Mark McKinnon floats the idea in his column over at The Daily Beast today. McKinnon predicts that Obama would be re-elected if things remain the way they are now, but notes that a continued recession or foreign policy crisis can send voters looking, once again, for change. And when voters seek change following an unpopular presidency, they don’t seek moderate change — they seek the polar opposite of the incumbent. Haley Barbour would be one option.

Barbour has had an impressive career. He was political director in the Reagan White House, headed the Republican National Committee while the GOP gained control of both houses of Congress for the first time since 1954, and is a two-term governor of Mississippi. In the latter position, he has been praised for his leadership through disasters, cut the state’s deficit without raising taxes, implemented tort reform, enacted tough anti-abortion laws, and sought overall fiscal responsibility.

McKinnon also notes Barbour’s political expertise:

And Barbour is a consummate campaigner. He has a finely tuned understanding of American politics. A big talent. Highly literate. Raised by a single mom. And never failed at anything he’s tried.

And the best thing he’d have going for him is that his opposition would not take him seriously.

They’d do so at their own peril. Barbour is politically bright, a fiscal and social conservative, successful governor, noted leader through dark times, and could win support from the Republican primary voters in addition to general election voters.

The only stumbling block is that he was once a registered lobbyist. But hey, if a man who spent years in an anti-American, antisemitic church can get elected during a year of “change”, why not a former lobbyist? It’s not like Barbour’s firm was printing Hamas terror manifestos.

Cap-and-tax passed the House of Representatives today by a margin of 219-212. How did they get that number? Fourty-four Democrats decided not to sell out the United States, while eight Repubicans decided to join the majority of Democrats in supporting the horrific legislation.

The following eight Republicans understood how harmful this legislation will be to our economy and regular Americans. They new that it was based on junk science and is being used by the far-left to pay back special interests for their support in the election. And yet these eight Republicans voted for the crap sandwich anyway, most likely getting something in return. Perhaps 40 pieces of silver.

Make sure to call them and congratulate them on drawing the ire of countless conservative activists who will now actively work for their defeat next November. Information via MM.

Bono Mack (CA) (202) 225-5330
Castle (DE) (202) 225-4165
Kirk (IL) (202) 225-4385 (And he’s seriously considering running for Senate!)
Lance (NJ) (202) 225-5361
LoBiondo (NJ) (202) 225-6572
McHugh (NY) (202) 225-4611
Reichert (WA) (202) 225-7761
Smith (NJ) (202) 225-3765

All of them should be retired as quickly as possible, and, yes, even at the expense of filling their seats with Democratic replacements. What’s the point of having someone with an “R” after their name if they vote with Democrats? If you’re going to sell out your ideals, who cares who wins the election?

The State says he’s okey dokey literally speaking, so there’s no foul play suspected. He’s just somewhere unknown, has his communication devices turned off, he’s apparently ditched his security detail, and even his wife doesn’t know his whereabouts.

First lady Jenny Sanford told The Associated Press her husband has been gone for several days and she doesn’t know where. She said she was not concerned. Jenny Sanford said the governor said he needed time away from their children to write something.

Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer declined to discuss where the governor was. Sawyer told The Associated Press that Sanford was taking time to “recharge” after his failed fight against federal stimulus money.

Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer said he didn’t know where Sanford is but said he had not been put in charge.

Yeah, this is great imagery for a man looking to run for president in 2012. Simply disappearing without a trace during a tough time in his state and for the country? Never mind the Democrats, Republicans won’t like that imagery. A bad move akin to McCain suspending his campaign and returning to Washington.

Via Hot Air.

Apparently this is what happens when Madame Speaker calls the men and women protecting our country a bunch of liars in order to protect her own job.

Cheney has been out there talking about national security, challenging the Obama Administration to release of all of the memos, making accusations that are being backed up by even Obama Administration officials, and recent polls show that a majority of Americans think torture can be justified. Meanwhile, Pelosi has been shown to be a pathological liar who sells out the defenders of this country when it suits her politically.

End result:

PRINCETON, NJ — Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Vice President Dick Cheney have little in common politically, but they receive almost identical image ratings from the American public. According to a May 29-31 Gallup Poll, 37% of Americans have a favorable view of Cheney and 34% have a favorable view of Pelosi. Both Cheney and Pelosi are viewed unfavorably by at least half of Americans.

Pretty pathetic. Look, Cheney’s not about to win a national election anytime soon. But he’s a former elected leader associated with one of the least popular administrations in history, was tied to the unpopular Iraq war, was embroiled in multiple “scandals”, and his party was roundly rejected last November.

Nancy Pelosi, on the other hand, is a sitting Speaker of the House, member of the “popular” party right now, and this torture debate was supposed to be an easy winning issue for her side. Yet Madame Speaker finds herself less popular than Cheney.

One of the most crucial aspects of true national security today is a missile defense shield. Until we’re capable of protecting America from any rogue nuclear state that wants to effectively hold us hostage under the threat of hitting us with a nuclear-armed ICBM, we’re left exposed to insane dictators with equally insane agendas. We can retaliate for a strike on our soil, yes, but you’re still left without the option of actually stopping the missile before it kills Americans.

Chuck Devore, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from California, discusses Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA)’s stance on the issue. Let’s just say, it’s a less than ideal record.

Minnesota Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty won’t seek a third term, GOP sources have told the Associated Press. The news fuels speculation that Pawlenty may seek the 2012 Republican nomination, as those close to him had said that he was choosing between seeking a third term or the presidential nomination.

