Potential GOP Candidates Turn Eyes To 2012

Washington Post: Prominent Republicans Are Making Moves That Suggest Preparation For 2012 Runs

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Washington Post Staff Writer Dan Balz.

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Little more than four months into President Obama's first term, potential Republican rivals have begun to stir, taking preliminary steps toward 2012 presidential campaigns aimed at rejuvenating a party that has found itself at its lowest point in a generation.

Twice this week, the political community has seized on signs of activity among prospective GOP presidential candidates. On Monday, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney delivered a speech at the Heritage Foundation, where he slammed Obama for having taken what he called a foreign "tour of apology" this year. Romney ran unsuccessfully for his party's nomination in 2008, and his speech was seen as a forceful expression of interest in another bid.

The next day, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced that he will not seek reelection next year, voluntarily leaving after his second term. Pawlenty was runner-up to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in Sen. John McCain's 2008 vice presidential sweepstakes, and his move was interpreted as a step toward a possible 2012 presidential run, freed from the responsibilities of managing a state while campaigning full time for more than two years.

A third Republican governor, Mississippi's Haley Barbour, has scheduled appearances in New Hampshire and Iowa for later this month. Barbour, a former party chairman, will help raise money for Republicans on his forays to the two states at the front of the presidential nomination calendar. But as one of the canniest politicians in the Republican Party, Barbour knows that landing in either of those states, let alone both, will stoke speculation about his interest in 2012 as well.

And when former House speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.) tried yesterday to roll back his accusation that Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Sonia Sotomayor, was a racist, that, too, was taken as a sign of his desire to shed baggage should he decide to seek the nomination.

Presidential activity is as much illusory as real at this point, as much an opportunity to feed blog speculation and cable conversation as a sign of actual preparations for a presidential campaign. But at a time when the Republican Party is on its back, out of power in Congress and shut out of the White House, the search for prominent and popular leaders is underway and no better vehicle exists than the long process of selecting the party's next presidential nominee.

"This is a time when leaders in our party are trying to put forward a more compelling vision for voters," said Terry Nelson, a Republican strategist. "It's also a time when one group of leaders has exited the stage and a new group of leaders has to come onto the stage to effectively put forward that message."

That transition is underway, but it has been difficult. At times, the older generation of Republicans -- including former vice president Richard B. Cheney, conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh and one or another of the party's congressional leaders -- has dominated. But many Republicans see it as essential that a different group begins to emerge to help redefine the GOP, and that has raised speculation about potential Obama challengers.

The list of prospective Republican candidates is lengthy and lacks an obvious front-runner. A CNN poll released this week showed a virtual three-way tie among Palin, Romney and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who also ran in 2008. All had about a fifth of the support of Republicans. Gingrich came in fourth, followed by former Florida governor Jeb Bush, whose family name remains an impediment to any possible near-term presidential aspirations.

The list is elastic and likely to change in coming months. Others who are considered possible candidates include South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Sen. John Thune of South Dakota. Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is another possible candidate, though his decision to run for the Senate in 2010 would make a presidential bid in 2012 more difficult.

Some Republicans see this presidential cycle starting more slowly than they expected, held back by voter fatigue after the long 2008 campaign, by the GOP's internal problems and by Obama's popularity. Voters "clearly have been intrigued by the persona of this new president and his family," said Tom Rath, a veteran New Hampshire strategist. "There was no hunger to start a debate right away."

Others believe it is moving apace, as swiftly as in other recent cycles and out of necessity, given the demands that running for president now entail. "The last thing anybody wants to do is look back in late 2010 or early 2011 and say, 'I wish I could run. I can see how I might have a chance but I squandered all this time and I don't have anything to show,' " said GOP strategist John Weaver.

The 2008 campaign was one of the longest in history, but Republican strategists think the competition for their 2012 nomination will be as long or longer. They expect to see candidates beginning their campaigns immediately after the 2010 midterm elections, and to do that, they must spend much of the next 18 months getting ready.

Over that time, prospective candidates must gauge whether they have the political viability and the financial wherewithal to mount a successful campaign. If the last campaign is any guide, some of those now looking will conclude they have no realistic chance of winning and drop out before the campaign even begins.

"Most potential candidates are going to be looking at putting something into the field in early 2011, and you can't do that if you don't work hard for the next year and a half," Nelson said.

[proudmilvet]

Also,it has been close to only 9 months since the last election. Does this country have to be on a continuous election/reelection cycle? It's all about nothing but raising money. It's become completely disgusting! All other countries that hold free elections look at our campaign system & shake their heads in disbelief. I sometimes wonder if we would be better off under a Parlimentary system instead of the childish nonsense we have now!

[proudmilvet]

Republicans/Conservatives keep on saying that they have to return to their roots of more Conservative Government. Can't they see that more Conservative Government was the reason they got defeated in 2006 & 2008? It's like an alcoholic saying they will quit as soon as they have just one more drink.

[BeckieBest]

If these are the Republican front runners, they are in serious trouble.

[skyk-2009]

mrjoshcan at 12:55 AM : Jun 5, 2009

They didn't teach History in your school? Sotomayor was, is and will aways be an AMERICAN CITIZEN!

[babooph]

Is there another bugger eating moron in the Bush family?

