Twelve for '12: A Dozen Republicans Who Could Be the Next President

[Dos Equis]

Not much movement in the polls after Perry's poor debate performance. 

CNN Poll: Perry still at top but Romney stronger vs. Obama
By: CNN Political Unit

Washington (CNN) - Despite his performances in the two most recent Republican presidential debates, a new national survey indicates that Texas Gov. Rick Perry remains on top of the field in the race for the GOP nomination.

But a CNN/ORC International Poll also indicates that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney does better than Perry in hypothetical 2012 general election matchups against President Barack Obama and matches evenly with the president on the issues and on personal characteristics.

According to the survey, which was released Monday, 28 percent of Republicans and independents who lean towards the GOP say they support Perry as their party's presidential nominee, with Romney at 21 percent. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is at ten percent, with Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who's making his third bid for the White House, former Godfather's Pizza CEO and radio talk show host Herman Cain, and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, all at seven percent. The poll indicates that Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota is at four percent, with former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania at three percent and former Utah Gov. and ambassador to China Jon Huntsman at one percent.

Palin has flirted with a bid for the GOP nomination, but the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee has not taken any concrete steps towards launching a campaign. Taking Palin out of the mix produces a similar result: 30 percent for Perry, 22 percent for Romney, 11 percent for Gingrich, and all other candidates in single digits.

The poll was conducted Friday through Sunday, after last Thursday's debate in Orlando, Florida. Pundits and analysts rate Perry's performance in that debate, and in a debate one a week and a half earlier in Tampa, Florida, as uneven. Perry's distant second showing at a much-watched straw poll of Florida GOP activists this past weekend may be a reflection of his debate performances, and his stance on illegal immigration and border security, which were spotlighted in both debates.

"Did Perry's performance in the most recent debate affect the horse race? Maybe yes, but maybe no," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Perry's support is down just two points, and Romney is up only one to three points - and since all those numbers are well within the sampling error, it doesn't look like much has changed, possibly because average voters aren't as plugged into the debates as political junkies are. If the debates have had an effect, it may be mostly in favor of Gingrich, whose support went from 5 percent in mid-September to 10 percent now."

According to the poll, the president's overall approval rating, at 45 percent, is essentially unchanged since July. Fifty-two percent of all Americans disapprove of his job performance to date.

The 2012 election will not be an up-or-down vote on Obama, but rather a choice between the president and another candidate, so head-to-head match-ups against the top GOP candidates are a better test of Obama's electoral strength.

The survey indicates that Romney fares best against Obama. It's basically all tied up with 49 percent for Obama and 48 percent for Romney in a hypothetical two-way match-up. According to the poll, Obama holds a five point margin over Perry, 51 percent to 46 percent.

In a hypothetical matchup between Paul and Obama, the president holds a four point margin, 51 percent to 47 percent. Obama handily beats Bachmann and Palin in two-way match-ups. But keep in mind, as always, that polls taken more than a year before the election have little or no predictive value.

Obama's ace-in-the-hole remains the fact that he is personally more popular than his policies. According to the poll, his favorable rating, which measures reactions to him personally, is eight points higher than his job approval rating. Fifty-two percent of all Americans disagree with him on issues, but 58 percent believe he has the personality and leadership qualities a president should have. And by a 49 to 43 percent margin, Americans say that personal qualities are more important than issues to their vote for president.

Only Romney matches up well with Obama on both of those measures. Six in ten Americans say Romney has the personal qualities a president should have, compared to only 45 percent who feel that way about Perry.

Forty-six percent of Americans agree with Romney on issues. "That doesn't sound like much, but it's far better than the 39 percent who say they agree with Perry. That 46 percent is also ten points higher than the number who agreed with Romney in his first run for the White House in 2008," adds Holland.

The CNN poll was conducted by ORC International from September 23-25, with 1,010 adult Americans, including 447 Republicans and independents who lean towards the GOP questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.

– CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/26/cnn-poll-perry-still-at-top-but-romney-stronger-vs-obama/#more-177691

[Dos Equis]

Or maybe there is?   


IBOPE Zogby Poll: Perry Plummets to 18%; Trails Cain For Lead Among GOP Primary Voters

Obama's Overall Approval Steady at 42%

UTICA, NY--Rick Perry has tumbled by more than 20 percentage points over the past month among Republican presidential primary voters and is now second to Herman Cain, who leads the field with 28%.

Mitt Romney received little benefit from Perrys fall, garnering 17% of the vote for third place.

As for President Barack Obama, both his job approval (42%) and the percentage who believe he deserves re-election (37%) are little changed from recent polls, but he does seem to be winning back some supporters who have been disappointed in his job performance.

These results are from an IBOPE Zogby interactive poll conducted Sept. 23-26 of all likely voters and of likely Republican primary voters.

. . . . 

http://www.ibopezogby.com/news/2011/09/26/ibope-zogby-poll-perry-plummets-18-trails-cain-lead-among-gop-primary-voters/

[Dos Equis]

Fox News Poll: GOP Race Top Tier Now Romney, Perry and Cain
By Dana Blanton
Published September 28, 2011
FoxNews.com

After three September debates, Herman Cain is in the top tier, Rick Perry has stumbled and Mitt Romney's holding steady.

