[lbo-talk] 2008 Republicans Move to Left of Bush

mike larkin mike_larkin2001 at yahoo.com
Tue Oct 4 18:44:01 PDT 2005


"As Republicans "begin testing the waters" to succeed President Bush in 2008, the surprise is that "almost all the would-be contenders are standing to the left of Bush politically," the Boston Globe reports.

In fact, only two people "mentioned as possible Republican presidential contenders seem eager to adopt the Bush image of a president who is boldly aggressive overseas, committed to a steady run of tax cuts, and willing to pursue the social agenda of the religious right. Those would-be Bush inheritors are the president's younger brother, Governor Jeb Bush of Florida, who is downplaying the possibility of a run, and Senator George Allen of Virginia, who is actively drumming up enthusiasm for an '08 run."

"But at least seven other would-be candidates have broken with the president on a variety of important issues." They are: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) former House speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA), Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R), Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), New York Gov. George Pataki (R), and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani.

"The seven differ from one another in many important ways, but they all seem to be preparing for two major course corrections. The first is a shift in approach on Iraq, to emphasize pragmatism over ideology... The second course correction seems to be an inching away from the religious right."

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2005/10/04/2008_republicans_move_to_left_of_bush.html

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