Comments on: Dick Morris: McCain No Frontrunner – Unfortunately

By: Grant W. Hastings

Grant W. Hastings — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 18:32:48 +0000

Also on Huckabee…

The GOP nominee Asa Hutchinson is likelyto lose in November. Huckabee just doesn’t seem to have any coattails which is odd for someone who is billed as being as popular as him.

By: Grant W. Hastings

Grant W. Hastings — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 18:26:09 +0000

I’ve met Huckabee before and I felt that he was a genuinely a good guy. His record as governor is a good one.

I think he would be a great candidate against a Northeastern liberal who isn’t Hillary – Like Kerry, Dukakis, etc… Those types.

The problem with Huckabee is the polls I’ve seen in AR have him losing to Hillary there by a significant margin in a hypothetical matchup. Dem still have a 2-1 registration advantage there, even though it is a Red State. I would be reluctant to nominate anyone who isn’t a shoo-in in their home state (Rudy being an exception against Hillary).

He also raised taxes as governor which would be a great issue for the opposition.

By: Sean P

Sean P — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 17:14:57 +0000

At the risk of giving ammunition to the more conservative Republicans who oppose my preferred candidates (McCain/Rudy), I will say this: while George Allen, Sam Brownback and Bill Frist are DOA as conservative challengers and Mitt Romney’s Steve Forbes-like about face won’t fool anybody (or at least not enough people), Mike Huckabee strikes me as the one conservative who might plausibly emerge to win the nomination.

Unlike Allen, he was governor of a state long enough for his record to be fairly evaluated and, as it happens, it compares quite favorably to Hillary’s husband. Plus, his record as governor would give Republicans a good angle for re-hashing Whitewater and the other shady business dealings that got so many Clinton allies in trouble (this would also help to deflect the taint of Abramoff/Delay).* I still think McCain is the stronger general election candidate, but Huckabee at least wouldn’t be guaranteed loser either.

* Of course, none of this works in Huckabee’s favor if Hillary isn’t the nominee, but what are the odds of that happening?

By: Grant W. Hastings

Grant W. Hastings — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 06:31:05 +0000

Morris has books to sell. That is the bottom line.

McCain has no chance at the GOP nom? See below:

American Research Group 2008 Republican Presidential Primary

Likely Primary Voters SC

McCain 42%
Gingrich 9%
Romney 5%
Frist 2%
Pataki 1%
Allen 1%
Brownback – – – – – – –
Hagel – * – * * – –
Huckabee – – – – – – –
Tancredo – – * – – – –
Undecided 40%

McCain leads by 33% at this point among likely primary voters in SC in this poll.

By: Muffin the Cat

Muffin the Cat — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 03:09:16 +0000

Morris seems to be off in left field these days. He appears to be infatuated with Condi. I did read his books on both Clintons. Based on my reading he has no love for Hillary. This election is still 2 3/4 years away. Too much can happen in that time.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 02:26:06 +0000

This is the same Dick Morris who said that he was certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that Hillary Clinton would be Kerry’s VP, right?

By: dmac

dmac — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 00:35:27 +0000

How about The Spook Who Sat by the Door – great, mostly – unknown movie. Similar themes here.

By: peter

peter — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 00:02:06 +0000

So I guess Oprah won’t get the nomination either?

Too bad the nominating convention won’t be like the movie Putney Swope (the CEO of an ad agency dies, out of self-interest everybody votes for the guy least likely to succeed him – the black art director – who, of course, becomes CEO and turns the agency upside down).

By: Ryan Bonneville

Ryan Bonneville — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 23:55:58 +0000

This Condi talk strikes me as entirely premature. First, does anyone have any idea what her politics is like? Sure she’s with Bush on the GWOT, but how does she feel about affirmative action or abortion? Seems to me that she could torpedo her candidacy just by speaking.

Also, I don’t mean this to indict the Republican Party, but a black woman winning the nomination? I just don’t think so. There are plenty of fine people in this country who aren’t even thinking about burning crosses who see a black woman and think, “That’s novel, but I’m not voting for it.”

Condi is a big, fat no way. Plus, she isn’t beating Hillary in polls NOW. What makes anyone think that’s going to get better? She can’t get the nomination and, even if she did, I’m not even sure she can beat Hillary, let alone someone like Mark Warner.

By: Colin

Colin — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 22:57:02 +0000

People see what they want to see in these politicians, Peter. Who we elect reflects the mood of the electorate, not necessarily the strength or weakness of that individual candidate. The electorate in 2004 wanted a hard-ass, and went for Bush. Clinton, too, reflected the mood of the electorate in the 1990s. World events will shape who becomes president in 2008. If the country is focused outward, look for another R in the White House, almost no matter who the candidate is. If the country is focused inward, look for a D to win it. The parties have established their reputations, now its basically up to the American people to decide what characteristics they want for the next term, focusing outward or focusing inward.