I just wanted to leave a comment and let you know how much i enjoyed reading your blog entries. You are an insightful person. Please keep me informed of anything major your writing in the future. Thanks Jim…

Everyone gets the Sarah Palin treatment bro – everyone becomes damaged goods. But the fact is – Sarah Palin survived it while most don’t.
HondaV65 on October 14, 2009 at 11:07 PM

Sorry, but if she had survived she would still be governor of Alaska. She had to step down, in effect ending her career. I like her, but politically that is not “surviving”.

Your general point is correct. They will do this to every GOP candidate, no matter who he is. Let´s not forget: even a moderate squish like John McBipartisan was demonized as a senile cancer victim who liked to bomb civilians.

Petraeus is a great general and might be a great president but there is no evidence that he can be an effective candidate.

Most likely, the GOP candidate will be a former governor (Jindal, Jeb Bush, Romney, Pawlenty, Daniels, Huckabee etc) and they all know the political realities and they are all both pragmatic and conservative enough.

But I bet they’ll shoot him down again for being a Mormon.
The prejudice is so nasty out there.

Badger40 on October 15, 2009 at 2:12 PM

Shooting Mitt down because he’s Mormon may not work in 2012. People will either get tired of bigotry or just see right through it.

There are good and bad politicians that belong to every religious denomination. For example, Mitt Romney is a great LDS politician but Harry Reid is a crappy LDS politician. So, religion doesn’t matter.

Besides, people will have seen Mitt since the election and through the years and will see what Mitt is really like as a person and as a politician.

scotash on October 15, 2009 at 3:00 AM
Exactly. That’s why he gets my vote in 2012.

Conservative Samizdat on October 15, 2009 at 12:18 PM

He was my vote in the primaries. If there isn’t another stronger candidate, I’ll vote for him again.
He’s extremely intelligent & gets crap done.
Didn’t like his health care thing in MI-but I’m confident he can push this country in a much better financial direction than any other candidate.
But I bet they’ll shoot him down again for being a Mormon.
The prejudice is so nasty out there.

scotash on October 15, 2009 at 3:00 AM

Exactly. That’s why he gets my vote in 2012.

My vote is for Romney the second time.

An awesome ticket would be Patreaus/ Jindall , Sarah Palin had her chance and I believe she’s damaged goods. I’d like to see how the media could even begin to demonize P/J.

ntmaloney on October 14, 2009 at 4:38 PM

You’re very naive if you don’t believe that the media will give Petraeus and Jindal the Sarah Palin treatment. And you’re not a very loyal Republican to run away from Palin because the media beat her up.

Hey look … I don’t care who we nominate – they’re going to get pummeled by the press. If you think Petraeus won’t then you don’t remember the ad that the NYT ran that said “General Betrayus”. Jindal? Hehe – he made the GOP response to the SOTU this year. He peaked his head up above the weeds for five minutes and the media gave him a crew cut with a machete. “Not ready for prime time” … “What’s that … a Southern Plantation he’s speaking from?”

And my favorite …

Helen Thomas’ remark … “Slumdog Millionaire”.

It was enough for Jindal to go silent for six months. He’s only now peaking his head above the bushes again.

Everyone gets the Sarah Palin treatment bro – everyone becomes damaged goods. But the fact is – Sarah Palin survived it while most don’t.

I’d like to see how the media could even begin to demonize P/J.

ntmaloney on October 14, 2009 at 4:38 PM

You’re kidding, right? Anyone can be demonized when there’s no concern for truth. Just make up crap, throw it at the wall, and see what sticks. And something would stick.

The current “conservative base” is stricter than Falwell and the “Moral Majority?”

In what galaxy?

As a former Democrat, divorcee, actor from Hollywood, Ronald Reagan would never have gotten the nomination in the current Republican party.

Bull, you’re full of it.

There are said to be many tears (of joy) in Tehran.

I’ve argued with Jetboy about many issues and slammed him without mercy for what I thought were his terrible statements about Mis California and a few other topics. However, I’ve never disparaged him for his sexuality

Loxodonta

I have to agree. Platypus my friend, no need to be unkind, its uncalled for.

Somebody needs to google “1980″ and “1994.” The most energized GOP electorates in recent history have come about by a clear appeal to basic principles, not an amorphous platform that seeks to satisfy the ever-changing “independent” mind.

Yes, the Republican party should stand for clear, basic principles, but that does NOT mean “the conservative base” should dictate the agenda and veto candidates like Giuliani.

As a former Democrat, divorcee, actor from Hollywood, Ronald Reagan would never have gotten the nomination in the current Republican party.

The resurgence of the Republican party is coming from libertarians and the tea party movement, despite “the conservative base”. Conservatives are not standing up for individual liberty and capitalism.

Sarah Palin understands this. That’s why she’s going rogue. It’s an uphill battle, made much harder by clueless conservatives and birther idiots.

Parties that have grown narrow and extreme tend to spiral downward until they nominate someone who is not beholden to their narrow, extreme base.

Pointed it out in headlines, will reiterate here:

Somebody needs to google “1980″ and “1994.” The most energized GOP electorates in recent history have come about by a clear appeal to basic principles, not an amorphous platform that seeks to satisfy the ever-changing “independent” mind.