Dream Team Could Change Political Map In '08

Granted it's been 25 years since Reagan turned the political map red, even throughout the Northeast in both 1980 and 1984. But if one surveys the political players on the scene today, it could be possible for Republicans to get behind a 2008 ticket with the potential to do it, again. Granted, this allows for a bit of wishful thinking often associated with fantasy leagues common to many sports today.

Imagine the impact in the Northeast from a Romney / Giuliani ticket, making behind the scenes deals with McCain (as new Sec Def) and Gingrich (at State), to avoid a disastrous split among Republicans throughout a potentially tough primary season. Even a Clinton / Obama ticket would be forced to play serious defense in several northeastern states the Dems now all but take for granted. As an aside, with the right candidate, Kerry could be toast in Mass as something of a bonus.

The obvious flaw is lack of a Southern pol on the Republican ticket, but with a mostly unified party running against either Hillary or Obama at the top of the Democrat ticket, that flaw might not cost Republicans the South.

With the right platform and message being articulated in the South by Romney and surrogates with Rudy's credibility to focus his campaigning on issues such as Homeland Security and Immigration enforcement as Veep, they'd present a powerful combination of presence, principle and practical ability that could be hard to beat.

The biggest challenge for the Republicans might be getting social conservatives to trust Romney and support the ticket. But just as 2006 is being suggested as a lesson for Republicans, turn that around and it could be a lesson for conservative voters, too. They've seen that elections can go bad when they decide to sit one out. Would they risk sitting out an election if the cost were a Clinton II? Perhaps not.

Unfortunately, just as in sports today, getting the right team together on a fantasy roster is easy, getting the egos to work together in some real world locker room is an entirely different matter.

Comments

[Darth Malice]

Not a horrible idea.

[Dan S.]

Any G.O.P. "dream team" would need to have Tom Tancredo as a member for me to even be remotely interested in it. Illegal immigration will be a campaign issue and Tancredo is one of the only candidates (if he runs) with any credibility on it.

[DoubleLeftWingPatrick]

Thompson / Romney. I'm sticking with it.

[Darth Malice]

I love Tancredo,but he has no chance....I am getting more comfy with Romney.

[Carl]

Haha, a cult member and a guy who married his cousin are the best you loser cons have?? Stay the course, shitheads!!

[Legalize]

"Republican Dream Team"? Shouldn't you be focused on maintaining a relevant political party first?

[Artie]

Last I checked, the GOP was completely irrelevant. Their primary appeal is in the redneck South. They're pretty much going the way of the Whigs. Dream Team - hahahaha.

[LOL]

go after kerry please, that'll work out just like when you guys went after maryland and new jersey in 2006. In the meantime the dems will happily take away seats in battlegroudn states from you, just like Montana, Virginia, and Missouri in 2006

[Legalize]

But seriously, do you really think that the GOP, which you permitted to be hijacked by the far right / loony Christians, in order to maintain the "big tent" (where we found out quite a bit of shenannigans occured when the lights were off *hubba hubba*) will actually support anyone to the left of Benito Mussolini?

Romney - checkered conservative bona fides. The radical wing that now controls your party has two questions: Does he hate gays or not? Is he in favor of criminalizing doctors who perform abortions or not?

Rudy - same checkered past. Don't forget about the affairs.

Newt - Are you kidding? How many wives has he left?

You've got no stars at this point; you've got no one who can take you back the salad days emobidied by Reagan, the blubbering old buffoon. You embraced the radical right; you claimed ownership of this disaster in Iraq; and you gleefully made your "Contract on America" a reality; you lied, cheated, and stole from the very moment you gained power in 1994; you helped to divide a nation; you pandered to the lowest common denominator; you got massacred in 2006; you are relevant only to the extent that you have the president's ear; you can't even get your own members to stand one way or the other on the war.

Good luck with that.

[Wahoo Willie]

I'm always amazed at the hatred and outright bigotry of the left.

[Rob Kaufman]

Wahoo Willie, no more than I am amazed at the hypocrisy of those on the right.

[Wahoo Willie]

OK, but I can't recall any hypocrits who put people into ovens whereas it seems to be a habit among those who hate others.

