GOP Nominee
Former Candidates
South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint is asking Republicans in the Palmetto State to hold off signing on to ‘08 campaigns until after the November elections. This draws an especially spirited response from South Carolina AG Henry McMaster, McCain’s guy in the state:
#quot;When it comes to the 2008 Presidential Primary, I plan to take time after November to learn more about each of these candidates and where they stand on our key conservative issues, before deciding which one to support. I encourage you to do the same. South Carolina has the opportunity to select the next President of the United States…let’ take our time and do it right.#quot;
Responds McMaster: “It is totally unreasonable to suggest that Republicans here are incapable of focusing on the November election and at the same time prepare for the presidential primary because they’ve been doing exactly that [for years].
I think this can be viewed as the Romney’s camp’s “response” to the rollout of Strom Thurmond, Jr. and Carroll Campbell III by the McCain camp. Included in the story is this tidbit: Romney has recruited a bunch of S.C. folks, but DeMint asked him to hold off an announcement, and Romney agreed. This signals that DeMint will probably go to Romney, or whomever emerges as a viable anti-McCain candidate.
September 29th, 2006 at 8:00 pm
Nope, no smear here. In fact, it was decent analysis. It’ll be extremely interesting if DeMint does indeed go for Romney. Because in that case, it’ll be a battle between Sanford and Graham on the McCain side and DeMint on Romney’s. Given that, I’m curious if you think Giuliani would still have a chance to compete in SC?
September 29th, 2006 at 8:39 pm
I’ve never been of the mind that Rudy needs to *win* S.C. (though Allen’s nonviability does put a little more pressure on him). If he does, it’s over, because he will have vanquished every doubt about being able to win in the South. If he doesn’t, it’s kind of expected.
The vibe I’m getting is that DeMint is positioning himself as in the anti-McCain camp, as a counterweight to the Sanford/Graham axis and tacitly on the side of a possible Wilkins/Ravenel primary challenge to Graham. If he doesn’t endorse, I don’t think he’ll be actively hostile to Rudy if McCain is still in the race.
As I’ve articulated before, I think organization is important, but doesn’t trump the fundamentals: likeability and message. Rudy seems to be attracting a cohesive group of true believers (like Barry Wynn) who are coming to him, and don’t expect some sort of payday or aren’t looking to settle scores within the party. People take their cues on who to vote for based on the candidates themselves, not who’s endorsed them. The “Judd Gregg machine” was supposed to deliver Bush a lot of votes in NH 2000 and Tom Harkin’s endorsement should have delivered Iowa in 2004. Didn’t happen.
September 29th, 2006 at 9:49 pm
Interesting. Considering SC’s designation as the stop-gap in the GOP primaries, (no Republican has won the nomination without winning in SC) I’ve always assumed that Rudy had to win there in order to stay in the game and certainly if he did win there, he would be the nominee. But just like McCain in 2000, losing in SC takes all the stream out of your operation.
September 29th, 2006 at 11:23 pm
I promise you that endorsements are the most overrated thing in elections. Pat Buchanan won the New Hampshire primary without having much GOP establishment support at all. And I think 2008 is ripe for a populist type of insurgency campaign to do well at the presidential level. It seems to me that Mayor Giuliani, Speaker Gingrich, and others who are laying back may have a method to their madness. Senator McCain and Governor Romney have decided on a traditional frontrunner, establishment type of campaign. It worked for George W. Bush, but we will see if it works in 2008.
September 30th, 2006 at 10:11 am
Also: guys where is the analysis of the latest National Journal ranking that were released on Wednesday? Rudy’s at #3, that should be cause for celebration. And while you’re at it, no mention of the McCain RCP interview either? Tsk tsk.
September 30th, 2006 at 9:32 pm
Senator DeMint has a point which is being made by
other politicans and candidates. The focus has to
be on November 2006, and that makes DeMint correct.
The rest of us can debate and collect support, but if a
candidate is asking to take it slow, respect their opinion. OK?
