2018 Presidential Election

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nbs.com, Wednesday December 9th

Thorn: "Totally Inappropriate" For Hunter To Run For President

New York Senator Andrew Thorn broke ranks with The White House this morning launching a furious volley at the Presidential aspirations of Vice President Jack Hunter amid rumors that an announcement regarding a 2022 run may be only days away.

Thorn, speaking on Capitol Beat, said that he hoped the Vice-President would think better of any run saying that the "VP has served his country well in difficult circumstances but to try to use that as leverage to challenge The President, who has accommodated him for the last two years would be totally inappropriate." Senator Thorn also cast doubt on Hunter's chances and positive poll numbers. "Right now the Vice-President is seen as a country first guy, who put his own aspirations aside to resolve a difficult constitutional challenge. His polling numbers reflect how well the American people think of that sacrifice. If he acts in pure self interest I think you'll see that disappear."

There was disagreement on the show from Republican analyst Jake Gray who said that the Senator was indulging in some "wishful thinking" adding "If, and I think it's a really big if, the Vice-President gets in then I think you'll see him connect with people across the country. The American people are mature enough to realize that Mr Hunter didn't retire in 2018."
 

Marky Bunny

Former Oklahoma Senator Alan Duke after announcing his 2022 Presidential bid yesterday
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(photo by Bruce Willis-casting from 2014)
 

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theedge.com, Thursday December 10th

The Republican Field: Strongest in History or A Collection of Nobodies; We're About to Find Out

The next couple of weeks may be critical in the formation of the Republican field of candidates for the 2022 Presidential Election which party elders fretting around a number of leading candidates and their level of commitment to the race.

Races against incumbent Presidents often struggle to attract the top tier of candidates and the next month may well clarify how strong the GOP race is likely to be. Thus far long shot candidates Gus Edwards of Michigan and Alan Duke of Oklahoma have declared their intentions. Former Majority Leader Robert Royce is openly exploring his options but the top tier candidates seem to be ranging from lukewarm to disinterested.

The first domino to drop may come within days. Sources close to Vice-President Jack Hunter are suggesting that he has reached a decision and may declare within days. If Hunter is in many of the top candidates will likely pass as the VP clears the field of endorsements and donations and sets the ground for a battle with his current boss, President Sam Seaborn. On the other hand if Hunter decides against a run then the spotlight will quickly switch to a pair of other leading contenders.

South Carolina Governor Ethan Butler has long been expected to run for President, but a number of indicators suggest he is leaning against a 2022 run. Thus far he has made almost no moves in forming a Political Action Committees and his staff has not been augmented with any national experience. His fundraising is also almost non-existent; with his profile that would be quickly resolved but the lack of activity has most GOP observers believing he's out.

Florida's James Ritchie has largely shown his hand by aiming for the leadership of the RNC, a position that would make a run for the White House very difficult in light of his pledge to pass should he win. Working down the list of contenders, Texas Governor Adam De Haan would top many GOP supporters lists. De Haan's personal life and history will appeal to some but may well repulse the Christian Conservative wing making his ascension a tricky road. He is making a lot of the right noises and if the other top tier guys pass then he may find the momentum irresistible.

The questions around their top candidates are making the GOP leadership explore a range of other options. There are growing suggestions that 2018 nominee Henry Shallick should be encouraged to run again. A ground swell of support exists around Ohio Senator Ruth Norton Stewart, a candidate who much of the party could unite behind. Pennsylvania duo Carlin Cassidy and Morgan Mitchell have avid supporters but also strong enemies within the party.

Republican analyst James Eaton suggested we could be months away from knowing the full field. "A lot of people are waiting for Hunter. A lot of people are waiting on Butler. Until that all gets sorted out candidates will probably hold their ground. That might mean it's March or April before the last candidates have shown their hand."
 
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RRusso1982

I agree with with what someone else said. If Hunter is going to run, the right thing to do would be to resign as Vice President. You can't be serving in an administration you are running against.
 

