Bill Kristol concedes 2012 presidential race to Democrats

[babsbunny]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/11/05/bill-kristol-concedes-2012-presidential-race-to-democrats/

By David Ferguson
Saturday, November 5, 2011

In a column at the Weekly Standard website, former New York Times columnist Bill Kristol opines that “assuming that presidential field remains as it is” for the GOP, “2012 won’t be a repeat of 1980″. He is referring to the election of Ronald Reagan after Jimmy Carter’s single term in the White House.

The column itself is a semi-rhapsodic invocation of what is apparently to Kristol a sacred date, “November 4, 1980, the instant when we knew Ronald Reagan, the man who gave the speech in the lost cause of 1964, leader of the movement since 1966, derided by liberal elites and despised by the Republican establishment, the moment when we knew—he’d won, we’d won, the impossible dream was possible, the desperate gamble of modern conservatism might pay off, conservatism had a chance, America had a chance”.

[Drahthaardogs]

1. The Republican field looks like the cast from the Island of Misfit Toys

That Obama will defeat these jokers is a forgone opinion. They pandered to the Tea Party crazies and failed to field a legitimate candidate. Romney is the only candidate they have that could actually give Obama a challenge.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

11. There's a boat that sinks, a Charlie-in-the-Box, a train with square wheels - a great xmas movie

And of course Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer is sent to the Island of Misfit Toys.

That would be a funny remake: The Island of Misfit GOP Candidates: Cain, Romney, Trump, Bachmann (and her husband), Perry, Gingrich - and instead of coming together to support each other, they need to "survive" the vote off. Sorta like Survivor Island

[JNelson6563]

2. Back to the Reagan fantasy I see.

Yeah, when the real world is a sad place, it's fun to create a perfect time long ago within one's mind, isn't it Bill?

After 2012 election and Obama back in the WH I intend to ask every gawd-fearin' Rethug: Is God's great plan for us all to your liking?

Julie

[Major Nikon]

16. They long for the days when people actually believed their bullshit

...besides those on the far left side of the bell curve, who will ALWAYS believe their bullshit.

[JNelson6563]

20. Sadly, you're right.

:toast:

[Bucky]

3. K&R -- particularly for the use of "semi-rhapsodic"

[BeyondGeography]

4. The impossible dream...

They actually see the past 30 years as a triumph. That's their biggest idealogical problem; outside their little Ayn bubble, nobody else does. Not that they realize it.

[Edweird]

5. Well DUH. They have a 'dem' pres. advocating and implementing their policies.

They have every reason to throw the election. They get to sit back and watch as they get the laws they want AND the Dem party implode in one fell swoop. Talk about having your cake and eating it too...

[Fantastic Anarchist]

10. Exactly. n/t

[underpants]

6. This is bad news- Kristol is never right about anything

[Kurmudgeon]

7. Bush Corp-NeoCons will go for the 2016 election, be ready for it.

The GOP 2012 candidate will be another Dole-McCane give away candidate.
However, they'll have one of their chosen few special elite boys like Dubya, no doubt with a handler like Cheney.
Now THAT is when you'll see a 2000 election redo. Be ready for it, stop it if you can.
It's the close elections they can steal.

[randome]

9. History doesn't repeat itself so readily.

2016 is a LONG time from now.

[rucky]

8. This is awful news.

Kristol is always wrong.

[Stevepol]

19. My thoughts exactly. Kristol has never been right about anything.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

12. I tend to agree with Kristol (for once)

The GOP doesn't seem to have a "Ronald Reagan" figure to run against Obama. They seem to be left (right now) with a flip-flopper with "moderate" credentials whom many conservatives are suspicious of and a wider cast of wierdos whom have no real chance in a GE against President Obama. I thought that we might have to deal with a George W. Bush redux with Rick Perry but his campaign, though not entirely unrecoverable, has been pretty badly damaged and the Republican establishment, amazingly enough, does not seem to be behind him. If favorable trends continue- GOP obstructionism, improvements in the economy, continued backlash against the right, particularly in key states, OWS remains potent- I think that President Obama will be re-elected.

[Major Nikon]

17. You wouldn't think it would be all that hard to find a washed up B list actor with brain rot

NT

[JHB]

13. Does the story have a link to a "chorus of angels" sound clip at every mention of Reagan?

Reminder, Bill: in 1964 you were 12 yeas old. In 66 you were 14. I suppose hero worship is normal at that age, but don't act like he was the champion of your long-suffering cause: you weren't around long enough to have one, and being within your parents' (Irving Kristol and Gertrude Himmelfarb) bubble you certainly weren't suffering (at least not from others).

Yes, I suppose the liberals' and (then-moderate) Republican establishment's great crime was deriding and despising your hero. And you were never happier than when sticking it to them, right?

You're a vacuous, mediocre hack and you always have been. "America had a chance?" From what? The all-powerful USSR you were afraid of that was actually well on its path to collapse? What did America need to be save from that wasn't the product of your deranged, paranoid delusions?

[Cirque du So-What]

14. Now I'm worried

Has Kristol ever been correct about anything? I'm not superstitious, but...

[DainBramaged]

15. When guys like this meet their natural end, the world will be better off

but somehow, God lets them linger, maybe because the Hell they will know...................

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

18. He didn't concede the race at all, only that it's not going to be glorious Reagan wankery.

I find it interesting that he chooses examples of Democratic presidents as models for success for his presumed GOP victor.

The Reagan worship is grotesque.

[former9thward]

21. A completely false OP headline and story.

I am not blaming the poster because they just reprinted the headline from Raw Story. But if you read Kristol's column (a link is at the Raw Story article) he did not concede anything to anybody. He says there "are many avenues to victory." He just says 2012 will not be alike 1980.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

22. This really worries me

as everyone knows, any time The Amazing Kris-well makes prediction, the exact opposite comes true.