Thursday, September 08, 2011

Political Mayhem Thursday: The Fade-Out of Michelle Bachmann


Can I say something here? It matters who the Republican nominee is for the 2012 presidential election-- it matters a lot. The issues that will be important and discussed will vary wildly, say, depending on whether Michelle Bachmann or Mitt Romney gets the nomination, because with Romney the national discussion will be about the economy, and with Bachmann it will be about social issues and "character."

However, that's not the real contest now, because Michelle Bachman seems to be fading out of the race, already falling to fourth behind Ron Paul in polls by both the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal..

My own theory about this is that Republican voters have astutely decided that this race IS going to be about the economy, and are tilting towards the candidate most likely to make headway on that issue-- Mitt Romney.

Questions:

1) Will Rick Perry be a worthy opponent to Mitt Romney through the primaries?
2) Am I right about Michelle Bachmann?
3) If Super Sugar Bear enters the race, how will he do?

23 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:58 AM

    1. No
    2. Yes
    3. Well. Very well.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous9:05 AM

    I think Ms. Bachmann was by far the best in the debate last night, and is going to win. It's too early to believe what polls say.

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  3. After watching the debate last night, I concluded that Obama will win. Not that I want him to, but he can beat any of those guys.

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  4. Anonymous12:59 PM

    1) Perry is a true Republican governor from a Republican state. He will beat a liberal Mormon from Taxachusetts any day. Romney is a career politician; Perry has the experience to lead.

    2) Probably. She can't compete with Perry and Romney.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anon 12:59:

    Are you aware that Mitt Romney did one four-year term of office as Governor of Massachusetts, while Rick Perry has been in elective office since 1985?

    Sure sounds like the phrase "career politician" applies more to the latter than the former.

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  6. Anonymous2:18 PM

    It was on totally AWESOME four years for Massachusetts, though!

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  7. Anonymous4:16 PM

    1. Ms Bachmann will be out after Iowa ... Thank God.
    2. Nothing good comes out of Texas
    3. It is time for our change back and Obama is out
    4. It is time for a Mormon from Mass!

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  8. Super Sugar Bear should run as an independent.

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  9. Anon 4:16:

    Things that have come from Texas:

    Roy Orbison
    Willie Nelson
    Buddy Holly
    Stevie Ray Vaughn
    ZZ Top
    Dwight Eisenhower
    Nolan Ryan
    Waylon Jennings
    Dr. Pepper
    Beavis and Butthead
    Office Space
    Dazed & Confused
    Pantera
    George Foreman
    A.J. Foyt
    Ben Hogan

    I'm just gonna stop there and give you the opportunity to retract your statement that "nothing good comes out of Texas" before I go back to making you look like a fool.

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  10. Question to the Texan's out here in Razor-land...

    Does Texas have a 'weak' governor structure? That is what I have heard. If this is the case, that would mean Perry's role is more figurehead and less policy driver.

    I hope Bachman stays in a while so Palin will stay out.

    I think Blob could beat Super Sugar Bear.

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  11. @RRL, I note you have forgotten the wonderful Anne Richardson and blustery Molly Ivans. May they both RIP.

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  12. I mean Anne Richards!

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  13. I didn't forget Molly Ivans, she sucked. Ann Richards, at least she was a Baylor Bear, so sure, she can go on the list.

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  14. seraphim12:18 AM

    Best Ann Richards quote ever: "The bigger the hair, the closer to God."

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  15. RRL how could you keep out Janis Joplin?!

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  16. I don't know if I
    Can start my weekend without
    A haiku contest.

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  17. Any time I feel my pride in being a Texan in need of a heavy of dose of hubris, I recall that Rick Perry has been elected governor 4 times.

    If "President" were not such an important job, I would delight in seeing him elected so that the State of Texas (and Texas A&M) could finally be released from his vise grip on it.

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  18. @Christine, excellent question about Texas government structure. Texas does generally have a "weak governor" system because most of the state agencies report to independent boards rather than to the governor. However, Perry has been the governor for an unusually long time, and he has appointed all of the members of the various boards. They are fairly loyal to him, and they know that if they want to be reappointed they need to do what Perry wants. For better or for worse, this has given Perry an unusual degree of influence as Texas governor.

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  19. Anonymous9:44 AM

    Last night, Bachmann missed Obama's jobs speech (stuck in traffic, she said), but then televised a thorough critique of the speech she did not hear.

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  20. Anonymous12:09 PM

    I stand by my statement ... RRL ... nothing good comes from Texas. LOL! :)

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  21. Anonymous1:00 PM

    RRL - how can you diss Molly Ivans? On second thought, of course you can - she had an uncanny knack for skewering the foibles of the politicians you hold so dear. From Ronnie to George 1 and 2, to Rick, she told the truth about them all, and made us laugh about it.

    A wonderful woman! Texas is much poorer for her absence.

    Lee

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  22. A Sugar Bear/Crunch ticket would win, and of course, the conversation would be about the economy. Bachmann? Who's she?

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