The pleading, almost beside herself woman at Governor Christie’s Reagen Library address last week, begging, no imploring the Governor to reconsider his decision to not run was sickening for number of reasons.
First and foremost, it clearly stated that she felt the current roster of declared candidates is inadequate or unacceptable. This apparent search for the Holy Grail of Presidential candidates suggests a messianic-type desperation to save us from Obama, that looks just as bad on this group of Republicans, as it did on the multitudes who blindly got behind “Change We Can Believe In” in 2008.
Governor Christie himself has already disqualified himself by admitting that he lacked the “fire in belly” needed for a presidential run up until his Reagen Library address. There’s nothing he can say at this point that will demonstrate that a change of mind now, is anything other than a political calculation. This would be the polar opposite of the do-the-right-thing image he has cultivated so far.
Christie, however, appears to be a great guy, and his blunt and direct style is very appealing. He’ll be even greater in 2020, or “gasp” in 2016, if Barry gets re-elected.
There is a lot of talent and energy on stage in the Republican debates, and at least half of them should land somewhere in the next GOP Administration. The GOP donors and supporters looking to Christie need to accept his decision and stop acting like spoiled children who are going to have a fit if they don’t get what they want.
Presidential candidates, like fine wines or greats steaks, need aging. Preferably aging in an executive role like governor or CEO of a large company. At least 1 full term as a governor, and a record of accomplishment in both that job and other previous endeavors. A reelection to a second term as governor, is a definite plus, to prove that they handled the job well enough to get voter approval to return for the second term.
Applying this criterion disqualifies all but Romney, Perry and Huntsman. Bachman, Cain, Gingrich, Santorum and Paul (Palin, too) all need something else on the resume before they receive serious presidential consideration.
Romney’s repeated record of success at Bain Capital and the Salt Lake City Olympics more than makes up for not pursuing re-election in 2006. Perry also has the governmental executive experience, but lacks the private sector experience that may be crucial to turning our economy around promptly.
Obama has proven to be an economic dunce. His supporters talked about how smart he is, so surely he must have known that he needed a rip-snorting economy throwing off gobs of new tax revenue from economic growth, in order to fund the welfare state utopia he envisioned. Instead, he just accepted as many of the welfare state changes he could get through under Pelosi and Reid, the cost and ongoing ability to pay for them be damned. And virtually every other policy decision has been no better than a neutral impact on the econmy.
Romney will make Obama’s weaknesses look most inadequate and is best positioned to keep the 2012 campaign focused on Obama’s record. The GOP will need to do lots of additional work to win the Senate seats needed to repeal Obamacare and other problem programs. They should use or save their energy for those battles, and not waste it on getting Governor Christie into the 2012 race.