Archive for Mark Sanford

Five Choices: Who McCain Should Pick for VP

Posted by: Jason | August 24th, 2008 · 12:57 AM

I came at the exercise of finding five suitable names John McCain could use in selecting his running mate, hoping to add some fresh faces to the list of, what I’ve seemed to think lately, are blatantly unacceptable choices floating around. For I believe there is still hope that John McCain might pick unconventionally.

As it stands, Barack Obama has just given John McCain the ability to create a “game-changing” moment in the presidential race. If we punt ourselves, as I believe Obama did in picking Senator Joe Biden to run with, we risk missing the chance to long-ball this one into the end zone for a touchdown.

With risk, there is sometimes reward, and thus, in my believing McCain’s newly found magic won’t last much longer, I think it wise for him to resist the temptation which comes from names like Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, and Tom Ridge, three picks I view as potential disasters.

Keep in mind, a few of these names are suggestions only, and couldn’t possibly be equal in potential as compared to those at the top of the list. But for the sake of going beyond, what I view, as three potential home runs McCain could choose from, I believe all who fall on this shortlist would not only take the position, but actually help John McCain in some way.

They’re ranked in order of least helpful to most:

5. John Kasich, former US Congressman from Ohio:

John Kasich has been largely out of politics for the latter half of the Bush Administration, and is currently rumored as a potential candidate for Governor of Ohio in 2010. And while many will disagree with me on this pick, as congressmen are sometimes risky, I’ve always felt that John Kasich’s blue-collar conservatism would stack up well in the corridor of the nation which John McCain (and apparently Joe Biden if you heard his speech today) seeks to exploit this election cycle, the purple midwest. With the roots to speak to those working class voters from states like Michigan and Pennsylvania, John Kasich could serve McCain well through reinforcing, in a believable way, the negatives associated with Barack Obama’s Chicago brand. He also comes with economic knowhow from his experience doing government budgets, is remembered and liked by the base from his recent time at Fox News Channel, and could play an effective attack dog role by speaking the right language.

4. Rick Santorum, former US Senator from Pennsylvania:

I know… Santorum lost a hard fought senate re-election campaign to Bob Casey, Jr. in 2006, and failed politicians are often seen as bad for national tickets. But put a man as talented as Rick Santorum in any other state but PA (especially one more in tune with his conservatism), and he’s easily a third term senator right now, if not our presidential nominee. He’s young, great on the issues, social, military, and economic conservatives alike love him, has a grasp of foreign and domestic policy as the former #3 ranking GOP senator, and served his state of Pennsylvania (battleground one for John McCain this year) for 12-plus years. Unfortunately he doesn’t carry you PA, but unlike a Tom Ridge, he makes your opponent sweat a little while the rest of us don’t have to hold our pro-life noses. If our choice is between loosing PA with Rick, and loosing MN with Tim Pawlenty (a pipe dream that McCain shouldn’t believe), I’m taking the guy I like more, and that’s Santorum. Bottom line, I made this choice because I believe Rick Santorum could serve as a competent under liner for John McCain’s commitment to conservatism. Also like Kasich, he’d be an effective attack dog from a region of interest.

3. Mark Sanford, Governor of South Carolina:

Sanford’s stock has dropped lately, given the unifying fear conservatives have found over Barack Obama’s potential election, and the view among many that McCain has run a far more conservative campaign than expected. As a friend of mine recently put it, McCain is doing what Sanford doesn’t need to do anymore, speak our language. However, this newfound joy over John McCain shouldn’t erase the fact that Mark Sanford is vastly popular in his home state, a solid conservative who the right would grow to enjoy, who’s known as a reformer in the Republican Party (often at the expense of criticizing his own state Republican Party), and whose hatred of spending rivals that of McCain’s. He’s uber-likable (if you’ve ever heard him talk he’s cool and relaxed, always), looks presidential, and could go a long way in making the conservative base a bunch of happy campers. If anything, Mark Sanford is that safe governor compliment to John McCain’s Washington experience, who would make sense from the standpoint of governing later.

2. General David Patraeus, Commanding General, Multi-National Force:

Memorize four words if McCain makes this pick: This. race. is. over.

John McCain certainly doesn’t need any more foreign policy credentials, as a veteran of war and government service, but who gives a damn… this pick would seriously kick people’s asses! Imagine the press afforded to McCain camp when the news broke, as they’d warm up the act by telling stories of a general who won the Iraq War when all seemed lost, now coming home to serve his country in honor, to protect us here. The crowds would come for miles to watch him speak, to hear him one of the greatest military leaders of our time talking of American strength in the world, and of the peace that comes only with victory.

It’s not that Americans dislike war, it’s that we dislike loosing wars. Well meet the man who prevented us from loosing a major war. McCain/Patraeus, quite frankly, would breath a sense of confidence in people, and would be a hail mary with minimal risk, as it’d be hard to challenge this man on anything (see MoveOn.org if you don’t believe me) other than domestic inexperience. McCain/Patraeus. Man… that just plain rocks.

1. Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska:

Google “Sarah Palin”, and find me one picture that doesn’t intrigue you to fits of lengthy staring.

I had a hard time deciding how to arrange picks 1 and 2, for who could beat out General David Petraeus? But I settled on Gov. Sarah Palin as the more “doable” pick for John McCain.

McCain would be best suited with a governor to match his senate career, and she is one. McCain would be best served with a younger, fresher face; she’s in her late 40s and is a Washington outsider. McCain would be better served to pick up as many disgruntled Hillary voters as possible, and Palin’s demographic matches the Clinton supporter to a tee (in terms of sex and age).

Sarah Palin currently has an 86% approval rating, and I’m not sure anyone since George Washington has ever held levels that high (save George W. Bush post-9/11). Conservatives would love this woman, as she’s rock-solid on all the issues we care about from life to guns to spending. Blue collars would love her, as she comes from that set of roots (her husband runs dog-sledding races and worked manual labor at an oil rig). Likewise, a female running mate would break historical ground, as Obama camp is certainly gaining from his own historical breakthroughs. She’s also not that bad looking, if you haven’t noticed.

Geographically, why care to work a particular state, when McCain could work the greater nation of womanhood? And it just so happens that Gov. Sarah Palin is an expert on a little issue called oil production, having lead all Pacific governors this year in an interstate pipeline deal. Palin’s actually been to ANWR, and has met the majority of Alaskans who support drilling there. Top that Barack (and McCain for that matter). Finally, and this is important, Sarah Palin just screams fascination, and that’s the magic that leaders are made of.

The stars are aligned for you on this one Senator McCain. If you want to win this election, pick the Governor of Alaska as your running mate.

Add us: Digg | Del.icio.us | Technorati

Does this all come back to Gov. Mark Sanford?

Posted by: Jason | August 20th, 2008 · 5:14 PM

I have a rumor to contribute to VP week, and while I’ll admit it’s a rumor based off of loose information and wild speculation, I have to share it.

I’m sharing it for two reasons. First, this website was founded in part for the purpose of two friends sharing information, and second, in part, through the mutual desire for the promotion of South Carolina’s Governor Mark Sanford for President. If my rumor proves true, I’ll be happy to have predicted it. If not, don’t blame me : ). But here is why I believe Gov. Mark Sanford may, just maybe, be John McCain’s selection for Vice President next Friday.

Think about John McCain, and then think about John McCain’s weaknesses. John McCain is a career senator, with foreign policy experience certainly, but a candidate who needs to not only shore up his state-level perspective for the coming race, but maintain his credibility with pro-life and social conservatives (despite however great his showing at Saddleback Churche proved to be), without alienating particular segments of his base (with say… a pick like Mike Huckabee). He needs a loyal supporter, someone who’s proved to be on his side in the toughest of times (say… 2000?), and someone who above all, provides no harm to his quest for the White House by an ability to be president.

Now think about South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. Domestics are his trade. A 2nd-term executive, Sanford provides McCain the experience and perspective that comes from a governor who’s had to create and tweak budgets. Mark Sanford is a reformer, as he’s battled his own party in South Carolina over spending measures particularly (sound familiar?). Mark Sanford is loyal. When the GOP establishment was backing Bush in 2000, Mark Sanford was publicly endorsing John McCain, despite Bush’s popularity in his state of South Carolina. Mark Sanford is an outsider, having no ties to the Bush Administration, who oozes a man against the establishment, the kind of guy Republicans from all regions would like. He’s pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, has credentials with the types of conservatives John McCain wants to entice this year, and above all, is presidential, is instantly likable, and a good family man.

Now, onto my reason for creating this post:

If you’ll observe the schedule for the 2008 Republican National Convention in two weeks, you’ll notice something constant; all major GOP politicians, currently making a mark on the national stage, are set to make an appearance in either primetime, or leading up to the primetime hour, on one of the scheduled speaking nights.

Monday: Joe Lieberman, Dick Cheney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and President Bush.

Tuesday: Tom Ridge, Fred Thompson, Michael Steele, Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, and Rudy Giuliani.

Wednesday: Mitt Romney, Cindy McCain, and Bobby Jindal.

Thursday: John McCain, Tim Pawlenty, Charlie Crist, Sam Brownback, and Mel Martinez.

While there is certainly room to tweak the schedule as determined by the events of next Friday’s VP selection, I was struck by not seeing Governor Sanford’s name throughout this list. Maybe it’s nothing, and maybe Gov. Sanford just… doesn’t want to speak, but I do know something. Sanford is the kind of governor who the GOP would strive to feature this year; young, successful in his re-election (in 2006, when Republicans weren’t winning), and one who the GOP would consider a “popular choice” for a speaking position.

Sanford began this presidential selection as a front runner for running mates, and has ceased to be mentioned lately. Well I’m dropping his name in the hat again, for reasons of circumstantial convenience in my analysis of the convention speaking schedule, and his being the perfect potential addition for John McCain’s campaign.

