RON PAUL and/or GARY JOHNSON - Presidential Contenders?

[Foxfyre]

In the potential Presidenital contenders series here, I am putting Ron Paul and Gary Johnson on the same thread. Why? Because they both come from strong libertarian roots and they are almost identical in their political outlook. And there has been some murmuring about them sharing a ticket.

Ron Paul won 30% of the CPAC vote this past weekend making him the winner for the second year in a row. Romney came in second with 23% of the vote placing second for the second year in a row. Johnson came in at 6% which placed him third ahead of such well known figures as Gingrich, Palin, Huckabee, Pawlenty, and Santorium.

Ron Paul's CPAC speech:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5KyWxU-bkg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5KyWxU-bkg[/ame]

Gary Johnson's CPAC speech:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxbms8VJ7Fg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxbms8VJ7Fg[/ame]

So what do you think? Supportive? Intrigued? Apalled?

 

[Foxfyre]

Hmmm. In the last election Ron Paul fans were everywhere. Aren't any of you left out there?

And Gary Johnson seems to be attracting a lot of interest on a lot of other boards. Not on USMB?

 

[JWBooth]

Poll doesn't really reflect my opinion on the subject. I'd willingly vote for either, but don't orgasm when their names are brought up. Our times call for giants and all we have to choose from are dwarfs. These two are just a little taller than the rest.

 

[VaYank5150]

Too funny. Yes, please put these guys on the ballot. I think you may have found a combination that is less electable than Palin/Bachmann.....

 

[Foxfyre]

Well there's no indication they would choose each other if by some quirk of fate the GOP nominates either.

I do find the straw poll results interesting though. Far more diverse and all over the board than on any of the other 'contenders' put out there so far except maybe for Cain who, the last time I looked, was tilted positive. Trump - mostly negative. Daniels - mostly positive.

Yayank, you and I haven't crossed swords much so I'm not sure, but you tilt left of center on most things? Is there ANY GOP candidate that you think is electable?

JW, I fully appreciate the lukewarm enthusiasm for the crop of candidates, but some of these guys--like Gary Johnson and Herman Cain--have not yet been vetted like some of the retread candidates have been.

I keep hoping for cream to rise to the top that all those who want a dramatic change of course here can support and say YES!!!!! Elect him or her!!!

I don't want another John McCain who is a good guy but we just settle for or even have to hold our nose to vote.

 

[Bern80]

I don't have a doubt in my mind that Paul is the best possible choice for POTUS. I just don't think he's electable.

 

[VaYank5150]

Well there's no indication they would choose each other if by some quirk of fate the GOP nominates either.

I do find the straw poll results interesting though. Far more diverse and all over the board than on any of the other 'contenders' put out there so far except maybe for Cain who, the last time I looked, was tilted positive. Trump - mostly negative. Daniels - mostly positive.

Yayank, you and I haven't crossed swords much so I'm not sure, but you tilt left of center on most things? Is there ANY GOP candidate that you think is electable?

JW, I fully appreciate the lukewarm enthusiasm for the crop of candidates, but some of these guys--like Gary Johnson and Herman Cain--have not yet been vetted like some of the retread candidates have been.

I keep hoping for cream to rise to the top that all those who want a dramatic change of course here can support and say YES!!!!! Elect him or her!!!

I don't want another John McCain who is a good guy but we just settle for or even have to hold our nose to vote.

Ever since the GOP sold out under Bush, I have tilted away from them. I initially backed Fred Thompson in his ho-hum run for the GOP nomination in 2008, and after he dropped out, I ended up voting for Obama, as I couldn't vote for McCain/Palin.

As of now, I am waiting to see if John Thune is going to make a bid in 2012. He is conservative fiscally, middle of the road socially, and does not associate with the Tea Party, birthers or truthers. I like what I have heard from him (as little as it may have been so far), so time will tell.

 

[Avorysuds]

This is the first I have seen of Gary Johnson, If he is really any good I wouldn't mind seeing him and RP on the same ticket, RP as VP.

I think it would be great to annouce a VP early on, huge draw.

 

[Bern80]

Ever since the GOP sold out under Bush, I have tilted away from them. I initially backed Fred Thompson in his ho-hum run for the GOP nomination in 2008, and after he dropped out, I ended up voting for Obama, as I couldn't vote for McCain/Palin.

So don't vote. I challenge to dump the conventional wisdom that says it's your duty to vote, or you don't have the right to speak up if you don't vote. You vote for someone because you think he's best for the job. Not because he's not the other guy.

I felt the same way about Thompson. I really thought he would have done a good job as Pres. but I watched him in the debates and his campaign and we so, well, ho-hum about it. He entered pretty late and I'm just not sure his heart was ever in it.

As of now, I am waiting to see if John Thune is going to make a bid in 2012. He is conservative fiscally, middle of the road socially, and does not associate with the Tea Party, birthers or truthers. I like what I have heard from him (as little as it may have been so far), so time will tell.

Not sure what your beef with the tea party is, but I'm curious about Thune as well.

 

[Foxfyre]

This is the first I have seen of Gary Johnson, If he is really any good I wouldn't mind seeing him and RP on the same ticket, RP as VP.

I think it would be great to annouce a VP early on, huge draw.

New Mexico has never had anything but a strongly Democrat controlled legislature and we hover at or near the bottom in a whole lot of quality of life key indicators--healthcare, education, poverty, crime, tax burden etc. etc. etc.

So Gary Johnson didn't have a whole lot of opportunity to make any major changes, but he did accomplish some good stuff for New Mexico. He ticks off some of those things in his short speech posted up there.

He didn't make a lot of enemies, was popular as governor, and easily won election to a second term. New Mexico governors are two term limited, so he couldn't run for a third.

He is strong on decriminalizing or legalizing recreational drugs and that hurts him with some groups. And he surrounded himself with some really questionable people while in office--not questionable as dishonest but questionable as competent. Evenso he didn't create a lot of messes for the next governor to clean up. (I can't say that about Bill Richardson who succeeded him.)

So what should we know about Thune?