Somebody ought to put a phone call through to Hell and see what Russert thinks about all this.

The idea of the candidate for a major political party dropping out after securing the nomination -- let alone having a plan in place ahead of time -- is just silly. These guys have some of the hugest egos on earth and they are the last people to admit defeat. What This speculation borders on the absurd when you see the names thrown about:

• Condoleezza Rice (Secretary of State) -- Worst NSA secretary ever. No accomplishments as Sec. of State.
• Colin Powell (fmr Sec. of State) -- blew his political career before the UN
• Marilyn Musgrave (Colorado Congresswoman) -- Who? Oh, I get it, she's a woman, so all those disaffected Hillary supporters would naturally jump on her bandwagon.
• Mitt Romney (fmr Massachusetts Governor) -- Gov. Flip-Flop?
• Mike Huckabee (fmr Governor of Arkansas) -- The only race he could win is for next spokesman for Subway
• Charlie Crist (Florida Governor) -- He just became governor, right? Where's the experience?
• Tim Pawlenty (Minnesota Governor) -- Governor from Minnesota, eh? I thought it was Jesse Ventura.
• Bobby Jindal (Louisiana Governor) -- Republicans only like people of color if they are former athletes or entertainers. That and he has even less experience than Obama.
• Mark Sanford: (Governor of South Carolina) -- It's the big one, Esther!
• John Thune (Senator from South Dakota) -- He'll carry all 3 delegates from his state in the electoral college.
• Dick Lugar (Senator from Indiana) -- Too old.
• Chuck Hagel (Senator from Nebraska) -- He's not well liked among the conservative lifers.
• Michael Bloomberg (NYC Mayor) -- He's not going to blow his political career on a longshot.

Yngwie Einstein wrote:• Mark Sanford: (Governor of South Carolina) -- It's the big one, Esther!

It's Elizabeth. "I'm coming to join you, Elizabeth!"

You must be confusing her with Esther Rolle, who played Florida Evans on Good Times. Racialist.

Yngwie Einstein wrote:• Michael Bloomberg (NYC Mayor) -- He's not going to blow his political career on a longshot.

Also, not even a Republican anymore.

It's an interesting thought, but it does remind me of the theory that Cheney was going to be replaced in 2004. Probably not very likely.

alandeus wrote:

Yngwie Einstein wrote:• Mark Sanford: (Governor of South Carolina) -- It's the big one, Esther!

It's Elizabeth. "I'm coming to join you, Elizabeth!"

You must be confusing her with Esther Rolle, who played Florida Evans on Good Times. Racialist.

I always have had that quote mixed up in my brain because he says it when Aunt Esther is around. It's like hearing the wrong lyric to a song I've heard a million times. It happens with old age.

Aunt Esther: Fred, I need your help.
Fred Sanford: But, Esther, I'm a junkman, not a plastic surgeon.
Aunt Esther: But, Fred, I need your truck.
Fred Sanford: I agree. Son, take the truck and run over Esther's face.

unarmedman wrote:It's an interesting thought, but it does remind me of the theory that Cheney was going to be replaced in 2004. Probably not very likely.

That's exactly what I was thinking, and why I quoted an article from 2004 in this thread.

There is also something of an under-the-radar campaign among Republicans promoting their friends for a job that may never come open. As an example, boosters of Rudolph W. Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, have long tried to toss his name in the mix

''I suppose right now, because we're in the run-up to the convention, people don't have much to talk about so you get speculation on that,'' he said. ''It's normal. When we get to the convention, I think that'll put an end to that.'' Who would replace ...nonetheless became a favorite Washington guessing game, with...Colin L. Powell...whispered about the most.

It's a whole bunch of (terrorist fist) jabbering.

This seems pure crack-pot to me. I mean it's not on the level of lizard people or moon landing hoax, but it sounds pretty doubtful. The republican party would look pretty cooky if they pulled this after all of the primaries.

What is the chance he will drop dead of old age before the election?

Does anyone know if they still let him drive? Jesus. The senile old motherfucker barely knows his name.
I cannot believe that people are trying to convince themselves it's a good idea to elect a 97 year old man in a diaper to be president.
PRESIDENT.
I'd have great misgivings about putting him in charge of greeting people at Wal-mart. Be afraid he'd fall down and break his hip or something.

Oh yeah, he's gonna name the fucking MORMON as his vice president choice soon. A FUCKING MORMON! That's just great. Isn't there like a religion where people worship trout or bluegill or something somewhere, couldn't you pick one of them? Because that makes a lot more sense than that stupid fucking creepy child fucking mormon shit.

this election could well be the first one in a long while where the vice presidential candidates are really important, what with the higher-than-normal chance of either presidential candidate dying in office, McCain from falling in the bathtub, Obama from the sniper's bullet.