Fundamental Concepts - "Electable" [Weirddave]

As the 2016 presidential campaign lurches to a start, we are faced with the daunting prospect of selecting who we want to run for president in an election just 20 short months from now. One of the things we are sure to hear endlessly prattled about is a candidate's "electability". It doesn't matter if its RINOs trying to discredit a conservative candidate, or conservatives attacking the spineless establishment, everyone has an opinion as to whether or not a person is electable. The crazy thing is, nobody on either side knows what the hell they are talking about.

First of all, lets state the obvious. Not everybody wants the same thing in a candidate. Some people use the term simply to mean "I wouldn't vote for them" (Pauline Kael syndrome). Others use it to discredit a candidate that they don't favor, but that they fear IS electable, if they gain any traction. It's a preemptive attack to knock someone out of the race that before enough people notice them and they become electable. Sometimes, it's an honest assessment. I don't believe that Rick Santorum is electable in America today, which is not to say that there aren't some things about him that I like and some issues where he's spot on. I actually think that an America where Santorum was electable would be a much nicer place to live in than this America.

The word is most often used by campaign consultants of the dubious kind, who will be pleased as punch to tell a candidate just how to be "electable" for the low low price of millions of dollars, and when that doesn't work they go on talking head shows and trash the vice presidential candidate. These folks are the worst offenders of all, because they have absolutely no idea how to do what they promise. (I'm speaking of the folks on the Republican side here. Their donk equivalents are similar, but they use a different set of tactics).

Lets go to the videotape, shall we? Carl Rove. In 2000 he manages to have Bush lose to ManBearPig, saved only by the wisdom of the Founders in creating the Electoral College. In 2004 he was the architect of a very close victory over John Kerry. Great. A close victory over Kerry is like a Community College team coming within a missed extra point of beating an NFL team. It's still a win for the NFL, but it's nothing to be proud of. In 2008 these geniuses squandered McCain's greatest asset by muzzling his VP, and in 2012 made Mitt so damn electable that the country forgot that it had to actually vote for him. Now they want to tell us who is electable for 2016. With a track record like this, I'm all ears!

So what exactly is their major malfunction? It's simple. They fervently believe that what makes a candidate electable is making them as bland and inoffensive as possible. If my candidate doesn't say anything beyond platitudes, then he won't offend anyone. He must float on the shifting winds of whatever poll results have us panicked this week, and he must never, ever show any backbone. If he did that, he might offend the media and they would say something bad about us. Deflect. Pander. Appease. If they were cooks, ever meal they served would be porridge.

So what is the solution? How does a Republican get elected? It's not that hard, all he needs are a few principles.

Principle #1: The media is not your friend. They are actively working to subvert you. Remember this. Be ready to deal with it. Confront it head on when it happens. Correct their misstatements, don't allow their assumptions to go unchallenged. The model here should be Newt. Example:

Media "Mr. Candidate, given the Republican war on women, what.."

Candidate "Excuse me (name), what war on women is that?"

AND THEN SHUT UP AND POLITELY WAIT FOR AN ANSWER.

Most of them will be flabbergasted and will struggle for an answer. Nobody in their world even questions the premise. Everybody knows the Republicans have a war on women. Why? Because they just do! Everybody says so! Let them flop about while you wait, smiling, polite, attentive. This is fun, but....

Principle #2: Have a simple answer prepared. Democrat talking points aren't a secret. A candidate should have 5 stock answers in his pocket for each one. He should have 10. Some media members will have an answer ready, you better have one too. If they don't come up with one, they've just handed control of the interview over to you. This is a gift. Take it.

"I'm sorry (name), I didn't meant to put you on the spot. (laugh) Why, for a minute there it seemed like I was interviewing you, didn't it? I'm glad you asked because that's something that's rather important to me...(insert prepared remarks here....off the top of my head, something like this "There is a war on women, and combating it will be a priority of my administration. Did you know that in the last X years, the prevalence of sex selective abortions has risen Y%? Can you imagine? Terminating the life of an unborn baby, just because she's female? It sickens me that so many little girls are being killed like this. Why, we may have lost the next (name) or (name), and we wouldn't even know it! That's why I'll make banning abortion for the purpose of terminating little girls illegal"

Media "But that's not what I meant,"

Candidate "Oh, I'm sorry, which war on women were you referring to?"

AND THEN SHUT UP AND POLITELY WAIT FOR AN ANSWER.

Now, you might not think that's the place to bring up a subject like abortion, and I'm not saying that should be, but have a reply ready. If it is abortion, look at how I framed the issue, not about taking away a woman's choice, but in opposing those who would kill babes just for being female. That's a pro-life argument from a pro-woman POV.

Principle #3: Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Ronald Reagan is called the great communicator, but remember his training was as an actor. He knew the value of knowing your lines cold. Reagan used to practice his bon mots. I'll bet he said "Well, there you go again", with that little smile, to the mirror a hundred times, maybe a thousand, before he pulled it out in the debate, and when he did it brought down the house. I'd have people on staff whose job was to ambush the candidate around the house with talking points like Kato does to Clouseau physically in the Pink Panther movies, or treat the candidate like Janet Leigh in Psycho. Pull back the shower curtain and shout "RAPE! ABORTION! GAY MARRIAGE!" until the response comes right from the subconscious.

Principle #4 Tell Stories. They know this one, but the donks use it far more effectively than we do. The candidate should have specific stories, all with an emotional anchor, that supports all of his positions. This is how mankind is hardwired to transmit and absorb knowledge. It's a mighty tool.

Principle #5: Don't apologize, and don't accept ownership of someone else's gaffs. "I think Todd Aiken's an idiot, and if you want to talk about some imaginary world where women don't get pregnant from rape, go ask him. I think rapists should be castrated. Next question." Or "Well Candy, I'm not worth $200 million, I'm worth $220 million. Please get it right, I worked hard for that money, and I earned it by creating X00,000 jobs so that hard working Americans could earn the money they need to support their families. That $220 million is a fraction of the $X billion in economic growth my companies were responsible for, and last year I paid $Y million in taxes and gave $Z million to charity to help others achieve their dreams." Mic drop.

Principle #6: Know what your believe and be able to explain why. There was an article in the dump yesterday from Red State, and in it the author made the most extraordinary statement:

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is probably the closest guy to me, ideologically speaking, in the expected field, but he is polarizing even within the Republican base to a degree that he cannot win, and even if he does, he will be manhandled in the general (precisely because he agrees with me so much).

What the hell does that say about the author's ideology? Presumably he thinks it's great, because it's his, after all, but that doesn't matter because it's "polarizing"? Says who? The media? See above. What is this, campaign by Stockholm Syndrome? If this is what he believes, what is the point? I can explain any conservative principle simply, in a half dozen sentences, and illustrate why I believe in it in a half dozen more. Anyone who isn't capable of doing the same shouldn't be running for office. All of this is just basic sales, it's not hard, any idiot can do it, even me. Contrary to popular entertainment, you don't become good at sales by tricking people, you get good at sales by explaining your product clearly. You get great at it by focusing on meeting their needs and wants. It's actually kind of zen, when you stop trying to "sell" something, suddenly you find yourself selling everything.

Principle #7: 40% of the electorate is going to hate your guts no matter what you do or say. Fuck 'em. Don't waste your time. Good news is that 40% will support you. Your job is to reach 11% of those in the middle. You do that by standing for something, and by having the ability to make those people want to stand with you. Not on every thing, but on most things. The best way to achieve that goal is to be friendly, happy, funny, optimistic and above all CONFIDENT IN YOURSELF AND IN YOUR BELIEFS. My candidate's alarm clock will wake him each morning to the Alec Baldwin speech from Glengarry Glen Ross. That's confidence. Project that, and the world is your oyster. You'll be shucking it in the Oval Office.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 10:10 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Wow. Not 1 single black diamond. That's a first.

Posted by: Weirddave at March 21, 2015 10:12 AM (WvS3w)

2 Ted Cruz was the best student I ever had and the best debater I've ever seen.

Posted by: Alan Dershowitz at March 21, 2015 10:13 AM (gwG9s)

3 {{{{B O N G}}}}

You Rang

Posted by: John Effing Kerry at March 21, 2015 10:17 AM (jKKoz)

4 Excellent WD!

Posted by: FCF at March 21, 2015 10:18 AM (kejii)

5 Just a little reminder from history about "electability".

In 1979, polls showed that a certain "electable moderate" dominated the Republican field. Another "electable moderate" was close behind.

Way back in the field with a whopping _six percent_ support was a radical, extreme, unelectable, crypto-fascist ultra-conservative.

That fellow with six percent? Ronald Reagan.

The two "electable moderates" who blew him away in the polling?

Poppy Bush and Bob Dole.

All three of these men would go on to helm Presidential tickets eventually. The only one to make a solid success of it was NOT either one of the "electable moderates". It was Reagan. The extreme, radical, unelectable Reagan.

Let us posit that 1979 America is not 2015 America. But 2015 America may well hold comparably surprising success stories for "unelectable" candidates who are prepared to tear up the rule book.

Posted by: torquewrench at March 21, 2015 10:20 AM (noWW6)

6 I am in a protracted discussion with a friend right now.
Trying to get her to grasp the concept of derailing someone demagoguing a conversation with leftist statements by simply saying "Stop....help me to understand your position".

And not allowing them to move beyond that request till met.

Very similar concept.

And very effective.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 21, 2015 10:21 AM (PJOJz)

7 Exactly. Take the war to the media, stand on principles. Win the people we can win.

Just ... god ... almighty ... dont ... make ... it ... hard ... to ... support ... you ... with ... stupid ... fuckups.

Don't alienate people on purpose when you state what you believe in. Don't go out of your way to knock others. Don't be stupid.

There is nothing wrong with saying "ya know, I don't know, and we'll look into it" if its a meaningful question, and "ya know, given all the important questions being asked, why on earth would you come to try to waste time with such an inane question" if it is a complete waste of time.

Beware of traps. They are going to try to trap you. Verbal ju-jitsu. Use their words against them, turn them on their phrases and assumptions.

Don't wrestle with the pigs (media) in the mud (press). It accomplishes nothing, you get shit splattered on you, and the pigs like it.

