Who is the GOP's best hope to unseat Obama in 2012?

[Ó Cathasaigh]

It is always a possibility that a sitting president will fail to acheive re-election if the stars align and the opposition runs a good candidate. Clinton did it to Bush Sr. not too long ago, can it happen to Obama?

If so, who do you think can manage such an upset?

[scarybandit]

Well, I'm not a Republican or a Christian, but going on schmooze factor, I voted Mike Hukabee... but of course, he has said he's not running.

I suppose Mitt Romney would be a good bet, but his Mormonism is dead weight for him, and Palin would be a dangerous opponent in the primaries.

I have sincere doubts that her Tea Party supporters would support Romney in the general if Palin was not the nominee - especially after the kind of mud slinging I imagine would occur during the primary race itself.

In summation, I think that, barring the emergence of some dark horse in this race, Obama will remain president 2012-2016. Not that it will mean much without a majority in the House of course; even with a majority, the Democrats are a difficult bunch of cats to herd - for example, with friends like Lieberman, who needs enemies? If only the Obama administration and the Democrats had been 10% as socialist as the Tea Party had imagined, perhaps the US would now have public option health insurance.

[Vanoi]

Petraeus 2012

[scarybandit]

Petraeus 2012

He already has a job, and not enough time to prepare for a 2012 primary. I wouldn't say he's not a possibility for 2016, but thinking about 2012 run for Petraeus is dreaming.

[hellheaven1987]

He already has a job, and not enough time to prepare for a 2012 primary. I wouldn't say he's not a possibility for 2016, but thinking about 2012 run for Petraeus is dreaming.

He probably would be messed in Afghanistan before 2016 anyway...

[JP226]

Petraeus could absolutely do it, but he's busy in Afghanistan atm. Rick Perry could also probably do it. I think Romney as well.

[motiv-8]

Petraeus could absolutely do it, but he's busy in Afghanistan atm. Rick Perry could also probably do it. I think Romney as well.

Mitt Romney, a Young Earth Creationist who sucks at foreign policy. No thanks, BLAH. The list to choose from is pretty dismal but if I had to I'd go for Graham or maybe Jindal.

Only thing worse than this is the potential challengers to Obama in a Democratic primary.

[Tankbuster]

Mitt Romney, a Young Earth Creationist who sucks at foreign policy. No thanks, BLAH.

I'm pretty sure Romney is not a YEC. He has opposed teaching creationism (and even intelligent design) in science class and has stated that he believes evolution to be the process God chose to create human beings; which probably makes him a theistic evolutionist.

[Jaketh]

Jack Ryan

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

i know hes independent but w/e

Edit: just for clarification
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Ryan_%28Tom_Clancy%29

[JP226]

Only reason he's independent is that the republicans can't afford a swinger on the ballot

[Farnan]

McChrystal if they can get him to run.

[motiv-8]

Perhaps I'm confusing him with Huckabee, but one of those dudes is. Regardless, Romney lost me when he raged over the new START treaty, and also his odd change of mind over health care.

[Tankbuster]

Yeah Huckabee is a YEC. He stated that "He doesn't believe that he's descended from a monkey."
About which Hitchens said: "Doesn't even know what he doesn't believe."

[motiv-8]

Jindal also annoys me with his insistence that intelligent design be included in scientific curricula in Louisiana. It's sad to demolish the soundness of educational institutions just to pander to your ignorant base, which you could be helping to make more intelligent.

[JP226]

Mitt Romney, a Young Earth Creationist who sucks at foreign policy. No thanks, BLAH. The list to choose from is pretty dismal but if I had to I'd go for Graham or maybe Jindal.

Romney was governor of Massachussetts. A liberal hotbed and while I wish he governed there to figure a way to contain them and segment them from the poulace as a whole, I doubt that was his true intention. They would have sniffed out his mormonism if it was anything beyond what Catholocism is to me. Outside of Healthcare, Romney did a pretty good job governing the state and had some high approval ratings. On foreign policy he wants to oppose START, which is a good thing, and expand the military. Which for someone like you should be a good thing economically.

[chilon]

Romney was governor of Massachussetts. A liberal hotbed

Boston is a liberal hotbed but I thought the state of Mass was like New York where everywhere outside the big city and suburbs was pretty conservative.

Like New York is know for being "liberal" yet upstate New Yorkers hate Hilary more than anywhere else on Earth.

[motiv-8]

On foreign policy he wants to oppose START, which is a good thing, and expand the military. Which for someone like you should be a good thing economically.

Neither opposing START nor wanting to expand the military are good for our country, and seeing as how I'm not a selfish prick, I won't support someone with those positions.

Either way I don't take advice from people who assert that other people should be separated from the rest of the population just because they're of a different political affiliation.

[JP226]

Neither opposing START nor wanting to expand the military are good for our country, and seeing as how I'm not a selfish prick, I won't support someone with those positions.

Ohhh my bad. It's only a good thing when countries like Russia and the Chicoms have an advantage in Nuclear weapons. It's a very open minded position to take. Akin to being bent over and waiting to be ass hammered.

Not a selfish prick? You mean you'd deny 100k extra jobs and all the other jobs needed to produce and equip and maintain those 100k throughout the economy? You would deny all those people a few extra dollars to go out and put food onthe table or put their kids through college so they can have the opportunity for a better future?

[Enemy of the State]

Ron Paul could get the independents and anti-war democrats. The social conservatives will vote for anything Republican.

[Pickle_mole]

Ron Paul could get the independents and anti-war democrats. The social conservatives will vote for anything Republican.

Oh ya, the perfect candiate at this time. Ron paul has probably the best chance of winning than ever before and that we will see in a long while. Ron's hardest fight would be winning the Republican ticket.