WI: Bin Laden kills Obama?
- Thread starter ArKhan
- Start date
Bidens "Big Deal" .......ew.
But in all seriousness, 1964 all over again, only difference is Romney is (while as bad as holding his image) still uncharismatic, and unlikely to inspire future generations.
I read this as "WI: Biden kills Obama".
But yeah, I agree with the general consensus here. I actually wouldn't be surprised if Romney just waits until 2016 in this scenario and some nobody gets clobbered by Biden instead.
Given the runner up system the GOP has in place, 2012 is Romney's last chance, otherwise in 2016 he'll be 69 and been out of office for nearly a decade by then. He might decide to swallow the poison pill and give it all he's got one last time, if he doesn't run, it's likely that one of the Tea Partiers (or Newt Gringich) may get the nomination as no one else is going to run.
Mike Huckabee sat out 2012 even though he was also a runner-up of sorts in 2008, although he's younger and has a different base, he's been out of office for a similar time frame. He's still speculated as a 2016 contender.
Will Kürlich Kerl
Banned
If Romney doesn't run, we might actually see Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich, or Buddy Roemer as the Republican nominee for 2012 instead of Santorum.
Even in the worst of situations, I think Utah and Texas would just barely stay red. By like 0.01%.
Will Kürlich Kerl
Banned
Maybe Utah, but Texas is gradually turning purple. If the rest of the states go Democratic, Texas will surely go Democratic.
You haven't followed it as religiously as me most likely. Huckabee's not on the top of the list but he's around there. Once you get rid of the "new crop" (Christie, Rand, Ryan, Jindal) I'd say then he, Santorum and Bush make up the frontrunners. I don't expect all four of those initial figures to jump in - but I do think Huckabee still wants to be president and might give it a shot again.
Remember, Obama is the guy who got the Nobel Peace Prize before doing anything to earn it. If he is killled by Obama bin Laden (also before he has actually gotten around to propose his domestic agenda), Obama would be the most universally acclaimed US President ever. An African American progressive, peace-promoting president who was martyred by forces of religious intolerance, anti-Americanism, and hatred. The resulting War on Terror Part Deux would be waged to the universal acclaim of all Americans and most of the world.
Biden would not have nearly the success LBJ did in enacting his predecessor's progressive agenda, and would eventually be saddled with an unpopular war he probably didn't believe in. He would also suffer awful foot-in-mouth disease. At least it would be easier to declare victory in a war being fought explicitly for revenge once bin Laden's head is brought forth on a platter.
Problem for Republicans is that their primary voters tend to saddle them with candidates who end up having to sound like intolerant right-wing haters (even if they aren't). Biden might well get reelected no matter how bad a president he is.
Biden would not have nearly the success LBJ did in enacting his predecessor's progressive agenda, and would eventually be saddled with an unpopular war he probably didn't believe in. He would also suffer awful foot-in-mouth disease. At least it would be easier to declare victory in a war being fought explicitly for revenge once bin Laden's head is brought forth on a platter.
Problem for Republicans is that their primary voters tend to saddle them with candidates who end up having to sound like intolerant right-wing haters (even if they aren't). Biden might well get reelected no matter how bad a president he is.
Joe Biden is not Dan Quayle. The only real time Biden has put his foot in mouth that anybody remembers is him saying "big f'ing deal" during the signing of the ACA. It is not like he told a kid he spelled potato wrong when the kid spelled it right, or criticized Murphy Brown for being a single mother. Or shot his friend while quail hunting and never apologized.
Biden spent over 30 years in the senate and would have a better working relationship with the congress than Obama has in OTL. Biden would have an easier time getting legislation through congress (especially if the Democrats still controlled the House), because he would know just who he'd have to cajole in congress and he'd know how to go about doing it.
Might have been a cool dream, but it ignores reality.
The POTUS has MASSIVE protection everywhere he goes. People talk about Seal Team Six or Delta being Death on a Pale Horse, where do you think the Secret Service gets people for The Detail? Sure they clean up nice, and some of the members are career Treasury, but every member of the protective detail would kill their entire family without a second thought to protect the President. To say that they are mission orientated is like saying volcanic lava is slightly warm.
If bin Laden had been as well protected as the POTUS is while on vacation the only way the U.S. would have gotten him was with an ICBM.
This turns the Democrats into an awfully gray party: Biden is 70, Hillary is 65 (and will be 69 in 2016), and -- seriously, I had to look this up to believe it -- John Kerry turns 70 this December.
I would expect that the Republicans run someone like Paul Ryan ("Steak Baby") as early as 2012 ITTL.