Posted by: V Putin at March 21, 2015 10:22 AM (80GjT)

8 WEIRDDAVE 2016

Posted by: Cloyd Freud, Unemployed at March 21, 2015 10:23 AM (lG2E3)

9 >>>>>>int? I can explain any conservative principle simply, in a half dozen sentences, and illustrate why I believe in it in a half dozen more.

ya know
what with the length of these posts you maybe should stop bragging on that

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich at March 21, 2015 10:24 AM (Cq0oW)

10 Ted Cruz! Ted Cruz! Ted Cruz!

Great article. I love your examples.

Posted by: @votermom at March 21, 2015 10:24 AM (cbfNE)

11 Blasphemer! You misspelled my name!! You're not a real Conservative!!!

That said, I think Scott Walker should read this every morning before breakfast. Very clear advice that will pay off. Thanks.

Posted by: Karl Rove at March 21, 2015 10:24 AM (e7zxE)

12 You can't get rid of RINOs by voting for them.

Posted by: eman at March 21, 2015 10:29 AM (MQEz6)

13 The guy in the block quote is an idiot. What Republican base does he mean? The donor class? Cruz will destroy anyone in a debate or a policy statement. What's his flaw?

Posted by: Dave, 8 miles high at March 21, 2015 10:29 AM (s4z3a)

14 Wow. Not 1 single black diamond. That's a first.

Posted by: Weirddave at March 21, 2015 10:12 AM (WvS3w)[/i

Here ya go:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeUosbClag8

Posted by: Diamond Hat at March 21, 2015 10:31 AM (0Ew3K)

15 Cruz, as I'm sure everyone knows is making an announcement Monday at Liberty U.

I wonder what he will say? I know what he's going to say, or am 90% sure.

WD thanks!

Posted by: Carol at March 21, 2015 10:31 AM (sj3Ax)

16 ya know

what with the length of these posts you maybe should stop bragging on that

LMAO. I don't have someone setting me up, I have to do it myself. Go back and read some of the other fundamental concepts posts. I think you'll find that the pull quotes from my examples are rarely longer than what I'm saying here.

Posted by: Weirddave at March 21, 2015 10:32 AM (WvS3w)

17 Cruz is a triple black belt in verbal jujitsu.

Posted by: @votermom at March 21, 2015 10:34 AM (cbfNE)

18 Public opinion is plastic.

Mold it.

Reshape it.

Then use it.

Posted by: eman at March 21, 2015 10:34 AM (MQEz6)

19 Stopped reading at the part where "John MCain's greatest asset was muzzled."

She is a dope, and the last 6 years have proven her critics right.

Posted by: Bobby Ahr at March 21, 2015 10:35 AM (zmZ2x)

20 19,

That didn't take long.

Posted by: eman at March 21, 2015 10:36 AM (MQEz6)

21 Oh great. Hector's here.

Posted by: @votermom at March 21, 2015 10:36 AM (cbfNE)

22 "AND THEN SHUT UP AND POLITELY WAIT FOR AN ANSWER."

I get were you're coming from, but I just don't think this works. The "reporter" will just regurgitate several fabricated examples that prove the existence of the War on Womyn. The rest of the media will then spend the next few months carrying on about how the candidate had been ignorant of or incorrectly denied the fabricated examples.

Posted by: Vermin at March 21, 2015 10:38 AM (I42hL)

23 I listened to Daniel Mitchell from the Cato Institute on CSPAN this morning explain the flat and fair taxes so that anyone who is capable of understanding them could understand them. The only people who could not understand them are those who are ideologically skewed so far to the left that nothing penetrates their world view or are actually stupid. He spoke at one point about productive members of society and unproductive members of society and a caller implied that he meant poor people were unproductive. He answered by saying that he meant that the private sector was productive and government consumed that production.

These are the kind of answers that anyone running for office should be able to present cogently. If Mitt Romney had been able to explain his 47% comment in this way, we might have a different president. Also, if he hadn't quit trying weeks before the election.

Posted by: huerfano at March 21, 2015 10:38 AM (bAGA/)

24 21 Oh great. Hector's here.
Posted by: @votermom at March 21, 2015 10:36 AM (cbfNE)

Maybe it's Hector's sister, Vageena.

Posted by: eman at March 21, 2015 10:38 AM (MQEz6)

25 It's kind of odd how people who don't run for office seem to think that winning elections is easy. I wish more people would try it.

Posted by: JohnJ at March 21, 2015 10:39 AM (TF/YA)

26 It's all mink oil and chihuahuas biting your shoe as if they were pit bulls ripping your throat out, and the mink oil would make you look twenty two and nubile again.

Posted by: WilliamsunJS26p at March 21, 2015 10:39 AM (oRqXQ)

27 Excellent list. This should be used by political candidates at all levels be it city councils, or state and federal offices. Thank you.

Posted by: Mayor at March 21, 2015 10:40 AM (jEZIQ)

28 I can say this because I'm a woman.
I had local news on & 56% of women polled in Boston area have favorable view of Mrs,. Clinton & want her to run!

Those women are STUPID !

Posted by: Carol at March 21, 2015 10:40 AM (sj3Ax)

29 25,

Well, the GOP has made losing look pretty easy.

Posted by: eman at March 21, 2015 10:41 AM (MQEz6)

30 "AND THEN SHUT UP AND POLITELY WAIT FOR AN ANSWER."

"In what respect, Charlie?"

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich at March 21, 2015 10:41 AM (Cq0oW)

31 Stopped reading at the part where "John MCain's greatest asset was muzzled."

She is a dope, and the last 6 years have proven her critics right.

Posted by: Bobby Ahr at March 21, 2015 10:35 AM (zmZ2x)

If she hadn't been picked, shed have been re-elected in 2010. By now she's have had a lot more experience under her belt, and wouldn't be the reality TV star she has become.

Posted by: The Icy Hat at March 21, 2015 10:41 AM (0Ew3K)

32 My post above-
I forgot to add;
Another reason to move to Texas!

Posted by: Carol at March 21, 2015 10:41 AM (sj3Ax)

33 Wow. This is a load of pablum.

How about some actual insight, rather than:

"The best way to achieve that goal is to be friendly, happy, funny, optimistic and above all CONFIDENT IN YOURSELF AND IN YOUR BELIEFS."

This is straight out of a high school speech class.

Posted by: JCM332 at March 21, 2015 10:41 AM (0hn7J)

34 I didn't throw away my medals - just the ribbons. Are we clear on that?

Posted by: John Heinz Kerry at March 21, 2015 10:42 AM (gwG9s)

35 So, is it fair to say you're wanting a candidate with a core of cold hard steel wrapped in a warm fuzzy coat of affability?

Those types are hard to come by.

I see some of that with Walker or Cruz perhaps...?

The default media position that Republicans (or worse, conservatives) are meanies puts the candidate at a disadvantage coming out of the blocks and needs to be overcome somehow.

Posted by: Muldoon, a solid man at March 21, 2015 10:42 AM (NeFrd)

36 Bravo! Great post.

And please, no more beta-male RINOs. No Grumpy Geezer Grandpas like McCain (with his bitter beer face, chasing kids off the lawn with a broom). No weepy, hand-wringing Loser Sons like Romney and Jeb Bush, desperately desiring to be liked. That ploy may work for the left given they have their party-controlled media to prop it up as "sensitive and caring" but that same media uses it to destroy conservative candidates.

No dogs that won't hunt, or only bite their owners while refusing to get out of the truck to go after real coyotes and wild dogs.

Posted by: Multitude at March 21, 2015 10:44 AM (LqOoE)

37 I get were you're coming from, but I just don't think this works. The
"reporter" will just regurgitate several fabricated examples that prove
the existence of the War on Womyn.

I don't think so. Reporters aren't deep thinkers, they are teleprompter readers. But I did point out that you should have your answer ready in case they do have a ready response.

The rest of the media will then spend the next few months carrying on
about how the candidate had been ignorant of or incorrectly denied the
fabricated examples.

The media is going to do this regardless. Do you want them to do it unopposed, or with video that shows they are lying in hand? Remember, 11%. You can reach the 11% if you can refute their claims with evidence. The media is geared to preach to their bubble of the 40% who hate you anyway. If they do it without push back from you, it'll seep through to the 11% as an uncontested narrative. Contest it.

Posted by: Weirddave at March 21, 2015 10:45 AM (WvS3w)

38 Jeb will be he nominee and he will lose, badly. They have no friggin clue what is electable. There is no middle. The politcal world has polarized, world wide. The only way to win is to motivate the base. The "electable" candidate is the candidate who is far right and can articulate those ideas

Posted by: ThunderB, PinUpWhoreBabyMachine at March 21, 2015 10:46 AM (zOTsN)

39 Hill Country meet up when Carol gets settled.

Posted by: Dave, 8 miles high at March 21, 2015 10:46 AM (s4z3a)

40 Principle #4 Tell Stories. They know this one, but the donks use it far more effectively than we do. The candidate should have specific stories, all with an emotional anchor, that supports all of his positions. This is how mankind is hardwired to transmit and absorb knowledge. It's a mighty tool.

^^^^^^^^
This part may end up being overlooked because of the initial focus on the media (which was excellent as well, BTW), but it is extremely important. And it's the thing the Donks excel at doing without thinking. It ties right into the sales theme at the end of the post.

The key in sales is to be invested intellectually AND emotionally in your product and to be able to explain features (intellectual, ie this does this, this has that) and BENEFITS (emotion, ie x is going to make things so much easier for you Mister Customer, isn't that great!) so that the customer begins to invest emotionally in it as well. Once that happens, the customer starts taking mental ownership of it and you've got your sale.

The vast majority of sales is emotional. If you cannot get your customer to invest in your product emotionally it doesn't matter how fantastic it is, or how much better it is than everything else out there, customers will not buy it if they aren't excited about it and get the feels over it.

That is the biggest problem we have on the right. And I understand it completely because I'm a super type A, logical person. I am not swayed nearly as much as the average Joe by emotions. I'm persuaded by logic and reason (features), and I think a lot of us here are similar in our thinking. But the average person out there is persuaded to invest in something by their emotions and once someone is invested in something emotionally it is extremely hard/damn near impossible to reason them out of it.

If we want conservative positions to win, we absolutely have to start presenting the emotional argument for it in addition to the intellectual one. Let's face it, we've got the left beat on the logic of our stances, hands down. We have to be able to take it to the next level of sales and connect that logic with people's feels if we're ever going to shift the culture back towards conservative, individual liberty positions.

