A Modest List of Remaining Possible Republican Candidates: Gubernatorial Edition

[XemaSab]

Who of these Republican governors is viable on a national level?

I tried to pick governors with at least a few years in office and who weren't obvious failures on a national scale.

----------------------------------------------------

Bob Riley of Alabama. Took office in 2003, and he'll be out due to term limits in 2010.

Jodi Rell of Connecticut. Took office in 2004, and she'll be up for re-election in 2010.

Sonny Perdue of Georgia. Took office in 2003, and he'll be out due to term limits in 2010.

Linda Lingle of Hawaii. Took office in 2002, and she'll be out due to term limits in 2010.

Mitch Daniels of Indiana. Took office in 2005, and he'll out due to term limits in 2012.

Bobby Jindal of Lousiana. Took office in 2008, and he'll be up for re-election in 2010.

Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota. Took office in 2003, and will retire in 2010.

Haley Barbour of Mississippi. Took office in 2004, and he'll be out due to term limits in 2011.

Dave Heineman of Nebraska. Took office in 2005, and he'll be up for re-election in 2010.

John Hoeven of North Dakota. Took office in 2000, and he'll be up for re-election in 2012.

Donald Carcieri of Rhode Island. Took office in 2003, and he'll be out due to term limits in 2012.

Mike Rounds of South Dakota. Took office in 2003, and he'll be out due to term limits in 2012.

Rick Perry of Texas. Took office in 2000, and will be up for re-election in 2010.

Jon Huntsman of Utah. Took office in 2005, and will be up for re-election in 2012.

Jim Douglas of Vermont. Took office in 2003, and will be up for re-election in 2010.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_United_Sta...

[eleny]

1. K&R for the change a change of pace thread

[jwirr]

2. Most are fairly unknown. None are thought of as exciting. Might just

as well rerun gramps.

[DFW]

3. Barbour is probably the only one to take seriously

He may look like Humpty Dumpty, but he was RNC chairman, has the Southern Drawl Republicans like
and actually has something of a quick wit that will play on Sunday talk shows and Katie Couric
interviews. Any port in a storm, I guess.

I don't know all of them, and maybe the two New England Republicans are viable just because they
are members of an endangered species, although I doubt there's another Howard Dean in the ranks of
Vermont governors, sitting or ex-. I don't think their combined intellect can match Obama, though,
and as he has not come to confiscate their guns, their money, their crosses or their daughters, if
they trot out their tired "non-American Muslim Socialist" routine again, it'll fall even flatter
than it did the first time.

[eppur_se_muova]

4. Lingle is out. GOPers won't vote for a foreigner.

She'd spend her whole "campaign" answering questions about her birth certificate.

[Brother Buzz]

7. She was born in Missouri

Lingle holds a number of distinctions: first republican elected governor of Hawaii since the departure of William F. Quinn in 1962, first county mayor elected governor of Hawaii, first female governor of Hawaii, first Jewish governor of Hawaii; and the first governor of Hawaii not to have any children.

But her mainland birth will raise no eyebrows.

[DFW]

13. No sweat--just start a rumor she is a Muslim

It doesn't have to be true (see "Obama, Barack") to raise a fuss.

[burning rain]

17. Lingle's a moderate Republican.

Going nowhere nationally.

[eppur_se_muova]

5. Alabama Governor Bob Riley Talked to Rove During Siegelman Trial

Alabama Governor Bob Riley tells reporter Tommy Stevenson that it’s been two years since he talked to Rove. Exact words:


I haven’t talked to Rove in two years.”

It just so happens Don Siegelman lost the state Democratic primary two years ago to the month; and it just so happens Don Siegelman was on trial and convicted two years ago to the month. I’d like to know what Rove and Riley had to talk about.


