Why do we continue to waste both our collective time and bandwidth trying to convince one another why President Obama should not be re-elected? That may be a legitimate question among different groups of Americans, but from what I've read posted in this forum, that's not an issue that requires a lot of debate here.

Why not, instead, begin a discussion and an evaluation of which of the declared Republican candidates for nomination might be the most qualified, from an experience and character perspective? Which of the declared candidates truly does have a chance of gaining the votes, first of enough Republicans to achieve the nomination, but more importantly the required 51% of the electorate needed to win the general election? Which of the declared candidates could actually lead the country out of the morass of partisan disagreement that has frozen our democratic process for several years?

I might suggest that, knowing all that we know now, that there are two such candidates, maybe three, worthy of our consideration--Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman, and possibly Newt Gingrich. Would anyone agree that we might be better served by comparing and contrasting their qualifications than continuing the drone of bashing President Obama or extolling candidates that through their experience or by their conduct and character have not earned our support and are very likely not electable.

I like this idea.

Of the three you listed I pick none so far. I am a Reb. and have voted that way for as long as I can remember. However I can't put my finger on it but I can't get behind Romney. There is something missing there. I wish I knew but he just does not pass my gut feeling test.
Huntsman makes sense but when I hear him speak or debate he seems "canned". Like he is too sure of what he is saying because maybe he is saying what he is told to say. Also not sure if he would run from the right and govern more center left.
I really like Newt. I think he could debate Obamas butt into the ground. He seems to be better when debating one person than in the circus like setting the candidates are in now. My problem with him is he has SO MUCH history to go back and dig up to derail his campaign if he was nominated. I think he would be beat into the ground by the left and the left leaning media.
I would vote for him if he got the nomination but I would not have a good feeling, kinda like I had with McCain.
I am looking for a reason to get behind someone. I like Cain but I don't think he will make it through the campaign season by the time the left are finished with him. How hipocritical of the libs to attack ANYBODY on sexual harassment basis.
MY TWO CENTS.

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

Romney has the nomination locked up -100% guaranteed !!!!! He has the delegates committed to him to put him over the top. The R's can have all the straw polls and so-called "debates" they want to entertain their base.

Romney has the delegates. Or rather, he has those congressmen and Senators who will select the delegates.

It's probably true that Romney will be the nominee. Ironically, the candidate who is least appealing to passionate and conservative Republicans, but whom they are more and more grudgingly accepting. It's been a continual negative process of elimination. No one but Romney has been able to stand up to the frantic vetting by everyone who owns a keyboard.

We have reached the time where the measuring stick for the Presidency is the candidate who has the fewest number of negatives in their image. It doesn't matter what they are really like, or what qualities they might possess, of the potential of their character, it's only about their "faults" or "drawbacks". Those things still include their race, religion, gender and size, not with everyone mind you, but with many. The rest is about their past. We've almost developed a precise point scale for incidents, experiences and statements which are negative deductions from the candidates images. One by one, the Republican parade of candidates has piled up too many negative points, except Romney, whose point deductions are mostly for his philosophy. But that is the least important area to the largest number of voters. So what if some passionate, conservatives get physically ill with the prospect of his nomination.

Being a Mormon is a small negative, but, the straight, good-looking, somewhat experienced, middle-of-the-road white guy overcomes that. All in all, that fits our stereotype of 'presidential'. My guess is that at the present time all the Republican power brokers would agree with the above and that nothing will change things unless new ways are found to tear up Romney's image. If that happens, where they would go from there is almost anyone's guess.

So maybe it would be better to debate how Romney would be better than Obama, and either's chances of success working with a split Congress. How will Romney get support for legislative proposals when he's far too liberal to suit a good number of his own party?

Originally Posted by coralway

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

Romney has the nomination locked up -100% guaranteed !!!!! He has the delegates committed to him to put him over the top. The R's can have all the straw polls and so-called "debates" they want to entertain their base.

Romney has the delegates. Or rather, he has those congressmen and Senators who will select the delegates.

I love when knee-jerk leftist liberals tell me who my candidate should be. It makes me want to hurl.

For months I have tried to get a point across that the Democrats are a more united party than the splintered RIGHT:

Tea Party Conservatives AT ANY COST.
Pro-Life AT ANY COST.
Pro-big business AT ANY COST.
Pro-Christian AT ANY COST.

I understand why we Dropped Bachmann as she is a little nutty.
I understand why we Dropped Perry as he is a little simple minded.

I do not understand Dropping Romney at all.
I do not understand Dropping Cain for flirting.

If we become judge and executioner for everything that we individually disagree with, we will not have a candidate left.

Welcome to four more years Mr. President.

So, get off your holier than tho pedestal and get your support behind someone that will be good for America.

Voting for a centrist will not make you a liberal.
Voting for a Pro-choice candidate will not make you a baby killer.
Voting for a moderate tax hike will not make you go broke.
Voting for a Mormon will not make you go to hell.