Posted by: Mandy P., lurking lurker who lurks at March 21, 2015 10:48 AM (KkVB6)

41 What is with the trolls. On Saturday.

Posted by: ThunderB, PinUpWhoreBabyMachine at March 21, 2015 10:48 AM (zOTsN)

42 in case nobody remembered, my 30 was a real life example of the very thing

don't work

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich at March 21, 2015 10:50 AM (Cq0oW)

43 Posted by: Diamond Hat at March 21, 2015 10:31 AM (0Ew3K)

You cheated me, you Cheating Hat.

Posted by: The Barrel at March 21, 2015 10:50 AM (cL79m)

44 If Cruz gets his message to the people He would win. But we all know that won't be allowed.

Posted by: marine43 at March 21, 2015 10:50 AM (YYVwb)

45 #6 explains a lot. Why Reagan won. Why GHW Bush lost to Clinton. It explains Dole, McCain, Romney. Why W squeaked by under favorable conditions.

Believe in something, act like you believe it and explain it in a happy, non-hectoring manner. The non-secret secret is the people in the middle who can be swayed aren't looking for particular policies, they are looking for a strong, confident leader who believes what he says. The same thing that wins the middle fires up the base.

Posted by: duke at March 21, 2015 10:50 AM (enhDu)

46 The media is going to do this regardless. Do you want them to do it unopposed, or with video that shows they are lying in hand? Remember, 11%. You can reach the 11% if you can refute their claims with evidence. The media is geared to preach to their bubble of the 40% who hate you anyway. If they do it without push back from you, it'll seep through to the 11% as an uncontested narrative. Contest it.

Posted by: Weirddave at March 21, 2015 10:45 AM (WvS3w)

Candidates should remember: If you have to explain, you've already lost the argument.

Posted by: The Argumentative Hat at March 21, 2015 10:50 AM (0Ew3K)

47 To the trolls. Qui your bitching. Why don't you write something pithy, other than just complain. What is your great idea

Posted by: ThunderB, PinUpWhoreBabyMachine at March 21, 2015 10:51 AM (zOTsN)

48 Public opinion is plastic.

Mold it.

Reshape it.

-
'Bammy's helping us with that.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at March 21, 2015 10:51 AM (LImiJ)

49 This is straight out of a high school speech class.

Granting the premise for the moment, why do you suppose that high school classes start with this? Because these are the fundamentals that are the foundation for everything. Even NFL teams, the best of the best, spend most of their practices working on fundamentals, doing drills that the players have done literally tens of thousands of times before. Blocking. Tackling. Ball Handling. Over and over. Without solid fundamentals, everything else is pointless.

Posted by: Weirddave at March 21, 2015 10:51 AM (WvS3w)

50 This is straight out of a high school speech class.

Granting the premise for the moment, why do you suppose that high school classes start with this? Because these are the fundamentals that are the foundation for everything. Even NFL teams, the best of the best, spend most of their practices working on fundamentals, doing drills that the players have done literally tens of thousands of times before. Blocking. Tackling. Ball Handling. Over and over. Without solid fundamentals, everything else is pointless.

Posted by: Weirddave at March 21, 2015 10:51 AM (WvS3w)

Rhetoric used to be a core discipline way back when.

'Tis still useful today.

Posted by: The Rhetorical Hat at March 21, 2015 10:52 AM (0Ew3K)

51 Candidates should remember: If you have to explain, you've already lost the argument.
Posted by: The Argumentative Hat at March 21, 2015 10:50 AM (0Ew3K)

This is why Ted Cruz does not lose debates or discussions.
Which, of course, is what makes him "unelectable".
Many, many, multiple thousand word articles explain in great detail why this is true.

Posted by: jwb7605 at March 21, 2015 10:54 AM (ZALPg)

52 >>>>Why don't you write something pithy

fundamental concept

the first true words of every human being is "give me"

use that

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich at March 21, 2015 10:56 AM (Cq0oW)

53 My biggest fear is that Walker and Cruz will damage each other in the primary.

Posted by: @votermom at March 21, 2015 10:57 AM (cbfNE)

54 I'm stockpiling gold and ammo while voting for the most leftist candidate that I think can win. It's like ripping a Band-aid off, the faster the better.

Our country is beyond fixing. It's a tear down and rebuild.

Posted by: Jukin Former Republican at March 21, 2015 10:57 AM (WGm5T)

55 Kinda along what Mandy proposes, I make it a habit to tell everyone, no matter what their race or status is that I want them to be rich and happy. I want their family to be well adjusted, well positioned and well off. No matter who they are. Why, you ask? I tell them that happy, rich people never fuck with me. The best way, the most practical way to have more money is to shrink the size of government to the point that the portion of your earning Government extorts is just an annoyance, not a soul crushing load.

Posted by: Dave, 8 miles high at March 21, 2015 10:57 AM (s4z3a)

56 "Granting the premise for the moment, why do you suppose that high school classes start with this?"

Because HS students don't know anything. These are standard entry-level tidbits for speaking in public. Most politicians are quite good at them.

The issue is that our current crop of establishment pols do not believe anything, and no amount of Hallmark card sayings will convince them to be conservative.

As I said...Pablum.

Posted by: JCM332 at March 21, 2015 10:57 AM (0hn7J)

57 I can say this because I'm a woman.
I had local news on & 56% of women polled in Boston area have favorable view of Mrs,. Clinton & want her to run!

Those women are STUPID !

-
The UN condemned a single country for mistreating women, Israel.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at March 21, 2015 10:58 AM (LImiJ)

58 Even the best Quarterback in history first started with somebody teaching him that the pointy end of the ball goes in the front.

Basics and fundamentals have been downplayed and ignored for so long that they have both almost become pejoratives in todays period of enlightenment.
This is why when you stop some a lib in mid diatribe, and ask them to explain their position, they can't

No-one has ever tasked them with thinking before. It's just rote memorization of talking points.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 21, 2015 10:59 AM (PJOJz)

59 Dave, 8 miles high,
Yes!
If anyone sees Elisabeth G. Wolfe, please ask her to email me at carolthewiz@ gmail.com.

Or anyone with knowledge about Marble Falls.
My older brother is thinking NM again!

Sorry WeirdDave!

Posted by: Carol at March 21, 2015 11:00 AM (sj3Ax)

60 Our country is beyond fixing. It's a tear down and rebuild.
Posted by: Jukin Former Republican at March 21, 2015 10:57 AM (WGm5T)

Works great every time it's tried.
The "Arab Spring", for example ...

Posted by: jwb7605 at March 21, 2015 11:00 AM (ZALPg)

61 there is only one hope for the country
ME
yes, as a conservative democrat I can represent all of the serfs.....I mean people
I will be a great king....I mean president

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:03 AM (Yd3vm)

62 JCM for awesome public speaking I give you O'Donnell. Aiken. Davis.

All experienced public speakers. All fucked up by not doing the list above.

It isn't either/or. They need to do the above and believe it. It's both

Meanwhile your super insulting posts are not persuasive.

Posted by: ThunderB, PinUpWhoreBabyMachine at March 21, 2015 11:03 AM (zOTsN)

63 And the corollary to #1 is: There are no off the record interviews. Make sure you have your own independent audio and video recording of them. Otherwise, decline them.

Posted by: SDN at March 21, 2015 11:04 AM (0OFlK)

64 This is why I'm a Mike Rowe 2016 guy.

We've got to understand that the best candidate isn't the biggest policy wonk, or person with decades of experience in this or that. A president can bring in as many experts and managers as he wants.

The right person for president is someone who can effectively do the primary job of president - communicate with the American people in a way that informs and persuades.

Get the person who has the gift of being immediately likeable, who can explain positions simply (with stories) and who is perceived to be trustworthy.

The candidate doesn't have to know who the Assistant Vice Premier of Kazikfuckstan is. Hell, the candidate doesn't even have to know how many states are in the country.

Communications. That's the key.

Posted by: jwest at March 21, 2015 11:05 AM (9ZZd+)

65 A good post for sure. One premise I'd like shot to hell all day is " What would your administration do to increase jobs? " Bullshit. The Federal Government, any government should not be providing jobs. Any government job gets it's payroll from non-government taxpayers. Private employers and corporations provide jobs and only the government would get off their backs they would grow and hire.

Posted by: Yip at March 21, 2015 11:05 AM (84SRe)

66 my first command....umm, action would be a flat tax
second would be the disbanding of the St Louis Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers
third would be turning the oval office into a 24/7 strip club
.........did I mention flat tax?

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:05 AM (Yd3vm)

67 Also helps if you are in a victim class.

Posted by: King Barky the Liar at March 21, 2015 11:06 AM (WGm5T)

68 "Meanwhile your super insulting posts are not persuasive."

One of the fundamentals of salesmanship.

Tell the guy doing the work that they're stupid.

Works every time.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 21, 2015 11:06 AM (PJOJz)

69 Carol, the pink granite used for the Texas Capitol was quarried at Marble Falls and the old quarry is a great dive location on Lake Marble Falls.

Posted by: Dave, 8 miles high at March 21, 2015 11:07 AM (s4z3a)

70 @53 I'm afraid of Perry, Walker, and Cruz drawing from the same group and hurting one another while Paul throws wacky fire-bombs at them from the outside and Jeb and Christie leak stuff to the press and deny being shitty.

Posted by: Yip at March 21, 2015 11:07 AM (84SRe)

71 "The media is going to do this regardless. Do you want them to do it unopposed, or with video that shows they are lying in hand?"

I honestly think we're much too far through the looking glass for it to matter. Any evidence or argument that contradicts a tenant of the liberal narative will be presented by as either a lie or a gaff, and more people will accept that presentation than will be persuaded by the candidate.

Posted by: Vermin at March 21, 2015 11:07 AM (I42hL)

72 @ThunderB,

So you choose the three most idiotic candidates of the last few cycles and use them as an example of the rhetorical skills of the typical Republican candidate?

And if you think that I have been "super insulting," then you have led a sheltered life!

Posted by: JCM332 at March 21, 2015 11:07 AM (0hn7J)

73 If Shrillary or Fauxahantas wins ... I'll go Galt.

Posted by: V Putin at March 21, 2015 11:08 AM (80GjT)

74 JCM. You have written anything interesting. Just complained. Sort of like a teenager

Posted by: ThunderB, PinUpWhoreBabyMachine at March 21, 2015 11:09 AM (zOTsN)

75 The idea that someone who can't even win a simple Republican primary would somehow go on to an overwhelming win in the general election is just silly.

