Wa Post thinks Pence is new "dark horse" for president

[Jack Burton]

The moves all bear the hallmarks of a potential run for president in 2016 — and some Republican leaders have begun talking up Pence as an under-the-radar standard-bearer who could return the GOP to the White House, according to interviews with more than two dozen prominent Republicans.


WaPo: There?s a new Republican dark horse emerging for 2016 « Hot Air

 

[rockhopper46038]

I'm not seeing it. At least not yet. But who knows? Frankly, although I haven't found anything particularly disagreeable about his Governorship thus far, I haven't found anything he has accomplished to be revelatory, either. He's been kind of a caretaker Governor in my mind. Which isn't bad. I'll vote for inactive government over active government any day.

I do wish he'd send the damn reciprocity request letter to WV, though.

 

[87iroc]

I'm not seeing it. At least not yet. But who knows? Frankly, although I haven't found anything particularly disagreeable about his Governorship thus far, I haven't found anything he has accomplished to be revelatory, either. He's been kind of a caretaker Governor in my mind. Which isn't bad. I'll vote for inactive government over active government any day.

Yah, I agree. Daniels had set the course of the state and other than a few things I don't agree with either of their policies...its not like he's picked up the torch and tried to push anything radical. If he runs for president...dear Lord help us as all the libs in the state go bezerk. My brother-in-law will be foaming at the mouth about this tea party rascist dip**** running for president.

 

[Bennettjh]

I'm not seeing it. At least not yet. But who knows? Frankly, although I haven't found anything particularly disagreeable about his Governorship thus far, I haven't found anything he has accomplished to be revelatory, either. He's been kind of a caretaker Governor in my mind. Which isn't bad. I'll vote for inactive government over active government any day.

I do wish he'd send the damn reciprocity request letter to WV, though.

I like the term "caretaker Governor". He's not trying to go in and micro-manage everything in Indiana.

 

[mdmayo]

I wrote a haiku about this...

No no no no no,
No no no no no no no,
No no no no no.

 

[jblomenberg16]

I like the term "caretaker Governor". He's not trying to go in and micro-manage everything in Indiana.

Exactly. I think there is an outside chance for VEEP depending on who starts to emerge on the Republican ballot. If it is someone like Rand Paul or even Jeb Bush, I don't think they would pick a very conservative Governor from a rural state since they are both from relatively rural conservative states. Most of the time they try to balance the POTUS candidate out with someone with slightly different credentials to help pull in more of the party and voter base. Maybe if a more "center" leaning East Coast guy gets the nod, like Christie, he could be considered.

Then again, the Dem's seemed to pick a bumbling, lying idiot to compliment BHO. I think that move was as much as a way try to make BHO look less incompetent then he really is.

 

[Jack Burton]

Then again, the Dem's seemed to pick a bumbling, lying idiot to compliment BHO. I think that move was as much as a way try to make BHO look less incompetent then he really is.

No, it was to give him job security against impeachment or other, more active ways to shorten his time in office. Even the most rabid fringe person knows better than to put Biden in the top seat.

 

[jblomenberg16]

No, it was to give him job security against impeachment or other, more active ways to shorten his time in office. Even the most rabid fringe person knows better than to put Biden in the top seat.

Excellent point.

 

[Steve.43]

I wrote a haiku about this...

No no no no no,
No no no no no no no,
No no no no no.

First haiku I've seen on this site. And I agree...no.

Pence cooked his goose with me when he approved the recent Common Core deception--throwing out the federal standards, but then, allowing very little time for review, rushing through approval of so-called "Indiana standards" that are very little different from those of the Common core. I don't think most Hoosiers were fooled.

Politicians have always been able to get away with a lot in this country, but mess with our kids ??? I don't see this ending well.

 

[Twangbanger]

I'd like to see it happen. (Of course, some Liberaltarians probably wouldn't). However, I wish he'd not throw himself into the mouth of the Hillary 2016 beast. Call me cynical, but I don't believe she can be beat, this time. The whole "historic first" thing all over again. Maybe after she's ruled for four years, people would be ready for something different (assuming the country can muster the ability to toss a sitting President who's doing a bad job...not much good recent precedent on that).

