(10-21-2015 11:21 AM)Gravy Owl Wrote:  

(10-21-2015 08:45 AM)JustAnotherAustinOwl Wrote:  So Paul Ryan might be willing to be speaker - if his demands are met. Really an odd situation. Oddest to me is seeing him being attacked as a RINO or sell out. I thought he had pretty solid conservative credentials.

No surprise there at all. They think Jason Chaffetz is a RINO too.

I've heard it explained (by Republicans as well as Democrats) that there's a subset who basically take the view that anyone who has the votes to be elected Speaker has by definition "sold out" to the establishment.

The problem, of course, is that taking that to its logical conclusion, they will oppose anyone who can get elected.

Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

In actual Presidential horse race news, Biden announces he won't run.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/10/...tcmp=hpbt1

I've been pretty confident that's what he would decide all along. About the only prediction I've been confident in in this crazy election cycle...

Do you think that Biden feared for his life like Vince Foster??? Beware BILLARY!!

Lincoln Chafee dropped out of the Democratic race today. Late night talk show hosts are in a state of mourning, no doubt.

I will be pleasantly surprised if whoever wins leaves us with a country worth living in five years from now. I see no reason to expect more, regardless of who wins, and plenty of reasons to expect less.

I didn't see it, as I don't have cable, but it seems CNBC did unite people across the political spectrum on one thing: agreeing that they suck at putting on debates...

So the current Republican front runner thinks Joseph built the pyramids to store grain. Well, at least we can take solace in the fact that he doesn't believe the 'scientists' who say it was space aliens. Scientists think that? Really?

Seriously, WTF?

I'd put my money on Rubio being the nominee at this point. (Ironic given what Republicans have been saying about electing a first term Senator with little 'real world' experience based on charisma and status as an historic 'first'...)

(11-05-2015 09:56 AM)JustAnotherAustinOwl Wrote:  So the current Republican front runner thinks Joseph built the pyramids to store grain. Well, at least we can take solace in the fact that he doesn't believe the 'scientists' who say it was space aliens. Scientists think that? Really?
Seriously, WTF?
I'd put my money on Rubio being the nominee at this point. (Ironic given what Republicans have been saying about electing a first term Senator with little 'real world' experience based on charisma and status as an historic 'first'...)

I wish he didn't believe things like that. And I wish he wouldn't say them. But I don't see really the purpose of the pyramids being a burning issue in the next four years.

I do like his positions on things that I see as being possible burning issues better than I like the positions of most other candidates. But in the end, I think that comments like this show that he is not ready for the scrutiny that comes to all presidents, or at least all presidents not named Obama.

In the end, there's nobody that I really, really think will do a great job. I like Rand, both politically and personally, but he's too inexperienced. Rubio at least has some significant political experience at the state level (more than voting present).

If we elect someone who doesn't completely destroy the country (if not the world) over the next 5 years, we will be at the top end of my hopes and expectations.

Don't underestimate the power of the press in making or breaking an image. Remember "potatoe" and Ford's stumble?

I too think Rubio comes to the front. Seems odd that the Republicans have the young, diverse group of candidates while the
democrats plan to hold on to the young diverse voters with old white people.

(11-05-2015 10:49 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  Seems odd that the Republicans have the young, diverse group of candidates while the
democrats plan to hold on to the young diverse voters with old white people.

LOL, quite true. It's really a pretty odd primary season for the Dems too, it's just that the GOP primary is sucking all the air out of the room.

I've seen people argue that Cruz is well positioned to pick up Trump and Carson support if/when they collapse. But he seems so genuinely hated by the rest of the field and party I have to think that becomes a barrier at some point. I can't recall the last time there was a candidate so thoroughly disliked by so much of his party.

Rubio seem like a likable guy.

(11-05-2015 12:04 PM)JustAnotherAustinOwl Wrote:  I've seen people argue that Cruz is well positioned to pick up Trump and Carson support if/when they collapse. But he seems so genuinely hated by the rest of the field and party I have to think that becomes a barrier at some point. I can't recall the last time there was a candidate so thoroughly disliked by so much of his party.

Rubio seem like a likable guy.

Jimmy Carter in 1980.

