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Tag: presidential race

  • Mitt Romney: Will He Become The Republican Nominee? RNC Chairman Says It’s Possible

    Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican Presidential nominee reiterated that he is not running for president amid speculation that he could be the Republican nominee in the event of a contested Republican National Convention in July. However, Romney said he would gladly accept it if given the chance.

    “I don’t think anyone in our party should say, ‘Oh no, even if the people of the party wanted me to be president, I would say no to it.’ No one is going to say that,” Romney told NBC’s Meet the Press.

    Although Mitt Romney insisted on numerous occasions that he is not joining the race, it is possible that someone who is not running for president could be nominated, according to Steffen Schmidt, a political science professor at Iowa State University.

    A contested convention only happens when the candidates fail to gather the required number of delegates to secure the nomination. “If nobody has enough delegates, then the negotiation begins,” Schmidt explained. “For example, Donald Trump would go to Carson delegates or Rubio delegates and say back me, support me, I’m the most like what you want.”

    If none of the delegates is able to collect a majority, that is when someone like Romney, who is not running, could be considered for a nomination. Schmidt added that the party could also tweak some rules to allow Romney to be placed in as the candidate.

    Mitt Romney remains positive that such a “brokered” or “contested” convention would never happen. However, RNC Chair Reince Preibus maintains that there is a tiny possibility that such scenario would occur.

    Mitt Romney said he is planning to endorse any of Donald Trump’s three rivals but insisted that he is not running. “I can tell you this: I’m not a candidate. I’m not going to be a candidate. I am going to be endorsing one of the people who is running for president.”

  • Bill O’Reilly Brings Donald Trump Back To Fox News After Mogul’s Boycott Of The Network

    One might mistake Bill O’Reilly for someone campaigning for Donald Trump, but he might just really be flattered about being the reason why Trump went back to Fox News.

    Trump reportedly said that Fox News had been unfair in covering his presidential campaign. But last Tuesday, Trump appeared in The O’Reilly Factor, where he was grilled by the host.

    Although Trump said he has always found O’Reilly to be fair, the typically outspoken host proceeded to ask Trump if the questions being asked were fair.

    The day following the interview, O’Reilly talked about Trump and his campaign on the show. O’Reilly also denied that he knew anything about the reason behind Trump’s reconciliation with the Fox News Channel. “He’s a phenomenon, this man,” O’Reilly told Yahoo News’ Katie Couric on Wednesday. “The liberal press doesn’t want a guy saying, ‘Well, we’re gonna build a fence! We’re gonna round up all the illegal aliens and deport them!’” he said. “The liberal press goes wild about that.”

    O’Reilly even defended Trump about his past statement regarding Mexican immigrants.

    “He was talking about the ‘coyotes,’ the people smugglers — not the regular Mexican people,” O’Reilly said. “He didn’t articulate it that way. It was a verbal mistake… I know what he was saying, but he didn’t say it in a way that was clear.”

    “I’ve defended Trump a lot,” O’Reilly said. “I think Trump is good for America because he’s drawing so many people in and they’re paying attention to the debates.”

    “He’s not a phony,” O’Reilly continued. “He’s entertaining, he’s energetic, and he’s knowledgeable. That’s what I look for when I want to hang out with someone.”

    But O’Reilly also called Trump “hypersensitive” when it comes to the ‘small stuff’ — and unable to accept criticism of his policies.

    “If the question is tough, you’ve got to roll with it because you’re running for president,” he said.

  • Bobby Jindal Loses ‘Duck Dynasty’ Star’s Endorsement To Donald Trump? Governor Says No

    It looks like Duck Dynasty star Willie Robertson has switched camps after he appeared at the Donald Trump rally over the weekend. However, Bobby Jindal and his team deny that Robertson has ditched them for The Donald.

    Robertson and his wife, who star in the Louisiana-based reality show about a family business that manufactures duck hunting goods, made an official announcement back in April that they are supporting their governor in the upcoming Presidential race. Jindal has also stated that he is a fan of the show.

    He even appeared on the popular reality show saying: “Duck Dynasty is one of my favorite shows. My kids wait anxiously for each new episode and watch DVR’d episodes over and over again.” “I was proud to be on the show and even more proud to call the Robertsons my friends,” he added. However, during a Trump rally, the reality TV star announced that he likes Trump now. “I do like me some Trump, I’ve gotta admit.” said Robertson at the Oklahoma State Fair.