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nbs.com, Thursday December 10th

White House Refuses To Comment On Stray Rumors

With Washington rife with speculation that Vice-President Jack Hunter may be set to announce his plans to run for President, the White House said it had no intention of being drawn into "wild guesswork" after press secretary Cassie Tatum was besieged by questions at todays Press Briefing.

Tatum said that the administration was "in touch" with the Vice-President and has "absolutely no intention of commenting on rumors and speculation". She also refused to be drawn into suggestions that the President will immediately announce UN Ambassador Paris Stray as his 2022 running mate in response to any announcement of Hunter's candidacy adding only that "We can't prepare answers for things you guys make up in Georgetown bars."

Stray's name has picked up a lot of momentum in Democratic circles over the weekend and many see her as the favorite to join the President's ticket after an excellent performance in her current role. She cancelled a series of appointments over the past couple of days sending Twitter into meltdown with the hashtag #SpotStray trending as people posted increasingly unlikely evidence that the former Governor of Maine was in Washington.
 

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theedge.com, Friday December 11th

Ohio Senator Visits New Hampshire, Testing Waters for Presidential Run

Amid all of the speculation surrounding Vice-President Jack Hunter another potential Republican contender has quietly been making moves, readying the ground for a run at The White House in 2022. Ohio's Ruth Norton-Stewart has hired a number of national analysts, pollsters and campaign staff and has secured the website domain rights for a range of options including RNS2022.com and RNSForAmerica.com.

Republican analyst Kevin Kahn told NBS that "Norton-Stewart is pretty much everyone's second choice. Hunter backers like her. Butler backers like her. Ritchie backers like her. She's very well placed to be the consensus candidate if all of the top tier guys don't run. Her folksy, working class background will make a very nice contrast against a California liberal like Sam Seaborn."

One name to watch here is Walken veteran Ann Stark. The mastermind behind both election victories for the former President may be key to the Ohio Senator's plans. If she is dragooned into running a campaign for the Vice-President then a run is unlikely for 57 year old, Norton-Stewart. If she can convince Stark to run her campaign then it will be a very clear sign that she is all in.

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Ruth Norton-Stewart (photo: Megan Mullally)
 

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nbs.com, Friday December 11th

BREAKING: White House Confirms 10am Press Conference

In the last few minutes the White House has confirmed that the President will hold a press conference this morning in the Rose Garden, with sources close to the President trailing a major announcement. With speculation surrounding Vice-President Jack Hunter there are rumors that the administration may be planning to confirm the President's strategy for a running mate in 2022.
 

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capitolbeat.com, Friday December 11th

Vice-President Rules Out 2022 Run

At a joint press conference with President Sam Seaborn in the White House Rose Garden, Vice President Jack Hunter has confirmed that he will not seek the Republican nomination for President in 2022 and intends to serve out his term as Vice-President. Both he and the President also confirmed that there will be no unity ticket in 2022 and that Hunter will stand aside for whomever Seaborn chooses as his running mate for that election.

In a surprising twist of formality the Vice-President spoke first saying that due to "increasing speculation" that he and the President felt it was very important the clarify the plan for the next two years. Hunter said that he believed it "wasn't in the American people's interest to see a battle between their President and Vice-President" and that whilst he disagreed with the President on policy that he had come to appreciate "what most Americans outside the Beltway know intuitively - what unites us is far great than what divides us - a lesson many in Washington ought to learn, and learn quick." When asked whether the intended to endorse and campaign for a Republican candidate in 2022, the Vice-President said he would honor his pledge to stay neutral - "I am a Christian, an American, and a Republican. In that order and I intend to focus on keeping my word to God and to the President and to honoring the American people. I appreciate that will anger some on my side of the aisle but I believe it's what the American people deserve."

After the Vice-President had completed his remarks, President Seaborn lavished his deputy with praise. "Despite what many think, the majority of people who enter public life do so out of love of their country. The Vice-President today has shown everything that is good about public life, prioritizing the good of the American people over his own personal ambitions. That is to be commended. Despite our ideological differences and disagreements I believe both professionally and personally the Vice-President and I have a strong relationship and Lauren and I consider the entire Hunter family to be our friends."