Posted by: JohnJ at March 21, 2015 11:10 AM (TF/YA)

76 JCM you are right. Our national candidates have been awesome. That's why we won the White House the last two elections

Posted by: ThunderB, PinUpWhoreBabyMachine at March 21, 2015 11:10 AM (zOTsN)

77 Alright JCM, what do you propose? ThunderB up there just announced for President. He hired you to be his campaign manager. Advise him.

Posted by: Weirddave at March 21, 2015 11:10 AM (WvS3w)

78 I'd love Mike Rowe as President. Independent.
If it is Clinton vs Bush, we need to draft him.

Posted by: @votermom at March 21, 2015 11:10 AM (cbfNE)

79 "And if you think that I have been "super insulting," then you have led a sheltered life!"

See, now this is salesmanship.
The dude exudes humility.

This is a person that I could sit down and have a beer with.
Common folk, so to speak.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 21, 2015 11:10 AM (PJOJz)

80 64 We've got to understand that the best candidate isn't the biggest policy wonk, or person with decades of experience in this or that

I disagree, the nation is basically a big ass "thing" with many parts which must run smoothly to work effectively

let me use for an example a navy ship
I can easily run the engineering section, make the lights work and engines run, easy as all hell
but I can't make the guns work or missles fly or load the stores or pay the crew or even keep medical going
I don't have the experience or knowledge and as such the ship would sink in battle aka the Italian navy via WW2

its why prior governors and generals do so well as the POTUS
experience at running a machine

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:12 AM (Yd3vm)

81 I'd kinda like Cruz to announce that he's not running. I think the field is so full, and he is young enough.. sit it out, entrench your power in the Senate and maybe we can get Cruz on the court, which would be truly, the place where he could do the most for the country.

Posted by: Yip at March 21, 2015 11:12 AM (84SRe)

82 WeirdDave,
Just a heads up that I'll be in the Gardening Thread editing it for a bit. Check w/ me on Twitter before you go in to add your stuff so we don't mess each other up.
thanks!

Posted by: Y-not at March 21, 2015 11:13 AM (9BRsg)

83 77 He hired you to be his campaign manager. Advise him.

ThunderB got a sex change?

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:13 AM (Yd3vm)

84 Become the spokesman for the US CITIZEN... remind them that they PAY for the US Government being nice...

Talk about how you don't give money away to charity, or buy non needed stuff, when you can't feed your children...

Talk about how Wall Street, is NOT the Economy... so catering to Wall Street on the backs of Workers, is not a good thing.

Talk about how a Law not enforced, destroys the very idea that the US is a Republic...

Posted by: BB Wolf at March 21, 2015 11:13 AM (qh617)

85 @ThunderB,

I never said that. Don't put words in my mouth.

My criticism of the advice above is simple. It's basic stuff that most pols do all the time. It elucidates nothing.

We don't lack for politicians who can speak to the press, we lack for politicians who have the intestinal fortitude to espouse solid and consistent positions without triangulating based on the last set of poll numbers.

It's not the way the message is presented as much as the message itself.

Posted by: JCM332 at March 21, 2015 11:15 AM (0hn7J)

86 "ThunderB got a sex change?"

That's an automatic 10 point bump in the polls.
Oh wait...you meant running as a Republican?

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 21, 2015 11:15 AM (PJOJz)

87 87 Locking up the LGBTQWERTYASDF vote!

Posted by: @votermom at March 21, 2015 11:15 AM (cbfNE)

88 84 well put

but to sum that all up, every time a bill is discussed the potus should ask congress to add a note stating what in the constitution allows for this
if they cant show it the veto it

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:17 AM (Yd3vm)

89 JCM. Sometimes it is the way the message is delivered. See if you had managed to express yourself the way you did in your last boost, without taking a dump on WeirdDave, I might have agreed with you. But all that got wiped away because you had to be a dick

Posted by: ThunderB, PinUpWhoreBabyMachine at March 21, 2015 11:18 AM (zOTsN)

90 78 "I'd love Mike Rowe as President. Independent. "

A great example of Rowe is his explanation of why raising the minimum wage is a bad idea.

If any of the political candidates could ever lay out a position like this, they would shoot to the head of the race. Sadly, they all fall into mumbling about statistics and studies and theory, all of which nobody believes or wants to hear.

It's like the difference between managers and executives. Totally different, non-interchangeable. Very rarely do you find a politician, who is normally driven by tactics and policy, who is also a great communicator.

Posted by: jwest at March 21, 2015 11:18 AM (9ZZd+)

91 58 Even the best Quarterback in history first started with somebody teaching him that the pointy end of the ball goes in the front.

if I pay for the ticket can you fly to Chicago and explain that to Jay Cutler pls?

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:19 AM (Yd3vm)

92 I'm out. Don't want to hijack the thread anymore than I already did

Weird Dave I love your posts. I look forward to them, they make me think

Posted by: ThunderB, PinUpWhoreBabyMachine at March 21, 2015 11:20 AM (zOTsN)

93 @ThunderB,

I "took a dump" on the writer because the piece is a load of banalities, without a single citation or reference. I stand by the comment.

Posted by: JCM332 at March 21, 2015 11:21 AM (0hn7J)

94 Wow Weirddave, you appear to have developed your very own group of trolls and hecklers. Guess it means you're hitting home on your posts.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 21, 2015 11:22 AM (GDulk)

95 if you cannot make a point without being insulting you are not persuasive. You are a dick

Posted by: ThunderB, PinUpWhoreBabyMachine at March 21, 2015 11:22 AM (zOTsN)

96 Citations and references. Is this for law review?

Posted by: ThunderB, PinUpWhoreBabyMachine at March 21, 2015 11:23 AM (zOTsN)

97 "but to sum that all up, every time a bill is discussed the potus should ask congress to add a note stating what in the constitution allows for this
if they cant show it the veto it"

Would love to see this.

Back in a former life, I spent some one on one time with one or two Master Chief Petty Officers of the Navy (MCPON).

As we would discuss the latest initiative coming from the mountaintop, I would ask the very specific question:
How specifically does this initiative enhance the ability of the Navy to perform it's mission, as defined in Title X of the U.S. Code?

Might as well have been discussing quantum string theory with a paramecia.

No fcuking concept that there was an actual definition of our mission out there.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 21, 2015 11:23 AM (PJOJz)

98 @ThunderB,

I made no personal reference to the writer. But you seem to use that technique. Not very impressive rhetoric.

Posted by: JCM332 at March 21, 2015 11:25 AM (0hn7J)

99 "I disagree, the nation is basically a big ass "thing" with many parts which must run smoothly to work effectively "

Jimmy Carter is the best example of this. Instead of being a leader, like in the Navy or in corporate America - where a true leader sets the tone and direction and lets his staff of experts handle the execution - Carter the ultimate wonk micromanaged every aspect of the government.

Total failure ensued.

Reagan was hands-off. He simply point in the direction he wanted the country to go and trusted in his people to see it happen.

That allowed him the luxury of having the time to sell the big concepts to the people - making everyone want the government to succeed.

One person with a clear overall vision and the ability to convey that vision to others is what we need.

Posted by: jwest at March 21, 2015 11:25 AM (9ZZd+)

100 Citations: 2008, 2012

Posted by: Mike Hammer, providing citations at March 21, 2015 11:26 AM (F2IAQ)

101 88 Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:17 AM (Yd3vm)

Golfman's two rules for legislation.
1) Is it in the Constitution?
2) Does it decrease the size or scope of the government?

There is no #3.

Posted by: Golfman - We Have No Hill at March 21, 2015 11:26 AM (iVjJr)

102 fundamental concept 2

"the dumber a thing is, the more important it probably is"

this one has never let me down.

example
i think telling strangers you like having a penis inserted in your butt is really really dumb. i don't have to understand it. i just say something like "I'll make sure this country is a place where anyone can say with pride that they love having a penis up their butt!"

and then collect the votes

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich at March 21, 2015 11:26 AM (Cq0oW)

103 95 I have to agree with thunder on this
you are being a dick

okay, mike rowe, great speaker..blah blah blah
what's he going to do about ISIS?
just saying send the military to kill them isn't enough (where's the money coming from, what will the neighboring countries do, what will be china and Russia's reaction)

see what I mean

WD was dead on and hit the 450 homers with a key point: the media is not your friend

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:26 AM (Yd3vm)

104 OT: Of Cowboys and criminals. Opening a can of whup ass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWiB54tXemc

Posted by: The Great White Snark at March 21, 2015 11:28 AM (LImiJ)

105 Carter the ultimate wonk micromanaged every aspect of the government.
------------------

I made certain that all of the shades in the windows at the WH were at the same prescribed height. The devil's in the details.

Posted by: Peanut Carter at March 21, 2015 11:28 AM (F2IAQ)

106 Old adage
1. Tell me what you want accomplished
2. Tell me how you want it accomplished.

Pick one.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 21, 2015 11:28 AM (PJOJz)

107
Snoop Dogg says that Reagan is responsible for the drug wars and gangs in LA.

LOL

Posted by: Bruce J. at March 21, 2015 11:29 AM (iQIUe)

108 Wow Weirddave, you appear to have developed your very own group of trolls and hecklers.

====

i like weirddave. i give him crap but it's all in cynical play

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich at March 21, 2015 11:29 AM (Cq0oW)

109 So, if you hope to represent people outside of Washington, don't listen to the people inside of Washington.

Posted by: t-bird at March 21, 2015 11:31 AM (FcR7P)

110 97 Might as well have been discussing quantum string theory with a paramecia.

last one I was in the same room with was back in 1999 I think, the dude with the cop mustache
I was still a 1st and was lighting off the plant (EDO) when he cam in with the usual group of dummies
I told him 'with all due respect we're a little busy right now and have to pay attention to the stations, can you come back in a half hour pls"

he looked like I slapped him

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:31 AM (Yd3vm)

111 Our country is beyond fixing. It's a tear down and rebuild.

Posted by: Jukin Former Republican at March 21, 2015 10:57 AM (WGm5T)

There will be no rebuild.

We will not fall like Rome... but like the Hittites.

Posted by: Suppiluliuma II at March 21, 2015 11:32 AM (0Ew3K)

112 "Carter the ultimate wonk micromanaged every aspect of the government. "

Sitting outside Rickover Hall, smoking a cigar at the picnic table, I watched a single black SUV with darkened windows going down Holloway Rd.

So I asked "What was that?".

