First there was Ted Cruz. Then Rand Paul. Now we can add Marco Rubio, Scott Walker and possibly Chris Christie and Ben Carson to the list of GOP hopefuls. After almost eight years of watching the other party in the White House, it seems that any and all prominent Republican politicians are willing to throw their hat in the ring for a chance at the presidency.
The important thing to remember is that we aren’t picking the most qualified person for the job, but rather someone who represents ourselves and our concerns – and someone who is resilient in the face of embarrassment or media attacks. This happens because Americans have a hard time remembering the redundant talking points of politics but seem to have an aptitude toward ruining politician’s careers by pointing fingers and laughing like a playground shame circle.
We all remember the Howard Dean speech that ended with a right arm haymaker and an exclamatory “BYAAAAH!” or the fact that Mitt Romney put his dog on top of his car, ostracized half the electorate and purportedly had binders full of women. However we have a harder time remembering the discrepancies in Obama’s and Romney’s views on healthcare and sustainable energy.
So when I look for a GOP candidate that can make it through the gauntlet of presidential campaigning, I simply don’t see one. Ted Cruz is going to be painted crazy, Rand Paul isn’t “right” enough to win a primary, retired surgeon Ben Carson won’t raise enough funds, Chris Christie will be haunted by “Bridegate” and I’m already laughing thinking about the video of Marco Rubio taking a sip of water at his State of the Union rebuttal. That’s leaves us with Scott Walker who I’d love to endorse but has a political history littered with gaffes and close elections.
So with no other options, I guess I’ll tell you who I want. I want a strong, assertive and innovative businessperson who is composed enough to make it through the presidential campaign and charismatic enough to win votes. Basically, I’m waiting for Meg Whitman, Carly Fiorina or Susana Martinez to throw their hat in the ring… At that moment, my mind will be made up.
Contreras is a senior political science major. He is also the ASB vice president.
Grace Gaines