I Don’t Know if I Have Much to Say About This Yet

2024 Election: Potential Republican presidential candidates - Deseret News

Obviously, former President Donald Trump (R-USA) is the Elephant in the room. He’s just hated in suburbia, though. I’d prefer to see a candidate who can maintain the Trump coalition, and expand into suburbia. It’s very possible that such a candidate does not exist.

Right now my #1 is Nikki Haley, and my #2 would be Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL). Governor Kristi Noem (R-SD) is also interesting.

And what to you know. I just named the top four candidates from the article.

Read for yourself.

The Media Has Tried to Convince Us of Trouble Between the Trumps for Years, Despite All Evidence to the Contrary

Indeed, I had an argument with my mother a year ago, because she said Melania would leave him within six months if he wasn’t re-elected.

Looks like I win, but I haven’t mentioned it to her. Yet.

Trump Fires Back At Report Melania Won’t Return To White House If He Wins In 2024 – ‘Fake News’ (lifezette.com)

#FakeNews

Former President Donald Trump is speaking out this week to shoot down reports that his wife Melania will not be returning to the White House in 2024 if he runs for president again and wins. Trump went so far as to rip these reports as “fake news.”

“Is it true that the former First Lady Melania Trump has told you: ‘I’m not going back if you run again?'” Fox News host Brian Kilmeade asked Trump.

“No, that’s not true,” Trump responded, according to Business Insider. “More fake news.”

“She was a great first lady, she did a great job. She loves the people, they love her,” Trump added of his wife. “I see how they love her.”

She’s a private person. And she was attacked pretty mercilessly by the press, despite sticking mostly to the background. I am sure she would prefer to avoid a second round of all of that. Who wouldn’t. But I am also sure that she won’t stay behind, should the need arise.

They Can Read the Writing on the Wall

Despite Approval Rating Of Just 38%, Legacy Media Pushes ‘Presidential Buzz’ For Mayor Pete | The Daily Wire

Nobody likes Kamala. Not in the administration or out. Mayor Pete is young, good looking, and openly gay. Perfect for the left. He was a disaster on the campaign trail, though. But perhaps a couple years of national seasoning can correct that.

“Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has a higher name recognition and favorability rating than most other Biden Cabinet members, according to a new poll,” the article announced. “The survey, conducted by Morning Consult and Politico, found that 83 percent of registered voters know who Buttigieg is, and 38 percent have a favorable view of the secretary.”

The Hill linked to a Politico Playbook piece, titled “POLITICO Playbook: Buzz grows about Buttigieg 2024.”

I still think they will try to get him in to at least the VP slot before 2024, if they can push Kamala out.

Hume Is Correct

Brit Hume: Biden ‘Clearly Deteriorating,’ ‘Clearly Senile,’ Might Not Finish Term | The Daily Wire

I don’t think his handlers expect him to finish his term.  As I said previously, I think the plan is to push out Kamala, replace her with someone more palatable, then have Clueless Joe resign for “health issues”. The palatable person takes over, doesn’t have to deal with Joe’s baggage, and runs as the incumbent in 2024.

Hume made the comments after it was announced that Biden would be running for a second term. The senior political analyst didn’t buy it, calling the proclamation “political.”

“I don’t think it’s at all clear that he intends to run again, but I do think as a political matter, you have to say that,” Hume said on “Special Report,” Mediaite reported.

[…]

“In fact, I think the thing we have to watch is the question of whether he serves out his first term,” Hume said of the president. “He’s clearly deteriorating, he’s clearly senile, and his health is — despite his doctor’s claims to the contrary — you know, when you’re falling downstairs and so on, as he did climbing the stairs to Air Force One, that’s worrisome.”

I think Hume is 100% correct. My guess is that they try to keep him on through the mid-terms, but not much after that. Kamala is probably out before the mid-terms, if they can find a way to make her resign, which is going to be hard. She knows what is happening too. She’s not going to eagerly step aside so that someone else can step in and become President.

They Were Openly Rooting for Him in 2015, Too. How’d That Work Out?

Democrats Are Openly Rooting for Donald Trump (freebeacon.com)

Before I start, I just want you all to remember this:

Barry Goodman, a Democratic donor who served on Biden's national finance committee during the 2020 campaign, recently told the Washington Post that he and many other party donors are "praying that Trump runs." Because Trump is an existential threat to democracy, Goodman argued, American voters "are not going to put that despot in office one more time," no matter who Democrats nominate in 2024. If that sounds familiar, it's because some Democrats made the exact same argument in 2016.