"Just Carter visiting. Most useless bag-o-shit to ever graduate"

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 21, 2015 11:33 AM (PJOJz)

113 "okay, mike rowe, great speaker..blah blah blah
what's he going to do about ISIS?
just saying send the military to kill them isn't enough (where's the money coming from, what will the neighboring countries do, what will be china and Russia's reaction) "

I don't believe he's ever been asked what he would do about ISIS, but judging by his positions on other issues, I believe he would come up with an answer that would be very similar to what you or I would come up with.

Personally, I would assemble a group of diverse experts, ask their opinion, have my staff formulate a number of options based on those recommendations then choose the one that I believe has the highest probability of success.

Posted by: jwest at March 21, 2015 11:33 AM (9ZZd+)

114 What are we doing here..?

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at March 21, 2015 11:34 AM (Perx6)

115 112 Carter the ultimate wonk micromanaged every aspect of the government. "

welcome to the world of a navy nuclear power officer

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:34 AM (Yd3vm)

116 The fact that the SCOAMT was 'electable' (twice) indicates that the republic,specifically the voting populace foolishly swayed by MSM memes , is too far gone to matter.
It. Is. Over.

Posted by: LeBron Horowitz at March 21, 2015 11:35 AM (2DVgX)

117 Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich at March 21, 2015 11:29 AM (Cq0oW)

Not you Bigby. You may be trolling him, but are not a troll since you are a regular commentor. I've noticed the last couple of weeks that a bunch of unfamiliar nics seem to spring into action when WD's post goes up and it's *all*negative.

If it turns out that they are honest lurkers simply driven by an honest difference of opinion, I will be happy to apologize. I would also be very surprised.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 21, 2015 11:35 AM (GDulk)

118 113 I believe he would come up with an answer that would be very similar to what you or I would come up with.

i'm pretty sure we would have very different answers

Personally, I would assemble a group of diverse experts, ask their opinion, have my staff formulate a number of options based on those recommendations then choose the one that I believe has the highest probability of success.

that's what Obama is doing right now...how's that working out?

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:36 AM (Yd3vm)

119 Weirddave, in a sea of Bull Shit you come through.

Amazing take. I would be all out for Cruz if his face didn't say punch me I am a pussy.

Walker is half as smart, but he is our man. Cruz reminds me so much of Goldwater. It is scary.

Posted by: Nip Sip at March 21, 2015 11:36 AM (0FSuD)

120 "1. Tell me what you want accomplished

2. Tell me how you want it accomplished.
"

If'n you're doing #1, don't ask no details.

If'n you're doing #2 (heh), don't offer no details.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at March 21, 2015 11:37 AM (Perx6)

121 jwest, Re: Reagans' style of Presidency... the media tore him up for it the whole time, with leakers and back-benchers adding to the meme that he was out of touch, didn't know what the hell he was doing and was completely dependent on his evil circle of lieutenants to not only carry out policy but explain them to Reagan.

Posted by: Yip at March 21, 2015 11:37 AM (84SRe)

122 NCO
1999 would have been Herdt.
Sounds almost like Terry Scott with the big Pron Stash.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 21, 2015 11:38 AM (PJOJz)

123 116 The fact that the SCOAMT was 'electable' (twice) indicates that the republic,specifically the voting populace foolishly swayed by MSM memes , is too far gone to matter.

I think that is a kinda sorta
I think the real reason is people just don't give a shit anymore and won't go vote
when 60-70% hit the polls...then they care

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:39 AM (Yd3vm)

124
I'm sick of Monica Lewinsky's whining. Yes, she became a national joke. But she also tried to cash in on it big time and continues to do so. She comes from a wealthy family and was given the opportunity to attend grad school in London. She's not broke. She cd have also settled down but chose not to. Now she is back playing the poor me card but not really since she is still a donk shill and supports everything it stands for.

Posted by: Bruce J. at March 21, 2015 11:39 AM (iQIUe)

125 Great list and great overall approach.

This approach also reflects how someone naturally acts if they have an enter politics with an identity, a set of values, and goals they want to achieve beyond "winning the next election" - before they set out to win office.

Career politicians seem to invert and pervert this natural alchemy of thought, emotion and action. They empty themselves of identity and reshape their values and goals to fit poll results, donor wish lists and the news cycle, all to win the election.

I think (and I hope) that voters on our side, and even some on the other, are learning to detect the pod-people candidates who're merely pretending at being humans with real values, thoughts and dreams.

It's trite and cliche to cite "The Candidate" and I hate Redford, but the line at the end of that flick where he asks his manager, after he's won the race, "what do we do now?" still rings true today for far too many candidates.

Posted by: SocietyIs2Blame at March 21, 2015 11:39 AM (QKIQb)

126 I would also be very surprised.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 21, 2015 11:35 AM (GDulk)

Times a thousand!

Posted by: Velvet Ambition at March 21, 2015 11:39 AM (R8hU8)

127 "i'm pretty sure we would have very different answers"

I was trying to complimentary, saying that you would be as smart as me.

Obama doesn't get a diverse opinion on anything. I believe that has been pretty well documented. He's following the advice of those inside of his bubble with results that are to be expected.

Posted by: jwest at March 21, 2015 11:40 AM (9ZZd+)

128 Best communicators in the republican field? Cruz, Rubio (I know, strictly on communication). Perry is not a good debater. Walker, I don't know if he is a compelling speaker. Rand Paul? Not sure

Posted by: ThunderB, PinUpWhoreBabyMachine at March 21, 2015 11:41 AM (zOTsN)

129 Best communicators in the republican field? Cruz, Rubio (I know, strictly on communication).

Posted by: ThunderB, PinUpWhoreBabyMachine at March 21, 2015 11:41 AM (zOTsN)

Just keep Rubio away from the water

Posted by: The Threat of DMSO at March 21, 2015 11:42 AM (0Ew3K)

130 122 it was him (scott)
shit, it had to be 2002 then right before I went back to Italy
It had to be right before the results came back
thank god I still made it

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:42 AM (Yd3vm)

131 Cruz's outstanding mental and speaking abilities are contained inside a body and head that says "younger Grandpa Munster".

A candidate made for the radio.

IMHO

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 21, 2015 11:43 AM (PJOJz)

132 127 I was trying to complimentary, saying that you would be as smart as me.

coughcoughvoucherstofixeverythingcoughcough

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:44 AM (Yd3vm)

133 Slightly count chocula

Posted by: ThunderB, PinUpWhoreBabyMachine at March 21, 2015 11:44 AM (zOTsN)

134 Even the best Quarterback in history first started with somebody teaching him that the pointy end of the ball goes in the front.

*****

Which one?

Posted by: Muldoon, a solid man at March 21, 2015 11:44 AM (NeFrd)

135 O'Mally in Iowa, Washington Post

http://preview.tinyurl.com/pt62tbg

looks like electability to me.

Posted by: WilliamsunJS26p at March 21, 2015 11:44 AM (oRqXQ)

136 I think "electable" has more to do with whether the consultants can get the money people behind a candidate or not.

And the money people are the ones who turn a candidate into bland porridge.

Why?

Not because they like bland porridge, but because bland porridge is more likely to turn off fewer of the rubes who actually have to vote for the chump.

The money people already know what they want, and they know who will deliver it. The wild card is how to sell it to the rubes. So bland porridge is just another form of the grand illusion of the whole spectacle.

We, the people, don't decide who gets elected.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 21, 2015 11:44 AM (Dj0WE)

137 Shit, candidates need to offend. Say some shit. Piss people off, rile 'em up, one way or the other.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at March 21, 2015 11:44 AM (Perx6)

138 I think there is an important proviso to Principle #7. The concept of triage has been miserably misused over the years, and that played out in the last elections. Don't pander to the uncommitted. Principles #5 and #6 speak to this, but it is important to emphasis. You risk losing the (20%?) who would be deepest in your corner when you water down your beliefs, when you get mealy-mouthed, or when you compromise your basic program. This is not to say that you need to be rigid, or sectarian. It is to say that if you believe that you have a certain constituency in your pocket, and then proceed to ignore or disrespect them, don't be surprised if they sit home on election day. I think the results of the past two elections would have been different if the most conservative elements hadn't stayed home and sat on their hands. And these are relatively easy votes. Court, but don't chase, those in the middle. Educate them. But don't ignore your friends.

Posted by: AmericanBTGoG at March 21, 2015 11:45 AM (DhZHL)

139 "A candidate made for the radio. "

Very true.

As unfair as it is, this is the way it is.

Posted by: jwest at March 21, 2015 11:45 AM (9ZZd+)

140 "Which one?"
That's why footballs have two pointy ends.
Doubles the chance of getting it right.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 21, 2015 11:45 AM (PJOJz)

141 VIA will agree with this
I want a early 80's pissed off Master Chief with the smoker's voice as the next President

you just know that crusty fucker will get shit done

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:46 AM (Yd3vm)

142 " are contained inside a body and head that says "younger Grandpa Munster".
"

Hehehe.

You are bang on. He is young Grampa Munster.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at March 21, 2015 11:46 AM (Perx6)

143 126 I would also be very surprised.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 21, 2015 11:35 AM (GDulk)

Times a thousand!
Posted by: Velvet Ambition at March 21, 2015 11:39 AM (R8hU

This is why most lurkers don't post though....

Posted by: FCF at March 21, 2015 11:46 AM (kejii)

144 "coughcoughvoucherstofixeverythingcoughcough"

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:44 AM (Yd3vm)

Apparently you're convinced that union staffed public schools are the best choice for education.

I would be glad to try to explain the concept of vouchers to you in an attempt to change your mind.

Posted by: jwest at March 21, 2015 11:47 AM (9ZZd+)

145 144 later, this isn't the time
so serious on a weekend...sheesh

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:48 AM (Yd3vm)

146 fundamental concept 3

"Ants always get in The Sugar"

in an election sense your parties are composed of ants, both sides. you want a candidate thats totes The Sugar but whoa whoa think about that for a second

Posted by: Bigby's Knuckle Sandwich at March 21, 2015 11:48 AM (Cq0oW)

147 "...don't chase, those in the middle. Educate them."
Posted by: AmericanBTGoG at March 21, 2015 11:45 AM (DhZHL)
.............

^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^

Posted by: jow at March 21, 2015 11:48 AM (XCDz9)

148 Lurkers don't post because they want to say the cob wrote pablum and gave high school level advice, in all caps?

Posted by: ThunderB, PinUpWhoreBabyMachine at March 21, 2015 11:49 AM (zOTsN)

149 Building on the idea of having a pre-political identity, I would be a helluva lot more open to candidates who disagreed with my "purity/hill to die on" list if I trusted them to be honest about their own position and felt they respected my position, even if they disagreed.

