The Republican field
Jan. 9th, 2008 10:53 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
So here's the Republicans, in alphabetical order:
Guiliani - I think of him as sort of a cipher wrapped in a 9/11 flag. Presumably has the money to stay in this despite the various kerfluffles about his abortion views and his ex-wife and so forth. But I'm thinking the decision to skip Iowa and New Hampshire is going to bite him in the ass.
Huckabee - Like Bush in a lot of ways: a Southern governor, not very experienced, and scarily conservative behind the aw-shucks manner. Given that he's a preacher, I'm inclined to assume that he is genuinely religious in a way Bush is not. (And I know that last is highly debatable but that's not the point right now.) In a way, that makes him even scarier than Bush to me. My fear of him, however, is dwarfed by that of the mainstream Republican party, which is terrified - Huckenfreude, one political blogger called it. However, given that Iowa's about the most religious place out there, I'm inclined to think that it might have been his one big shining moment. I could be wrong about that, of course.
McCain - hanging in there, rather surprisingly (and as of last night, rather more than just that). A war hero, but so was Kerry, and look how that came out. Old, compared to the others, and not quite as conservative; he's the Republican I could possibly be persuaded to vote for should the Democrats go crazy and nominate somebody completely unacceptable to me. (Which is unlikely at this point, I'm not in love with any of them but I am still swayable.)
Paul - I wouldn't bother to discuss him, except that as it happens, he's my Congressman, and has been for years - and I still don't know very much about him, which is rather extraordinary in itself. Until this year, he's had a positive genius for flying under the radar and still managing to get reelected, even though his Libertarian views would be considered by a lot of people to be pretty nutty.
Romney - the only thing much out of the ordinary about him is the Mormonism; otherwise, sort of a sheep in Republican wolves' clothing - that is, not quite as conservative as he tries to make you think. Apparently considered good-looking, although I am not seeing it. But then I can't stand the guy.
Thompson - the only thing remotely interesting about him is (sometimes) his acting. Politically, middle-of-the-road and boring. Trying to be Ronald Reagan and failing pretty spectacularly. I think if he gets elected, then any old actor can get elected. For all we know, Steve Buscemi may be next.