Between Barack and a Hard Place: Ultimate US Elections 2012 Thread

**the4thpip** · 09-24-2011, 03:02 PM

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain won an upset victory in the nonbinding straw poll sponsored by the Republican Party of Florida on Saturday, beating out seven other candidates including front-runner Rick Perry.

**Paradox** · 09-24-2011, 06:46 PM

Is this "straw poll" another "buy their votes" thing like Iowa?

**the4thpip** · 09-25-2011, 02:21 AM

Originally Posted by Paradox

Is this "straw poll" another "buy their votes" thing like Iowa?

Well, this one followed three days of debates and events, to one could argue that more undecided voters were there.

Romney had claimed he wasn't trying to win the straw poll, even though aides worked the phones, e-mails and aisles for him.

But Perry made an all-out free-breakfast-come-talk-with-me effort. And he lost, rather big-time, to a man who is the favorite of many conservatives, although a longshot to become the GOP's nominee.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/wash...y-romney-.html

1. Herman Cain, 37.1%
2. Rick Perry, 15.4%
3. Mitt Romney, 14%
4. Rick Santorum, 10.9%
5. Ron Paul, 10.4%
6. Newt Gingrich, 8.4%
7. Jon Huntsman, 2.3%
8. Michele Bachmann, 1.5%

**the4thpip** · 09-26-2011, 12:38 AM

Wonkette has the best graphics.

**RolandJP** · 09-26-2011, 01:12 AM

The GOP

Herman Cain. lol
"The Burger King"

This is like Robocop 2. The only way to defeat a Cyborg is to send another Cyborg/

by Cyborg I mean articulate minority.

**RolandJP** · 09-26-2011, 01:13 AM

double post

**the4thpip** · 09-26-2011, 02:14 AM

Of course, no black candidate has a chance to win more than one or two GOP primaries considering the blatantly racist streak of the GOP base in 2011.

Right now, Cain serves to undermine the "front runner" status of the other candidates and to divert some of the campaign donations away from them.

And if Obama loses, there might a post like commerce secretary in it for him in the next administration.

I do believe the primaries will drag on and be bloody. If you think Hillary/Barack was bad, just wait for Rick/Mitt.

And they will spend so much money on their campaigns, the economy might actually improve over it.

**Iangould** · 09-26-2011, 03:03 AM

Actually I'd say Cain's performance in a southern state is a pretty good reason to question just how big that "streak of racism" really is.

Also, whoever wins the primary contest will likely need to move back to the political centre after frantically pandering to the far right - so I think Cain has an outside shot at the VP position.

I almost want to see a Palin/Cain ticket just to see the response from liberals.

**the4thpip** · 09-26-2011, 03:27 AM

Originally Posted by Iangould

Actually I'd say Cain's performance in a southern state is a pretty good reason to question just how big that "streak of racism" really is.

Also, whoever wins the primary contest will likely need to move back to the political centre after frantically pandering to the far right - so I think Cain has an outside shot at the VP position.

I almost want to see a Palin/Cain ticket just to see the response from liberals.

Americans consider Florida "South of the South" for a good reason. While the Northern part is similar to other Southern States politically, the Southern part is quite the opposite.

A win in Florida is NOT a win in a "Southern State" in the political sense.

**RolandJP** · 09-26-2011, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by Iangould

Actually I'd say Cain's performance in a southern state is a pretty good reason to question just how big that "streak of racism" really is.

Also, whoever wins the primary contest will likely need to move back to the political centre after frantically pandering to the far right - so I think Cain has an outside shot at the VP position.

I almost want to see a Palin/Cain ticket just to see the response from liberals.

Palin should change her name to Abel.

Then the GOP ticket will be Able and Cain.

"our brother's keeper"

**Nick Soapdish** · 09-26-2011, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by the4thpip

Americans consider Florida "South of the South" for a good reason. While the Northern part is similar to other Southern States politically, the Southern part is quite the opposite.

A win in Florida is NOT a win in a "Southern State" in the political sense.

However, the Republican part of the state is more "Southern". Its support is particularly strong in the rural northern counties although it has pretty solid support throughout most parts of the state. I think that a bigger consideration is whether a straw poll with only a select few being allowed to vote is representative of a body as a whole.

**the4thpip** · 09-27-2011, 12:30 AM

Michele Bachmann has a new message for conservative Republicans: "We can't settle."

Speaking on Monday to a crowd of about 50 in a hotel ballroom here, the GOP presidential hopeful reiterated her new campaign theme more than 10 times in her stump speech. "Of all years, this is the year where we don't have to settle," Bachmann told the crowd of largely middle-aged and older Iowans.

The implication was that Republicans don't have to settle on a presidential nominee whose conservative bona fides are anything less than sterling. And as her once-meteoric star seems to be falling, Bachmann is going out of her way to draw distinctions between herself and other conservatives in the field.

(...)
"(Obama) will not have a second term. The country has already made up its decision. I am convinced of it." Bachmann argued. "The issue is, who will be our nominee? Will it be someone who understands these issues so that they will go and fight for them, or will we have a compromise candidate?" She reiterated the theme in an evening appearance on Fox News. "I am the constitutional conservative in the race," she told host Bill O'Reilly.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_1...49-503544.html

Why settle for just a little nuts, when you can go for full-out crazy this year?

**Shellhead** · 09-27-2011, 06:53 AM

If the enemy of my enemy is my friend, Bachman is starting to look like my friend. She doesn't have a realistic chance of winning the nomination, but she is willing to take down every other candidate with her. Go on Bachmann, keep kicking Romney and Perry in the shins. I love it.