BUT, NOT VOTING FOR A CANDIDATE FOR ANY ONE OF YOUR PERSONAL REASONS, WILL HELP TO KEEP OBAMA IN THE WH. YOU WILL NOT FIND THE MYSTICAL PERFECT HUMAN YOU ALL SEEM TO BE LOOKING FOR.

If you argue with anything I say here, in my opinion, you are not being sensible. Stop hitting yourselves in the head and move forward.

I SAY THIS AS A CONSERVATIVE.
I SAY THIS AS A PRO-LIFE ADVOCATE.
I SAY THIS AS A CHRISTIAN.

Even so, I fully expect the 6 PAC to spew their hateful insults at this post rather than being adult about my intent.

Villager II, you hit the nail on the head. Good post.

Originally Posted by ijusluvit

It's probably true that Romney will be the nominee. Ironically, the candidate who is least appealing to passionate and conservative Republicans, but whom they are more and more grudgingly accepting. It's been a continual negative process of elimination. No one but Romney has been able to stand up to the frantic vetting by everyone who owns a keyboard.

We have reached the time where the measuring stick for the Presidency is the candidate who has the fewest number of negatives in their image. It doesn't matter what they are really like, or what qualities they might possess, of the potential of their character, it's only about their "faults" or "drawbacks". Those things still include their race, religion, gender and size, not with everyone mind you, but with many. The rest is about their past. We've almost developed a precise point scale for incidents, experiences and statements which are negative deductions from the candidates images. One by one, the Republican parade of candidates has piled up too many negative points, except Romney, whose point deductions are mostly for his philosophy. But that is the least important area to the largest number of voters. So what if some passionate, conservatives get physically ill with the prospect of his nomination.

Being a Mormon is a small negative, but, the straight, good-looking, somewhat experienced, middle-of-the-road white guy overcomes that. All in all, that fits our stereotype of 'presidential'. My guess is that at the present time all the Republican power brokers would agree with the above and that nothing will change things unless new ways are found to tear up Romney's image. If that happens, where they would go from there is almost anyone's guess.

So maybe it would be better to debate how Romney would be better than Obama, and either's chances of success working with a split Congress. How will Romney get support for legislative proposals when he's far too liberal to suit a good number of his own party?

Beware when leftists are pointing to who they prefer for us to have in the race.

Originally Posted by Loveithere

Beware when leftists are pointing to who they prefer for us to have in the race.

Leftists would be asking for Bachmann or Perry or even that one from Alaska that never seems to go away.

Originally Posted by The Villager II

Leftists would be asking for Bachmann or Perry or even that one from Alaska that never seems to go away.

You are wrong again. The vetting process will naturally eliminate candidates without RINO's help.

Originally Posted by Loveithere

You are wrong again. The vetting process will naturally eliminate candidates without RINO's help.

sure it will la la la la la

Right now it's not the Democrats or Liberals that are attacking or leaking info against the real conservative candidates like Perry, Bachman and Cain, it's the Republican establishment types who don't want their apple cart overturned with any challenge to the Belt Way status quo. They want their "good boys" like Romney, and even Newt if his numbers rise, to take the main stage and thereby blunt any challenges to the powers behind the scene.

The Democrats and Liberals will step up with a strategy they think will destroy the eventual Republican nominee when the time comes. My theory is they already have something they think will harpoon Romney at that time, and that they are salivating to use it. Why else is the lamestream media and the liberal talking heads on their networks pushing the idea that Romney is the "only one" who has a chance to dethrone their own anointed champion.

That's my take, and for now I'm sticking with with it. Nothing else makes sense to me.

All I'm going to say about Villager II's post is that the Reagan campaign and election disputes most, if not all, of your assumptions about who can, or can not, be elected.

Originally Posted by The Villager II

For months I have tried to get a point across that the Democrats are a more united party than the splintered RIGHT:

As a center left Democrat I see the entire Republican field as pathetic.

Romney because he wants to be all things to all people.
Cain because he can no longer get his message out.
Perry because he is starting to do a self destruct.

I ask you all this; Is it too late for a true conservative to enter the race that doesn't have the faults of the people above?

I have ignored Obama for sometime because he needs no help in losing this race he is doing fine on his own.

Cain has problems beyond the sex scandal I mean after his 9-9-9- what has he left inhis bag of tricks. Keep in mind this scandal is being pushed by David Axelrod and Axelrod has been linked to two of the accussers thus far. Axelrod has done well by Obama by removing his competition with various scandals.

Romney leaves me flat because he plays well at being a president but he willnever measure up because he can't settle on what he believes fro day to day.

Newt is a contender but watch out. On the horizon is a scandal brewing about his lobbying eforts for Fannie Mae

As of today Newt is the best bet

Originally Posted by Loveithere

Beware when leftists are pointing to who they prefer for us to have in the race.

Be afraid...be very afraid....this is the funniest post of the day!