Now, after the votes have been counted, I bring forth my Presidential Power rankings, 3rd editions.
Fortunately, we have lost a few candidates along the way...Martin O'Malley, George Pataki and a few others.
So, this is 1 person's opinion, with a beer or 2 quaffed down and I don't play favorites.
1. Donald Trump: Yes, he came in 2nd in Iowa but he got almost the same number of delegates as Cruz, he still gets the media, has the money and still has big leads in the polls. He also appeared humbled yesterday and today. Down Side: High unfavorable, eminent domain, doesn't have a ground game and says stupid things.
2. Marco Rubio: He came in 3rd in Iowa, which was kind of surprising to me but not in the polls. He is young, a good talker, good looking, Hispanic. Down Side: He's not a true conservative and he was in the Gang of 8, which is not popular among Republicans.
3. Ted Cruz: Won Iowa even though he was 2nd in the polls. He is a great debater, has a good ground game and has a nice story. He also has advertised on conservative talk radio, which helps a lot. Down Side: Very dirty politics played against Ben Carson, misleading advertising and not sure how the most conservative candidate out there will fare in more moderate states.
4. Bernie Sanders. He might just get the nomination by default. Has a good ground game and can attract the uneducated younger voter.
Down Side: A 74 year old Socialist just won't win the presidency.
5. Ben Carson: Most educated man who was a victim of dirty politics by Ted Cruz and his followers. He is the most educated and intelligent candidate out there. He still has a chance if Cruz fails and conservatives flock to him, but it is a slim chance. Down Side: He's just too nice, not articulate like the others, foreign policy knowledge is limited and President Obama will probably never allow another Black person to be elected president for a couple of decades.
6. Chris Christie: New Hampshire is his make or break state. He has a reputation as a tough talker. Down Side: He governs New Jersey, which is pretty much of a hell hole, especially tax and regulation wise.
7. Hillary Clinton: She barely won Iowa to a 74 year old Socialist who a few months ago, was a joke. She has the somewhat solid support of the Democrat establishment and she has money. Down Side: Even the liberal media is starting to turn on her over the e-mails. If she is nominated, there will be a lot of minorities moderate democrats staying home. She sounds tired and husband Bill sounds weak and tired and the bimbo eruption will not be washed over.
8. Jeb Bush: New Hampshire is a make or break state and he has the support, for now, of the GOP establishment. He also has money and some large PAC support. Down Side: 2,500 votes in Iowa? Pathetic. He has not gained any kind of traction. Finally, this is a bad year for any candidate named Bush or Clinton .
9. Rand Paul: He got 1 delegate in Iowa. Other than that, he is just spinning is tires.
10. John Kasich: He's a governor but not a very good one. Did poorly in Iowa and is making his run in New Hampshire.
11. Carly Fiorina: Did very poorly in Iowa and has fallen way back since the 2nd debate. She could beat Hillary but won't get the chance.
12. Valma Kittington: Her resume is a conservative dream and if she had the money and media, she could make a name for herself. She's young, Black, conservative on most issues. Her view of the death penalty seems a bit extreme though: On the death penalty, Kittington supports mandatory execution of those found guilty of raping, kidnapping, or murdering children, while in the case of a first offense against an adult victim, she proposes that the victim's family be given the choice of whether to allow the perpetrator to live. http://2016.republican-candidates.org/Kittington/
13: Roque De La Fuente: A Democrat. Hey, if Bernie and Hillary fail, guess who's left for the Democrats? https://ballotpedia.org/Roque_De_La_Fuente
At the Thursday Night Café...
7 hours ago
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