    “Here’s the deal. We’re both successful businessmen. We both have pretty big shows on television. We both have wives that are 1,000 times better-looking than us so I like Trump,” admitted Robertson.

    The Louisiana Governor denied that Robertson had left them and claimed that the reality star is just being nice to the GOP front-runner.

    Jindal said Robertson may have said that he likes Trump but it did not mean that he was endorsing the Apprentice star for president.

    In an email written by Jindal’s campaign spokesman, Kyle Plotkin, he said that Jindal and Robertson had a chat over the weekend. He hinted that the reality star is still on their side although he admires Trump’s business expertise.

    Robertson has been a Jindal supporter since 2013 even before he expressed his desire to join the 2016 presidential race.

  • Jeb Bush Says ‘I Apologize’ To Donald Trump For Campaigning In Spanish

    Jeb Bush has released a campaign video in observance of Hispanic Heritage Month. The video, “Todos Somos Americanos” or “We are all Americans,” features Bush speaking in Spanish and his Mexican-American wife, Columba Bush, speaking in English.

    Jeb says in Spanish: “The United States of America is a great country. Thanks to the people that come from all over the world, contributing to our economy and community. To me, Hispanic culture is very important and positive.”

    He also said he is proud that his children and grandchildren are Hispanic. Columba, who is rarely seen in Jeb’s campaign activities said in English: “I have lived over half my life here. We all have the same interests, the same feelings.”

    Jeb’s campaign advisers are positive that his family’s ties with the Latino community will contribute a lot to his campaign.

    Jeb highlights the importance of Hispanics in nation building and that they are part of the “American dream.” He then urged the people to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, a month-long celebration which marks the independence days of many Central American and South American countries.

    The video is released despite rival, Donald Trump’s remarks on Jeb’s inclination to speak Spanish in his speeches, when addressing Spanish-language media and when answering questions from the Latino community.

    Trump previously said Jeb should speak English while in the U.S. which Jeb finds disrespectful.

    The former Florida governor, has a sarcastic response to Trump’s criticisms: “I’m going to campaign in the Latino communities and yes, Mr. Trump if I’m asked a question in Spanish, I might answer in Spanish,” Jeb said, then adds “I apologize.”

    Jeb and Trump will face each other again on stage at the CNN Republican presidential debate that will be held on Wednesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

  • Michelle Obama Vs. Hillary Clinton, Survey Reveals Winner In Presidential Race

    Who do you think would win, Hillary Clinton or First Lady Michelle Obama?

    That’s the question that Rasmussen asked hypothetically to voters in a bid to gauge how the Democratic presidential primary would run by suggesting a potential challenger to current favorite Hillary Clinton – the First Lady herself.

    The results were quite surprising (or not, depending on how you view the Obamas) as it shows that if Michelle Obama runs for president in 2016, she will give Hillary Clinton a run for her money.

    The new Rasmussen Report telephone survey found that in the theoretical matchup, 56% of Likely Democratic Voters chose Clinton and 22% chose Obama.

    While Clinton still enjoyed a sizeable lead, the numbers underline the fact that the First Lady has a better standing among voters than likely Democratic primary candidates Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley.

    Sanders has already announced his presidential plans while O’Malley might announce his plans later in the month.

    Obama’s numbers are also theoretically better than Elizabeth Warren’s or Joe Biden’s.

    With black voters, it’s understandable that Obama got 44% of their support while Clinton got 36%.

    But among all the voters surveyed, Clinton clinched 37% of their support, Obama got 17% while 40% of the voters prefer another candidate.

    It’s not surprising that Obama showed good numbers in the polls. The First Lady is one of the more popular political figures around, always averaging a 67% approval rating.

    Of those polled, 34% think she’s done as worse as her predecessors and 30% believe she did better than the other first ladies. The rest think she’s the same as the others.

    She also does well with women voters who view her in a far better light than male voters do. Interestingly, the report also shows that the older the voter, the less like s/he approves of the First Lady.

    Obama’s numbers are clearly not enough to get past Clinton’s strong lead but it’s impressive enough to bear thinking.

    However, the First Lady herself has definitively stated that she has no plans to run for president.

    Reports say that once President Obama’s term ends, the whole family will be relocating to New York. The president has plans to run a foundation or might even go back to teaching law. The first lady also has a lot of options available to her, both in the private sector or in a nonprofit organization.

