Who Does the GOP Want to See as the Democratic Nominee?

[McCamy Taylor]

This is an important question. For decades, the GOP has inserted itself into the Democratic Primary, using the power of the press and the DOJ (when the GOP controlled the White House) to shoot down candidates it considered too likely to win in the general. In 1972, Pat Buchanan raised this CREEP-iness to a high art.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/watergate/stories/buchananmemo.htm

With funds supplied by Nixon's personal lawyer, Segretti crisscrossed the country under assumed names, planting spies, disrupting rallies and creating divisiveness among the Democrats with false press releases, bogus letters and fake ads. After plea bargaining, he drew a six-month prison term for fabricating literature in the Florida primary. One was a letter on the campaign stationery of Sen. Edmund S. Muskie (D-Maine) accusing Sens. Henry M. Jackson (D-Wash.) and Hubert H. Humphrey (D-Minn.) of sexual misconduct.

Karl Rove, who still thinks of himself as GOP player was part of CREEP and he continued its strategies in each presidential election. Gary Hart was dismissed via sexual scandal. It did not work when they tried it on Clinton. Gore was shot down by members of his own party ("Gore is the same as Bush&quot In 2008, John Edwards was the subject of media attacks about his hair, his house---and could not get any press at all about his campaign.

So, since we all know that these GOP operatives are still at work and that they are almost certainly undercover all over the internet---and may even be paying bloggers and members of the MSM---who would the GOP most like to see as the Democratic Nominee?

Any thoughts? What specific characteristics make a candidate a "good prospect" for the RNC?

[leftofcool]

1. Soon, they will start supporting Warren

Just wait and see.

[McCamy Taylor]

5. They can't do that openly as Repubs. They will use a "Hunter S. Thompson" to do that.

Read "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72." Note Thompson's friendship with Pat Buchanan. Recall that these articles were published during the primary. The GOP learned that attacks which seem to come from the left are much more effective. Who is vying to become this election season's Hunter S. Thompson? I suspect that it was Michael Moore in 2000---only an idiot would not have seen the problems inherent in the "Bush Equals Gore" crap. Never underestimate the ambitions of political writers. They are very easy to manipulate if they think it will get them acclaim.

That is one of the problem with having professional political writers. I think that the Founders, who all had day jobs, were able to be more objective.

[hrmjustin]

2. They want to see anyone but Hillary.

[Katashi_itto]

4. I would vote for Cthulhu over Hillary in a heartbeat.

Which with Cthulhu, it would be my last hearbeat. But no matter!

[hrmjustin]

6. Well tell him to run in the primary.

[Katashi_itto]

7. Ph’nglui mglw’nafh cthulhu r’lyeh fhtagn!

[hrmjustin]

8. Fair enough.

[Katashi_itto]

11. Agree!

[hrmjustin]

12. I will still vote for Hillary but it would be an interesting debate.

[Katashi_itto]

15. Lol! Yes it would be

[bluedigger]

21. No, YOU tell him.

Let us know how it went.

[hrmjustin]

22. .

[99Forever]

3. Who effing cares what the gawddamn GOP wants?

Why in the world would that matter to me?

The desperation is getting thick.

[McCamy Taylor]

10. Because the MSM will parrot the GOP talking points and they will become Big Lies.

[99Forever]

14. So what?

Are you going to stop that by posting about it here?

You must a very low opinion of the intelligence of Democrats. You seem to think we can't figure anything out.

[BillZBubb]

29. It isn't Democrats (usually) who are the problem.

It is the independents, the so-called swing voters.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

30. Thank you

Threads on DU are getting weird these days.

[AgingAmerican]

9. Republicans are idiots

Who gives a damn what their delusional minds think?

[Hekate]

16. Their overlords are far from being idiots, and that is the whole point of the OP

Take them seriously -- they play for keeps, and they play for blood.

[AgingAmerican]

17. Their overlords are even more delusional

The folks who brought you Sarah Palin and Alan Keyes.

[Matrosov]

13. They're divided

Some want Warren because they think she's less electable than Clinton.

Some want Clinton because they don't have much faith in the GOP possibilities and think a Clinton presidency wouldn't be as "communist" as a Warren presidency.

[Hekate]

18. Not sure. Whoever it is, the GOP will want to see them bloodied and weakened...

They really are good at it. And we are so good at helping them by taking the bait again and again.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. I don't vote for Republicans. Nor do I base my vote on what Republicans want.

"I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever, in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else, where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all." Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 1789.

[McCamy Taylor]

23. Unless you study their methods, you will fall for their MSM whores' propaganda.

They will not say "Vote for ____." They will say "Bush is the same as Gore." They will say "Kerry is a Waffler." They will say "Clinton is a Koch Brother Paid Tool." And the Big Lie will become so familiar that it will seem true.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

24. No I won't.

I think most of the people here on DU are perfectly capable of forming their own opinions without the aid of Republicans' or the MSM's propaganda or any propaganda.

[KingCharlemagne]

20. Rove actually was investigated by the Watergate Special Prosecutor back in the day as

part of Segretti's crew, IIRC. That investigation died still-born when Nixon resigned without any indictment.

The problem for the GOP from my perspective is that every plausible Dem candidate (HRC, Warren, Sanders, O'Malley, Webb, Biden) is vastly superior to any possible Repuke candidate, so vastly superior that I simply cannot see typical Repuke dirty tricks working to sully any of the Dems I listed above in the primary season; the Dems clearly have the gravitas and experience that the inhabitants of the Klown Kar do not. (Full disclosure: I currently favor Sanders.)

But it's a good question to consider. What's really sad is that Repuke dirty tricks will probably work with at least 40% of the general population in the General Election. It's sad because I'd like to think Americans can see through the standard Repuke B.S. and perceive their own self interests more clearly. It really makes one despair.

[RiverLover]

25. Politico: "Why Republicans Are Ready for Hillary"

Why Republicans Are Ready for Hillary
Jan 2015

Her mistakes have GOP candidates lining up. But beware the pundits' confidence.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/01/republicans-2015-ready-for-hillary-113956.html

[leftofcool]

26. More RW talking points

[RiverLover]

28. OMG, she asked, I googled. Found out they'd love to see Hillary. nt

[LWolf]

27. I don't give a shit who they'd like to see.

They're not Democrats.

[sabrina 1]

31. Well, they sure don't like Elizabeth Warren.

[Reter]

32. They want Sanders, or better yet, Al Sharpton

And who could blame them? They would win 50 states against Al. But we do it too. I want Palin, so we can win 45 states (5 states will never vote with us, so 50 for Democrats is impossible, unless David Duke is their nominee).