Crow – not the other white meat
- Tuesday, June 23, 2009, 10:51
- Constitution Daily
- 521 views
- 20 comments
In August 2008, I wrote my first Republican Gubernatorial race ranking. I knew it was really early to do something like that but I just find those conversations fun so I thought, what the heck. Now the 2010 race is almost in full swing so I thought I’d revisit some of the remarks I made back in August, almost a year ago.
The most glaring example of being flat out wrong is my take on Christopher Rants. I wrote he had no chance to make a successful run. I based my prediction on his failures at being Speaker of the House and minority leader as well as his persona outside of Sioux City. For conservatives, he just didn’t come off as a very likeable, trustworthy fella.
Things sure have changed in a year. After getting ousted as minority leader, Rants has turned back to his conservative roots, increased his presence in the media and at political events, and turned on the charm. He comes off as a veteran politician with maybe the best knowledge of Iowa government and the political landscape out of all other potential candidates. Also, he’s no slouch at raising money.
If you would have told me a year ago Christopher Rants would actually have a shot at winning the Republican nomination for governor, I would have laughed in your face. Now, the one laughing is Rants.
But since so much can change in a year and we are just slightly less than a year away from the Primary Election, what will the race look like then? Will it be down to Rants and Vander Plaats? Will a Rod Roberts or Paul McKinley emerge as a competitive candidate? Or will a dark horse jump in the race? And we’re all waiting with baited breath for Doug Gross’s savior/candidate to be revealed.
Of course only time will tell but my advice, after making such a colossal error counting out Rants, keep an open mind on each candidate entering the race and don’t count anyone out until the day you cast your ballot. Then maybe you won’t have to eat crow…I can tell you, it doesn’t taste like chicken.
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20 Comments on “Crow – not the other white meat”
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You were right the first time. Rants is an admirable warrior. However, he has no chance as a candidate in the general. He is snarly despite the recent conversion to a kinder and gentler candidate. The monied crowd doesn’t like him for unaddressed grievances arising from his tenure as Speaker. We can do better.
I didn’t write about the general election. That is an entirely new subject. I’m focusing on the primary for now.
The fact that Moderation and Doug GROSS don’t like Rants will help garner him support here.
Rants is near the top of my list–unless King gets in. But if King gets in, then someone has to run for King’s congressional seat.
CD: Wrong. We are talking about winning elections. We ALWAYS focus on the general. Look at the polls. We are witnessing the destruction of the party. The extemists get all lathered up about the primaries and we get a wingnut candidate that is offensive to the vast middle. Get with the program. Al–I don’t understand your Gross fetish. Did he whip you in court?
Yes – look at the polls. The largest demographic is self professed conservatives…I would cater to that group. And no, we are not talking about the general. You are, my article does not.
CD–I’m not worried about conservatives. As I have stated ad nauseum, we are a country and state of conservatives. I’m talking about Republicans. Even with these sanguine numbers regarding conservatives, only 22% identify themselves as Republicans. Pathetic. These numbers show how far we have plummeted. Why, because of extremists taking over the Party. The faithful need to witness their faiths through churches not through the political process.
To talk about the primaries outside the context of the general is pure folly. Paramount of the attributes one must consider in candidates is how they would perform in the general.
MIE – since we’ve gone over this so much in the past, I won’t spend much time with you. But do you have any idea how far off your logic is? You say that a moderate needs to be elected so we can win the general. We’ve nominated moderate after moderate in this state and we’ve lost time and time again. We just nominated the most liberal Republican ever for POTUS and lost handily. You couple that with conservatives being the biggest ideological demographic and you still profess moderation in everything…how do you connect the dots?
And my article was not about moderate vs. conservative or anything like that. It was about how I counted out Rants when I shouldn’t have.
