Tidbits

[Hispanics don't like the Republicans -- surprise, surprise!]
WASHINGTON -- A recent poll out of California found an uphill battle for Republicans hoping to make inroads with Latinos, the largest and fastest growing minority in the United States.

The survey, conducted by a GOP pollster and consultant, found that Latino voters hold "widely negative" views about the Republican party.


Only 26 percent of Latinos polled viewed Republicans favorably, while 62 percent had a favorable view of Democrats. And asked whether Republicans should “stick to core values and nominate true Conservatives,” only 22 percent of Latino voters agreed. Approximately one-third of Latino voters say they will never vote for a Republican.

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Names to watch for as Republican presidential nominee:

1.  Mitch Daniels.  Current governor of Indiana, Daniels was president of Indiana's largest corporation, drug giant Eli Lilly. For a time, he served as Ronald Reagan's chief political advisor. From January 2001 to June 2003, Daniels was Bush's director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) -- a position he now downplays. In this role he was also a member of the National Security Council and the Homeland Security Council. During his time as the director of the OMB, Bush referred to him as "the Blade," for his noted acumen at budget cutting; but during his tenure, the projected federal budget surplus of $236 billion declined to a $400 billion deficit.1.

2. Tim Pawlenty. Governor of Minnesota from 2002 to 2010, Pawlenty was vice-chairman of John McCain's 2008 presidential run.  He was considered a strong contender to be McCain's VP nominee until the surprise selection of Palin.
UPDATE:  He's lurched to the right, pandering to the Tea Party vote.  He has a problem, though:  He's seen as too lefty and green.

"Pawlenty ... once backed climate change legislation that conservatives deride. 'So, come on, Congress. Let's get moving,' Pawlenty says in a 2008 commercial for the Environmental Defense Action Fund that urges, 'Cap greenhouse gas pollution now.'
It's available online. So are details of climate change legislation he signed that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent by 2015."


3. Jon Huntsman, Jr.  Mormon. Son of a billionaire philanthropist, he was a popular governor of Utah from 2005 (elected with 57% of the vote) until August 11, 2009 (re-elected in 2008 with 77% of the vote), when he resigned during his second term in office to become Ambassador to China; his resignation becomes effective April 30.  He served in the administrations of Reagan, Bush I, and Bush II.

Romney (Mormon, Romneycare in Massachusetts), Huckabee (creationist; as governor of Arkansas, pardoned a convicted killer who later gunned down three cops), Gingrich (morals and ethics), Barbour (fat redneck lobbyist from Mississippi; Boss Hogg), and Palin (hey, she's Palin!) all have flaws which would make them very weak in a general election and so are unlikely to make it past the primaries.  If any one of them does, it's an Obama landslide. (I'm assuming the Republicans vote rationally in the primaries, which may be a mistake.)