Asked about whether he would encourage Hunter to seek national office after 2022, the President said "I don't think there is any question that he has more to offer this country after 2022. I might even campaign for him." prompting the Vice-President to suggest that he wasn't sure "how helpful that would be."

The Vice-President's decision is likely to kickstart the Republican Primary into life with a number of contenders waiting in the wings until they knew what the notional front runner was intending.
 
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KingCrawa

KingCrawa

On a semi related note, what does the West Wing have against successful productive President/Vice President relationships. You had Bartlet and Hoynes who couldn't stand each other, then Bartlet and Russell who couldn't stand each other. Then Leo died (not the writers fault of course), then you guys decided to take out Baker (not sure why. Was there a reason behind that), leaving Santos on three VPs in one term. Then Walken did have the same VP for two terms, but rapidly sidelined Clarke in favour of elevating Shallick to defacto VP. And now Sam and Hunter.

Can we just have two terms with a President and Vice President who like each other where nobody dies?
 

RRusso1982

KingCrawa said:
On a semi related note, what does the West Wing have against successful productive President/Vice President relationships. You had Bartlet and Hoynes who couldn't stand each other, then Bartlet and Russell who couldn't stand each other. Then Leo died (not the writers fault of course), then you guys decided to take out Baker (not sure why. Was there a reason behind that), leaving Santos on three VPs in one term. Then Walken did have the same VP for two terms, but rapidly sidelined Clarke in favour of elevating Shallick to defacto VP. And now Sam and Hunter.

Can we just have two terms with a President and Vice President who like each other where nobody dies?
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We did. Walken & Clark.
 

Marky Bunny

KingCrawa said:
then you guys decided to take out Baker (not sure why. Was there a reason behind that),
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Regards Baker way back in 2009 it was a first major storyline we had done, we just wanted to shake things up at the time. It wasn't that Baker fell out with Santos, but he had health issues caused in part by his wife's own problems (as indicated in the show).
As has just been pointed out above Walken was really torn between Clark and Shallick, he did respect her and she helped him win Texas in 2010 (after Santos carried it in 2006) and was praised for her handling of the 2011 Jerusalem attacks when Walken was out of contact. We had no talk either in the thread or behind the scenes of having Walken dump Clark in 2014. Shallick was his oldest political friend and he was torn by loyalty to the both of them.
 

Marky Bunny

2010 was a close election (actually very close to the last 3 real world elections in terms of the electoral college and states won), it was 310 to Walken and 228 to Santos, but if you flip Texas (34 ec votes) & Minnesota (10 ec votes), Santos wins 272 to 266 (which would have been the same ec win as 2006).
Walken carried Minnesota by only 559 votes (0.02%) and Texas by just 13, 254 votes (0.16%). Clark was vital to Walken winning. Santos actually flipped three states which Vinick carried in 2006 (California, South Dakota & Maine) and held on for wins in South Carolina, New Mexico and Nevada.
 

Bad'Wolf

KingCrawa said:
See my post. By the end of Walken's second term, Clark was being sidelined and had all but been replaced by Shallick.

That's not a good working relationship between people who like each other.
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Obama and Biden had one of the closest relationships between a president and a vice president probably since Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale. And Obama still favoured Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. On a similar, show-related note, Bartlet and Hoynes had an infamously difficult relationship, but Bartlet still wanted to pave the way for Hoynes to be nominated in the next election after he won his second term.

Relations between presidents and vice presidents are always fascinating, and it's even better when a little drama colours even a close relationship or mutual respect exists even in a difficult one.
 

Marky Bunny

Bad'Wolf said:
Bartlet and Hoynes had an infamously difficult relationship, but Bartlet still wanted to pave the way for Hoynes to be nominated in the next election after he won his second term.
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Yes the four words why he wouldn't dump Hoynes in 2002 "BECAUSE I COULD DIE". He respected Hoynes enough to know that he was ready and able to be President if Bartlet died from MS.
 
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