The Lincoln Project, a disgraced Democratic super PAC and neo-Nazi cosplay troupe, is actively working to ensure that Trump runs and wins the nomination. "We believe if we narrow the field and it's only Trump in 2024, it's an easy choice for Americans to say ‘no,'" Lincoln Project cofounder Rick Wilson told CNN.

Yeah. Watch that video again. They all thought he was a joke in 2015 & 2016. How’d that work out?

I Don’t Think He’ll Still Be President in 2023

Biden & 2024: Dem Thinks a Run Unlikely | National Review

I think the current plan is to replace Kamala with Pete Buttigieg as soon as possible, then to have Clueless Joe develop issues requiring him to resign, elevating Mayor Pete to the top spot. He’ll run in 2024 as the incumbent. He’s charismatic, young, and gay. Republicans will face a steep uphill battle against him.

An interesting “growing fears” piece appeared in the WaPo about Joe Biden’s prospects in 2024: “One Democrat involved in campaigns said they couldn’t think of a single person they had spoken to in the last month who considers the possibility of Biden running again to be a real one.”

Biden has been reassuring donors that he certainly intends to run again in 2024, but skepticism is running rampant even as panic about the heir-apparent position of Kamala Harris starts to set in. Florida trial lawyer John Morgan, who was a major donor to the Biden campaign in 2020, had this to say: “What is his health going to be in the next three years? All you have to do is look at the mortality tables in America to understand what I’m saying.”

Democrats are openly wondering why a man who didn’t show an overwhelming amount of energy in his 2020 campaign will have the strength to go out on the hustings in the fall of 2024, just shy of his 82nd birthday. Should Dems really believe his assurances about running again?

“I hear this question get asked every day,” a campaign veteran told the WaPo. “No one ever asked that question about Barack Obama. No one ever asked that question about Donald Trump.”

Both Trump and Obama got out and campaigned for their first round. they were vigorous and energetic. Biden was half asleep from the comfort of his own home. He is unlikely to be able to repeat such a performance. And, unless things surprisingly and dramatically improve, he’d get slaughtered. The Dems need someone else and they know it.

It’s Taken Me a Week, but I’ve Figured Out What’s Happening Here

I mentioned earlier that I didn’t understand the CNN hit job on Vice President Kamala Harris (D-USA), but now I do.

HUGE: Imminent Vacancy Rumors Swirling on Capitol Hill – PJ Media

Is a high-profile confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on the horizon? On Tuesday night, Fox News’ Jesse Watters reported that Fox News congressional correspondent Chad Pergram “has been hearing whispers suggesting there could be some new, high-profile confirmation hearings on the horizon in the House of Representatives.”

“Why is this a big deal? Because the House does not confirm normal nominees, but it does confirm vice presidential nominees. Does this have something to do with Kamala Harris?” Watters pondered.

Recent reports have suggested there’s a lot of tension and dysfunction behind the scenes in the White House. Kamala Harris isn’t happy with the role she’s been asked to play and her allies are accusing Biden of racism for favoring Transportation Secretary Buttigieg over her.

Here’s my theory.

Joe and the Democrats have decided that he’s not going to be able to last out his term. His mental faculties are declining too rapidly to even be able to pretend to hide anymore. He’s also toxically unpopular at the moment. So, he’s going to step down. Possibly before the mid-terms.

But they don’t want Harris to replace him. She’s even less popular than he is, and will be harder to control.

So, they have to push her out first, like what happened with Nixon and Agnew. Replace Harris with someone everyone likes, then have Biden develop a medical condition that requires that he step aside also, and boom, they have someone they like in the Oval Office. Someone who can run in 2024 without Biden baggage and someone who isn’t Kamala Harris.

That’s my theory.

WOAH: There's talk on Capitol Hill about the mechanics of a confirmation hearing to fill a VP vacancy amid Kamala's nose-diving approval numbers and reports of a strained relationship between Biden and Harris pic.twitter.com/9W0AUakmiw

— Benny (@bennyjohnson) November 17, 2021

Stay tuned.

I Know I Always Vote for the Most Conservative Candidate Who Can Win the Presidency

But given her behavior over the last year, it’s frankly hard to believe that Senator Liz Cheney (R-WY) would make much better of a President than whoever would run on the Democrat ticket.

Sen. Cruz, Rep. Cheney reignite Twitter war | One America News Network (oann.com)

Yes. It’s called the Democratic primary. https://t.co/q31fFvQZOp

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) November 13, 2021

Yes. Yes, They Can.

