Yeah. As much as I've tried to avoid it, this stuff is coming across the AP wire quite often (therefore, into my local lunch paper) and the Economist is taking every easy "in depth analysis of bullshit" chance that comes across their desk. It doesn't help that there have been about 500 republican debates since august.
So, Nacho, you' shouldn't be paying any attention right now. It's either Romney or Jeb Bush reveals that he's been whipping up the most secretly assembled presidential campaign ever. So you don't need to pay any attention at all right now, but if you must, here's my 2 cents on everyone:
First off....RC, Bachmann has been Batshit for her entire life, and on the public's batshit radar for at leats four years. We all know nothing will come of her campaign, but the media is, for whatever reason, forced to treat her and Ron Paul like actual candidates. My fiance has nightmares about a Bachman presidency because she's basically Palin with resolve, but it's just not going to happen. She'll never get any big business backing and everyone who has ever known a gay person knows that her husband is gay. It's just not going to work.
I also refuse to draw parallels in this campaign. Everyone wants to draw parallels. The reality is we've never had a situation like this before. Nevermind the republican brand vs. the democratic brand. Party politics is dogfood. So people like Cain get hyped. But he's basically seen the light and is trying to go after a different career route. Become a darling of the fringe, then make them pay to hear the message they already know you'll yell at them. Worked for Palin on accident....he's trying to set it up at the onset.
Huntsman is smart, but just isn't catching on with anyone, probably because he's sane. He might get picked up as a VP.
Perry just can't win. I can't believe he entered the race at all, myself. Just shows how desperate the republican climate is. "Let's build a new Republican party....with a Texas governor....who can't claim any real accomplishments...who hates Social Security...and is basically available to the highest bidder..." Perry won't flip any Hispanics, already seems to obnoxious to court "on the fence" voters, and offers zero political capital. There's basically no upside to him even for republican voters aside from "He's a big enough name and isn't Mormon."
It's going to be Romney unless something ridiculous happens.
Looks like the plan of "Let's just set fire to all of our momentum by refusing to offer any of our own ideas and just blockade the President at every turn and hope one of our Governors doesn't run their state into the ground and/or realize they would have a better chance in 2016" didn't work out so well. When your front five are a second term (female....don't hate me for pointing it out!) House rep, a black millionaire, two ex-Governors and the current Governor of the least popular state in America, well...you've got problems. Especially when all Obama has to do for a year is not provoke the center enough so that they feel like voting against him.
So, onward we march towards a Dem president with the Zombie Congress 2.0