The Wall Street Journal has a nice report today. Even mentions Condi
as a possible 2008 candidate. So with over 1 million readers,
that has impact.
October 1st, 2006 at 12:31 pm
Debbie
what is the title of the WSJ report, what edition is it in, and is it online? I subscribe online to the WSJ and can’t find it.
Mike
October 1st, 2006 at 2:59 pm
We all know this is just another phase of the growing feud between McCain and Romney. It is also obvious that DeMint is trying to suck some of the power away from Lindsey and appease the RINOconservative base.
October 1st, 2006 at 3:45 pm
SUN OCT 1 The Speaker of the House Must Resign - Now!
You are getting the short shift today. I have something like 100 more pages to proof, so I’m cutting things …
October 1st, 2006 at 5:21 pm
Frankly, one reason there may be such a rush toward 2008 is that Republicans are frustrated with how the party has positioned themselves in 2006. And that makes 2008 the fork in the road where Republicans can decide what they want their party to stand for going forward.
It seems to me that what makes the 2008 race so interesting is not only the open fields for both major parties but the importance for the GOP of searching their souls as to what they truly stand for given their recent troubles. And I think such a dynamic is why many of the old rules will be jettisoned in 2008 on the GOP side and allow for candidates to succeed in the presidential primary process that might not ordinarily thrive.
My response to Senator DeMint would be twofold - it is too late for what he requests and maybe if the Congress ahd done a better job under GOP management of setting clear priorities and principles then folks wouldn’t be so anxious to annoint the next national Republican leader of our party, which is what the 2008 race will do.
October 2nd, 2006 at 12:39 pm
Dear Gamecock, this is part of the Wall Street Journal story.
Secretary of Turbulence:Condoleezza Rice takes the long view–maybe too long.
BY BRET STEPHENS Saturday, September 30,
NEW YORK–Condoleezza Rice arrives 10 minutes early for her interview with The Wall Street Journal, dressed in a red suit and a single strand of white pearls. She says “Hi, Condi Rice”–…. She speaks for five minutes and takes questions for the rest of the hour.
The conversation ranges from Bolivian coca to Iranian IEDs to administration leaks. Some of what she says is bland, some of it bunk, some of it smart and some of it revealing. It all takes shape in sentences that flow one from the other, paragraphs that maintain their discipline and logic, arguments that never lose sight of their destination, even when they digress. Ms. Rice is nothing if not a pleasure to listen to, which may explain why even critics who say she’s become too much a creature of the State Department would love to see her name on the Republican ticket in 2008.
The rest is avaiable online or at your library. Overall, it is impressive.
And I might add, Fred Barnes of the Weekly Standard, wrote a column
last year about Condi replacing Cheney. While I don’t support that view,
with his health problems, our nation is lucky to have a strong person
like Condi on the top of the list as the only replacement for him.
October 2nd, 2006 at 1:35 pm
I agree that “endorsements are the most overrated thing in elections”. That said, lets not forget the Rudy-buzz in South Carolina in early August:
SC GOP Chair Is Proud To Call Rudy A Republican
Ex-NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) will attend a reception hosted by SC House Speaker Bobby Harrell and the SC GOP in Charleston 8/16. Tickets to the “Evening Honoring Rudy Giuliani” range from $100-$2500. SC GOP Chair Katon Dawson: “We are excited and honored to have Mayor Giuliani visit South Carolina. His steady leadership during crises and his record of accomplishment truly make him ‘America’s Mayor.’ He is an exceptional individual and I am proud to call him a fellow Republican (release, 8/1).
October 2nd, 2006 at 1:58 pm
LJ, in your first post you made it sound like Gov. Sanford had endorsed McCain for 2008. While he was on board with McCain in 2000 he has NOT endorsed anyone for 2008. Unlike Graham and DeMint he is up for re-election in November and has avoided talking about 2008 preferring to focus on 2006.
December 6th, 2006 at 3:52 pm
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