No CD. You are the one that needs a logic lesson and a primer in poll reading. McCain might have had a chance if he would have stuck to a moderate message. But no, he was cooped by the radical right and in the end sounded insincere because deep in his heart and contrary to his past, he didn’t believe much of it. Also, Palin was a dreadful weight on his campaign. Keep on deluding yourself. Sure, we might pick off a few seats here or there but as a movement we are finished because of what you propose. Go create your own Christian Taliban party. Leave the GOP were it belongs–in the hands of candidates who know how to win elections and appeal to the vast middle.
By the way. My main point is that you were right the first time.
> Go create your own Christian Taliban party. Leave the GOP were it belongs–in the hands of candidates who know how to win elections and appeal to the vast middle.
Whoa whoa whoa, let’s chill out a bit here.
You both are partly right. McCain was a moderate that lost. He paired up with an unqualified social conservative. Would he have won if he would’ve selected Huckabee? Probably not in 2008. What if it was Huckabee/McCain? I believe they still would’ve lost…for the same reason the Dems swept the senate and congress.
I’m not religious, but I know it takes all kinds to win an election. We need social conservatives, and we need moderates to win. I don’t believe in God, but I’ll vote for someone that does in a New York minute. As long as they are fiscally conservative (my main concern), and don’t desire to legislate their religious beliefs.
Jeff: Amen. Fiscal conservatism is what unites us all. I am very religious Jeff but I have no right to impose my religious beliefs on others. I admit my words were over the top. They reflect more of a frustration than anything. I want to win so badly. Unfortunately, as you can see, there is very little room on these blogs for those that don’t tow the socon line. It is refreshing to see another moderate weigh in.
Mod, again love the christian taliban line. You are right, the problem is factions,. the christian taliban you refer to, in the republican party want to become more conservative and they think that means more conservative on social issues, the intellectual wing of the party is talking about fiscal conservatism and embracing that agian. So the question is, who should the party follow, the christian taliban faction, or the intellectuals, mmmmmm, I think I know which one would be smarter.
Silence
PS let’s start a contest on who can guess what sanford was doing in argentina. I am going with vacationing with gay lover.
Well I was close, Sanford admits to having an affair, although with a woman, another republican presidential hopeful bites the dust.
Silence
What is up with potential republican presidential candidates not being able to keep their pants zipped???
I admittedly don’t know much about the history of these candidates, but Rants seems much more level-headed than Vander Plaats. My opinion is mostly based on their reactions to the gay marriage ruling.
PS Regarding Sanford- Silence you took mine, so my second guess is spending Father’s Day with his secret alternate family.
Silence-oh no-I hadn’t seen that. Going to look right now.
How dumb is sanford??? this is a guy who I think wanted to be caught. I think his wife knew exactly what was going on too. Really, you think you can sneak off to Argentina with your lover, tell no one your are leaving, and have no one ask questions??? Actually, since the Lt. Gov. really outed the disappearance, I bet he knew to and will push for sanford to resign so he can take over. Just a hunch, but so far mine have been pretty good.
Silence
Yeah, Sanford should resign. This affair has definitely affected his job performance.
This is the problem republicans get into when they want to be the party of “family values” and be the morals police. It looks even worse for republicans when they do this crap and look like big hypocrites, however I don’t condone it for either side, democrats can survive a bit better politically because they aren’t all into everyone’s private lives.
Silence
How sad. Sanford had a future. Having spent too much time in Europe, I have come to appreciate Europeans toleration for human weaknesses. Look at the Italian PM. He has a 60 plus approval rating despite his his dalliances. Silence–Sanfords behavior is harder to take coming from conservative wing of the party.
Mod, it is more tolerated in europe, because there politicians are smart enough to stay out of the voters private lives and don’t try to legislate morals, that is what gets the republicans in trouble with this stuff, sanford had all kinds of things to say about bill and monica, then couldn’t live up to his own standards. Republicans had best learn to stay out of people’s private lives and stop trying to legislate their morals and “christian” beliefs on everyone.
Silence