The GOP's 2016 Presidential Roster Is Already Melting Down

[babylonsister]

The GOP's 2016 Presidential Roster Is Already Melting Down

Sahil Kapur – January 20, 2014, 12:54 PM EST2838


A once-promising roster of Republican presidential hopefuls in 2016 is slowly coming apart, tarnished by individual scandals as well as the struggles of some candidates to keep faith with the conservative base's stubborn rightward shift.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is the latest to fall from grace, as a political retribution-laced scandal implicating his top officials continues to make national headlines, fueling a narrative about his alleged history of being a bully. Christie's plunge is particularly painful for Republican operatives because of his dually strong conservative record and cross-partisan appeal.

snip//

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), once heralded as the GOP's "savior," alienated his conservative base by crafting and voting for comprehensive immigration reform last summer. Then he alienated those he won over by withdrawing from the effort after it became clear the House would reject it. A young and charismatic conservative whose diverse background made him an attractive leader, he's now considered a flawed candidate among his own party base.

snip//

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who enjoys strong name recognition and unassailable conservative credentials, has been tarnished by embarrassing revelations of plagiarism. He appears to have plagiarized large chunks of his book as well as speeches and op-eds. His column was canceled by the Washington Times. His initial petulance toward media coverage exacerbated his woes until he eventually said he'd use footnotes and more carefully vet what his staffers write.

Then there's Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida and establishment favorite. His family name may or may not be rehabilitated by 2016. But even if it is, Bush's bigger problem is that he appears to have all but disappeared from the national debate as his party's rightward leap forces him to defend his conservative bona fides. His own mother recently poured cold water on his ambitions, saying there have been "enough Bushes" in the White House.

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http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/gop-2016-roster-meltdown

[JaneyVee]

1. Plus, due to FL election laws you can't be on the ballot twice, so

Rubio will have to choose between running for prez or for re-election. Loss of both will result in unemployment.

[polichick]

2. Should be a really special clown car then!

[Coyotl]

6. My guess, it will look a lot like this:

except with a fresh tank of B.S., more clowns, more tea, and even less rubber meeting the road.

[polichick]

11. Ha! Perfect.

[AlinPA]

3. Ted Cruz will come out with some more crazier stuff and take the lead. Teabaggers like crazy

stuff.

[thelordofhell]

4. We all know it's gonna be whatever nutjob spends the most money

[Gothmog]

5. I love the concept that some GOP types want Romney to run again

From the article cited in the OP

Republican donors are feeling so dejected that one operative told BuzzFeed, "You know what a lot of them say to me? I think we need Mitt back."

[SoCalDem]

7. Although the GOP would LOVE to have their own president again,

they do NOT need to have a butt in the chair at the desk in the Oval Office, in order to rule the country. As long as they have control over ONE of the congressional chambers, they can get whatever they want. They also have control over SCOTUS, and the media. They would dearly love to have it all, but they do just fine as the perpetual spoiler...the downtrodden underdogs..the poor, misunderstood patriots ....

[Pretzel_Warrior]

8. Christie at the debates:"That's a nice moderator's desk. Would be a shame if

anything happened to it."

Marco Rubio: "What's a guy gotta do to get a bottle of water around here?!"

Rand Paul: "Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent...."


Ted Cruz: "I believe my slipping and falling on the way up to my podium in no way diminishes me. In fact, I think it adds strength of character to my public persona. Or to boil it down--WINNING!"

[Johonny]

9. I think the door opens for Romney to run again if he wants to spend the money

[madinmaryland]

10. You can't forget Hucklebee, Santorum, and Palin. The crazy train will be running again

in 2016!!

[Scuba]

12. Well sure, but they still have this guy, a proven winner ...

A successful fundraiser ...




A protector of the priviledged ...




Who knows who his bosses are ...