the here and now, is, “I was still learning back then, stop asking me about things I might have said way back when that were less informed and ask me what I have to say now.” But he can’t do that, because he’s still not sure what he thinks about a whole host of issues, so more flip flops are to come. Per your cite though, Ted Cruz handled his questioning pretty well. Not Reagan well, but decent. He shouldn’t have attacked Politifact, who didn’t actually fact check his joke, but it was good to hit at journalists who do fact check jokes. Does anyone remember CNN fact checking an SNL skit that claimed Obama hadn’t done squat? Just the idea that they needed to do that demonstrates some pretty incredible bias. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1183 "2015-04-10T06:33:01Z")
Ted does jokes? Really? Got any? Just the top two or three. Just the real knee-slappers! ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1184 "2015-04-10T07:05:31Z")
Rand also made a good point: no one ever asks Democrats if they’d outlaw abortion after viability. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1185 "2015-04-10T14:41:36Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Per your cite though, Ted Cruz handled his questioning pretty well. Claiming to have only been joking when you are called on your bullshit is an old tactic, often seen even here. It does not deserve respect. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1186 "2015-04-10T15:36:42Z")
Just to be clear: Does anyone actually think that Ted Cruz was making a serious policy proposal when he suggested sending all the employees of the IRS to the border? We have a lot of very literal, “can’t see the forest through the trees” types on the SDMB. We also have a lot of reactionary hatred of all right wing people and ideas. But this one really takes the cake. Well, I guess if you think Ted’s joke about sending the IRS to the border wasn’t a joke and was in fact a serious policy proposal then the rest of it follows. You should jump right on the fact that he said “agents” when in fact only about a quarter of IRS employees are agents and most do other work. It’s sad in a funny way that people on this board are so myopic that they think this means anything. It’s sad in a depressing way that members of the mainstream media are. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1187 "2015-04-11T04:18:48Z")
well, there are also people on SDMB who think that McCain singing “Bomb bomb Iran” was making a serious policy proposal. Or it could be that they’ll latch onto anything, which makes their protestations about the persecution of Hillary Clinton only so much projecting. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1188 "2015-04-11T08:09:12Z")
I can surely see your point, when you stop and think of all the intelligent, mature and enlightened notions he has put forth. You gotta think “This is a man with a unique perspective and a wholly original viewpoint!” Or some guy who’s as crazy as a duck on acid. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1189 "2015-04-11T08:26:28Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > Just to be clear: Does anyone actually think that Ted Cruz was making a serious policy proposal when he suggested sending all the employees of the IRS to the border? > > We have a lot of very literal, “can’t see the forest through the trees” types on the SDMB. We also have a lot of reactionary hatred of all right wing people and ideas. But this one really takes the cake. > > Well, I guess if you think Ted’s joke about sending the IRS to the border wasn’t a joke and was in fact a serious policy proposal then the rest of it follows. You should jump right on the fact that he said “agents” when in fact only about a quarter of IRS employees are agents and most do other work. > > It’s sad in a funny way that people on this board are so myopic that they think this means anything. > > It’s sad in a depressing way that members of the mainstream media are. It probably wasn’t serious in that he would actually do _that_. I’m sure it was a metaphor for shit-canning them and putting more people on the border with the money saved. Which is nearly as stupid. It’s a dumb policy idea, and one that only a fool would put forward. And you have to remember that Cruz is rat-fuck insane. He thinks \*hate \*is as good as _knowledge_. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1190 "2015-04-11T08:28:58Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > well, there are also people on SDMB who think that McCain singing “Bomb bomb Iran” was making a serious policy proposal. Or it could be that they’ll latch onto anything, which makes their protestations about the persecution of Hillary Clinton only so much projecting. Making a stupid song up about murdering thousands of people and igniting a trillion dollar war is genuinely stupid. What was he communicating if not, “Hey, I’m willing to bomb Iran.” with that song? Seriously? Was he saying, “I’m committed to finding a peaceful resolution, if possible?” ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1191 "2015-04-11T11:30:10Z")
