January 23, 2011 12:33 PM

Ben Stein's Dream GOP Candidate? Barack Obama

By
CBSNews
It's a bit early, but already people are thinking about the Presidential election of 2012. Ben Stein has an original idea for the Republican candidate ...

As everyone knows, the Grand Old Party has risen like a phoenix from the ashes of the 2008 defeat.

The GOP controls the House, had big gains in the the Senate, has a gigantic swath of states with Republican governors, and is well-liked in the polls.

What we do NOT have is a clearly viable candidate for President.

Huckabee; Palin; Romney; Haley Barbour, who's my own favorite - all have their pros and cons, but none stands out as a clearly winning alternative to Barack Obama.

But wait a minute! Isn't there someone out there who is Obama's equal in oratory, charisma, and ability to draw votes who COULD run as a Republican?

Why, yes there is: Barack Obama, his own self.

YES!

Think about it: Since the election of 2010, he is clearly moving in the direction of the Republican Party. He has completely signed on to the Republican position on tax cuts and kicking the deficit can down the road.

Long since he signed onto the Bush position on the war in Afghanistan, he's now swearing he will do something about government spending, even if it angers his most basic constituency, the government employee unions.

His speech in Tucson was a masterpiece of restraint and eloquence.

"It's important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we're talking with each other in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds."

Now, admittedly, he has a lot to learn in the right-to-life world and about the environment. But he's a fast learner.

There has been loud murmuring from the Democratic left that President Obama is too COZY with the Republicans. A loudmouth from Florida, former liberal Representative Alan Grayson, has suggested he might challenge Mr. Obama from the left for the Presidential nomination.

Fine and dandy! Let the Democrats have Mr. Grayson. He's a great guy. Let us Republicans seize this moment to humbly ask the best campaigner since Reagan if he would care to join up with our side.

The WINNING side!

He's highly teachable, a sensible guy, and is probably as good as we can get right now.

The worst he can do is say, "No," and then we can brag about our efforts at bipartisanship for the next hundred years.

Barack Obama: First man to be elected President from both parties. What's not to like?

Copyright 2011 CBS. All rights reserved.
Add a Comment See all 65 Comments
by shedhouserob February 14, 2011 5:02 PM EST
I can't believe that they didn't deport Pelosi! She is the one and only reason (Reid 30%) that the democratic party lost so bad and they demote her to second place? This women is why people hate politicians period!!!
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by tsigili February 10, 2011 2:18 PM EST
How long do we have to look at this picture of arrogance......Obama?
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by bornagaindem January 26, 2011 11:08 AM EST
Ben has it exactly right. There is almost nothing Obama has done for liberals and it is nice to see republicans acknowledging this. I say please please take him at least then we might have a tiny chance of getting a real democrat in the White House. And Ben can take courage that Obambi has already embraced the republican anti- abortion view. After all he has ensured no ones medical insurance will cover it without a separate rider.
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by 4cents January 25, 2011 5:02 PM EST
Beautiful piece Ben! How in the world were you able to keep a straight face???
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by daffy64 January 24, 2011 6:11 PM EST
Fine and dandy! Let the Democrats have Mr. Grayson. He's a great guy. Let us Republicans seize this moment to humbly ask the best campaigner since Reagan if he would care to join up with our side.

The WINNING side!

-


Hyuck yuck. Cute Ben. And who won the Presidential election again?

Go count your money.
Reply to this comment
by rexxcarz January 24, 2011 6:32 PM EST
The dems and BO in 2008 (surprized that you asked this), based on what would be unkept promises of transparency and fairness, and color-blind application. Instead, he was secretive and oppositional to what America wants, and is clearly devisive regarding race and entitlements. Thats why the Marxist libs, exposed for what they truly are, went down in flames in '10, and will feel the continued wrath of Americans in '12. Does that answer your condescending question?
by daffy64 January 24, 2011 6:49 PM EST
Thats why the Marxist libs, exposed for what they truly are, went down in flames in '10, and will feel the continued wrath of Americans in '12. Does that answer your condescending question?

-

Haha. Wanna put money on that?
See all 4 Replies
by bcpats January 24, 2011 4:51 PM EST
How very satirical........ but the reality is that BO would do ANYTHING to get re-elected. Remember - - it is and always has been about HIM..... nothing more, nothing less. He is a robotic power-monger with an ego that is out-done only by his arrogance. Barely able to put two sentences together without several uhhs, umms,etc. except with the teleprompter.

Ya - - Ben could be right ! ! !
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by Jaylah54 January 24, 2011 6:11 PM EST
by bcpats January 24, 2011 4:51 PM EST
"He is a robotic power-monger with an ego that is out-done only by his arrogance. Barely able to put two sentences together without several uhhs, umms,etc. except with the teleprompter."

