Do the Republicans actually have a viable Presidential candidate?

[Lucinda]

I have been out of the political loop for a while...so at this point, I'm really looking into the Democratic candidates in order to make a decision, but as I do this, I keep getting glimpses of the Republican candidates, and I really don't see anything in any of them that makes them a good contender. I'm seeing stupid mistakes, and absolutely no charisma in any of their candidates.

Am I missing something?

[TeamJordan23]

1. Yeah, they have no one good. A poll last week had "None of the Above" coming in at top.

Dems must be really bad if they screw this up in 2008. But I did think the same thing in 2004.

[lefador]

2. Yes they do; DieBold.

It is not who votes but who counts the votes.

Thomson will win in a landslide, even though exit polls will have a discrepancy of historical proportions. But hey, who are you going to believe a machine created by a GOP front company with no paper trail or oversight or your lying eyes?

[Mythsaje]

3. You're not really missing anything. You're right.

Welcome to DU!

[saltpoint]

4. I think you're right. They ain't got a soul who's viable.

The Republicans who could actually help them out would never survive the nomination process in the primaries. And the ones who would are abominable.

Jeb's been eclipsed by his older brother's massive failures. So I think he's out for 08.

John Danforth, nearly chosen instead of Dick Cheney for W's veep, would be a stronger candidate than the announced hopefuls but the fundies would crap their drawers if Danforth stepped in. He's too conservative for us but he's way too liberal for them.

Lugar is allegedly good on some foreign policy issues but he hasn't been, well, awake for a couple of decades at least. He ran once and was wiped out early.

Connie Mack of Florida is not interested at all in returning to electoral politics but the demographics are there for him as very viable. His cancer work is arguably the best there is and he isn't going to leave. He told me it is now his life's calling, and he ain't a'gonna budge.

Tommy Franks? A cynical, mean-spirited rattlesnake.

Steve Forbes? I have a hard time taking him seriously.

The GOP would be better off if they told their fundie base to cram it (I realize this isn't going to happen) and nominate John Danforth/Rob Portman. That would make it tougher on us than it's gonna be if they nominate Cruel Rudy or Multiple-Choice Mitt.

This isn't looking like a very good year for the GOP at all. And that's mighty good.

[still_one]

5. It may not be viable to us, but the media will sell either guilliani or thompson

as the candidates. Most likely it will be guilliani, and I have no doubt that they will sell him as "America's Mayor"

They will express how he was out in the streets right after 9/11 to bring the people together, barely mentioning the reason he was out in the street is because he insisted that the Office of Emergency Affairs be located in the WTC, in spite of strong recommendations not to. They will also not discuss the communication failures that occurred during 9/11 due to his policies

Thompson is already being sold as a wise grandfather type.

Yes, we know what the republican candidates represent, but I also know that the media will insure that the Democratic point of view is either NOT heard or twisted

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. How about they run their standard bearer Richard Cheney.

What are they afraid of? They need to stand on principle & not politicize this thing.

[saltpoint]

8. Cheney could certainly count on the votes of the people in Bill Kristol's

office.

I'm sure they're still in the Veep's camp.

And Doug Feith and his family, too.

And most or all of the FOX News team.

So yeah. He'd very likely break into a three-figure total once all the votes are counted.

[The_Casual_Observer]

10. He'd end up with a good 40% of the vote.

Americans are that stupid. Tom Cruise would do about as well I imagine.

[saltpoint]

12. Just had an image of Dick Cheney jumping up and down on Oprah's couch.

[jobycom]

7. I think they have created their own hole with their catering to special interest groups.

They have to please the right wing religious crowd and its unyielding set of values, and they have to please the corporate donor crowd with its insatiable need for more tax giveaways, and they have to please the fanatical America Firsters crowd since they have fired them up over the last few years. Meanwhile, the majority of Americans want an end to the cult-like control of religious extremists, and they want a more equitable tax structure that requires those who benefit the most from our government to pay the most back in to our government, and they want sanity when it comes to our foreign policy.

Thus, to win the Republican nomination, their candidates have to be completely out of step with the desires of the nation. People like McCain, who was viable 7 years ago, have twisted into so many tight knots to keep their constituency that they can't campaign to the general voters. Giuliani, who is three act play with two and half bad acts, winds up in first only because of name recognition. And Romney, who might otherwise seem the most viable out of their group, can't get the nomination because his religion angers the gatekeeper cult of the Republican Party.

That leaves Thompson, who isn't as horrible as the rest, but like Giuliani, he's mostly name recognition. When people see him more clearly, his support will fade. That's one reason he's waiting before "formally" declaring.

It would be amusing to see Fred Thompson versus Dennis Kucinich. Without casting asparagus (insider DU humor) at either marriage, there's a combined spousal age difference of 54 years. The late night shows would have a ball with that one.

[AndyTiedye]

9. Repiglickins Don't Need a Good Candidate. They Own the Voting Machinez

The Repiglickins haven't had a viable candidate for years.
They "won" the last two Presidential elections anyway
because they own the media, the churches, and the voting machinez.

[Arugula Latte]

11. Their candidates are not viable. They need to abort.

Now.

[Perry Logan]

15. Yes! REPUBLICANS ABORT! Don't bother to run anyone.

[Zynx]

13. Entirely possible for them not to have one.

George Allen was supposed to be the candidate, but, well, he decided to make racist remarks in front of someone he knew was recording him.

Rudy offends social conservatives and is very dirty.

Rommny offends social conservatives and is a victim of bigotry.

McCain is broke.

Fred Thompson is lazy.

Newt, Hunter, (other fascist here) are not nationally electable.

[TwilightGardener]

14. In a word: No. Will it stop them? Well, it sure didn't in 2000.

[CANDO]

16. NO, but the media will give them one.

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