I'm thinking particularly of Rubio who now says "I support a path to citizenship but only after we enforce the border." He was on Levin's show peddling that line and Levin let him off the hook on it.

Senator Rubio, you previously disrespected those of us who opposed your DREAM approach with the same kind of rhetoric La Raza uses. You also tried to lie about where you stood, claiming that the "comprehensive reform" you were pushing would prioritize border security when it clearly didn't.

Rubio had his chance to be honest and to have a legitimate debate instead of engaging in ad hom collaboration with the media and the Left against us. I'm not going to trust him now.

The only reason he's now acting like a border security hawk is that his pollsters have told him he has to lie some more to get more votes.

I can tolerate a politician who's feet I'll have to hold to the fire to keep them honest, but once a candidate lies and uses personal destruction tactics on me, they're pretty much dead to me no matter how hard they try afterward or what bullshit reasons they give me.

Posted by: SocietyIs2Blame at March 21, 2015 11:50 AM (QKIQb)

150 Personally, I would assemble a group of diverse experts, ask their opinion, have my staff formulate a number of options based on those recommendations then choose the one that I believe has the highest probability of success.

*****

The Obama Doctrine:

Personally, I would assemble a group of sycophants, ask them to highly rate my opinion, have my chief of staff formulate a single option based on that opinion and then put my name on it as my idea and present it in the way that gives me the most cover in case it all falls apart.

Posted by: Muldoon, a solid man at March 21, 2015 11:51 AM (NeFrd)

151 Not because they like bland porridge, but because bland porridge is
more likely to turn off fewer of the rubes who actually have to vote
for the chump.

You don't win by trying not to turn off voters. You win by turning voters on.

Posted by: Weirddave at March 21, 2015 11:51 AM (WvS3w)

152 sweet god
medusa in yoga pants just wiped me out with her morning dragon breath and slobbered on the side of my face in a half assed kiss

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:51 AM (Yd3vm)

153 "shit, it had to be 2002 then right before I went back to Italy"

Yup.
There we were, in Gaeta, Italy.
Just getting ready for light-off. As Light-off EOOW, swung by the Mess to grab breakfast, and there is the whole gaggle, MCPON, 6th FLT CMC, our CMC, and every non-watchstanding CPO on the ship having breakfast, and taking up every seat in the place. I come rolling in wearing flame retardants, SEED, the whole nine yards. Everybody looks at me as if to ask why I'm not in CNTs to break fast with MCPON.

Told them it was a good thing that the doors opened inward, or I would have never broke vacuum to get the door to swing outward.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 21, 2015 11:51 AM (PJOJz)

154 "Rubio had his chance"

Screw him...

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at March 21, 2015 11:52 AM (Perx6)

155 Posted by: FCF at March 21, 2015 11:46 AM (kejii)

It's not like the Horde minds disagreement, even disagreement with the writer of the post. Heck, WD *said* he counts on the Horde to point out flaws in his thinking. Like I said, *honest* difference of opinion is not the problem.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 21, 2015 11:54 AM (GDulk)

156 "VIA will agree with this "

This

Love ya like a Brother, Joe.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 21, 2015 11:54 AM (PJOJz)

157 Rubio had his chance to be honest and to have a legitimate debate instead of engaging in ad hom collaboration with the media and the Left against us. I'm not going to trust him now.

Posted by: SocietyIs2Blame at March 21, 2015 11:50 AM (QKIQb)

Rubio was, is, and always will be, a polished turd. We didn't always know it, but we know it now. And you're right. It has nothing to do with his stances on various issues. It's the fact that there's nothing behind any of them.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 21, 2015 11:55 AM (Dj0WE)

158 Time to go out for breakfast.

Posted by: jwest at March 21, 2015 11:55 AM (9ZZd+)

159 Citations and references. Is this for law review?
That's what I said!

Posted by: president o'bumbles at March 21, 2015 11:55 AM (kivUY)

160 "http://tinyurl.com/lv97pn"

From the earlier thread. QE with an Enfield.

Something I'd vote for.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at March 21, 2015 11:56 AM (Perx6)

161 153 HA!!!

he's lucky I didn't pull a "stand by to start 1A and 2A as soon as they parallel 3 to the bus....hey Master Chief, I'll kiss your ass later, i'm busy"

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:56 AM (Yd3vm)

162 I like Ted Cruz, but I'm not putting another 1 term senator with 0 executive experience in the WH.

Crucify me if you want, but I don't think it's a good idea.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) rogue bioethicst at March 21, 2015 11:56 AM (HDwDg)

163 OT, but prayers are requested. A friend's husband has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. He had been laid off and was unemployed for almost a year and just started a new job 3 months ago. It's pretty devastating news for them.

Posted by: Donna &&&&&& V. (brandishing ampersands) at March 21, 2015 11:56 AM (+XMAD)

164 Old:
Choom and his preferences for ... avoiding Camp David

Catoctin Mt. mosquitoes find him thin-skinned but his blood has no nutritional or iron value.

Posted by: DaveA at March 21, 2015 11:57 AM (DL2i+)

165 Not because they like bland porridge, but because bland porridge is
more likely to turn off fewer of the rubes who actually have to vote
for the chump.

You don't win by trying not to turn off voters. You win by turning voters on.
Posted by: Weirddave at March 21, 2015 11:51 AM (WvS3w)

I know, that's how you win voters, but the candidates are not chasing voters. They're chasing money. Once they get the money, they continue to do the bidding of their money people, who tell them to be bland.

We the people really are NOT part of the discussion, until election day. Then they have to relinquish control. I'm sure they hate it, and are certainly looking for ways to change that part of the process too.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 21, 2015 11:58 AM (Dj0WE)

166 155 It's not like the Horde minds disagreement

I remember the beating I took many many moons ago when I said Barretts should be banned from civilians
damn that hurt

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:58 AM (Yd3vm)

167 Sorry, donna. Thoughts out....

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at March 21, 2015 11:58 AM (Perx6)

168 "OT, but prayers are requested"
Donna.
Prostate cancer survivor here.
Prayers sent.
Find me on the Group if I can be of help with personal experience.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 21, 2015 11:58 AM (PJOJz)

169 Posted by: Donna &&&&&& V. (brandishing ampersands) at March 21, 2015 11:56 AM (+XMAD)

Prayers for him and family Donna.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 21, 2015 11:59 AM (GDulk)

170 "I remember the beating I took many many moons ago when I said Barretts should be banned from civilians"

WTF you say?

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at March 21, 2015 11:59 AM (Perx6)

171 There are no mosquitoes at Camp David. The setting is pretty close to idyllic really. Flying pests aren't big here in Central MD. Walking pests on the other hand.......

Posted by: Genghis Cohen at March 21, 2015 11:59 AM (fLKzW)

172 163 damn, that's a hard way
prayers out

brb, mini-medusa is stumbling around now
let me get some food in her so we can hit the range later

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 12:00 PM (Yd3vm)

173 posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:58 AM (Yd3vm)

I suspect that you are considered to have a conflict of interest. Well, that and you're you

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 21, 2015 12:00 PM (GDulk)

174 Electable?

Posted by: A Ham Sammich at March 21, 2015 12:00 PM (Dwehj)

175 I like Rubio's stances.

Posted by: Chuckie Schumer at March 21, 2015 12:00 PM (lG2E3)

176 I like Ted Cruz, but I'm not putting another 1 term senator with 0 executive experience in the WH.

Crucify me if you want, but I don't think it's a good idea.
Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) rogue bioethicst at March 21, 2015 11:56 AM (HDwDg)

Maybe, but in ways that are illustrated by the phonies, more than they are illustrated by him, he comes off as genuine.

Is he?

Time will tell, and yeah, maybe now is not the time to nominated him. Let him get some seasoning, but if he's the real deal, that's why people gravitate to him (and why the Powers-That-Be seem to despise him).

Posted by: BurtTC at March 21, 2015 12:01 PM (Dj0WE)

177 Posted by: Vermin at March 21, 2015 10:38 AM (I42hL)

It's a good candidate's job to be prepared for this ambush.

Reporter Cites phony statistics, I'm not even sure I'd bother refuting them. Just be ready to point out that Hillary's various offices have paid women less. And how your policies work to help people earn the maximum amount possible.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) rogue bioethicst at March 21, 2015 12:01 PM (HDwDg)

178 Sorry, VIA. Didn't know.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at March 21, 2015 12:01 PM (Perx6)

179 "It has nothing to do with his stances on various issues. It's the fact that there's nothing behind any of them."

Look at how many people cite his ethnicity as something "we need" - as if he's some kind of Latino Obama. He's an Obama in the sense of being an empty suit running on his heritage and parroting poll-tested talking points.

This is the kind of candidate the donor and consultant classes will keep force-feeding us: empty suits who will deliver the goods after selling the rubes, as you said above.

Posted by: SocietyIs2Blame at March 21, 2015 12:01 PM (QKIQb)

180 Electable?

Posted by: A Ham Sammich at March 21, 2015 12:00 PM (Dwehj)

*****

Sammich/Porridge 2016

Posted by: Muldoon, a solid man at March 21, 2015 12:02 PM (NeFrd)

181 Thanks, horde.

Posted by: Donna &&&&&& V. (brandishing ampersands) at March 21, 2015 12:02 PM (+XMAD)

182 "he's lucky I didn't pull a "stand by to start 1A and 2A"

Always envied you guys, and that "Start" button.
If you happen to remember "The Great White Ghost of the Arabian Coast", I was her Top Snipe for a while.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 21, 2015 12:02 PM (PJOJz)

183 170 I said that only the police and military should be able to own .50s cause they are too powerful and civies don't have a valid need
and I also tossed in the 1911 sucked

I believe irongramps threatened to fly out here and kill me and my next generation so I don't pollute the gene pool

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 12:02 PM (Yd3vm)

184 Has there been any more talk of putting a woman's face on the sixteen dollar bill?

Posted by: Muldoon, a solid man at March 21, 2015 12:03 PM (NeFrd)

185 O'Mally in Iowa, Washington Post

-
He had me at, "Let's tax the rain."

Posted by: The Great White Snark at March 21, 2015 12:03 PM (LImiJ)

186 A Ham Sandwich is looking pretty good.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at March 21, 2015 12:03 PM (Perx6)

187 Anyone that came from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, etc should be immediately disqualified.
That's my $.02
These people have been a curse on the USA.

