Many conservatives are still clinging to the hope that there is a better candidate who will jump into the 2012 Republican Race for President. They are looking for Mr. Clean: a candidate that meets their approval on all the issues, and doesn’t have any problems. Such a candidate doesn’t exist. If you don’t see flaws in your candidate, the problem is with your eyesight. A better strategy would be to admit that he or she has many, but refuse to name them. There is no reason to give your opponents campaign fodder.
Mitt Romney has moved even further away from the social issues than he did in 2007-08 and carries Romneycare around his neck. Michelle Bachmann might be too combative or inexperienced for the taste of others. Newt Ginrich is well, Newt Gingrich. The candidacies of Tim Pawlenty and Rick Santorum have yet to catch fire. Herman Cain appears to be going the wrong direction after some early good numbers, and is facing criticism on some bigotry questions (even if they are unfounded). Ron Paul continues to do well, but he is seen as an Ayn Rand libertarian, who was an opponent of Ronald Reagan’s social agenda. Some of his followers also give him a bad name, due to the unabashed adoration of their own candidate and reliance on name-calling. Jon Huntsman and Thaddeus McCotter still have no name recognition, while Gary Johnson and Fred Karger should run as a libertarian and a Democrat, respectively. Is judge Roy Moore still campaigning? Have I left anybody out? Oh, yeah. Donald Trump.
That leaves us with the non-candidates: Sarah Palin continues to be a tease, and Rudy Giuliani appears anxious to repeat his 2008 debacle, if Palin gets in. Some Southern governors who said “no” a long time ago were Jeb Bush and Bobby Jindal. A few folks (myself included) tried to draft Senator Jim Demint of South Carolina into the race, to no avail.
Supposedly the big fish out there still to jump in the water is Rick Perry, the latest in a long line of small-S savior candidates (Mike Pence, Paul Ryan, Mitch Daniels, John Thune, and Haley Barbour were recent possible candidates accepting draft deferments).
Mike Huckabee had some words to say about his own non-candidacy, Chris Christie, and Rick Perry this week on his Thursday, July 21st, 2011 Huckabee Report broadcast:
A couple of months ago, I was under intense pressure to announce whether I planned to run for President. At the time, the pundits were saying that any serious candidate had to get into the race right away or it would be too late. Well they forget they are the only ones who want campaigns to drag on for for two years. I said then that it was possible the eventual GOP nominee might not even be in the race yet. Now, with summer more than halfway over, it’s still true.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who’s impressed so many people who are hungry for a tough budget-cutter, already said he wouldn’t run. But did raise hopes when he traveled to Iowa for a local fundraiser, and agreed to meet with some major party donors. But sorry, Christie fans: he reportedly told them he’s staying in New Jersey, at least for now.
Meanwhile, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, is still flirting with a run, and it’s the type of flirting even his wife approves of. The Dallas Morning News reports that a campaign button collector ordered a “Perry for Governor 2010” button from Perry’s office. What he got back was a button, all pressed and ready to go, that reads, “Perry – President – 2012.” So if Perry’s not running, then that button will be a REAL collector’s item. Now for all his new found commitment to hyper-conservatism, he’ll get to explain why he supported pro-abortion, pro-same sex marriage, pro gun-control, Rudy Guiliani last time.
We have one Savior, his name is Jesus.