Alternately, it would also be nice to see him in the Senate, forming the nucleus of a "Liberty Caucus" with people like Rand Paul.

 

[ghuns]

The whole "historic first" thing all over again.

I think you uncovered the Dems new double-super-secret strategy for permanent occupancy of the White House.

First black president, check. Next they go with first female president, easy enough. The hard part will be what comes next. Do they go hispanic or LGBT? Or maybe a dark horse like a secular Jew? They can ride this train for the next 30 years.

The only chance the Repubs have is to wait until all of the more conventional "firsts" are out of the way and the Dems are forced to resort to "first necrophiliac president" or "first bi-curious/narcoleptic president".

By then, nobody will remember what a Republican was.

 

[buckstopshere]

Seems to be no love for Mike Pence. I'm curious who you guys voted for in the last election and, if he isn't POTUS, would you vote for him again? From his campaign, I don't see how he's gone back on what he promised to do. In fact, he has his little checklist and continues to work on those issues.

I abstained from voting for Governor. I didn't care for any of the candidates so I opted not to cast a vote on that race. However, Pence has surprised me a bit. I like his stance on common core, the expansion of gun rights and I like that he isn't meddling in everything.

 

[dieselrealtor]

I think the libs will loose their minds if he runs,
less/smaller government = more freedom

 

[88GT]

Pence cooked his goose with me when he approved the recent Common Core deception--throwing out the federal standards, but then, allowing very little time for review, rushing through approval of so-called "Indiana standards" that are very little different from those of the Common core. I don't think most Hoosiers were fooled.

You will find no greater opponent to CC than I. However, unless you take issue with the content of the CC standards, there isn't anything to be upset about. The largest issue with CC standards adoption was the strings-attached aspect. The real danger in CC was the loss of control by the states over the educational decisions, the greater federal control by proxy, and the inability to alter the standards as needed. While the standards themselves aren't spectacular (though they are probably worse than what Indiana had before adopting CC and they hardly set the bar at what I would consider a level to achieve excellence in education), they don't come with all the baggage. It was the baggage that was the problem.

And I'm fairly certain that most Hoosiers are still oblivious to the state of education in Indiana. I would wager money that well more than half aren't even aware of CC.

 

[Steve.43]

You will find no greater opponent to CC than I. However, unless you take issue with the content of the CC standards, there isn't anything to be upset about. The largest issue with CC standards adoption was the strings-attached aspect. The real danger in CC was the loss of control by the states over the educational decisions, the greater federal control by proxy, and the inability to alter the standards as needed. While the standards themselves aren't spectacular (though they are probably worse than what Indiana had before adopting CC and they hardly set the bar at what I would consider a level to achieve excellence in education), they don't come with all the baggage. It was the baggage that was the problem.

And I'm fairly certain that most Hoosiers are still oblivious to the state of education in Indiana. I would wager money that well more than half aren't even aware of CC.

I do take issue with the content and I am upset. I drove to Indianapolis four times to the State House to fight CC in Indiana. I heard Heather Crossin and Erin Tuttle speak each time, as well as on several other occasions. I think federal control of Indiana education is still an open question, as the feds have already notified Ms. Ritz that our NCLB waivers are hanging in the balance and will continue to do so unless and until Indiana proves to them that our version of Common Core is worthy of their exalted approval.

I also intensely disapprove of the manner in which this was done. The final draft was approved 11-1 by the board without the public's having had a chance to see it. Multiple education experts have said publicly that the standards are basically Common Core re-branded and are far inferior to the standards that were in place previously. I find this to be a very deceptive method of selecting curricular standards. Our governor approved it, and as such became party to the deception. If you look at the situation closely, you see very quickly that it's all about money...not excellence in education for Indiana kids.

Although this is appears to be over for now, I think the drumbeat of parent and citizen disapproval is continuing to increase in volume, and may well become politically deafening for those who perpetrated this travesty on the children of Indiana.