CNN Analyst: Republicans Can Win Across The U.S. If They Follow Formula Glenn Youngkin Used | The Daily Wire

“Look at the map, the rural counties not only came out, they came out huge,” Jennings continued. “So, it turns out that Glenn Youngkin has solved for this problem in that you can run a race based on issues, continue to attract the Trump base, get a path back in the suburbs, and take advantage, frankly, of the just enormous collapse, continued collapse of the Democratic Party in rural areas. That’s how we win. That’s how we’re going to be successful. When you can put the suburbs back together with rural areas the way we used to do.”

I think he misses the boat a little bit. He is from CNN after all, so he can’t resist a few digs at former President Donald Trump (R-USA), but other than that his analysis is spot on.

Possibly, but a Lot Can Happen in a Year. Or Three.

Red alert: Crushing defeat in Virginia could signal trouble for Democrats ahead (msn.com)

But in Virginia Tuesday night, the victory in the governor's election was scored not by Democrat Terry McAuliffe – rated the favorite when the race began – but by Republican Glenn Youngkin.

In New Jersey, an even stronger Democratic stronghold, Gov. Phil Murphy narrowly  defeated Republican Jack Ciattarelli in a race not called until Wednesday evening.

The results fortified Republican hopes of winning back control of the House and the Senate in next year's midterms. They complicated President Joe Biden's embattled efforts to push his ambitious agenda through a Congress under Democratic control, albeit narrowly.

I haven’t mentioned New Jersey, a race that was won by the Democrats by the narrowest of margins. It shouldn’t have been close. Neither should have Virginia. Democrats have to be nervous.

But a year ago, they were giddy. A lot can happen in a year. Always in motion is the future.

I make no predictions for 2022 or 2024. Ask me the day after the election and I’ll tell you who won. Maybe. Not before.

Not Even One Year In, and It’s a Near Majority

From his own party.

Poll: 44% Of Dems, Dem-Leaning Independents Want Biden Off The 2024 Ticket | The Daily Wire

I don’t know what they do if this reaches 50%. Probably start polling how many feel he should be allowed to complete his first term.

The Marist poll stated, “36% of Democrats and Democratic leaning independents say their party will have a better chance winning the White House with Biden at the top of the ticket. 44% want someone else, and 20% are unsure.”

According to fivethirtyeight.com, Biden’s disapproval numbers crossed over 50% of respondents on October 20, and they have not dipped under 50% since. His disapproval numbers have been steadily ascending since January 28 of this year, according to fivethirtyeight.com, with the disapproval numbers surpassing the approval numbers for the first time in that period on August 30.

Those numbers are just brutal. More want him off the ticket than on.

Ouch.

I Will Not Be Upset at All if This Man Runs for President

In many ways, he’s almost what the Trumpists pretend that Trump is, and he’s what the rest of the conservatives wish Trump was.

WATCH: DeSantis Tells D.C. GOP: ‘We Don’t Have Time For Boneless Wonders’ | The Daily Wire

“So right now conservatives, we don’t have time for boneless wonders,” DeSantis exhorted. “You get elected to office, you need to be willing to stand up. Stand up against the press. … You stand up and you’re strong in your convictions, there are millions and millions of people out there that will be with you forever. The minute you go up there and you’re scared of the media, you’re scared they’re going to say bad things about you and you cave, those voters have no use for you after that.

He concluded, “So I can only tell you for me, I’m gonna keep walking the line. I am gonna stand my ground. I am not backing down. We’ve accomplished an awful lot in the state of Florida, but I can tell you this: I’ve only begun to fight.”

He really rips the media to pieces in this speech. And some of the right as well.

Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) fights almost as well as Trump. He doesn’t back down when attacked. When he draws a line in the sand, he means it. And he’s eloquent and understands politics. He speaks from the same populist guidebook as Trump. He’s deeper than Trump and more detail oriented.

He doesn’t relate quite as well to the common man as Trump does. He’s not a political outsider like Trump is. And he’s not as funny.

So, he’s not a perfect Trump clone. He brings some things to the table that Trump doesn’t, and misses some things that Trump has. I think he has a lot fewer negatives though and is more likely to be able to reach independent voters.

For some reason, though, I keep getting the impression that he isn’t going to run for President in 2024. Time will tell.

Watch the whole speech.

FLORIDA MAN STORMS DC https://t.co/5Zo4Cbo79U

— Jack Posobiec (@JackPosobiec) October 27, 2021

Shows He Still Has a Lot of Energy, and That He’s Clearly Planning a Return

Trump, with spate of 2022 endorsements, goes where no former president’s gone before | Fox News

It’s uncharted waters for a former president to remain so immensely involved in party politics. But Trump’s no normal former president.

"Once again former President Trump is proving to march to the beat of his own drums," veteran political scientist Wayne Lesperance said. The vice president of academic affairs at New England College said the number of Trump endorsements so far this year are "unheard of in recent political memory."

