Slog
News & ArtsThursday, March 7, 2013
2016 Frothy Mix 2016
Posted by Dan Savage on Thu, Mar 7, 2013 at 7:24 AM
"My dad works for Iowa Senator Tom Harkin and on Tuesday, Feb 26th, he was at an Iowa Chamber (of commerce? not sure) meeting in DC," writes a Slog tipper. "While he was grabbing something from the buffet someone tapped him on his shoulder to introduce himself. And it was fucking Rick Santorum! My dad promptly lost his appetite.When he told me this over the phone his exact words were, 'My god, Rick Santorum is running for president!' God help us all."
Of course Rick Santorum is running for president. It's not like Santorum is going to get a real job. Also, Rick won eleven states in the 2012 GOP primaries before losing the nomination to a stiff who went on to lose the general election to a Democrat. The last Republican presidential candidate who won eleven primaries before losing to a guy who lost to a Democrat? Ronald Reagan in 1976. Four years later Reagan came back, won the nomination, and won the White House. Rick is convinced he's the second coming of Ronald. Right now he's out there trying to convince Iowans.
3
Well, it could make for as entertaining a campaign as when Palin ran for VP.
If only I could be absolutely sure he'd lose.
If only I could be absolutely sure he'd lose.
5
Hilarious. Reagan was the face of the GOP even when Nixon was president. He could have been president in 1972 if Tricky Dick had lost in 1968. Santorum, OTOH....
The more I think about the possibility that Rick thinks he's another Reagan, the funnier it is. Reagan had one of the most appealing personalities in the history of American politics. He wasn't detail-oriented in the least, which is too bad because if he had better advisors, and kept the neo-cons and born-agains out of the White House, he might have been a universally respected president, not just a saint for the hard right. By comparison, Santorum has all the personality of a concrete wall. One that hasn't been tagged even once.
The more I think about the possibility that Rick thinks he's another Reagan, the funnier it is. Reagan had one of the most appealing personalities in the history of American politics. He wasn't detail-oriented in the least, which is too bad because if he had better advisors, and kept the neo-cons and born-agains out of the White House, he might have been a universally respected president, not just a saint for the hard right. By comparison, Santorum has all the personality of a concrete wall. One that hasn't been tagged even once.
7
The Democratic primaries are going to be a blood bath.
The Republican Primaries are going to be a three ring circus.
2016 is going to a fun election!
The Republican Primaries are going to be a three ring circus.
2016 is going to a fun election!
9
If the Democrats do something stupid like nullify Washington and Colorado marijuana laws because of U.N. claims they violate treaties, they could split off enough independents to vote for anti-U.N. Republicans. Politics makes strange bedfellows.
10
If one was able to extract all of Rick Santorum's bigotry out completely, you'd have left an old fashioned 70's style 'Gerald Ford' 'Scoop Jackson' type of establishment Republican.
11
One person's bigotry is another person's righteous indignation.
Lil' Danny Savage would have a hissy-fit if Santorum won and would surely concoct some sort of lie(s) to sully his reputation (Lib tactic #1).
Lil' Danny Savage would have a hissy-fit if Santorum won and would surely concoct some sort of lie(s) to sully his reputation (Lib tactic #1).
13
Rick Santorum is a sniveling piece of shit. One of the worst examples of a human being. It would be entertaining to see him run again and you know he will, his ego demands it.
14
@11: Oh come now! As if Rick Santorum would need any help with his reputation. All the man needs to do is open his own fool mouth.
20
@7 A bloodbath between who? Seriously, who are you expecting to have to get down and dirty against each other for the nomination (and if Hilary runs, the primary is over the day she announces--I don't like that, but that's the current reality).
21
Unless aliens land and round up the Teatards to feed their planet's craving for stupid burgers, it doesn't matter anymore who wins the presidency. Now both parties know the secret of monkeywrenching our democracy and forever more the losing party will just jam the gears of governing. Infrastructure will break down, states will become autonomous fiefdoms and the oligarchs will win by default. This political experiment called the USA is winding down. Is it true you have to have $50K in assets to be allowed to emigrate to Canada? Is Canada far enough to be safe? Maybe New Zealand?