Posted by: navybrat at March 21, 2015 12:03 PM (JgC5a)

188 I said that only the police and military should be able to own .50s
cause they are too powerful and civies don't have a valid need

and I also tossed in the 1911 sucked

Wow. That's batting .000

Posted by: A Ham Sammich at March 21, 2015 12:03 PM (Dwehj)

189 I remember the beating I took many many moons ago when I said Barretts should be banned from civilians
damn that hurt
Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 11:58 AM (Yd3vm)

Barretts... you mean the disease associated with heartburn? Nobody should suffer that. I agree with you, let's ban it.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 21, 2015 12:05 PM (Dj0WE)

190 182 yeppers
I started on the forrestal and learned on a steam
did time on an FF and a tender
steam....not for the faint of heart

but the gas turbines....so easy

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 12:05 PM (Yd3vm)

191 Yeah, I agree Wolf at RedState was off his nut with that article. Ted Cruz won because he stood for something and didn't back down. I can so see him pulling a Reaganesque "I paid for this microphone sir, turn it on!"

Posted by: Iblis at March 21, 2015 12:05 PM (vPB1q)

192 "Sorry, VIA. Didn't know. "

No problem.
Found it during my retirement physical, thank goodness.
Had to postpone retirement for surgery and recovery.

There are side effects.
But none of them are as bad as dying from prostate cancer.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 21, 2015 12:05 PM (PJOJz)

193 Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 12:02 PM (Yd3vm)

So a good time was had by all?

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at March 21, 2015 12:06 PM (GDulk)

194 That's just silly. If you ban barettes how will I keep my hair off my forehead?

Posted by: Muldoon, a solid man at March 21, 2015 12:06 PM (NeFrd)

195 Has there been any more talk of putting a woman's face on the sixteen dollar bill?

The idea is selling like the $1 coin.

Posted by: Count de Monet at March 21, 2015 12:07 PM (JO9+V)

196 188 Wow. That's batting .000

yeah, I manned up for about a half hour getting beat like I owed money

needless to say we have a Beowulf and 4 1911s now
I learned from the error of my ways

let me feed the spawn or she'll turn into my grumpy ass wife

Posted by: ncj at March 21, 2015 12:08 PM (Yd3vm)

197 Well, so much for the breakfast idea.

The wife (a florist) still has drivers on the road and another hour worth of arrangements to make.

Maybe I'll have better luck with lunch.

Posted by: jwest at March 21, 2015 12:08 PM (9ZZd+)

198 Congrats, VIA. Don't like to hear about that.

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at March 21, 2015 12:08 PM (Perx6)

199 "Rubio had his chance"

Screw him...

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at March 21, 2015 11:52 AM (Perx6)

I can't even see him as a VP pick. That Gang of Eight masterpiece will stick to him all his days.

Posted by: Joanne at March 21, 2015 12:08 PM (indTK)

200 On Cruz, I'm disappointed that he seems to have gone silent on the job (where was he on the amnesty fight in the Senate - there should have been 10+ Senators voting against that, not 2).

I'm guessing everyone's been telling him to avoid being a "lightning rod" and to court, not buck, leadership going into 2016.

Ted, you're making a lot of speeches about how we don't choose wars, they choose us. Apply that logic to how McConnell is selling out the Right on every important issue and ask yourself if now is the time to stay silent and play ball because some consultants say you'll have a 10% better chance to come in second in New Hampshire in 2016.

Another thought - I support you, Ted, but you do indeed look like Grandpa freaking Munster and you are the guy the media loves to hate. You're not going to win using traditional tactics and image-polishing. You above all candidates need to follow this list and shine brighter on integrity and issues, because those are your strengths. Playing shallow politics as usual and approaching this as a student council popularity contest is fatal for you.

How often does the nerdy know-it-all win against Buffy Spirit or Bif Strongarm? Don't fight in their arena, Ted, or you will lose.

Posted by: SocietyIs2Blame at March 21, 2015 12:11 PM (QKIQb)

201 200 -
Posted by: SocietyIs2Blame at March 21, 2015 12:11 PM (QKIQb)

Good advice. Will he take it? We might learn all we need to know about Ted by how closely he follows this script or THAT one.

Posted by: BurtTC at March 21, 2015 12:14 PM (Dj0WE)

202 Nice work, Society..............

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at March 21, 2015 12:14 PM (Perx6)

203 All of this might help if the GOP understood what all modern election data tells them: Turnout - specifically the base - is what wins, NOT swing votes or "moderation".

Rombley won swing voters over Barky and lost the general. He also got more votes from the base than McCain did, he still didn't electrify it as Obama did his base.

The last successful two term GOP president went after his base.

But this assumes that the GOP's primary goal is winning.

Posted by: Burn the Witch at March 21, 2015 12:15 PM (xSCb6)

204 SocietyIs2Blame @200 Well said. It kills me how much crap is still thrown at Ted for the " Government Shutdown Fiasco" . Since when does it take only once side for a conflict? It's not like the Donks didn't stake out a position and were unmovable..

Posted by: Yip at March 21, 2015 12:17 PM (84SRe)

205 Good post, but I think the major issue afflicting the GOPe from the standpoint of limited government is that they don't believe in it. Sure they give the principle lip-service in order to placate the bitter clingers (whom they despise) that comprise their base. That is why they never argue the immorality of collectivism and totalitarian government; they just bring up the utilitarian argument of cost.

Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop is now an engineer at March 21, 2015 12:18 PM (8+0sF)

206 Gardening thread draft is ready for you, Weirddave.

Posted by: Y-not at March 21, 2015 12:18 PM (9BRsg)

207 ****It kills me how much crap is still thrown at Ted for the " Government Shutdown Fiasco" .****

We still have a couple of GOPologists come in here from time to time spouting this objectively false line. There is no evidence at all that the shutdown threat hurt the GOP.

Zip. Zilch. Zero. Nada.

Quite the contrary actually.

But they still peddle this lie.

Posted by: Burn the Witch at March 21, 2015 12:20 PM (xSCb6)

208 I like Ted Cruz, but I'm not putting another 1 term senator with 0 executive experience in the WH.

Crucify me if you want, but I don't think it's a good idea.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) rogue bioethicst at March 21, 2015 11:56 AM (HDwDg)

Actually, I would prefer a governor, but I see Cruz as the exception. Why? His freakin' dedication and love for the United States of America. He's pretty much a Ronald Reagan type for me.

Posted by: Joanne at March 21, 2015 12:22 PM (indTK)

209 Posted by: Joanne at March 21, 2015 12:22 PM (indTK

Given the way modern politics plays, I think he'd be a better attack dog VP candidate. The role Ryan was supposed to play, but it turns out...he kinda sucks at it.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) rogue bioethicst at March 21, 2015 12:27 PM (HDwDg)

210 Nood! With a pitcher!

Posted by: johnd01 at March 21, 2015 12:29 PM (VGqjW)

211 Grampa Munster

https://www.youtube.com/
watch?feature=player_embedded
&v=jUujwM-knjQ

Pretty sure that loop-back on track would get you tossed anywhere nowadays.

Posted by: DaveA at March 21, 2015 12:29 PM (DL2i+)

212 WeirdDave 2016.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at March 21, 2015 12:32 PM (oKE6c)

213 This is straight out of a high school speech class.
Posted by: JCM332 at March 21, 2015 10:41 AM (0hn7J)
--------------------------
If they're going to pander to everyone who challenges them, perhaps they could use a lesson or two from a high school speech class.

Posted by: Courageous Fighter of Blind Kittens at March 21, 2015 12:35 PM (TqyFL)

214 This is straight out of a high school speech class.
Posted by: JCM332 at March 21, 2015 10:41 AM (0hn7J)
--------------------------
If they're going to pander to everyone who challenges them, perhaps they could use a lesson or two from a high school speech class.

Posted by: Courageous Fighter of Blind Kittens at March 21, 2015 12:35 PM (TqyFL)

215 RE: "There was an article in the dump yesterday from Red State, and in it the author made the most extraordinary statement . . . What the hell does that say about the author's ideology?"

Right, but that was Leon Wolf. About 70% of the time, now, I know I'll disagree with his articles when I read them.

And he was still on the kick about Walker and the fired staffer and how awful it was. Plus, there's a crew now that's trying to stave off anybody checking to see if Walker's as conservative on *all the other conservative issues* as he is on public unions and budgets.

I don't know the answer to that, but if Walker is *not* as conservative on all the other issues as the public union and budget issue, I will not be voting for him any more than I will be voting for Jeb Bush.

Guaranteed, if Jeb Bush is the nominee, half the Red State writers will attempt to browbeat those of us who aren't gonna be voting for non-conservatives again into voting for Bush. I dread that year of histrionics and drama that will occur from the likes of Wolf and NRO if Bush is the nominee more than I dread having to watch Hillary attempt to debate.

Posted by: Igor at March 21, 2015 12:37 PM (9inxU)

216 Excellent post, WeirdDave.

Why don't Repubs get it that the media is not only not their friend, but is their ENEMY? (And America's enemy as well.) Why try to curry favor with the enemy?

Bar access to the candidate from the most hostile and unfair elements of the media - the rest will get the picture, and try to be a bit more fair. Sure, reporters will all hate the candidate, but they get paid to do a job, and if they can't do the job ... So deny the really egregious ones the raw material.

This applies in spades to debates. DO NOT agree to any debate moderated by a Red, or a fellow traveler. INSIST on the following format: three moderators, one of them of our choosing, one of the Reds' choosing, and a third one on which we must agree.

Our moderator questions the Red candidate, their moderator questions ours, and the third moderator only KEEPS TIME and TURNS MICROPHONES ON AND OFF.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at March 21, 2015 12:39 PM (oKE6c)

217 ****I like Ted Cruz, but I'm not putting another 1 term senator with 0 executive experience in the WH.

Crucify me if you want, but I don't think it's a good idea.****

I don't think you deserve to be crucified, I just think the so-called "executive experience" qualification is arbitrary when you really dig down into that concept.

Let's not pretend that an executive position (especially the POTUS) requires specialized experience. There are plenty of people with executive experience that perform abysmally in those roles. The corporate and political worlds are littered with examples. That's not to say that experience is not valuable, but for the position of POTUS? Not so much.

Ultimately it requires intellect and talent. And political acumen. Say what you want about Obama, he has been a success despite a huge deficit in each of these areas...and then factor in his experience level. Yet he has been extraordinarily successful (from the leftist point of view) despite having a domestic and economic climate or par or even worse than Carter - a president who had executive experience.