I predict that the left will be extremely dispirited going into 2024. Trump may be the only candidate from the Right to be able to truly energize the Left. But he’ll probably energize the Right more than anyone else also.

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Maybe the Kids Are All Right

Campus Reform | WATCH: 'He's Failed': Students Disown Joe Biden After Endless 'Disaster'

The vast majority of students who said they voted for or supported Biden’s nomination expressed regret for supporting him. One student said, “He’s failed a lot on a lot of his promises”. Another, speaking on Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, called it a “disaster."

When asked about Biden’s “Build Back Better” campaign slogan, students were not convinced he had done so.

“If you’re looking at the straight facts, it’s apparent that he’s not [building back better],” one student said.

Students then told Campus Reform they were not likely to support Biden for a second term.

Well, that’s encouraging. Let’s go to the tape.

Maybe the kids are all right.

This Seems Likely to Backfire

Pelosi's Jan 6 committee makes blacklist of conservative media figures | The Post Millennial

Hold up. The “Jan 6 Committee” (lol) is asking for correspondence between the Trump White House and REPORTERS (many on this list).

This is a chilling power grab. Resist. https://t.co/jfOt5faSTn

— Raheem J. Kassam (@RaheemKassam) August 25, 2021

This is a pretty blatant and chilling attack on free speech. And really can’t be disguised as anything else. Your hard core supporters might be happy with it, but no one else is going to be.

[T]he officially titled Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol "expedite" this request for "all documents and communications concerning the 2020 election and relating to the following individuals" from April 1, 2020, through January 20, 2021

They’re terrified that Trump might run again. They’re using the FBI to do oppo research for them.

He May Use This in 2022, but Most Of It Won’t Be For an Election That Year

Florida Gov. DeSantis Rakes In Huge Fundraising Haul For 2022 - The Political Insider

Gov Ron DeSantis is cashing in on re-election

'Friends of Ron DeSantis' PAC raised $5M+ in March 2021 alone.

Story: https://t.co/n7RQStI1oz

Those donations include several checks cut for $100K+

Search Campaign Finance Database: https://t.co/KWsZMBle5Y

— Greg Angel (@NewsGuyGreg) April 12, 2021

PACs don’t have to raise funds for a specific election. He can use this for his reelection campaign in Florida in 2022, or for a bigger election in 2024.

75,000,000 Voters Say Otherwise

Flake Attacks Trump And His Voters - Says He 'Plays Well To The Base, But It's A Shrinking Base' (lifezette.com)

“I think there are a number of Republicans, a lot of Republicans who want the get back there,” Flake said. “John was right, what went on in Mar-a-Lago, it plays well to the base, but it’s a shrinking base. If we want to be successful in future elections, then we have to do more what John Boehner is talking about. We’ve got to appeal to a broader electorate. That shouldn’t be hard to figure out, but that is what we have to do.”

If it’s more of Club for Growth Republicans like John Boehner count me out.

Twice.

People Need To Give Nikki Haley a Break For Not Being In Lockstep With Trump

She’s a good team player and conservatives could do far worse than her as the nominee.

She’s still a team player:

I asked @NikkiHaley if she would support Donald Trump if he runs again in 2024.

“Yes,” she told me.

“I would not run if President Trump ran, and I would talk to him about it,” she added. “That’s something that we will have a conversation about, at some point.”

Story upcoming pic.twitter.com/8uGwxk2s84

— Meg Kinnard (@MegKinnardAP) April 12, 2021

I Don't Think Pence Can Be President in the Post-Trump Era, but 2016 Showed That We Should Never Say Never

Pence Combining Conservative And MAGA Forces, With Trump’s Blessing, Many Speculate About 2024 (lifezette.com)

Former Vice President Mike Pence is seeking to combine traditional conservatism with former President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again agenda by launching a new political advocacy group.

This, combined with a new book deal, has left some wondering if this is Pence positioning himself for a 2024 presidential bid.

I think he should definitely consider running, and that he should do more than consider it if he thinks he can win. I think he would be a formidable general election candidate. I’m not sure he can win the primary. And the anti-religious Left would go ballistic, telling us that we’ll have an apocalyptical conservative theocracy.

We’re about 18 months from the beginning of the 2024 campaigns. It will be interesting to see how it all falls out. I think that the GOP has an incredibly strong bench and Pence is definitely part of it. I’m not sure the Democrats can say the same. They might be in a rough spot if Biden can manage to survive four years of being President and yet elects not to run again in 2024.

I Would Say That He Must Still be Alive by Then, But Democrats Have Shown They’re Happy to Win with Corpses

Biden says he expects to run for reelection in 2024 | One America News Network (oann.com)