How can the Republican establishment 'Stop the Huck'?

[denem]

Their own polling must be starting a panic: He's getting their evangelical base sown up, leaving the broader electorate cold, and, unlike 2000, there won't be any baptists to come to their rescue after Iowa. The Reagan Revolution looks like coming home to roost.

[TwilightGardener]

1. They'll embrace him--he will make a useful puppet to sell the GOP agenda--

that whole populist/corporate-bashing thing was a spiel to gain the "little guy" vote--he's no John Edwards. He's weak-minded, except on religion. If he ends up being President, you won't see anything more than a few token differences between him and Chimpy.

[denem]

2. I think the Republican party could split.

If there's a 'corporatist' on the Democratic side, the cold hard rationalists may jump ship.

[TwilightGardener]

9. I definitely think some R's won't be fooled, after Chimpy and his

total fiscal disaster of a Presidency, and Huck wasn't exactly a fiscal hawk. "Compassionate conservatism" was just a Karl Rove invention, not a real philosophy or movement--but if it sold in 2000 and 2004, you can bet they'll pull that old playbook out for the preacher in 2008. I do think the Dem nominee will win this battle. Either that, or Bloomberg will run as a fiscal conservative and blow Huck out of the water by attracting all the alienated fiscons who don't give a crap about abortion and don't have the Second amendment as their rallying cry. Can't really tout yourself as a "Christian Leader" when you're running against a Jew. What remains to be seen is how this plays out with our Dem nominee. Bloomberg may not run if it's Obama.

[madinmaryland]

12. Would you be referring to Hillary?

[denem]

15. Any sane Democrat would have a shot,

but Hillary would cause the biggest ruction, leaving the irrational haters in a rump. IMHO - I always end up sounding like a preacher myself.

[skipos]

3. The pro-rapist, pro-fiscal irresponsibility, Jesus-rode-a-dinosaur wing of the GOP is very strong

I am not sure anyone can stop them.

[Warpy]

4. Panic? Are you kidding? This is their dream!

They're repeating the formula of having a not too bright Jesus salesman out in front who will be grateful to take all the advisors they pick for him, and you just know who those advisors will be!

Freddie turned out to be a total dud. Hucksterbible is their dream candidate!

[denem]

6. I doubt it. Never depend on the President being a puppet.

Much too risky. Bush (III) was establishment par excellence.

[TwilightGardener]

11. If they can't stop him by Feb. 5th, he will be their new Chimp-style puppet.

[denem]

13. He won't win the General.

[TwilightGardener]

14. I don't think so either. The fact that he is now the frontrunner (and not Romney or McCain)

is a sign of deep, deep trouble. He is a second-tier man by any measure except religious credentials, but the GOP has no one who is fiscally competent, pure on abortion and guns, good on foreign policy, AND likeable, so they're left with the charlatan who paroled rapists and murderers.

[AlinPA]

17. That "folksy" talk (as the media calls it) will appeal to a lot of 'murcans

[AlinPA]

18. Yes, he is a dream come true for the GOP. Perfect fit.

[AlinPA]

5. With GOP controlled by evangelical-fundamentalist "Christians", no way they can stop him.

He will be tough in the GE because of the large "Christian" vote U.S.

[denem]

7. That's what I think, except, leading them to a monumental defeat

[AlinPA]

16. I would see him getting the usual "red" states, including FL and OH.

Out west he would have trouble in UT, ID.

[Enrique]

8. they have a big problem on their hands

and I'm loving it.

[denem]

10. I keep hearing the Establishment will squash him like a bug,

but it's always short on the details.