 

[88GT]

Eh, the standards are always sub-par. Yes, CC is worse than the previous standards, but ultimately it's a question of how bad, not good vs. bad.

The Feds may have some carrots or sticks to use to, um, persuade, but they have no direct control. By not adopting CC we have kept it that.

 

[rockhopper46038]

Pence wouldn't be my top choice, but I'd vote for him over someone who just recently said "there must be a balance between safety and freedom, and lately it has swung too far toward the latter" (perhaps not her exact words, but pretty close).

 

[Steve.43]

Eh, the standards are always sub-par. Yes, CC is worse than the previous standards, but ultimately it's a question of how bad, not good vs. bad.

The Feds may have some carrots or sticks to use to, um, persuade, but they have no direct control. By not adopting CC we have kept it that.

Persuade, get nudged-into, or be forced... Does it really matter which? ...if the outcome is that we knuckle under to the federal government and sacrifice the quality of our kids' education?

And did you say, "...no direct control?" Indiana just adopted their mandated (and lousy) standards for the education of our children. What difference does it make whether the control is direct or indirect? Either way we're marching to their tune and the children of Indiana receive a substandard education.

This is, I think, a fight worth continuing. We will need a new State Board of Education (except for one) and a new governor.

 

[Steve.43]

Pence wouldn't be my top choice, but I'd vote for him over someone who just recently said "there must be a balance between safety and freedom, and lately it has swung too far toward the latter" (perhaps not her exact words, but pretty close).

Yes, I'd agree and would vote for Pence over the author of that statement. But i have to say that I'm getting rather tired of having to choose between a lousy candidate and a terrible one. I haven't felt that I've had a clear choice since Reagan. The Republican establishment seems only to want to offer milquetoast progressives; e.g., Dole, Bush, Bush, McCain, and Romney. They tell us these so-called "moderates" are the only Republicans who "can be elected." And then, of course, they aren't elected...or if they are (Bush and Bush), they let an enormous amount of progressive legislation through--enough to make this country hard to recognize for someone who has lived here 70 years. I'd give a lot for a chance to vote for someone like Ted Cruz in the general election. But of course, they tell us he's too radical and "can't be elected."

And now the Progressives are floating yet another Bush as someone who "can be elected."

Pence? As a former supporter, I'd say that with his stance on CCC (Common Core Clone) he's shown his true colors now and can be classified with the Progressives named above. He had a chance to strike a real blow for freedom and he declined.

 

[jblomenberg16]

Yes, I'd agree and would vote for Pence over the author of that statement. But i have to say that I'm getting rather tired of having to choose between a lousy candidate and a terrible one. I haven't felt that I've had a clear choice since Reagan. The Republican establishment seems only to want to offer milquetoast progressives; e.g., Dole, Bush, Bush, McCain, and Romney. They tell us these so-called "moderates" are the only Republicans who "can be elected." And then, of course, they aren't elected...or if they are (Bush and Bush), they let an enormous amount of progressive legislation through--enough to make this country hard to recognize for someone who has lived here 70 years. I'd give a lot for a chance to vote for someone like Ted Cruz in the general election. But of course, they tell us he's too radical and "can't be elected."

And now the Progressives are floating yet another Bush as someone who "can be elected."

Pence? As a former supporter, I'd say that with his stance on CCC (Common Core Clone) he's shown his true colors now and can be classified with the Progressives named above. He had a chance to strike a real blow for freedom and he declined.

Honestly...why would anyone in their right mind want the office? It is probably the worst job in the world to have in terms of actually getting results, getting things done, and gaining satisfaction you actually did an honest day's work for an honest day's wage. About the only perks are the massive ego stroking that comes with the power, and getting to fly around AF1 when you travel.

Its amazing how polarized our politics have become, and how everyone rallies behind the new guys that are "different" and going to "change" the way we do business. No sooner are they in office and everyone is pissing and moaning about how they have just fallen into the usual tricks of the establishment.