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For quite a while, there’s been some clamoring in Republican circles for better presidential candidates. The existing field is underwhelming and unimpressive, and party leaders have made no secret of the fact that they’d love to recruit some more compelling candidates.
About a week ago, they seemed to get their wish when Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) threw his hat in the ring. But after his third day as a candidate, when he suggest Ben Bernanke would be guilty of treason if he tried to boost the economy, many Republicans were again asking, “So, um, who else is out there?”
Most of the rumors have circulated about House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). Sure, most of those rumors seem to be coming from the offices of The Weekly Standard, but the magazine has been effective in causing a minor stir about the right-wing Wisconsinite’s possible interest.
Today, Ryan once again made it categorically clear he isn’t running.
After much speculation and some pressure from fellow Republicans, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin and the House Budget Committee Chairman, says he is NOT running for President.
“I sincerely appreciate the support from those eager to chart a brighter future for the next generation. While humbled by the encouragement, I have not changed my mind, and therefore I am not seeking our party’s nomination for President. I remain hopeful that our party will nominate a candidate committed to a pro-growth agenda of reform that restores the promise and prosperity of our exceptional nation. I remain grateful to those I serve in Southern Wisconsin for the unique opportunity to advance this effort in Congress.”
I say “once again” because, as careful observers probably recall, Ryan has already ruled out a national campaign, repeatedly.
But the whispers never went away, and conservative leaders hoped that constant encouragement might prompt Paul to reconsider. Nevertheless, today’s statement may have caused audible sobbing from The Weekly Standard’s offices, but it should mark the end of the Ryan-related scuttlebutt, at least until 2016.
As for Republicans still waiting for other saviors to come swooping in to make the presidential field more impressive, the only other names that are still in the mix are Sarah Palin, George Pataki, and Rudy Giuliani. None of the three strikes fear into the hearts of Democrats, or generates any enthusiasm from the worried GOP establishment.
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c u n d gulag on August 22, 2011 4:21 PM:
Yeah, the Republicans may have shanked that shot way to the far right with Perry and/or Bachmann.
And now Privatizing Ryan is confirming that he's not running.
Who, oh WHO will come and save the Republican Party and win a winnable election?
Jeb.
Yes, you heard me right - Jeb.
Daddy, and Little Boots’ pal Rove, will ask for a Bush-mulligan with Jeb, the non-prodigal son.
I can really see this happening.
The Bush name is still gold in a lot of circles in this country. The base? – they still loves them some Little Boots – they just can’t mention his name out loud. So, they’ll be aboard. “Miss me yet?” was not just a poke at Liberals, it was nostalgia trip for a ‘lighter, whiter,’ time, when Conservatives ruled – and almost always had their way.
I think Jeb can be sold to the traditional righties as his father’s son, the responsible one – minus the tax increases, of course; and as the anti-W antidote to the dumbass independents.
The problem with Jeb is, who to put in the VP slot?
Obama’s decision on immigration yesterday will help him with Hispanic voters.
My prediction was that Marco Rubio would be the VP for whoever the GOP chose to lead the ticket. All the better to siphon those voters away from Obama.
That’s politically problematic because a Jeb/Rubio ticket would be too Floridian. And, having that Lex Luther evil wannabe, Governor Scott, reminding people of what can spawn out of Florida is as bad, if not worse, than Texas, won’t help them either. So Rubio may have to wait until 2016, or 2020 or ’24, for his shot if Jeb does decide to run. Anyone else though, and I’d bet my bottom dollar on Rubio in the VP slot.
How about Ryan as VP?
You’d have a “Young Gun” paired-up with the “Son of a Gun.” But having the Medicare-killer on the same ticket as the brother of the SS-killer may not help with the much vaunted independents.
I think Scott Brown might fit on that ticket nicely.
Sure, that’ll cede Massachusetts back to the Dem’s, but there will be other Republicans opportunities to gain seats, and not just keep them
Brown can be marketed to the middle as “Hey, he took Teddy’s seat, so how bad can he be?” And he was a Tea Party darling in the beginning, before he realized that by siding with them he might be committing career suicide in MA. I think Brown can ‘code-talk’ with them, while trying to seem reasonable to the rest of the voters.
So, unless there’s another Hispanic Republican out there that I’m missing, I think a Bush/Brown ticket will be a Republican ‘Dream Ticket.’
And could very likely be a winning ticket.
DJ on August 22, 2011 4:39 PM:
Bush/Brown? Ridiculous. Jeb's big brother has wrecked the family brand beyond Jeb's capacity to repair it. Brown brings little to the table, as some of his positions have caused the Teabaggers to brand him a traitor.
sue on August 22, 2011 4:45 PM:
I think the problem is that the theocrat/republicans actually want Jesus (their libertarian version) for their candidate.
dede21206 on August 22, 2011 5:07 PM:
I think some Republicans think Ryan is safe from being recalled if he's running for POTUS (or VP).