[nextgenman09]

Any "potential" GOP candidates that continue to live in OxyContin Limbaugh Land and think they can keep screeching the same, tired, old psycho nonsense that the GOrPse has been screeching for the last 9 years won't get the vote of THIS Republican. I'm tired of the nutballs in my GOP.

[jsilver2th]

HA HA HA
All loosers-

[jsilver2th]

Pleeease nominate Romney & Palin...

Please
Please
Please

[mrjoshcan]

American people know what the stanch stinker thinking now; takes one to know one! Maybe this New Yorker Sonia Sotomayor will do the rest of the country finally patronage, by controlling Diego Migratory WAP, at US's unprotected Southern lines, closing the gap where Latinos and other Pancho like her are crossing the border into New York, Florida, Texas, California and now elsewhere infiltrating Washington DC. Flying red white and blue, claiming they are citizens of this country is enough disgrace that cap gunned birth control needs to be placed especially blasting New Yorkers runaway excess, where these test incest, dark faith Mongols like herself and White House lead, stealing freedoms away from honestly poised bright dominant killed conservatives, Caucasians alike. On the wayside, if White House correspondents are looking for a single collective history making event, Sotomayor being the first US Supreme Court Justice to be booted out of the country with their illegalities is very much historical. Ethnic Diversity "the German stronghold." Another upper for Germany - important German charisma; "...honorable Germans in righteous will. Germany victorious throughout war then and thereafter! blonde-blue unanimously amends. Better out respectful reasoning!"

Frankly compelling Sotomayor, sneaking it in from Brazil, aren't you. It's one two three strikes you're out at the old ball game! Stated patriotically in so many, addressed Sam's children, buyer Lincoln, drugs are not what they're smuggling.

Sen. Graham should figure discomforts to North American scholar and valor how a small Puerto Rican Latin commonwealth of 1493's Diego Migratory WAP can push around a large segregation statehood majority in the United States. Would chignon also have been used as necktie when the 2001 remark in question was made by her eight years ago? Will it mean a Caucasians Homeland Security will suffer the same fate while under a Sotomayor Judiciary?

Discern in blind disciple, unoccupied as unsatisfactory or unruly. Unseat the selfish!
(c)2009-2010 Sherry Forkum and Doug Berry

[randomlybanned]

GO GOP!!! I am for anybody who will run against the Fascist Anointed One!

[bajajohn1]

Jabba the Hut Limpdoodle will decide the Repigs nominee. The headline is misleading in that they are "prominent" alright, they are prominently brainless, clueless and like to meddle in people's personal lives. Degenerates.

[nofoolling]

As long as Rush Blubbermouth and Darth the Cheney remain the sad poster maniacs for the Reps we won't have to worry about them gaining any real power anytime soon. (Tell us the one about the wmd's again uncle Darth).

Course, since the system is setup for us to only be able to choose which criminal master we want once every 4 years, instead of a real democracy where we'd all get a vote on every issue, instead of a bought and paid-for slimeball selling our souls for dollars, it may well be hopeless.

I favor a constitutional amendment to outlaw campaign contributions of any kind, punishable with mandantory death sentences, to rid us of government "for the highest bidder." Anything less will only result in our continued slide into total fascism.

While we're at it, we need to form an independent investigative committe whose only function would be to investigate sitting Senators and Congressmen, continuously and thoroughly, and report to the people, not to the criminals.

[boatdocster]

Rush...
Newt......

what do they have in common?

Both gutless slimy cowards...

[bluegrass101-2009]

Obama's Poll approval is still at 65% . Don't let the Repig Troll's lie.

[ibsteve2u]

Republicans vying for the top spot in 2012, eh?

Republicans, who created unbalanced free trade, voodoo economics, and unregulated and thus predictably soon corrupted banking and stock and commodities exchanges?

So, who wants to lead the Party that has done more damage to the American Dream than Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, Mao, and Stalin combined?

You have to be quite the - what? villain? - to top THAT collection AND Bush, Cheney, & PNAC, LLP.

[toldyouso29]

Republicans should remember that they cannot win a general election without winning over some of the rest of us--and as long as they remain unapologetic and unreflective of the tragedy of errors that marked the Bush years--they will be as doomed in 2012 as they were in 2008. At some point, like Octomom--they at least have to pretend to acknowledge errors and mistakes and hope the rest of us just let the results of all the horror and ineptitude go...

If they persist in thinking that 21% or even their old 34% can carry an electorate--then truly, they are those children left behind that Bush was concerned about. It will take more than the full Republican base to win--and so far, they are not gaining converts, they are losing members.

[shurch4truth]

As soon as Obama and Sotomayor move to disarm America , that should finish it.

Posted by Mr-Man_007 at 2:03 PM : Jun 4, 2009

...this sounds like someone saying "him me, him me!" so he can go whinning to Mommy to say "He Hit ME!!!!"

be careful what you wish for .....you may get it...

[shurch4truth]

Rush...

Newt......

what do they have in common?


They love food and money and want to make sure they more than a reasonable share


....even if the very people who listen and suppor them come out on the short stick

[shurch4truth]

They left out Rush......He's the Man for the GOP!

[boatdocster]

Mitt - Save your money and my time. The GOP is dead on arrival in 2012!