22
@21 $50K?!
I will accept only $25K if you want to live in my apartment...though you will be sharing all amenities with my cat (including food bowl and "toilet"). I will even issue an ID card and passport! And health care*!
*limited to Tylenol and tiger balm
I will accept only $25K if you want to live in my apartment...though you will be sharing all amenities with my cat (including food bowl and "toilet"). I will even issue an ID card and passport! And health care*!
*limited to Tylenol and tiger balm
23
Hillary would trounce Mr. Froth. I hope she rests up and is ready to run in a couple of years. The last thing we need is a return to another white male.
24
@21,
I haven't heard that. You do have to demonstrate employability, preferably by specializing in an in-demand field. But it still takes a few years.
I've come to believe that any American who isn't defrauding others to make a buck is a chump at this point. So stay, and figure out your own niche in fraud and legalized robbery. It's not like anyone's going to stop you.
I haven't heard that. You do have to demonstrate employability, preferably by specializing in an in-demand field. But it still takes a few years.
I've come to believe that any American who isn't defrauding others to make a buck is a chump at this point. So stay, and figure out your own niche in fraud and legalized robbery. It's not like anyone's going to stop you.
27
I'd love for Santorum to get the nomination. He'd make the down-ticket disaster of Romney look like a summer breeze.
His primary victories were accidents of circumstance, as he was the last non-Romney candidate left standing as Team Rape did a collective dry-heave over their presidential selections.
His primary victories were accidents of circumstance, as he was the last non-Romney candidate left standing as Team Rape did a collective dry-heave over their presidential selections.
28
@21 Can't you just have get one of them sexy Canadians to marry you? Doesn't that work there?
If so, I totally call Joey Comeau.
If so, I totally call Joey Comeau.
29
Disillusioned American GWM with no in demand skills seeks sexy Canadian GM looking for marriage. Prefer catless but not a deal breaker. Have several vices, none being fraud related. Willing to learn hockey but full disclosure demands I warn you that I can't skate backwards to save my life.
30
During some of the darker moments of the Bush administration (hell, during some of the darker moments of the current administration), I daydreamed of driving to Vancouver B.C. every weekend and just sitting in a coffee shop with a journal or a magazine or what have you, twirling my hair fetchingly and hoping to catch the attention of some handsome Canadian.
31
Republicans don't nominate failed VP candidates, at least not historically. (Sorry, Ron Paul, history is not on your side.) They tend, in modern history, to nominate whomever came in second the primary before. Ronald Reagan lost the nomination to Gerald Ford in 1976, but won it in 1980. George H.W. Bush came in second in 1980 and, after serving as VP for 8 years, won the nomination in 1988, beating Bob Dole who came in second. Bob Dole won the nomination in 1996, the next election without an incumbent. Although Pat Buchanan came in a very distant second in 1996, he dropped out before the first primary in 2000, clearing the way for an outsider, George W. Bush, to beat McCain -- who then went on to get the nomination in 2008, beating Mitt Romney, who then got the nomination in 2012.
So if history is any indicator, Rick Santorum is the frontrunner.
Of course, these trends are predictors only until they're not. No President had ever previously served in the Cabinet ... until Thomas Jefferson. No U.S. Senator had ever been elected President ... until Monroe. No President became married while serving as President ... until John Tyler. No President was ever elected without first serving in Congress or the Continental Congress ... until Zachary Taylor.
So while modern history suggests that Santorum will get the nomination, I strongly suspect this is another example where precedent is broken.
So if history is any indicator, Rick Santorum is the frontrunner.
Of course, these trends are predictors only until they're not. No President had ever previously served in the Cabinet ... until Thomas Jefferson. No U.S. Senator had ever been elected President ... until Monroe. No President became married while serving as President ... until John Tyler. No President was ever elected without first serving in Congress or the Continental Congress ... until Zachary Taylor.
So while modern history suggests that Santorum will get the nomination, I strongly suspect this is another example where precedent is broken.
32
I still don't know whether I am the napkin & my long suffering companion is the paper towel or vice versa. Apparently, this is something we need to know before 2016.
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