[Legalize]

"I'm always amazed at the hatred and outright bigotry of the left .... OK, but I can't recall any hypocrits who put people into ovens whereas it seems to be a habit among those who hate others."

What are you even responding to?

[Rob Kaufman]

Oh wee willy, is that so? Considering Mr Riehl is one of the biggest hatemongers around are you stating that you know that Dan puts people in ovens? Do you have any proof to back that up because those are pretty harse allegations?

[Rob Kaufman]

Correction before Phoenix the Editor corrects me, harse=harsh.

[Wahoo Willie]

I have no idea what Dan does when he isn't running HIS blog, but will say that 2 wrongs do not make a right. In watching both pathetic "parties" in our silly little system, there is plenty of wrong to go around. But my goodness the total monsters of hatred and bigotry that have infiltrated the dems.

[Legalize]

I know nothing will come of this, but, Willie: how have "the total monsters of hatred and bigotry infiltrated the dems"? And what examples do you have to back such an assertion?

[Wahoo Willie]

Actually Legalize I would begin my pointing to "examples" by suggesting that you scroll around reading your own hatefilled, name calling, mudslinging pap. Of course, you're only one among many. Do your own research scooter.

[scarshapedstar]

"Granted, this allows for a bit of wishful thinking often associated with fantasy leagues common to many sports today."

Thanks for that disclaimer, Dan "Macaca Defeats Truman" Riehl.

Irony is dead and its ashes have been shot into low earth orbit.

[Legalize]

"Actually Legalize I would begin my pointing to "examples" by suggesting that you scroll around reading your own hatefilled, name calling, mudslinging pap. Of course, you're only one among many. Do your own research scooter."

Oh, I see. My mistake was taking you seriously, while you, like so many of your fellow-travellers, point to nothing. If documenting the political ineptitdes facing the GOP causes such seething, you guys really are screwed.

[Wahoo Willie]

"ineptitdes" Your hatred for your fellow man is going to cause your head to explode. I hope you aren't as dangerous as you are sad. What must it be like to constantly have a chip on your shoulder? Are you frustrated finding that soooo many people do not measure up to your standards? How do you justify being a bigot? I mean do you also have derogatory terms for races/ethnicities other than your own? Or is it only alright to hate certain "less than popular" groups. Just curious.

[TheSpartan]

If Romney is on the top of the GOP ticket he will not carry MA in the election trust me on this. NEVER happen, ever. In fact he's not likely to carry any New England state as most of the other Gov's can't stand him.

[Legalize]

"ineptitdes"

"Your hatred for your fellow man is going to cause your head to explode. I hope you aren't as dangerous as you are sad. What must it be like to constantly have a chip on your shoulder? Are you frustrated finding that soooo many people do not measure up to your standards? How do you justify being a bigot? I mean do you also have derogatory terms for races/ethnicities other than your own? Or is it only alright to hate certain "less than popular" groups. Just curious."

Thanks, Inspector. I know that in the intellectual fellaciousness of Riehl's World, spouting out tired right-wing-o-sphere memes, while assuming what you seek to prove is considered sound argument, but in the REAL world, you still haven't pointed to anything that I've said, or that the Dems have said that rises to the level of "hatered" or "bigotry." You merely assume it, therefore it is. If critcism of your beloved political party and its figures (on a site that makes its living off of defaming its political opponents) makes you misty-eyed, I don't know what to tell you. If you think that rises to the level of being derisive of ethnicities, or races, or any other immutable trait shared among persons, then like I said before: you're not worth taking seriously.

[Wahoo Willie]

I haven't seen anything derogatory about "my" party here. SInce I hope daily for a dictatorship, based on the Polpot model, I am really not represented in this 2 party system. Of course ASSuming to know someones political leanings is also bigoted and I expect no less.

[sglover]

"OK, but I can't recall any hypocrits who put people into ovens whereas it seems to be a habit among those who hate others."

I'd really like it if you answered Legalize, and gave the rest of us some hint about what the hell you're talking about here. Do you even know yourself? Maybe you guys have special hotkeys assigned so that you can just string together random phrases? It's a kind of writing, I guess.....

