Michael Shear (NYT): Why Republicans May Be Skipping 2012 Presidential Run

[Tarheel_Dem]

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/why-republicans-may-skip-2012-presidential-run/?smid=tw-nytimespolitics&seid=auto

April 26, 2011, 7:00 am
Why Republicans May Be Skipping 2012 Presidential Run
By MICHAEL D. SHEAR

Haley Barbour’s decision to forgo a run for the presidency in 2012 puts him in the company of a half-dozen top Republicans who have considered — and rejected — a challenge to President Obama next year.

The question is: why?

Others have offered different reasons. Senator John Thune, Republican of South Dakota, said he considered himself “best positioned to fight for America’s future here in the trenches of the United States Senate.” Representative Mike Pence of Indiana hinted that he might run for governor instead, saying that he and his family “choose Indiana.”

Among those who have turned down the chance to run in 2012: Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey; Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida; and Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee. Mr. Christie said that he could win but that “I’ve got to believe I’m ready to be president, and I don’t.”
:rofl:

Whoever goes in '12, will be the sacrificial lamb for whoever goes in '16.

[calimary]

1. Man - that chris christie. The only thing bigger than his waistline is his ego.

[Tarheel_Dem]

2. Reminds me of Blago....

:rofl:

[ReturnoftheDjedi]

7. Christie won't make it to 2016. He'll eat himself like Pizza the Hut long before then.

[AlinPA]

3. I still hold that Thune will run. nt

[craigmatic]

4. They don't think they can win. This is going to be their 2004.

[Gman]

5. and by default they're conceding they have no chance of beating Obama

no one wants to be tagged with a loss of any kind. Big losses end political careers, Jerry Brown and a few others not withstanding. they're the exception.

[Kdillard]

6. Hilarious. They are not going to wage an expensive campaign over a likely lost cause.

[Keith Bee]

8. "Whoever goes in '12, will be the sacrificial lamb for whoever goes in '16."

Okay, it's late at night. What I am getting from your closing sentence is that the GOP nominee next year will lose, but will not be renominated in 2016. Correct?

[Tarheel_Dem]

9. That is correct. Parties historically don't renominate the loser.

If McCain were to run again, I dare say he'd probably come in dead last in a field of absolute losers. They're saving Jeb Bush/Marco Rubio for 2016.