Earlier in the interview, Riley launched into a non-substantiative, ad hominem, downright lying attack on former Republican operative Dana Jill Simpson:

Dana Jill Simpson has no, zero credibility. Anyone that has talked to her, anyone that has ever listened to her understands that. The only people that give it any credibility are Don Siegelman’s attorneys.” {emphasis Riley’s}

Let’s review. “Dana Jill Simpson…” Riley smirks, looks down probably reflecting on the nasty things Karl has said about her publicly– “has no, zero credibility.” He holds eye contact for affect because that’s how he rolls. It’s good ol’ boy talk meaning I’m for real even though there is zero substance to back up the claim. He proceeds, “Anyone that has talked to her, anyone that has ever listened to her understands that.” That’s a big fat, full eye-contact lie. Saying something is true, wishing something is true, do not make something true–in spite of what a public speaking seminar at Liberty University will tell you. “The only people that give it any credibility are Don Siegelman’s attorneys.” Another big, fat, full eye-contact lie. Plenty in the press have taken Simpson seriously and most importantly so has the House Judiciary Committee. Another empty assertion.

Simpson answers Riley:

“My best suggestion for him is, instead of running his mouth in the press, he needs to go up there and put his hand on the Bible and raise his right hand and take an oath to tell the truth in front of the House Judiciary Committee.” Locust Fork Journal

Maybe the Judiciary has grounds to make it happen since Riley admits to talking to Rove during Siegelman’s campaign and trial.


http://writechic.wordpress.com/2008/06/13/alabama-gover...

[eppur_se_muova]

6. In November 2005, Riley was linked to the Jack Abramoff scandal

In November 2005, Riley was linked to the Jack Abramoff scandal when his former Congressional press secretary, Michael Scanlon, pleaded guilty to conspiracy in the matter. It further emerged that, as a Congressman, Riley signed a letter on behalf of the U.S. Family Network, opposing expansion of casino gambling in Alabama. The U.S. Family Network was revealed to be an Abramoff front, funded by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, which operated competing casinos. Riley has denied knowing the source of this funding.

http://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Bob_Riley

[eppur_se_muova]

8. Here's how it's done -- just cut&paste from XemaSab's list!

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=alabama+governor+b...

[XemaSab]

9. Sweet

[Arkana]

10. Rell, Lingle, Carcieri, Huntsman, and Douglas are out.

Too moderate for the Bible suckers.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

11. NO Bush Budget Director DANIELS!!!!!!!

I would say exactly how I feel about him but since I'm a State Employee, I'd probably better not post it lest somebody with a little too much free time on their hands finds it and demands my immediate resignation.

[NoPasaran]

12. Perry in 2008 was rumored to want the VP slot

In 2010 he's facing a primary battle with Kay Bailey Hutchison. In preparation for that, everything Governor Goodhair has done over the last year was calculated to cement his ties with the hard-right religiofascist teabagger crowd. If he wins in 2010, he could be a real contender in 2012 for the GOP nomination... another Sarah Palin, without the reality show family.

[Honeycombe8]

14. Pawlenty or Barbour or Romney. Jindal's out for the time being, except as VP maybe.

If I had to bet, I would bet on Romney because of his strength in the economy area, plus his prior stint as governor, and experience w/health care.

The fat, walking heart attack rednecks would probably go for Barbour.

But it's early yet.

[XemaSab]

15. You don't think Jindal's viable?

[Honeycombe8]

16. No. After his bad performance in that speech, he's been written off, it seems, by Repubs.

They say he's not ready yet. I think they're right.

Part of the problem was - and yet no one mentions it - was the way he walked out to the microphone. He walked kinda goofy. Like a little kid who should've been wearing short pants, or maybe like a ventriloquist's dummy. It was an odd walk, with his hands hanging straight down by his side. Then the speech delivery was awful.

I haven't heard any Republican, not one, say they think he's viable for 2012. A few have said maybe later. He IS very young. And I'm thinking maybe as a VP for 2012.

[jberryhill]

18. That's just a blip on the radar, not a disqualifying moment

Rick Perry's flirtation with secessionist rhetoric is more damaging than that.

The GOP birthers will tie themselves in knots over Jindal being born to furriners, though.

[Honeycombe8]

19. Name on Republican who thinks Jindal is a possible contender for 2012.

(Someone who said so publicly after the infamous speech.)

[XemaSab]

20. He's the only one on the list who assumed the governorship after 2007 or so

but you're right, it's been pretty quiet over there for a while.

To post a thought that just occured to me: I bet people who love Palin hate Jindal, and vice versa.