[Darth Malice]

Legalise and Carl starred in the movie "Brokeback Iraq".Its a touching story of 2 liberals deeply in love and doing all they can to screw their country while thinking about the same with each other......Dan I don't mean to sound racy ,but the spirit moved me.:)

[Wahoo Willie]

OK glover, I did the reading back for you, apparently you are used to that kind of thing. My point was the dearth of hateful and bigoted comments (on this page alone) from people who seem to think themselves better than everyone else. Here are some examples:
"a cult member and a guy who married his cousin"
"far right / loony Christians"
"Does he hate gays or not? Is he in favor of criminalizing doctors who perform abortions or not?"
"Reagan, the blubbering old buffoon"
"you lied, cheated, and stole from the very moment you gained power in 1994; you helped to divide a nation; you pandered to the lowest common denominator;"
and my favorite: "Their primary appeal is in the redneck South"

The reply concerned basically "well, my rich white guys may hate anyone who disagrees with them, but your rich white guys are hypocrits" To which I replied that people who hate other people hurt people. Thus the oven comment or let's just wonder for a moment what may have gone on in West Virginia while Robert Byrd was Grand Poobah of the KKK. Whereas, someone who has a problem with a POTUS getting blown in the oval office, while himself sending love notes to teenaged male pages, is an ass but not quite as dangerous as someone who burns churches. It boils down to trading one form of bigotry for another, is not a solution. I hope this helps and the discourse is still not too difficult for you.

[jvf]

romney/giuliani?

bring it on. Any of the D's running will have them for lunch.

[Legalize]

And I hope that the next time you decide to attach the word "dearth" to the front end of a rambling mess of "whereas" clauses, you look up the definition of the words.

[sglover]

"The reply concerned basically "well, my rich white guys may hate anyone who disagrees with them, but your rich white guys are hypocrits" To which I replied that people who hate other people hurt people. Thus the oven comment or let's just wonder for a moment what may have gone on in West Virginia while Robert Byrd was Grand Poobah of the KKK. Whereas, someone who has a problem with a POTUS getting blown in the oval office, while himself sending love notes to teenaged male pages, is an ass but not quite as dangerous as someone who burns churches. It boils down to trading one form of bigotry for another, is not a solution. I hope this helps and the discourse is still not too difficult for you."

Ummmm.... Well, first, if you're complaining about TOO MANY rude remarks, I think you're worried about a "glut", or an "excess" -- definitely not a "dearth". Look it up. But maybe a "dearth of hateful and bigoted comments" really IS a disappointment, to the hive mind. You tell me.

Anyway, look, it appears to me that you're not really interested in arguing with what's actually been said. Instead, you'd rather send out shotgun blasts of rhetoric against demons that exist largely in your own mind. I mean, I can sort of imagine a line of thinking that might lead from an off-the-wall comment about the Holocaust to Robert Byrd to Monica Lewinsky to what's-his-name Foley, but -- I don't think I'd call it an especially clear chain of inference. I'm guessing that you might be the only person on planet earth who, when Auschwitz is mentioned, thinks, "That goddam Robert Byrd!"

Oh, and one more thing: I'll believe that you're really upset by "bigotry" and "hatred" when you go after this Riehl ignoramus for his PUBLICLY STATED DESIRE that Americans get run over by a bus.

I'm not going to let that one go, and I've got the original thread saved, should Riehl wish to disappear it. I've got a record of what this shoddy and rabid little corner of the net is all about.

[Phoenix]

"Legalise and Carl starred in the movie "Brokeback Iraq".Its a touching story of 2 liberals deeply in love and doing all they can to screw their country while thinking about the same with each other"

and they talked of fellaciousness and the headiness of it, but the nincompoopery of their logic never failed them so they remained unloved, unfucked, and horny and got big chips on their shoulders as opposed to big dicks.

[Phoenix]

oops.... Licketysplit lickspittle is worried about rude remarks.

I take back what I just said.

[sglover]

"Legalise and Carl starred in the movie "Brokeback Iraq".Its a touching story of 2 liberals deeply in love and doing all they can to screw their country while thinking about the same with each other......Dan I don't mean to sound racy ,but the spirit moved me.:)"

So you posted this on a Sunday, presumably you've got the day off, and you've had a fair amount of time to think of a dazzling come-back -- and THIS is the best you can do?