That's not a very nice thing to say about George Bush. Although, to be fair, given the fact that he was just Cheney and Rumsfelds puppet, it probably wasn't really reasonable to expect him to be able to say much that made sense without a pre-written speech and a teleprompter.

"This is my maiden voyage. My first speech since I was the president of the United States and I couldn't think of a better place to give it than Calgary, Canada." --George W. Bush, as reported by the Associated Press, Calgary, Canada, March 17, 2009

"I'm telling you there's an enemy that would like to attack America, Americans, again. There just is. That's the reality of the world. And I wish him all the very best." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2009

"So I analyzed that and decided I didn't want to be the president during a depression greater than the Great Depression, or the beginning of a depression greater than the Great Depression." --George W. Bush, Washington D.C., Dec. 18, 2008


"I've abandoned free market principles to save the free market system." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Dec. 16, 2008

"You know, I'm the President during this period of time, but I think when the history of this period is written, people will realize a lot of the decisions that were made on Wall Street took place over a decade or so, before I arrived in President, during I arrived in President." --George W. Bush, ABC News interview, Dec. 1, 2008

"I've been in the Bible every day since I've been the president." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Nov. 12, 2008

"I want to share with you an interesting program -- for two reasons, one, it's interesting, and two, my wife thought of it -- or has actually been involved with it; she didn't think of it. But she thought of it for this speech." --George W. Bush, discussing a company that improves access to clean water in Africa, Washington D.C., Oct. 21, 2008

"This thaw -- took a while to thaw, it's going to take a while to unthaw." --George W. Bush, on liquidity in the markets, Alexandria, La., Oct. 20, 2008

"I didn't grow up in the ocean -- as a matter of fact -- near the ocean -- I grew up in the desert. Therefore, it was a pleasant contrast to see the ocean. And I particularly like it when I'm fishing." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 26, 2008

"Anyone engaging in illegal financial transactions will be caught and persecuted." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 19, 2008

"We're fixing to go down to Galveston and obviously are going to see a devastated part of this fantastic state." --George W. Bush, Houston, Sept. 16, 2008

"The people in Louisiana must know that all across our country there's a lot of prayer -- prayer for those whose lives have been turned upside down. And I'm one of them." --George W. Bush, Baton Rouge, La., Sept. 3, 2008

"First of all, I don't see America having problems." --George W. Bush, interview with Bob Costas at the 2008 Olympics, Beijing, China, Aug. 10, 2008

"I think it was in the Rose Garden where I issued this brilliant statement: If I had a magic wand -- but the president doesn't have a magic wand. You just can't say, 'low gas.'" --George W. Bush, Washington D.C., July 15, 2008

"And they have no disregard for human life." --George W. Bush, on the brutality of Afghan fighters, Washington, D.C., July 15, 2008

"Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter." --George W. Bush, in parting words to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy at his final G-8 Summit, punching the air and grinning widely as the two leaders looked on in shock, Rusutsu, Japan, July 10, 2008

"Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have helped transform 13 small colonies into a great and growing nation of more than 300 people." --George W. Bush, Charlottesville, Va., July 4, 2008

"I remember meeting a mother of a child who was abducted by the North Koreans right here in the Oval Office." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., June 26, 2008

"Your eminence, you're looking good." --George W. Bush to Pope Benedict XVI, using the title for Catholic cardinals, rather than addressing him as "your holiness," Rome, June 13, 2008

"Let's make sure that there is certainty during uncertain times in our economy." -- George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., June 2, 2008

"We got plenty of money in Washington. What we need is more priority." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., June 2, 2008


Shall I go on? I could, you know.
by Jaylah54 January 24, 2011 6:25 PM EST
And my all-time favorite:

"I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 12, 2008
by Red_feather January 24, 2011 2:32 PM EST
Edomite logic.
Reply to this comment
by YrWrongAgain February 5, 2011 11:31 PM EST
vnn is calling. They want their colon back.
by darwufche January 24, 2011 2:23 PM EST
Stein has always been a flakoid.
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by lloydbest1 January 24, 2011 1:59 PM EST
There are times when Ben Stein should be taken seriously. This is not one of them.
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by brian_norwood January 24, 2011 11:37 AM EST
Well, I have to agree with Ben on one point...The GOP really doesn't have a viable candidate to offer up in sacrifice in 2012. With Obama's poll numbers strong and getting stronger serious GOP wannabees will want to hold off till 2016.

Meantime, Palin's, Bachmann's and Huckabee's are all they've got.
Reply to this comment
by retiredgustav January 24, 2011 1:55 PM EST
Run Sarah run! Palin/O'Donnell 2012
by rile1con January 24, 2011 2:13 PM EST
Ron Paul 2012. End the wars. End the Fed.
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