Dick Morris: Rice versus Hillary

[Gunny]

Too true. She's an intellectual, not so social. I hear she likes to shop, but that's all the rags seem to be able to come up with. Haven't read she's gay, haven't read about her dating. Seems to be all work.

What woman DOESN'T like to shop?

I really don't like her as a candidate. Not because she's black or a woman, but because of the personality thing. But I'll vote for Daffy Duck if it's him or Billary.

 

[Nuc]

What woman DOESN'T like to shop?

I really don't like her as a candidate. Not because she's black or a woman, but because of the personality thing. But I'll vote for Daffy Duck if it's him or Billary.

Right now she's a flunky. Maybe if she's allowed to lead rather than follow and become her own person, we'll see more personality. It would be smart for the Republicans to put her on the ticket, just to deflate whatever "female factor" Hillary might have.

 

[Gunny]

Right now she's a flunky. Maybe if she's allowed to lead rather than follow and become her own person, we'll see more personality. It would be smart for the Republicans to put her on the ticket, just to deflate whatever "female factor" Hillary might have.

I agree with that reasoning; however, I don't think that reasoning alone is sufficient to put her on the ticket.

It would be interesting to see where the racists are REALLY hiding though.

 

[Nuc]

I agree with that reasoning; however, I don't think that reasoning alone is sufficient to put her on the ticket.

It would be interesting to see where the racists are REALLY hiding though.

Certainly she doesn't fit the bill of "Black Leader" in the usual way. People are confused by that.

 

[archangel]

No PC for him...got the job done... took Florida back for the US... et al...became President but demanded he be called 'General'...he must have been Pattons teacher....my kinda guy!

 

[Annie]

No PC for him...got the job done... took Florida back for the US... et al...became President but demanded he be called 'General'...he must have been Pattons teacher....my kinda guy!

One of my favorites too, but he did have a 'political career':

http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/nc/bio/public/jackson.htm#Public

Public Career

After the war Jackson taught school briefly, but he didn't like it and decided to practice law instead. In 1784, when he was seventeen, he went to Salisbury, North Carolina where he studied law for several years. He was admitted to the North Carolina Bar in September 1787 and the following spring began his public career with an appointment as prosecuting officer for the Superior Court in Nashville, Tennessee, which at that time was a part of the Western District of North Carolina.

In June 1796 Tennessee was separated from North Carolina and admitted to the Union as the sixteenth state. Jackson was soon afterward elected the new state's first congressman. The following year the Tennessee legislature elected him a U.S. senator, but he held his senatorial seat for only one session before resigning. After his resignation Jackson came home and served for six years as a judge on the Tennessee Supreme Court.

Jackson's military career, which had begun in the Revolution, continued in 1802 when he was elected major general of the Tennessee militia. Ten years later Tennessee Governor Willie Blount (of the North Carolina Blount family) gave him the rank of major general of U.S. forces. In 1814, after several devastating campaigns against Native Americans in the Creek War, he was finally promoted to major general in the regular army. Jackson also later led troops during the First Seminole War in Florida.

General Jackson emerged a national hero from the War of 1812, primarily because of his decisive defeat of the British at the Battle of New Orleans. It was during this period he earned his nickname of "Old Hickory." Jackson had been ordered to march his Tennessee troops to Natchez, Mississippi. When he got there he was told to disband his men because they were unneeded. General Jackson refused and marched them back to Tennessee. Because of his strict discipline on that march his men began to say he was as tough as hickory and the nickname stuck.

 

[Zhukov]

George Washington never held elected office before the Presidency either...

George Washington she is not.

Neither do we live in the thirteen colonies. This is U.S.A., 2005. In order to become President you need to be a politician, deft at winning over people with your personality. Being able to persuade people not only with what you say but how you say it. Take Kerry for example, he said nothing and 49 million people voted for him. Why? Certainly many voted for him because the DNC nominated him, and many voted for him because he was running against Bush. But certainly many voted for him because what he said sounded good to them, even though he really wasn't saying anything at all.