Anyway, I commend you for spending time in the junior-high library, even though it's not a school day. Or maybe you're on detention?

[sglover]

"and they talked of fellaciousness and the headiness of it, but the nincompoopery of their logic never failed them so they remained unloved, unfucked, and horny and got big chips on their shoulders as opposed to big dicks."

Ah. The "editor", again.

[DoubleLeftWingPatrick]

I'd really like to weigh in here, but except for Legalize and sglover screeching "your mother wears Army boots", there's really nothing of substance going on.

I'd really like some in depth political analysis by jvf on why Romney/Rudy (right-center/right + America's Mayor) would have trouble with Hillary (can you name me one piece of important legislation she wrote) or Obama (ditto - two invisible years in Illinois, then on to Washington). Although Obama says he's strong on corruption, so I assume he'll be calling for investigations into Harry Reid's land deals and Nancy Pelosi's tunagate. Or is there some other brobdingnagian in the dems bullpen that I should be concerning myself with?

[DoubleLeftWingPatrick]

I'm personally calling for drafting Huckabee / Lieberman,. The perfect balanced centrist ticket, and because I think it'd look cool on a shirt. It'd have to be long sleeves.

[Darth Malice]

Yes I am off Sunday Glover,the rest of the week I work to pay taxes to keep liberals fed and protected!

[Carl]

You cons certainly love your gay imagery. Anyway, keep up the insults, its all you irrelevant clowns have left. Maybe Macaca can make a comeback for 08?

[Phoenix]

Ah. The "editor", again.

Yes, sglover? You rang? Do you need something edited? How about I do a nice Lewinsky on your latest expostulatory piece. Considering you sound your spunk-trumpet invective towards the end - just to make your sticking point, I might have to bite off your very tip. But you know, screw your courage and all that.... it won't hurt for long even if you do call for your mama.

[LOL]

Darth Malice really loves the homosexual imagery

no doubt there's something of Ted Haggard in him

[sglover]

"Yes, sglover? You rang? Do you need something edited?"

Not bloody likely. Aside from understanding the intricacies of nouns, adjectives, and adverbs (even without consulting the "current" grammar references), I write better than you do, and I think you'll notice that while I do have a weakness for sarcasm and flames here, I generally include some content. Your stuff, on the other hand, seems to be totally content-free, vacuous. What the hell DO you "edit", pop-up books?

"How about I do a nice Lewinsky on your latest expostulatory piece. Considering you sound your spunk-trumpet invective towards the end - just to make your sticking point, I might have to bite off your very tip. But you know, screw your courage and all that.... it won't hurt for long even if you do call for your mama."

Er... I'm not sure what you're getting at here, hon. That stream-of-brainstem style of yours always gets in the way. But -- Are you offering some kind of knee-bound sexual favor? I'm sure you're pretty experienced at it, sugar, but how's about we have a cup of coffee, get to know each other first?

[sglover]

"You cons certainly love your gay imagery. Anyway, keep up the insults, its all you irrelevant clowns have left."

If they're not yammering on about Brokeback Mountain, they're publicly offering their oral services. Just another day amongst the "Party of Values", eh, Carl?

[Phoenix]

Mind your own business, Licketysplit sglover. Legalize is the one who started the blowjob stuff with his 'fellaciousness'.

I would love to have coffee with you. But first, you must name the source of the literary allusion I made in my offer of the edit job. :}

[Carl]

Funny how you closeted cons keep peeking out. I can see why you guys support Foley and Drudge, whether you admit it or not.

[Darth Malice]

When it comes to liberals,gay imagery is all I can come up with.:)

[RPK]

I am concerned that the Republicans have no one of conservative stature to put up as a candidate. I cannot see McCain, Giuliani, or Romney as acceptable conservatives. They don't reflect the principled conservative philosophy of Regan, don't have a record of seeing thing in a conservative prospective. I would wonder about their appointments to the Supreme Court. Of the also rans, I don't see a real conservative with ideas and solutions. Tancredo is solid on illegal aliens but comes way short on any thing else. Gingrich has ideas but is not a social conservative. What is a serious conservative to do? I will not vote for an imitation Dimocrat.

[prozacula]

a "dream team", huh?

keep dreaming. you wingers have lost the government for at least 1 decade, if not 2.