As of today, the Republican Party has a total of 15 candidates seeking the party’s presidential nomination. If you are convinced, as I am, that Donald Trump will not be the party’s nominee, just who will it be?
One establishment candidate has already called it quits (Walker) and another (Bush) seems to be continually sticking his foot in his mouth. The “stuff happens” gaffe made after the Oregon College gun massacre is just the latest in a steady string of faux pas. (see What’s Wrong With Jeb?)
What was touted as an embarrassment of riches only a few months ago is now just an embarrassment. How could so much equal so little? There doesn’t appear to be an “A” student in the class.
The smart money right now seems to be moving behind Marco Rubio. But at a time when Republican voters are flocking towards candidates with zero political experience, how does the Senator from Florida paint himself as a Washington outsider?
“Four years ago, for the United States Senate, the establishment was actively trying to undermine my candidacy,” Rubio recently told an audience in Davenport, Iowa.
“The truth of the matter is, when I decided to run for the presidency, all the same people that told me not to run for the Senate came out of the woodwork again and said, ‘It’s not your turn; you haven’t been around long enough; we’re all going to line up behind somebody else,’” Rubio said. “And that’s fine. That’s OK.”
Will this well-calculated stratagem resonate with Republican voters sick of establishment candidates? Probably not. Even the dimmest voter will understand Rubio is talking about four years ago, before the Cuban American defied the odds and made it to Washington; before the outsider became an insider.
Marco Rubio’s profile as a good-looking 43-year-old with just four years of experience in the Senate is awfully reminiscent of Barack Obama’s in 2008. But as Texas Sen. Lloyd Benson said to the young Dan Quayle during the 1988 vice presidential debate, after he defended his inexperience as similar to that of John F. Kennedy, “Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy.”
Senator Rubio, with all due respect, you are no Barack Obama.
Photo | marcorubio.com
Rubio is smart, until he runs to the right, in order to secure the nomination. Then, he sounds as wacky as the rest of the bunch.
I’m angry at Hillary for doing much self destruction aka Jeb, and loved Bernie forever, but do actually think Trump is not as far from reality as many think. They’ve tried established candidates and lost. Maybe they ride his idiot and hateful wave.
Now back to more important matters, like hockey season beginning, and the Cubs in the playoffs!!!
Stephen, one can only hope Trump becomes the nominee. I believe that would bring about the end of the GOP as we know it. I also believe the Dems could run Sponge Bob Square Pants against the Donald and win! Go Cubbies!
I love the fact that the winning candidate has been Trump, who the big money do not like because he can’t be bought. Then, I love even better that the next 3 candidates in line, a black man, a woman, and a latino can’t be the candidate of the Southern Strategy party because they’re not white males. This is what every Dem dreams of – the GOP that can’t find and buy an electable candidate.
So William, who do you think will emerge as the Republican nominee? The smart money seems to be backing Rubio. Or will it finally go to Jeb after all?