Can Dr. Rice be a politician? We don't know. It wouldn't do Republicans much good to find out she is an awful politician after they've already signed her up for the big game. It's a big gamble.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

George Washington she is not.

Neither do we live in the thirteen colonies. This is U.S.A., 2005. In order to become President you need to be a politician, deft at winning over people with your personality. Being able to persuade people not only with what you say but how you say it. Take Kerry for example, he said nothing and 49 million people voted for him. Why? Certainly many voted for him because the DNC nominated him, and many voted for him because he was running against Bush. But certainly many voted for him because what he said sounded good to them, even though he really wasn't saying anything at all.

Can Dr. Rice be a politician? We don't know. It wouldn't do Republicans much good to find out she is an awful politician after they've already signed her up for the big game. It's a big gamble.

I disagree with your analysis. A lot of people voted for Kerry because they would have voted for ANYONE that wasn't Bush. Some people love Bush's personality, other people are driven insane by it. Most of the people who said they voted for Kerry because of his stance on issues are probably not being honest with you or with themselves.

I honestly don't think that Kerry did much better than a log would have done.

 

[Zhukov]

A lot of people voted for Kerry because they would have voted for ANYONE that wasn't Bush.

Yeah, I said that. But I also contend that some voted for him because of the way he framed his candidacy. The speech he used.

 

[Nuc]

Yeah, I said that. But I also contend that some voted for him because of the way he framed his candidacy. The speech he used.

You mean Standard English? Yeah, that was appealing.

 

[5stringJeff]

George Washington she is not.

Neither do we live in the thirteen colonies. This is U.S.A., 2005. In order to become President you need to be a politician, deft at winning over people with your personality. Being able to persuade people not only with what you say but how you say it. Take Kerry for example, he said nothing and 49 million people voted for him. Why? Certainly many voted for him because the DNC nominated him, and many voted for him because he was running against Bush. But certainly many voted for him because what he said sounded good to them, even though he really wasn't saying anything at all.

Can Dr. Rice be a politician? We don't know. It wouldn't do Republicans much good to find out she is an awful politician after they've already signed her up for the big game. It's a big gamble.

I was actually being facetious about GW.

As far as Rice being a gamble, it's a gamble I'm willing to take. Frankly, there are no Republicans I'm excited about supporting in 2008, save Newt Gingrich.

 

[Zhukov]

You mean Standard English? Yeah, that was appealing.

Derp.

I was actually being facetious about GW.

As far as Rice being a gamble, it's a gamble I'm willing to take. Frankly, there are no Republicans I'm excited about supporting in 2008, save Newt Gingrich.

Yeah, I know you were being facetious (the smilie) but the argument is a relevant one, that being: Why does the next President have to be someone with experience as a political candidate?

It's been since Eisenhower since we've had a President who hadn't before becoming President been elected to any political office, I believe. And before him Grant maybe? I don't feel like doing the research right now but I think the only people who weren't previously elected office holders who eventually became President were all military leaders. Military leaders fresh off a historical victory (Revolution, Civil War, WW2) no less. There could be exceptions but the trend is obvious I think.

But back to Dr. Rice. What are even her qualifications? She specialized in the Soviet Union in school, she's been on the board of directors of companies, she was the NSA, she's the SecState, she's brilliant. That's all great, but does it scream, 'President'? Not really.

Don't misunderstand, I'd guarantee she'd be at least a fair President, certainly far better than Mrs. Clinton, but can she win?

Dick Morris seems to think so, but I think he overestimates the amount of black people who would vote for her, and that's his main argument (according to the talk shows I've heard him on at least).

There's also the fact that I don't think she has any desire to run.

But getting past her unwillingness to run, she would have to be a strong politician, I think, to pull blacks away from the DNC. She'd have to be more than just brilliant and black, she would have to be pleasent and political. Does anyone know if she can be that?

