Barbour out, GOP ponders as 2012 field takes shape
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Republican Gov. Haley Barbour bowed out of presidential contention Monday with a surprise announcement just as the 2012 campaign was getting under way in earnest, 18 months before Election Day. The Mississippi governor said he lacked the necessary “absolute fire in the belly” to run.
Barbour’s declaration, unexpected because he had been laying the groundwork for a campaign for months, thins a Republican cluster of no less than a dozen potential candidates to take on Democratic President Barack Obama.
With the GOP campaign’s first debate scheduled for next week, the muddy Republican field will become clearer very soon as more potential contenders announce whether they’ll run or sit out. Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who lost in 2008 and is a favorite of libertarians as well as tea partyers, is planning to take a step toward a second bid on Tuesday. The next facing a self-imposed deadline of this weekend, is Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, a Barbour friend and a fiscal conservative who has shined a spotlight on rising budget deficits and national debt.
“All eyes will be on Daniels. … It’s a clear path for him if he wants to run,” said Doug Gross, an Iowa Republican who dined with Barbour last month and left questioning whether the governor had the hunger to get in the race.
Full Story Here:
Barbour out, GOP ponders as 2012 field takes shape
I may alienate some folks with this post, but that’s the chance you take when you’re a no hold barred Blogger and Political Activist that speaks out about the things than many only think and most are afraid to say.
If the GOP/RNC is SO desperate to fill their BIG TENT with people like Rick Santorum, Donald Trump, Sarah Palin, Ron Paul, Rand Paul, Chris Christie, Tim Pawlenty, Michele Bachmann, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Mitch Daniels, Newt Gingrich or, God help us all, John McCain, you can just hand the keys to the White House to Barack Hussein Obama.
And you can kiss AMERICA good bye!
If Trump or Ron Paul weigh in as a 3rd party candidate, assuming they don’t get the GOP nod, they will be a ticket wrecker just like H.Ross Perot was, and again, Obama wins and America loses.
There are 3 men in America that can beat Obama; Herman Cain, John Bolton and LtCol. Allen West. I would take any of those 3, combined with the others, in ANY combination of President and Vice President, with the 3rd man out taking a position on the Cabinet, but my personal preference is Allen West, hands down.
Allen Bernard West (born February 7, 1961) is a Republican U.S. Representative from Florida’s 22nd congressional district, serving since January 2011. He is the first African-American Republican Congressman from Florida since Josiah T. Walls in 1876.
West served in the Army in Iraq and was a civilian adviser in Afghanistan. He achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army electing to retire after an investigation of his conduct during the interrogation of a detainee in Taji, Iraq. SOURCE
That incident, and the way West handled it, would give me good reason to follow West through HELL carrying cans of gasoline myself!
While serving in Taji, Iraq, West received information from an intelligence specialist about a reported plot to ambush him and his men. The alleged plot reportedly involved Yahya Jhodri Hamoodi, a civilian Iraqi police officer. At first, West thought the reports were a joke…until a week later when several of his officers were ambushed when he was supposed to be traveling with them. At that point, Colonel West began taking the risk of a planned assassination attempt seriously. West, who was not responsible for conducting interrogations in Iraq and had never conducted or witnessed one, had his men detain Hamoodi. In the process of detaining Mr. Hamoodi, soldiers testified that Mr. Hamoodi appeared to go for his weapon and needed to be subdued. Hamoodi was beaten by four of his soldiers from the 220th Field Artillery Battalion on the head and body. West then fired his pistol near Hamoodi’s head. Hamoodi then provided West with names and information, what Hamoodi later described as “meaningless information induced by fear and pain.” At least one suspect was arrested as a result, but no plans for attacks or weapons were found. West said “At the time I had to base my decision on the intelligence I received. It’s possible that I was wrong about Mr. Hamoodi.”
West was charged with violating articles 128 (assault) and 134 (general article) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. During a hearing held as part of an Article 32 investigation in November 2003, West stated, “I know the method I used was not right, but I wanted to take care of my soldiers.”[citation needed] The charges were ultimately referred to an Article 15 proceeding rather than court-martial, at which West was fined $5,000. LTC West accepted the judgment and retired with full benefits in the summer of 2004. Asked if he would have act differently if under similar circumstances again, West testified, “If it’s about the lives of my soldiers at stake, I’d go through hell with a gasoline can.” After Colonel West was relieved of his command, an interpreter said that without his presence the region he previously oversaw became more dangerous and chaotic. SOURCE
Allen West put his men and America before himself, his safety and his career. An American officer can do no more than that!
I am firmly convinced that Allen West is the man that America needs at the helm of this nation. Now we must convince him to run. That 1st move needs to be a massive show of support, and I can’t think of a better way to show West how we feel than to sign this petition: Draft Allen West for POTUS in 2012. And join the Facebook page HERE
I can’t think of anyone that would take care of America and would stand for America 1st.
John Bolton…ROTFLMAO…Nobody will be able to look past his mustache. He’ll certainly get all the Teddy Roosevelt supporters.