Here's hoping that Wisconsin proves them wrong.
square1 on August 22, 2011 5:33 PM:
Actually, I can see Jeb pulling it off.
Sure, you can make a good case that George W. Bush was the worst President in the past 100 years. But I'm not sure that President Obama can make that case.
FWIW, I'm not trying to argue that President Obama is as bad as Bush was. I'm just saying that Obama has failed to distinguish himself on the major, major issues where Bush truly proved to be a disaster: war-mongering in the Arab/Muslim world, lack of oversight of oil, coal and gas companies, lack of oversight of Wall Street, dangerously low tax cuts, attacks on Social Security benefits, spying on American citizens, torture, punishing whistleblowers.
In many ways, Obama is a more competent manager than Bush was. But I would expect that you could say the same of Jeb. If Jeb was the nominee and Team Obama tried to scare the voters about another Bush Presidency, I would be very curious to know what actual policies they would claim that Jeb might enact that they would find terrifying.
mellowjohn on August 22, 2011 5:54 PM:
why don't they just cut out the middle man and nominate one of the koch brothers?
c u n d gulag on August 22, 2011 6:20 PM:
I believe Brown can still sell himself to the Teabaggers.
The whole Teabag bowel movement was beyond just a rebranding attempt by the Republican Party. I’m not 100% sold that it was created just to get away from W.
I think they just finally realized on their own that they had a 30% problem, and chose to segment them away from the rest of the party because they were getting harder and harder to control. This was evident to them by their worshipful adoration for Palin, and their disdain for McCain.
So they allowed this “Tea Party” to represent the retrogrades and Birchers, racists and religionists, and to give them cover by the “Money Guys” by screaming about debt and spending. They hoped it would somehow or other hold together. Hey, it had since Nixon blended his “Southern Strategy” with his “Silent Majority,” and Reagans “Moral Majority” was then carefully blended into the mix. And it did work for awhile. But the true Teabaggers are coming out now, their cover blown. They are now the racist, misogynist, and Dominionist wing of the party. And now, THEY have become the “Tar Baby” for any Republican candidate for office – from the local to the state level, from the House to the Senate, and even the Presidency. It’ll be interesting to see what the Republican Party does to try to control them, and get them back in the fold. You can already see that they’re no longer funding them, and that FOX is not trying to goad them into action by poking them with a stick. I think that’s one of the reasons they let Beck go – to rid themselves of having to air their Frankenstein monster for an hour a day.
And the best thing that could happen to Obama and the Democrats is that the Republicans CAN’T control the Teabaggers, and they’ll form a Third Tea-party, sucking votes away from Republicans on all levels, from the House, the Senate, and the Presdiential ticket.
To sum up, I think a Jeb/Brown ticket would be formidable for the reasons I stated above.
Don’t forget, even without Rubio, Jeb has appeal to Hispanics because he’s married to a woman born in Mexico, so you can believe that will be front and center to counter Obama’s support among Hispanics. (You can be sure the Bush children will never be called “anchor babies”).
And I think the Teabaggers will be a loose canon no matter who runs for the Republicans, unless one of their very own is on the ticket. But that remains problematic for the Republicans because people are catching on to just how crazy that 30% wing is (with or without an official name – though having a name makes branding easier for everyone who’s not a Republican), and they have a delicate dance to perform for the next 14+ months. All I’ll say is – it couldn’t happen to a bigger bunch of f*cking assholes!
toowearyforoutrage on August 22, 2011 6:24 PM:
many Republicans were again asking, “So, um, who else is out there?”
Please keep in mind that it should be a white guy who will promise Gover Norquist to never raise taxes, will support a balanced budget amendment, and cooperate fully in banning abortion.
There might be some wiggle room on the "guy" part if she fulfills the other qualifications by a degree of magnitude.
They may not like Fudge Ripple, Moose Tracks, Mocha, Brownie Nut, Cocoa Ribbon, or Mint Chip but by godfrey they know that they want chocolate. Sure, they haven't ordered anything else in 30 years, but those sherbets, yogurt, ices, gelato, and Neapolitan just look so scary!
Don't bother asking them if they want a taste spoon.
That would be a compromise.
berlins on August 22, 2011 7:29 PM:
This looks familiar. Sorta like the Dems in 2008. Where was Obama in the polls this far out from the democrat primary.
Lance on August 22, 2011 8:11 PM:
Ron Paul - Paul Ryan
Just too easy for Republicans to get confused voting in the primary.
John on August 22, 2011 9:41 PM:
With politicians, what isn't said is as if not more important than what is. "I have not changed my mind, and therefore I am not seeking our party's nomination for President" is not exactly a Shermanesque denial. When Ryan says unequivocally that he will not run, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. (But I won't actually believe him unless he says it under oath.)