Funniest headline of the day: "Carson Plummets in Polls Amid Reports He Did Not Stab Anyone."

(11-05-2015 09:56 AM)JustAnotherAustinOwl Wrote:  I'd put my money on Rubio being the nominee at this point. (Ironic given what Republicans have been saying about electing a first term Senator with little 'real world' experience based on charisma and status as an historic 'first'...)

But see, in the leftist world view, only leftists are allowed to vote for a candidate because of charisma; when conservatives do it, they are being shallow. And even more clearly, leftists are the only ones allowed to vote for a candidate based on ethnicity -- or at least, they are the only ones allowed to pat themselves on the back for doing so. In fact, it is only grudgingly (and with much excuse-making) that leftists allow non-Anglos to be conservatives at all.

(11-08-2015 10:49 AM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(11-05-2015 09:56 AM)JustAnotherAustinOwl Wrote:  I'd put my money on Rubio being the nominee at this point. (Ironic given what Republicans have been saying about electing a first term Senator with little 'real world' experience based on charisma and status as an historic 'first'...)

But see, in the leftist world view, only leftists are allowed to vote for a candidate because of charisma; when conservatives do it, they are being shallow. And even more clearly, leftists are the only ones allowed to vote for a candidate based on ethnicity -- or at least, they are the only ones allowed to pat themselves on the back for doing so. In fact, it is only grudgingly (and with much excuse-making) that leftists allow non-Anglos to be conservatives at all.

Has any "leftist" asked for proof he was born in the United States?

(11-08-2015 10:49 AM)georgewebb Wrote:  But see, in the leftist world view, only leftists are allowed to vote for a candidate because of charisma; when conservatives do it, they are being shallow. And even more clearly, leftists are the only ones allowed to vote for a candidate based on ethnicity -- or at least, they are the only ones allowed to pat themselves on the back for doing so. In fact, it is only grudgingly (and with much excuse-making) that leftists allow non-Anglos to be conservatives at all.

Very convincing analysis here.

(11-08-2015 11:44 AM)JSA Wrote:  

(11-08-2015 10:49 AM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(11-05-2015 09:56 AM)JustAnotherAustinOwl Wrote:  I'd put my money on Rubio being the nominee at this point. (Ironic given what Republicans have been saying about electing a first term Senator with little 'real world' experience based on charisma and status as an historic 'first'...)

But see, in the leftist world view, only leftists are allowed to vote for a candidate because of charisma; when conservatives do it, they are being shallow. And even more clearly, leftists are the only ones allowed to vote for a candidate based on ethnicity -- or at least, they are the only ones allowed to pat themselves on the back for doing so. In fact, it is only grudgingly (and with much excuse-making) that leftists allow non-Anglos to be conservatives at all.

Has any "leftist" asked for proof he was born in the United States?

http://www.biography.com/people/marco-rubio-20840041

(11-08-2015 12:29 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(11-08-2015 11:44 AM)JSA Wrote:  

(11-08-2015 10:49 AM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(11-05-2015 09:56 AM)JustAnotherAustinOwl Wrote:  I'd put my money on Rubio being the nominee at this point. (Ironic given what Republicans have been saying about electing a first term Senator with little 'real world' experience based on charisma and status as an historic 'first'...)

But see, in the leftist world view, only leftists are allowed to vote for a candidate because of charisma; when conservatives do it, they are being shallow. And even more clearly, leftists are the only ones allowed to vote for a candidate based on ethnicity -- or at least, they are the only ones allowed to pat themselves on the back for doing so. In fact, it is only grudgingly (and with much excuse-making) that leftists allow non-Anglos to be conservatives at all.

Has any "leftist" asked for proof he was born in the United States?

http://www.biography.com/people/marco-rubio-20840041

http://www.biography.com/people/barack-obama-12782369

"Marco Antonio Rubio"? Sure sounds foreign to me. I hear he's actually really Mexican, and a secret Mormon.

Yes, I'm kidding. I don't actually question his telling of his life story... or that birthright citizenship is the law of the land.

Sadly, he's not qualified to get Optimistic Owl's vote, due to lack of "executive experience".

It really says something about the sad state of presidential politics when these are the things we are discussing.