The political cartoonists are praying for a contest between him and Trump. I can already
see the billing for the debates: The hairpiece versus the mustache.
Bolton for President…that’s rich.
BTW, you left John Huntsman and Gary “420″ Johnson off your list.
13 — Do you have anything USEFUL to offer or is *pointing and laughing* all you do??
I’m thinking Allen West would make a fantastic POTUS!
If I took things too seriously, I’d be depressed all the time.
But seriously, Bolton doesn’t have a chance. GOP establishment is throwing names against the wall to see what will stick. That’s why Bolton, Gingrich, Huntsman, et al, are floating Presidential run trial balloons. Gingrich and Bolton haven’t been able to gain any traction. They will be out before the debates even begin.
13 — See, that wasn’t so hard was it..
I like West above ALL, but I personally like Bolton, he has a better moustache than I do…
Fred — I like Allen West……a lot.
Allen West is a man of integrity, he took good care of his troops and he’d take good care of America too.
Allen West scares me because he is a black man. Huh? you say?
I am scared to death that he would change his “politics” after he was elected President of the USA.
Yes, change his politics,,,because he is a black man.
But, I would vote for him as a Vice-President. But that may look like a “token black” vote. So what.
He will get quite a few votes from the legitimate black voting pool. I realize that the black [population is only 12 % of the USA population. The Latin American population is about 32%. The white population is around 60%.
These are just rough numbers.
I WILL VOTE FOR: Cris Christie, John Bolton, Mitch Daniels, Paul Ryan, Donald Trump, Rand Paul, Bobby Jindal.
I will NOT vote for John McCain, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, Herman Cain.
With all the black on white crimes growing more and more, the Section 8 housing and welfare programs most blacks live on, the black crime wave is totally out of control, the demands for “gibs me dat”, slave reparations, etc.,and my total disgust for all of these programs and actions, I do not believe I could vote for a black man for President. A Vice President, yes.
At this time in my life, and what is going on now, I cannot trust any black person,,,,man or woman. Sincerely stated and posted.
Mr. Chuck — Can’t fault you on any of that, it’s your opinions, but there’s one of those opinions that I am thinking will change after you read this…
I wouldn’t piss on Christie’s head if his hair was on fire…
Only problem with West is a lack of perceived political experience. Would vote for a Bolton/West ticket in a heatbeat.
I’ve been watching Allen West for a while and have been totally impressed with him. Watch him as he speaks at a Q&A forum. He backs up each of his answers with facts, figures, and historical data. I’ve never seen him use a teleprompter or prepared speak. His sacrifice of his military career for his men has earned my undying respect. Being a career NCO, I know of very few officers who would sacrifice their careers for their men like he did. After his interrogating the prisoner, he reported to his commander on what he did. He knew the consequences but his men were more important. Americans are alive today because of the actions Lt. Col West took.
A young man who went to high school with my youngest son was killed in Afghanistan last week. Him and four other soldiers were killed by an Afghan soldier working as a Taliban sleeper agent. We need more Lt. Col Wests commanding our young men and women.
Now that the “Push” for West is gaining steam, the usual suspects are starting to come out. They use the incident in Iraq as reason enough to discount him. In MY OPINION that is the GREATEST reason to endorse him.
He saved the lives of his men by using whatever means at his disposal to do so. He saved AMERICAN LIVES which in it’s own right, is totally against the lefts meme. IF he sacrificed his men and gave the Insurgent an ice cream, perhaps he’d have more support from the “Paulie’s and the Libertarians?”
Allen West is the ANTI-OBAMA. IF you believe Obama has taken us down the wrong path, the ONLY one even close to being a blip on the radar to counter it, IS ALLEN WEST!
Idiots have proclaimed that Allen West is the militant rights answer to Obama. Well okay then. That is precisely what is needed. America has been under attack from within for over 6 years (Longer if you consider Bush’s first 4 years bad) Allen West is a constitutionalist. He believes in the document, he believes in AMERICAN FIRST ideology, and he believes as MOST Americans believe that this nation is a force for GOOD in the world. Despite our errors of the past, a world without America in the lead will result in more death, more mayhem and more suffering. You can see it already. Obama has made our nation weak. Look how that works out.
Allen West for POTUS 2012. We have ONE chance here, if Obama is re-elected he will not be campaigning anymore. He will be free to push the lever on the bombs he’s set. He will be the nail in the coffin of America. He will likely appoint another SCOTUS. That will swing the balance and it WILL light fuse of destruction.
I can’t emphasize enough the need for the GOP to stand behind ALLEN WEST and PUSH him to save your ass. IF Allen West is not on the ballot I will go on record saying OBAMA wins 2012 in a landslide.
WHY? Anyone else is an old white guy steeped in racism. An old white guy who hates the elderly and kids… That’s the lefts meme and its going to get a lot of play in the media. I suggest you ask yourself WHO on the GOP ticket could get the debate back to the ISSUES? Cain or West. I put my backing financially and time and effort behind Allen West.