The officials, who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity as the governor’s afternoon news conference was pending, said Pawlenty won’t rule anything in or out about his political future…

That said, two officials caution that no presidential announcement is imminent…

Pawlenty began calling political allies early Tuesday to disclose his plans. One individual who talked to the governor said he cited personal and political considerations, including his battles with a Democratic-controlled legislature. Pawlenty also has two daughters ages 16 and 12, and declining to run for another term would free him to seek more lucrative work than the $120,000-a-year governor’s salary.

The article notes that Pawlenty has pretty conservative credentials. He usually abides by right-wing orthodoxy, with the exception of a few issues such as prescription drugs from Canada and environmental issues. He had one issue of supporting a tax increase, though he’s otherwise been standing his ground.

More: Hot Air.

The Republican Party claims the same percentage of the American population amongst its ranks as its Democratic counterpart for the first time since 2005.

Despite having lost two elections in a row and a member of its caucus in the Senate recently, Republicans have found a silver lining: For the first time since 2005, the same percentage of the population identifies as a member of the Republican Party as the Democratic Party.

Gallup polls taken between May 7th and 10th shows that 32% of Americans identify themselves as members of the GOP. The same percentages consider themselves Democrats. A surprising 34% of Americans identify with neither party, instead listing their affiliation as “Independent”. The two major parties are tied when “leaners” are added in, too.

Why the sudden shift of support to a party that just lost the White House a few months ago? Issues in the past few weeks seem to have benefited the right side of the aisle. News of mounting deficits as a result of President Obama’s plans, controversy over past enhanced interrogation techniques, the revelation that the president intends to continue military trials at Guantanamo Bay, and an increasing number of Americans identifying themselves as “pro-life” all seem to have helped the GOP gain support.

Now the question is whether the embattled party can maintain that growing advantage.

Via Hot Air.

The next person to tell me how the GOP has lost ground with the party flip by Arlen Specter gets punched.Specter has always been in it for Specter. He’s willing to abandon claimed principles if it improves his chances of keeping his Senate seat. And he’s prepared to do just that again.

On May 5th, Specter met with the union bosses over at the SEIU. That organization, as well as others on the left, has been pressuring the new Democratic senator to change his position on card-check. Some have even threatened to put up a primary opponent unless he flips. Well, Specter being concerned primarily with sustaining power, is melting:

Specter had come out against the bill in March, disappointing labor leaders. They had hoped he would be the crucial 60th vote needed to overcome an expected GOP filibuster of the Employee Free Choice Act.

The Pennsylvania senator has since switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party, and he said he’s been meeting with labor leaders and fellow senators in hopes of coming up with a compromise he could support.

President Barack Obama said on Thursday that he hoped a compromise could be worked out.

“How do we make it easier for people who want to form a union to at least get a vote and have an even playing field?” Obama said in response to a question during a town hall meeting in Rio Rancho, N.M. “How do we do that, but at the same time get enough votes to pass the bill? That’s what we’re working on right now.”

Specter wouldn’t elaborate on the negotiations about the legislation, but said he is “hard at work trying to find some way to find an answer.”

The bill is a top priority of labor groups.

“Even playing field”? Let’s keep in mind that card-check takes away the secret ballot and paves the way for workers to be intimidated by union bosses into voting to unionize the work place. It’s simply a move by the unions and their political representatives to expand their membership by legalizing intimidation practices. That’s why even some Democrats, including George McGovern, have come out in opposition to the legislation. Even Warren Buffett, a supporter of Barack Obama, has stated his opposition to the EFCA.

As Michelle Malkin says, it’s Specter’s “final betrayal”. A betrayal most people could see coming from a mile away.

It should surprise no one that amnesty shill Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL) is endorsing Gov. Charlie Crist to replace him, seeing as Crist is a moderate at best, having strongly pushed for porkulus alongside Barack Obama. But he didn’t have to be such a dick to Marco Rubio, a fellow Republican competing in the Republican primary against Crist.

Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) is endorsing Gov. Charlie Crist as his replacement — and is politely advising potential Crist challenger Marco Rubio to seek employment elsewhere.

Martinez, speaking to reporters in the Capitol Tuesday, hinted that the former Speaker of the Florida House might want to consider a state AG run — as has been suggested by some GOPers.

“I am endorsing [Crist],” said Martinez.

After saying “I’m not telling” Rubio not to run, he added: “I also believe he will not be successful at this time, so he might want to focus on a race he wants to win.”

Yeah, I’m pretty sure he wants to win this Senate seat. And, if Florida Republicans want more than a moderate, porkulus-supporting replacement for the amnesty shill currently occuping that seat, they’ll nominate him over Governor Crist.

Via HAH.

Good idea. This way the term “socialism” becomes equated with regular Democratic stances and it loses its taboo with the American public. Shocking that these people are incapable of winning an election.

A member of the Republican National Committee told me Tuesday that when the RNC meets in an extraordinary special session next week, it will approve a resolution rebranding Democrats as the “Democrat Socialist Party.”

When I asked if such a resolution would force RNC Chairman Michael Steele to use that label when talking about Democrats in all his speeches and press releases, the RNC member replied: “Who cares?”…

Steele wrote a memo last month opposing the resolution. Steele said that while he believes Democrats “are indeed marching America toward European-style socialism,” he also said in a (rare) flash of insight that officially referring to them as the Democrat Socialist Party “will accomplish little than to give the media and our opponents the opportunity to mischaracterize Republicans.”

I can not express the sheer level of fucking stupidity this reaches. Not only will Republicans be seen as desperate and petty (even as they’ve been making headway with Independents), but you take the edge off of the idea of socialism. People will see it as much more mainstream and reasonable than it is, equating it with the ideas of your average Democrat. Unfuckingbelievable.