  • Jeb Bush: Should He Run For President Or VP?

    Jeb Bush is famously silent on his intent to run for President. It is rumored that even his brother, George W. Bush, doesn’t know his leanings on the subject yet.

    But, while many have said that Jeb Bush would make a great Republican nominee, some say that he would make an even better candidate for Veep.

    Jeb Bush’s stance on immigration reform and education make him swing a little more moderate than some on the far right and Tea Partiers would like. However, should an extreme conservative (see Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, etc) gain the nominee, many think that Jeb Bush would be a great way to find balance and draw in more moderate Republican voters who otherwise wouldn’t touch a double Tea Party ticket.

    A prominent Republican consultant is quoted as saying,

    “Jeb would be perfectly acceptable to the base if the nominee is a proven conservative. If it’s [New Jersey Governor Chris] Christie or some moderate, Jeb would be a no go. On the other hand, if a right-wing nominee wanted to make a bow towards the middle and add some Hispanic vote appeal, Jeb would be a good choice.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iq98FwIiMI

    There is rampant speculation as election talk begins to fly, of course, but many maintain that Hillary Clinton could be the Democratic nominee. So, how would a Jeb Bush/Hillary Clinton face off go? Not that well, says a reporter from the National Journal.

    “Clinton’s challenge will be to maintain her above-water favorability ratings, despite being closely tied to an unpopular administration…. Many of these voters have become disillusioned under the Obama administration and have been trending away from the Democratic Party. The good news for Clinton is that they’re receptive to her candidacy. The bad news is that once she announces as a candidate, there’s a risk that her appeal fades away with these groups as Republican attacks begin…. As accomplished as Jeb Bush is, the notion that he’d be the party’s strongest contender against Clinton is fanciful—and that’s if he could even manage to get out of a primary. He hasn’t won an election since 2002, he’s proven slow to adapt to the new media landscape and navigating the waters between establishment leadership and the tea-party grassroots. Most importantly, his last name carries significant baggage.”

    It is rumored that Jeb’s wife, Columba doesn’t want him running for president because of the time and incredible stress involved. But, Jeb Bush’s mama thinks he’d be great in office.

    “I just don’t understand it. And maybe Jeb’s given all he should give, because he’s worked awfully hard for a long time. But he is the best qualified person in the country, there’s no question about it.”

    Could a run for VP make the most sense to satisfy Jeb Bush’s diligent commitment to serving his country as well as his wife’s wishes that he not go overboard and become a slave to his campaign?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Bobby Jindal for President 2016?

    Bobby Jindal for President 2016?

    Republican Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal threw down the gauntlet this week when he announced that he has switched positions on his opinion on Common Core standards for education. For those of you who don’t have kids, Common Core is basically a Federal standard for what school kids should know at the end of each grade level. This, theoretically, would institute a level educational playing field from one state to the next.

    Jindal supported the Common Core standards initially, but is now backing a more conservative approach, saying that the federal government is too involved in the process, and that such matters should be left up to the states.

    “[T]he Common Core standards did originally grow from states wanting to increase standards so our students can better compete with the rest of the world,” Jindal said in an opinion piece for USA Today. “But a few things have happened along the way. First, the federal government became increasingly involved. Unless you are fighting a war, the kind that requires tanks, submarines and jets, you really don’t want the federal government involved.”

    Jindal’s shift was widely seen as a political move to position himself as a potential 2016 presidential candidate.

    Could Jindal be a contender in the 2016 GOP primary?

    The Nation notes that Jindal is serious about running. He has positioned himself to take advantage of the huge vacuum left by Chris Christie falling from favor. He speaks out against President Obama any chance he gets — which any serious GOP candidate would have to do — and he hits all the right talking points: slashing entitlements, income tax reform, privatizing Medicare.

    Jindal jumped into the public eye in 2009 when he was chosen to give the official Republican response to President Obama’s State of the Union address that year. Those responses seldom have the production values of the SOTU itself. But Jindal caught all manner of flack for his goofy entrance to the podium and over-eager delivery. He was also derided for the resemblance between his demeanor and that of “Kenneth the Page” on the television show 30 Rock.

    Thanks to these 2 fluff points, the content of Jindal’s remarks went relatively unnoticed. Jindal has largely gone unnoticed outside of Louisiana, but is now assembling the machinery necessary to launch a primary campaign.

    Not everyone is happy about that.

    Image via YouTube