I love Gary Johnson and already have a bumper sticker on my car. However, I also like Tim Pawlenty, Mitch Daniels, Ron Paul and John Thune.
I already said this in post #113.
There will also be another Cheesehead pol on the national radar screen, Scott Walker, the next Governor of Wisconsin. If not Ryan, look for a Republican POTUS candidate to tap Walker in '12 or '16 for VP, or perhaps a cabinet position in '13.
His State of the Union response (last year?) was a TRAINWRECK!
Doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Bill Clinton’s '88 Democratic Convention keynote was horrible.
Well, that should be fun. Not.
Seriously though, Obama’s going to be an extremely tough candidate to beat. There’s no sign of a Ross Perot to split the Democrat vote, so why would any sensible Republican stand against him? Americans don’t give candidates second chances these days.
Kucinich must run! His wife’s really hot
Hardly a reason for him to run. I mean, we can appreciate Elizabeth Kucinich regardless of whether her husband’s running for anything or not.
DAMN! She is hot!
I think that’s true of Democrats, but I don’t think it really holds for Republicans.
Mmmm… 
Seems like Convention Keynote Speakers become the next nominee.
The Republicans let Bob Dole lose elections for the Vice Presidency and Presidency.
I think it does, at least at the very top. IIRC, no candidate of either major party, Democratic or Republican, has won a presidential nomination a second time after having lost it once, since Nixon in 1968 (who lost in 1960).
coughJohn McCaincough
I do believe he means “won a presidential nomination a second time after having lost the general election”.
Ah, perhaps. But I think the sample size for that scenario is so small as to be non-indicative of anything at all.
Personally, not being a political history wonk, I can only name two other candidates that might fit that bill – Grover Cleveland and Teddy Roosevelt. I figure Cleveland 'cuz he was elected to non-consecutive terms, and so likely lost the general election in between; I figure Roosevelt might qualify 'cuz of his Bull Moose candidacy, even though the 3rd party status disqualifies it from bearing any weight here.
And of course, once you go back more than a 1/2 century, the character of any party becomes rather shaky IMO. I don’t think one can legitimately draw conclusions too far beyond that timeframe…
With the money the Supreme Cort legalized, any Repub has a chance. The next campaign will set records for spending levels.
Correct. Thank you.