Posted by: Burn the Witch at March 21, 2015 12:40 PM (xSCb6)

218 Another thought re the media: all interviews are recorded and broadcast in their entirety. No cute "creative" editing by the Reds will be tolerated, and anyone attempting such will go on the media shit list and he and his network will be denied future access to the candidate. Enjoy taking Greyhound between campaign stops, mofo!

Posted by: Jay Guevara at March 21, 2015 12:40 PM (oKE6c)

219 Flying pests aren't big here in Central MD.

Lived in Germantown, cursed that blood-sucker the fewer times he flew over than W. Must be higher in the Mts.

Posted by: DaveA at March 21, 2015 12:42 PM (DL2i+)

220 Someone up thread called Ted Cruz the perfect candidate for radio, and that struck me as just about spot on. I love the perfect ninja strikes of Cruz on Twitter, but every time I watch him talk at length I find myself disliking him. It's that "relatable" factor I think. Cruz strikes me as consciously "on stage" all the time, and like with a tutu wearing two year old, it is delightful at first, but gets old real fast.
Don't get me wrong, I'd vote for him vs. whomever K street coughs up from their brimstone depths, but I'd rather have a governor. I prefer Kermit the Jindal.

Posted by: tms at March 21, 2015 12:43 PM (gQHeD)

221 I just think the so-called "executive experience" qualification is arbitrary when you really dig down into that concept.

Let's not pretend that an executive position (especially the POTUS) requires specialized experience

Have to disagree here. Management is a learned skill. No one is born knowing how to select, assess, organize, delegate, and hold people accountable. Who would have put someone in charge of Operation Overlord who only had intellect and talent, but no executive experience?

Posted by: Jay Guevara at March 21, 2015 12:43 PM (oKE6c)

222 Principle #5 - should have a corollary about never being on the defensive. That every statement from the press should be treated as an accusation (they all really are) and to turn it back onto them. The Starbucks imbroglio frames this perfectly:

THEM: "How many blacks are on your staff?"
YOU: "I'm surprised that you think of people in terms of their race, that your very first thought is a racial evaluation."

Frame it to put them on the defensive for having asked such a question.

Posted by: LCMS Rulz! at March 21, 2015 01:07 PM (TqyFL)

223 What would your administration do to increase jobs?
Posted by: Yip at March 21, 2015 11:05 AM (84SRe)

"Get the hell out of the way" is one answer.
"Let folks spend their own damn money" is another.

You'd probably have to phrase it differently.

Posted by: I built that at March 21, 2015 01:21 PM (TqyFL)

224 Wait I thought Sir Willard of the Romney was these electable candidate. How could he not be? Wall Street suit; son of privilege; Ivy League; Northeast Liberal RINO; loafers without socks, etc, etc.

"And when Bain Capital finally left town, the man with fifteen houses had taken mine." -- Laid Off Ohio Factory Worker

Posted by: You read about me in a Faulkner novel and saw me in a Williams play at March 21, 2015 01:48 PM (1mtKP)

225 I like Cruz, but "saleability" is important, not just checking off all the right stances. He argues well as a lawyer, but has to connect. Maybe it was not his fault, but the messaging over "the shutdown" was not well handled. They had Reid dead to rights "I will not do this piecemeal", that was the smoking gun.

But they rambled all over, and Cruz apparently didn't coordinate a plan with Boehner. Boehner maybe sold him out, but still seems the handling of issues like that matter.

Walker still has time to get his answers down tight, Cruz has time to build his case. Good advice in this post ... but there is no need to trash any candidate yet ... at least none of the better ones.

Walker has victory over unions and wins in a moderate state.

Cruz makes the tea party case in a more pointed way.

Jindal I liked for his management skills maybe, but his SOTU response was pretty weak, and he comes off as weak. He's tried to be more forceful lately.

Fiorini is useful for attacking Hillary, but she may not be strong enough for a VP spot, and too far removed from the action for president. But that identity politics thingy is real.

Rand ... no go Daddy, has some questionable issues, but can make his case.

I agree Cruz needs to get more comfortable, less theatrical or something. But they will all need time getting comfortable on the national stage, while staying on point.

Carson, Bush, Huckabee, Chrustie are out of the picture ... and Perry too, for me. Let the others have healthy respectful discussions, build a case. Lots of time ... no knee capping.

I'm for Walker because he took on national unions, including the John Doe prosecutions, and WON repeatedly. Details on HOW he would close the border would help.

Posted by: Illiniwek at March 21, 2015 01:55 PM (npG5l)

226 153. There we were, in Gaeta, Italy. ...

I feel your pain. First thing I did as CO was to put all, repeat all, E-8s and E-9s on the watch bill. Required that they all had a GQ station also. And no, the tidily wink training team does not count.

Thought for sure I was going to have the first muntiny since whenever. Some of 'em actually put in retirement papers. Others went to medical and came back TAD to the hospital. F 'em. Good riddance.

Good news was that enough stepped up, took it seriously, and did a lot to raise crew moral and proficiency.

Those were the days.

Posted by: You read about me in a Faulkner novel and saw me in a Williams play at March 21, 2015 02:01 PM (1mtKP)

227 I want to believe Cruz could win, but I'm not convinced. I am certain that looks and likeability are one of the main contributing factors of winning. Go back to Reagan. The better looking, charismatic candidate won every time.

Mondale, Dukakis, Dole, Gore, Kerry, McCain. Not friendly, attractive candidates. Romney was okay, but not the LIV 'superstar' that Obama is.

Posted by: adolfo_velasquez at March 21, 2015 02:02 PM (VRc/p)

228 How come I keep missing these posts, and only see them after the fact?

Whatever. Another good one, Weirddave.

Posted by: rickl at March 21, 2015 02:03 PM (sdi6R)

229
Brietbart had an excellent response to many liberal questions "So?" Make them explain why something is important.And why you must have an opinion on it.

Stop being forced to take positions on what other people say, or even what you think, rather, take positions about what you willdo. Avoid discussingmeaningless things, or things you can't possibly change.

Posted by: Dr. lexus at March 21, 2015 02:04 PM (/EkKm)

230
They need topractice issue judo. For example, rather than increasing the availability of student loans, I'd force more colleges to lower tuitions. Makethem spend 5% of their endowments each year unless they have free tuition, or loose their tax exempt status.

Why are we stopping wannabe Jihadis from traveling to Syria to join Al Queda? I say if that is how you feel about the west, your family, and your country,good riddance. You won't be welcomed back if you change your mind, assuming you survive.

Clinton e-mails? Is anyone surprised?She's a Clinton. This is what they do. And as usual the Obama administration was asleep at the switch, and will never follow up.

Drop the bomb, then say no more. Don't ramble on and on.

Posted by: Dr. lexus at March 21, 2015 02:21 PM (/EkKm)

231 Have to disagree here. Management is a learned skill. No one is born knowing how to select, assess, organize, delegate, and hold people accountable. Who would have put someone in charge of Operation Overlord who only had intellect and talent, but no executive experience?

Then we'll have to agree to disagree. Romney had plenty of the "executive experience" that people are yearning for. His performance in all of the categories you mentioned was absolutely and objectively abysmal.

As I stated earlier - management structures are littered with the "successes" of people who routinely fail despite their experience. I agree with you in theory, but reality is far different.

To continue your analogy regarding massive military operations: how many massive military operations that ended in failure and disaster were headed by people with eminent experience qualifications?

Posted by: Burn the Witch at March 21, 2015 02:35 PM (xSCb6)

232 229
Brietbart had an excellent response to many liberal questions "So?" Make them explain why something is important.And why you must have an opinion on it.

Posted by: Dr. lexus at March 21, 2015 02:04 PM (/EkKm)

That's become my default answer to the accusation "You're a racist!"

It wasn't the case before 2009, but it is today.

Posted by: rickl at March 21, 2015 02:49 PM (sdi6R)

233 Great post. I'm going to memorize your points and use them as a club upon any candidate that is not following your guidelines. They are all very much common sense, it seems to me. So, if I see any slackers on our side not using your road map, they better be prepared to hear the gong.

Posted by: goon at March 21, 2015 04:00 PM (gNTQS)

234 It's one thing for the comments on conservative sites to be full of nuts, but when the posters themselves are all trending lunatic fringe, it is a sign of a blog jumping the shark.

Posted by: Adjoran at March 21, 2015 04:03 PM (QIQ6j)

235 You sound concerned Adjoran. Maybe some music would help calm you down. https://youtu.be/uqUa_G1h3pw

Posted by: Weirddave at March 21, 2015 04:42 PM (WvS3w)

236 From what I see and hear, I'm liking Cruz. As for the "handsomeness factor," we have a jug-eared, shoe-fly attracting, hollow chested, skinny-ass SCoaMF getting votes (if you know who I mean and I think you do), and his sidekick (I can't say wife with any certainty), the creature from the black lagoon green latrine, named one of the 100 hottest women in the world (2009) by Maxim magazine (# 93 - you can look it up). Obviously, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

That being said, with Cruz and all the rest, I'm always reminded of what a an old curmudgeon told me (thanks dad, my hero): "Never make a hero out of someone who's still alive. They can blow it at any minute."

Posted by: AmericanBTGoG at March 21, 2015 04:46 PM (DhZHL)

237 235 You sound concerned Adjoran. Maybe some music would help calm you down. https://youtu.be/uqUa_G1h3pw
Posted by: Weirddave at March 21, 2015 04:42 PM (WvS3w)

Alright, alright! Makes me want to go to church tomorrow. (and hum rude drinking songs while the choir sings)

Posted by: goon at March 21, 2015 09:54 PM (gNTQS)

238 Good points, but I can't help but wonder... why has Newt Gingrich not been elected? Doesn't he practice these principles?

Posted by: OutspokenRed at March 22, 2015 02:34 AM (BhtTT)

239 238. No. I rather like Newt, but he forgets principle #1, and it's been his undoing, everything else stems from that. He shares that with Reagan, both of them were from an earlier time, and they believed that there was an honest and principled opposition. Such a thing doesn't exist anymore.

Posted by: Weirddave at March 22, 2015 03:04 AM (WvS3w)

240 "I don't believe that Rick Santorum is electable in America today."

Shit, he wasn't even electable in PA 10 years ago.

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at March 22, 2015 07:55 PM (Y92Nd)

Processing 0.02, elapsed 0.0347 seconds.
14 queries taking 0.0155 seconds, 248 records returned.
Page size 152 kb.
Powered by Minx 0.8 beta.