Mike Huckabee's decision not to run leaves a lot up for grabs: Iowa, evangelical voters, South Carolina, the populism space, the anti-Big Business space. And it isn't clear which of the other strong candidates are best equipped to take advantage of his absence in these areas. In his Saturday night announcement, Huckabee went through an extended, proud litany of his strengths (such as his poll standing), but in fact he was a more formidable candidate than he even suggested. He had a clear path to the nomination and a level of support at the grassroots that almost no one in the race -- or poised to enter -- can match.

One thing's for sure: Huckabee will do what he can to make certain that his nemesis, current frontrunner Mitt Romney, is not the party's nominee. What actions that will lead him to take are no more clear than Huckabee's explanation of why he decided not to run.

http://thepage.time.com/2011/05/14/huck-says-no/#ixzz1MNu8fsqK

Washington, May 16: US Representative Ron Paul (R-Texas) has refused to back down from his earlier comments about Osama bin Laden, saying the Obama administration should have relied on the Pakistani government to arrest the killed al-Qaeda leader and turn him over to U.S. authorities.

"Why are we having trouble with the Pakistani government, why are we stirring up a civil war in Pakistan? It's because we've been bombing it," Paul said on "Fox News Sunday," Politico quoted him, as saying.


http://www.dailyindia.com/show/440044.php

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says he is very serious about seeking the presidency, but he’s laughing off any suggestion that he could end up with the Republican Party’s vice presidential nomination next year.

The Georgia Republican tells NBC’s "Meet the Press" that going for the No. 2 spot isn’t on his mind, and he scoffs at any suggestion that this could happen.

Gingrich says in response to accepting the vice presidential spot on the ticket, "Can you imagine any presidential nominee who picked me to be the vice presidential candidate?" He says he doesn’t think he’ll be spending "long hours" worrying about it.

source: Boston Herald

Well I here Donald will announce today whether or not he's running. Geez, I'm on needles & pins with curiosity.


TIS

After considerable deliberation and reflection, I have decided not to pursue the office of the Presidency. This decision does not come easily or without regret; especially when my potential candidacy continues to be validated by ranking at the top of the Republican contenders in polls across the country. I maintain the strong conviction that if I were to run, I would be able to win the primary and ultimately, the general election. I have spent the past several months unofficially campaigning and recognize that running for public office cannot be done half heartedly. Ultimately, however, business is my greatest passion and I am not ready to leave the private sector.


I want to personally thank the millions of Americans who have joined the various Trump grassroots movements and written me letters and e-mails encouraging me to run. My gratitude for your faith and trust in me could never be expressed properly in words. So, I make you this promise: that I will continue to voice my opinions loudly and help to shape our politician’s thoughts. My ability to bring important economic and foreign policy issues to the forefront of the national dialogue is perhaps my greatest asset and one of the most valuable services I can provide to this country. I will continue to push our President and the country’s policy makers to address the dire challenges arising from our unsustainable debt structure and increasing lack of global competitiveness. Issues, including getting tough on China and other countries that are methodically and systematically taking advantage of the United States, were seldom mentioned before I brought them to the forefront of the country’s conversation. They are now being debated vigorously. I will also continue to push for job creation, an initiative that should be this country’s top priority and something that I know a lot about. I will not shy away from expressing the opinions that so many of you share yet don’t have a medium through which to articulate.


I look forward to supporting the candidate who is the most qualified to help us tackle our country’s most important issues and am hopeful that, when this person emerges, he or she will have the courage to take on the challenges of the Office and be the agent of change that this country so desperately needs.


Thank you and God Bless America!


Donald J. Trump

"I look forward to supporting the candidate who is the most qualified to help us tackle our country’s most important issues and am hopeful that, when this person emerges, he or she will have the courage to take on the challenges of the Office and be the agent of change that this country so desperately needs.

Thank you and God Bless America!"

Donald J. Trump

Suuuuure, you would have won, but we'll just never know...What an ass. Stick to your badly-decorated skyscrapers and trashy casinos.

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich apologized in a telephone call to House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Tuesday afternoon for his remarks on "Meet the Press," where the presidential candidate referred to Ryan’s Medicare proposal as "radical change."

"Newt apologized," said Rick Tyler, his press secretary and longtime aide. "The call went very well." Gingrich, his nascent campaign in jeopardy, has shifted into fervent damage control following a furious conservative reaction to his comments.

It's been widely reported (both right & left) that Newt's entrance into the race is already over. Not that he really stood a chance, but some of his positions are pissing his party off.

Btw, with both Trump & Huckabee out, I wonder if Bachman is gonna take her shot. Damn, I hope so. Between her and Paul, that should take away a lot of votes from Romney, the only "normal" Republican candidate that has a shot IMHO. And even HE has problems. Wait she's a republican (I keep thinking she's a TPer). Nevermind, so far Romney is my guess. Bachman would make it fun though.

TIS

Don't get the cart before the horse. It's a long 16 months until the election.

"I'm not a meteorologist. All I know is 90 percent of the scientists say climate change is occurring. If 90 percent of the oncological community said something was causing cancer we'd listen to them."

Former Sen. Rick Santorum said Tuesday that Sen. John McCain, who spent 5 1/2 years enduring brutal treatment at the hands of his North Vietnamese captors, doesn't know how effective waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques can be. The Republican presidential contender insisted the tactics led the United States to al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

McCain, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a speech last week that waterboarding al-Qaida's No. 3 leader, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, did not provide information that led to bin Laden's compound in Pakistan.

Facepalm in 3, 2, 1....

Santorum: McCain doesn't understand interrogation



http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_bin_laden_torture_republicans

Absolutely.

Anyway George Will in his sunday column prognosticated that 1 of 3 men will be taking the oath of office on 1/20/2013: Obama, Daniels, or Pawlenty.