Add us: Digg | Del.icio.us | Technorati

Thompson Visits Sanford

Posted by: Jason | June 27th, 2007 · 10:16 PM

(image: boston.com)

From Townhall’s report on Fred Thompson’s South Carolina speech today:

In his South Carolina visit, Thompson held a private question-and-answer session with GOP activists and supporters, spoke publicly to Republicans at a state party fundraiser, and took a few questions from reporters before meeting with Republican Gov. Mark Sanford, who is unaligned in the race.

Barring the obvious, where a Sanford endorsement of Thompson could deliver the state, shopping for potential VP’s are we? We’ll see where this leads…

Add us: Digg | Del.icio.us | Technorati

More Sanford…

Posted by: Jason | June 21st, 2007 · 12:25 AM

Sorry folks, this speaks to a little infatuation I may have for the South Carolina governor. But I tend to raise my brow towards Republicans who win landslide elections in 2006 and then go on to talk about how we should begin to embrace 1994 rhetoric of cutting entire departments in Washington again.

Enjoy this older interview of Mark Sanford on Tucker Carlson’s program, just after the first GOP debate in South Carolina.

Add us: Digg | Del.icio.us | Technorati

Mark Sanford on Conservative Activism

Posted by: Jason | · 12:10 AM

Back in the days of hoping for Mark Sanford to save our presidency, PP wasn’t shy about its support for the South Carolina governor. He’s as conservative as they come, has an extremely likable personality, is a southern governor with a good record, and has a name that Americans can swallow easily.

But admittedly, I hadn’t seen many real clippings of Sanford speeches on the web. You knew his great positions, such as the recent ultrasound legislation regarding women due for an abortion in South Carolina. You heard about the famous political stunts, such as his bringing a set of piglets into the state capital to make a point on excessive spending (to those in his own party might I add). But you rarely catch a glimpse of what Sanford is like at the podium if you live outside his state.

He spoke in North Carolina last month at Civitas Institute’s North Carolina Conservative Leadership Conference. He’s a soft spoken man, but here he discusses his view that conservatives ought to take casualties being true to their principles, rather than change positions to retain power. It’s an excellent point that’s not only refreshing to hear, but demonstrative of the potential asset that Sanford could bring to a future presidential ticket.

Add us: Digg | Del.icio.us | Technorati

Three Presidential Tickets

Posted by: Jason | April 24th, 2007 · 3:49 PM

Lee and I were just exploring some presidential possibilities in private, and our discussion interested me enough to put a post up. We began to talk about the possible presidential tickets on the GOP side, and I came to a few conclusions.

First, this race is either Thompson’s or Giuliani’s, hands down. Fred Thompson is the only true conservative that is electable in this race, and if it’s a question of deciding between the Three Amigos, Giuliani at least doesn’t conceal his liberalism, and we could argue would fight the war professionally.

So what of the tickets? Who poises to win, become VP, etc. The way I see it, there are three possible tickets, and I’ll explain why.

More >>>

Add us: Digg | Del.icio.us | Technorati

The Fun Side of Conservatism

Posted by: Ion | April 19th, 2007 · 6:25 PM

Conservative dominated South Carolina just did a marvelous and fitting thing. The legislature passed House Bill 3218 and it will now go on to Governor Sanford, who is likely to sign it into law.

The bill allows breweries to exceed the 5% alcohol content limit, of beer sold in the state. Thus is represents yet another solid defeat for the proponents of the excessively regulated society in SC. How we even got to a point, where it is permissible for the government to dictate to us what the alcohol content of our beer is of course, is mind-boggling. South Carolina blogger PopTheCap is pretty excited:

Well, after an emotional day (for those watching) 3218 heads to the Governor!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was delayed and we all thought it was a bad sign and the day was over. But Dan hung on and watched and sure enough, 3218 was brought up again and PASSED! It has to be ratified (just an administrative step). Then to the Governor, he has 3 choices. He can veto it, sign it immediately, or sit on it (his official position would be neutral)- it would then become law after 5 days. I really don’t see him vetoing this. This could all happen with 2 weeks, depending on how long it takes to get ratified.
(PopTheCap)

File this one away for the next time you’re confronted with college-age leftism.

Add us: Digg | Del.icio.us | Technorati

Clinton: Cover “Family Planning” Through Medicaid

Posted by: Jason | April 5th, 2007 · 2:33 PM

(image: MSN)

I’m not sure how I missed this the other day, but none-the-less, Hillary made a non-surprising endorsement of federal funds for “family planning” (or family destroying in the case of Planned Parenthood).

Endorsed by the Iowa Planned Parenthood, the renewed legislation introduced to congress called for family planning coverage for low-income women under the Medicaid program.

“We should put politics aside and unite behind a common goal: helping women prevent unintended pregnancies in the first place. Through access to education, contraception, and quality healthcare we can empower women to make safe, affordable, evidence-based family planning decisions,” said Senator Clinton.

More

“This legislation will significantly aid in reducing unintended pregnancies. This is very important leg