For those who complain about the choices in this year’s presidential election, that only makes sense to me if one is a democrat. I have repeatedly stated that the top tier republican candidates, that being Giuliani, McCain, Romney, and Fred Thompson, are all fine men. This is the deepest talent pool since 1980.
What many people do not know is that the republican party has never been as talent rich as we are now. This is because we truly are a big tent that allows for the one type of diversity that actually improves the world…diversity of thought. Intellectual and ideological diversity are not tolerated on the left. Only on the left could Nancy Pelosi be too moderate for some. From the Northeastern moderate republicans to the conservative bible belt, our tolerance for opposing viewpoints while obeying Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment about speaking ill of no other republican has allowed us to field the most impressive amount of republican leaders in my lifetime.
Given that governors win the White House, and senators do not, the focus will be on the governors. Although there are fine members of the republican senate running for the White House, the perception is that legislators dither while executives actually do things.
In Minnesota, Governor Tim Pawlenty is about to become a kingmaker. While in terms of rock star celebrity, he is not Jesse Ventura, he is incredibly charismatic. He is tall, handsome, and likable. I personally met him and witnessed several elderly ladies talk to him less about issues than about their daughters (I think he does bear a slight resemblance to romantic comedy kingpin John Cusack, which is irrelevant unless one admits that looks matter on television). He is also the governor of the state that is hosting the 2008 republican convention. He will be the most sought after individual outside of the Presidential candidate.
Yet one should not confuse style for a lack of substance. He is a solid conservative that comes across as very family and television friendly. He turned a 4.5 billion dollar deficit into a 2.2 billion dollar surplus in 3 years without raising taxes. Apparently cutting spending does work, and he understands that. Minnesota has a reputation as a traditionally liberal state, but Minnesotans have elected everybody from liberals such as Walter Mondale and Paul Wellstone to conservatives such as Rod Grams, often simultaneously. Jesse Ventura shows the independent streak of these voters. From a strategic standpoint, Pawlenty would be an excellent choice.
Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele might be one of the only men in this country despised equally by the KKK and the NAACP. He is a black conservative, and unapologetically so. He has had oreo cookies tossed at his feet. He is also charming, likable, and not one whose conservatism will be too scary for the average voter. In fact, he ran a hysterically funny campaign commercial where he accused his opponents in advance of saying so many bad things about him, that they would probably say he disliked puppies. He then added “by the way, I like puppies.”
His humor notwithstanding, he would be a tough candidate to demonize. Those on the left will claim they want a colorblind society while disparaging his race with Uncle Tom comments. Conservatives will just see him as a bright, honest, hardworking common sense conservative. He has a law degree and also spent 3 years as a seminarian (that is religious school for those of you secular progressives). His notable achievements in Maryland have included education reform and protecting small business owners.
While there is plenty of talent in the continental United States, there are actually 50 states, not 48. Alaska governor Sarah Palin is a meteor waiting to explode on the scene. She is a staunch NRA backer who came to power by cleaning out the corruption in Alaska government. It was republican corruption, but she took on her own party, running on an ethics platform. Unlike democrats in congress, the public is overwhelmingly pleased with her commitment to actually keeping her promises to bring a more ethical government to Alaska. Her popularity has cracked above 90%.
As the former Chairman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Commission, she knows a lot more about drilling in Alaska than uneducated Senators who have never visited the state. She also has a journalism degree, and has worked in the media before. Therefore, she will not be intimidated when the jackals approach her for a slanted interview.
Governor Palin has managed to increase services while simultaneously lowering property taxes. The business community loves her. Alaska does not get much attention during a presidential race because of logistical issues, but once news about Governor Palin hits the mainland, people will be clamoring for her.
The other state away from the mainland is the gorgeous tropical island of Hawaii. People know it as a paradise for vacationers, but what they may not know is that Hawaii is the home to one of the most impressive political leaders in the country.
Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle is an anomoly. In a state that has very few republicans, and even fewer Jewish people, Governor Lingle is a republican Jewish woman, and an Orthodox one at that. She comes across as very polite and formal, but she seen as dignified, not aloof.
In fact, just today, 33 bills were presented to Governor Lingle by the democratic legislature. She signed six of them and vetoed the other 27. Conservatives should love this woman. For the last several years, Hawaii has had the lowest unemployment rate in the nation. The Hawaii unemployment rate is at a 30 year state low. For those who love to portray the GOP as anti-women, she is the founder of the International Women’s Leadership Conference.
Her successful first term led to her reelection last year by the largest margin ever in a Hawaii Governor’s race. Again, this is in an overwhelmingly democratic state.
From Alaska to Hawaii to Maryland to Minnesota, the republican party is the party of rising stars. The democrats have their female candidate, their black candidate, their hispanic candidate, yet there is no diversity of thoughts or ideas from the left wing orthodoxy that dominates the party.
The republicans have female governors in Alaska and Hawaii and a black lieutenant governor from Maryland that actually have accomplishments worth running on. We also have an up and coming white governor from Minnesota, but I suspect he will be decent enough not to make his race an issue in the campaign, the same way President Reagan did not brag about his age.
What the republican party has is talent, and that talent pool runs very deep. Look out for these rising stars. They could be heading for the top of a 2016 republican ticket after George W. Bush’s republican successor finishes their second term.
eric
I.ve livedin Hawaii a totall of about 32 years, but its been home for 42. For years I’ve watched the old boys network rape this state by catering to there relatives through gravy contracts and discrimination, and accepting pay offs from the union. Whites are the minority here , and I know what it feels like to be dicriminated against on a daily basis. I cant wait untill the salty old farts that run this state die or get rotated out. We are so crowded here, but because of teamsters and bus driver unions we have spent the last 15 years trying to get a rail system up and running. It took us 15 years to build a 10 mile long freeway called the H3 they milk everything here to the max.. Linda Lingle has her work cut out for her. And she certainly has been a refreshing change to say the least
A lot of cabinet members are very racially bias, and they cater to there own districts which are usually Japanese or Chinese. Its funny as hell to watch these salty old liberal farts have to deal with Governer Lingle. Half the time the dont know what to make of her , simply because they are not used to a White woman in charge that doesnt play there game.
Yea… it just hit the news last night how the democratic legilature was bragging about the 6 bills they got passed. And in typical fashion did not mention having to eat the other 27.
How odd that you should mention our governor (Lingle)…to be fair and honest, Lingle won because of the previous governor’s petty war with speeders (his limo was once left in the dust by “ordinary” drivers so he installed what was fondly called “tel-a-ban” vans that clocked and sent tickets to any vehicle going 1 mile over the speed limit). As more “ordinary” people found themselves either paying huge fees or in court, the rage grew…and anyone outside of the Dem party would have won.
People of Hawaii tend to “let things slide” so incumbents have a huge advantage…notice our senators and congressmen are re-elected to such an extent that their seats in Congress practically have their butt imprints…and once a Congresswoman was elected even though she was already dead–the public bought the idea of a $2 million (the cost of a special election) “tribute” to her.
So again, Lingle’s re-election had less to do with her than how the people of Hawaii are.
I rarely vote Democrat so don’t get me wrong…I just don’t want people to get the idea that Lingle is a particularly viable candidate on a national scale.