Notes on Huntsman 2012.

[drishmael]

Originally Posted by wutitiz

"And Bush has been out of office for 6 years now. At what point do we stop pointing the finger at Bush, and turn it towards the current president?"

If Obama had taken the Reagan fiscal trajectory, spending/the deficit would've peaked at 25.6%/-13.2% of GDP in 2011, and would be 25%/-12.3% of GDP for FY 2015 (~$2 trillion deficit vs. ~$500 billion {currently projected}). Would you have been cool with that?

[Tom Dempsey's Left Foot]

Originally Posted by Arjay51

Having lived in Utah during his tenure as governor I can say first hand that I and a large group of others were not impressed by his leadership and goals. For what it is worth.

Anecdotes are great, but here's the thing. He left office with an 80% approval rating among Utah voters. The man won by 58 points in an election where McCain "only" beat Obama by 28. For a politician, if your numbers are that high, that means you are either almost universally liked by your constituents or you are a wizard. Your friends may not have liked him, but odds are he'll never have to pay for a drink in SLC for the rest of his life.*

Anyway, I think Democrats liked him so much because they found him to be more pragmatic than the other 2012 GOP primary candidates. He was also probably the most well-rounded in terms of domestic and foreign policy experience, while still retaining some conservative street cred with his tax cut success in Utah. Hell, he impressed me to the point where, as a moderate Democrat, even with his conservative leanings, I would have voted for him over anybody. Including Obama in 2012. No joke.

Plus,

I'll add, I love a guy in a plaid flannel
http://cdn-media.nationaljournal.com...2013_8_columns

I've been waiting for a president who can pull off the flannel look without looking like a poser. Not many people can do that. I saw Rick Perry try once. It was depressing.



*That drink, of course, being cranberry juice.

[Eddyline]

Originally Posted by Tom Dempsey's Left Foot

Anyway, I think Democrats liked him so much because they found him to be more pragmatic than the other 2012 GOP primary candidates. He was also probably the most well-rounded in terms of domestic and foreign policy experience, while still retaining some conservative street cred with his tax cut success in Utah. Hell, he impressed me to the point where, as a moderate Democrat, even with his conservative leanings, I would have voted for him over anybody. Including Obama in 2012. No joke.

.

I agree, I lean left but am not at all excited about another Clinton (or Bush).
The Repubs only chance is to nominate someone who could draw some votes from the Demos.

[Mr. Mon]

Originally Posted by Eddyline

I agree, I lean left but am not at all excited about another Clinton (or Bush).
The Repubs only chance is to nominate someone who could draw some votes from the Demos.

I'd say the Republican's only hope is that Democrats and independents are so uninspired by Clinton that they just don't bother to vote. Demographics, along with the demography and negative polling, pretty much preclude Republicans from winning the Presidency if independents and Democrats show-up to vote.

A Bush vs. Clinton match-up could be a close race only because voter turnout would probably be one of the lowest in modern history.