Vague rumblings from frothy-mix guy. > [@"\[msnbc](#): > > ([Beyond the sweater vest: Santorum eyes 2016, religious freedom](http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/beyond-the-sweater-vest-santorum-eyes-2016-religious-freedom))"]“My daughters … have put fashion rules in place … I have to get approval before I pack whatever I’m going to wear and so far sweater vests have not made the cut.” > > While he may be dressing differently, the former Pennsylvania senator is sticking to some of the firebrand social conservatism that won him the Iowa caucus — and 10 other state primaries — in 2012. In an interview with msnbc, Santorum voiced support for a federal version of the Indiana’s religious freedom law that critics said allows discrimination against gays and lesbians. > > Santorum’s remarks came on the heels of news that he had formed a testing-the-waters account to fund travel while he considers a second presidential bid. He and other likely Republican contenders were in Iowa to begin wooing social conservatives. > > This time around, Santorum says he’s sharper, more experienced, and already better prepared. Umm, a federal version of Indiana’s law? Is that not kind of backwards? So, what about this guy, can he get traction, or is he just old news that no one wants to hear about? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1192 "2015-04-11T11:32:03Z")
Santorum is popular with evangelicals but with Huckabee in the race there’s really no place for him. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1193 "2015-04-11T13:15:59Z")
Huckabee’s in the race? That’s news. You may be right that there’s room for no more than one Bible-thumping denouncer in the race, but that there’s even one is cause for concern. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1194 "2015-04-11T13:40:35Z")
Chucklebee has no intention of running. He loves the gig he has going, being mentioned as a possible candidate keeps him in the news and his ratings going. I don’t think he has a campaign apparatus taking shape and he’ll do what he does best, whine about the US not being a theocracy. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1195 "2015-04-11T15:56:51Z")
Huck said he’d decide early this year. He sounds probable to me. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1196 "2015-04-11T16:32:32Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > And you have to remember that Cruz is rat-fuck insane. He thinks \*hate \*is as good as _knowledge_. [It’s even worse than that. He thinks he **has** knowledge.](http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/04/ted-cruz-isnt-an-idiot-hes-delusional-and-thats-far-more-dangerous/) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1197 "2015-04-14T00:05:46Z")
[Rubio’s throwing his hat in.](http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/04/13/398849456/reports-marco-rubio-says-hes-running-for-president) ---
**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:** [April 14, 2015, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1198 "2015-04-14T03:46:45Z")
One bright spot in all of this is that Santorum has been using certain vaguely economically populist rhetoric recently, such that my estimation of him (has slightly) risen while Huckabee’s has declined for obvious reasons. Perhaps its too wild a hope, but one cannot but wish that he becomes a second George Wallace or an American Le Pen (albeit less racist), which would certainly be an improvement upon the current economic atomism of the American Right. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2015, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1199 "2015-04-14T04:20:22Z")
I don’t know, economic populism combined with nationalism never ends well. I prefer my ideologies to be more intellectual and more removed from the passions of the moment. The last thing the GOP needs is to chuck Friedman and Hayek in favor of Dobbs and Buchanan. ---
**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:** [April 14, 2015, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1200 "2015-04-14T13:00:10Z")
A CNN commentator says Rubio can’t vote on Latino support: [http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/13/opinions/reyes-marco-rubio-candidacy/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/13/opinions/reyes-marco-rubio-candidacy/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2015, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444/1201 "2015-04-14T13:14:40Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I prefer my ideologies to be more intellectual and more removed from the passions of the moment. IOW, less connected to or grounded in reality. We know. > [@](#): > > The last thing the GOP needs is to chuck Friedman and Hayek in favor of Dobbs and Buchanan. How’s that trickle-down supply-side stuff been working? Any year now, could be this year, then we’ll all see who’s right, huh? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444.md?page=59) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-republican-candidates/709444.md?page=61)