 

[manu1959]

i will simply say that years ago the "year of the woman" came to california

we were blessed with

diane, nancy and barbara ..............

 

[Abbey Normal]

i will simply say that years ago the "year of the woman" came to california

we were blessed with

diane, nancy and barbara ..............

My condolences. Reminds me of the Three Witches in Macbeth.

 

[5stringJeff]

Yeah, I know you were being facetious (the smilie) but the argument is a relevant one, that being: Why does the next President have to be someone with experience as a political candidate?

It's been since Eisenhower since we've had a President who hadn't before becoming President been elected to any political office, I believe. And before him Grant maybe? I don't feel like doing the research right now but I think the only people who weren't previously elected office holders who eventually became President were all military leaders. Military leaders fresh off a historical victory (Revolution, Civil War, WW2) no less. There could be exceptions but the trend is obvious I think.

But back to Dr. Rice. What are even her qualifications? She specialized in the Soviet Union in school, she's been on the board of directors of companies, she was the NSA, she's the SecState, she's brilliant. That's all great, but does it scream, 'President'? Not really.

Don't misunderstand, I'd guarantee she'd be at least a fair President, certainly far better than Mrs. Clinton, but can she win?

Dick Morris seems to think so, but I think he overestimates the amount of black people who would vote for her, and that's his main argument (according to the talk shows I've heard him on at least).

There's also the fact that I don't think she has any desire to run.

But getting past her unwillingness to run, she would have to be a strong politician, I think, to pull blacks away from the DNC. She'd have to be more than just brilliant and black, she would have to be pleasent and political. Does anyone know if she can be that?

I agree, it is a relevant issue. I don't know what her political savvy is, but remember that she did have some time before the 9/11 witchhu-- I mean, commission, so it's not like she's totally politically naive. The short answer is, I don't know if she's got the political skills to get elected, but I think she certainly has the knowledge and experience to be a good President once in office.

 

[Jimmyeatworld]

...perhaps she'll run as VP, perhaps as senator from CA, knocking out Feinstein or Boxer?

Oh, be still my heart.

Maybe we can loosen up those restrictions on cloning and get rid of both of them.

 

[Jimmyeatworld]

I agree that her achievements are awesome. Maybe I'm wrong, Woodrow Wilson springs to mind as a possibility, but have their been others elected as president that never ran for office?

Belated thought: US Grant?

In either case, perhaps someone knows for sure on these or others, I don't like the outcome of either of these two. Sorry Wilson fans, I'm not too worried about Grant.

Eisenhower is the most recent. I don't think it's out of the question that it could happen now, but it certainly would give the opposition plenty to spin.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

I was actually being facetious about GW.

As far as Rice being a gamble, it's a gamble I'm willing to take. Frankly, there are no Republicans I'm excited about supporting in 2008, save Newt Gingrich.

I don't see the rationale behind gambling with a moderate candidate just because she is black and a woman. Even if we win, we lose - and Rice may be even more to the left than Bush. If we run a solid conservative and lose, we'd probably win more - just through the resistance that Hillary would create.

 

[Zhukov]

From my understanding she's right of Bush. At least fiscally. Probably about the same as 'foreign policy'-wise.

 

[Bonnie]

Zhukov...Dick Morris seems to think so, but I think he overestimates the amount of black people who would vote for her, and that's his main argument (according to the talk shows I've heard him on at least).

There's also the fact that I don't think she has any desire to run.

But getting past her unwillingness to run, she would have to be a strong politician, I think, to pull blacks away from the DNC. She'd have to be more than just brilliant and black, she would have to be pleasent and political. Does anyone know if she can be that?

I think Morris also believes that in addition to pulling black voters in she is so much more accomplished than Hillary, which for intelligent pople would be a no brainer, but I have less faith in the intelligence of some as you very aptly pointed out that Kerry said nothing, and stood for nothing but still got 49 million votes..........Maybe Morris is giving the American people too much credit.

As for me looking at things the way they stack up now, i'd be willing to chance it with Dr Rice.