Three September debates have shaken-up the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Herman Cain has jumped into the top tier. Rick Perry’s stumbled. Mitt Romney's holding steady.

And Michele Bachmann is hitting bottom. That’s according to a Fox News poll released Wednesday.

The new poll found Cain’s support has nearly tripled among GOP primary voters to 17 percent.

That’s up from 6 percent before this month’s debates, and puts him in what is essentially a three-way tie with Perry and Romney.

Click here to see the full results from the poll

Cain has benefited not only from his debate performances, but also significant media attention after winning the Florida Republican Party’s straw poll on Saturday.

Perry now garners 19 percent, a drop of 10 percentage points from a month ago. That puts Romney back in the top spot with the support of 23 percent. Last month Romney was at 22 percent.

Newt Gingrich recovered some ground and now stands at 11 percent. Ron Paul receives the backing of 6 percent now compared to 8 percent before the September debates.

Bachmann registers 3 percent support, down from 8 percent in late August and a high of 15 percent in July.

The nomination preference question included only the names of announced candidates.

The order is similar when GOP primary voters were asked which candidate they have the most in common with: Perry tops that list at 17 percent, followed by Cain at 14 percent, Romney at 12 percent, Bachmann at 10 percent, Gingrich at 7 percent and Paul at 6 percent.

Republicans are much happier with the GOP field these days. The number saying they are at least somewhat impressed with their slate of candidates has increased 19 points -- from 44 percent in April to 63 percent now.

After much speculation, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said again Tuesday he would not run for president this year. The poll found that by a 7-point margin Republicans thought Christie should run and by a 4-point margin Tea Party folks liked the idea.

What about the other side of the 2012 ballot? By a 66-27 percent margin, Democratic primary voters prefer Obama as their nominee over his former rival, Sec. of State Hillary Clinton. And another 3 percent volunteer they would like someone else altogether.

Hypothetical, Early Matchups

Obama continues to hold a slim edge over Romney and Perry in hypothetical matchups among all voters, but not among those highly interested in this election. That’s driven by relatively higher levels of interest among Republicans as their party picks a candidate and holds debates.

Among all registered voters Obama tops Romney by 3 points, which is within the poll’s margin of sampling error. In July, Obama had a 6-point edge and a year ago it was 1-point. The strength of party support is similar for each, as 85 percent of Democrats back Obama and 83 percent of Republicans support Romney.

Romney tops Obama among independents by a slim 2 points.

In a head-to-head matchup with Perry, Obama bests him by 8 points among all voters, and by 6 points among independents.

Overall, more voters doubt that Obama will be re-elected president than think he will be (by 50-to-40 percent). In May, 57 percent thought Obama would be re-elected. That was soon after the killing of Usama bin Laden. By a better than 2-to-1 margin Democrats think Obama will be re-elected.

While a 56-percent majority sees Obama’s strategy for re-election as bringing people together “with a hopeful message,” a third of voters (32 percent) think his strategy is to drive people apart “with a partisan message.”

Don’t Bother Lunching with Trump

Since Donald Trump toyed with running for president earlier this year, several Republican candidates have made a point of meeting with him. Even so, hardly any voters -- 6 percent -- say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate endorsed by Trump. In fact, by a 5-to-1 margin a Trump endorsement is more likely to have a negative impact.

Almost twice as many Republicans say a Trump endorsement would make them less likely to vote for a candidate than say it would encourage their support.

The Fox News poll is based on landline and cell phone interviews with 925 randomly chosen registered voters nationwide and was conducted under the joint direction of Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R) from September 25 to September 27. For the total sample, it has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/09/28/fox-news-poll-gop-race-top-tier-now-romney-perry-and-cain/

[Dos Equis]

RCP as of today:

Perry - 27.2
Romney - 22.8
Gingrich - 8.2
Cain - 8.2
Paul - 7.8
Bachmann - 6.4
Santorum - 2.6
Huntsman - 1.8

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html

[Soul Crusher]

Huntsman is running an awful campaign.

[Dos Equis]

Another poll shows Perry falling, Cain rising
By: CNN's Kevin Liptak

Washington (CNN) - A second national poll indicates a dramatic decline in voter support for Texas Gov. Rick Perry following a shaky debate performance and questions about his stance on social security and immigration.

According to a Washington Post/ABC News survey released Tuesday, 16% of likely Republican voters back Perry, a virtual tie with Godfather's Pizza executive Herman Cain. Both men trail former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who stands at 25%.

The last time Washington Post/ABC News asked likely Republican voters for their pick, Perry stood at 29%. The thirteen-point drop comes after a rough week for Perry, including rough reviews after a Republican presidential debate in which he said his fellow candidates "had no hearts" for disagreeing with him on a controversial immigration law.

Last week, Fox News released a poll showing a similar decline for Perry and comparable increase for Cain. In that survey, 19% of likely GOP voters backed Perry, while 17% backed Cain.

Cain's jump in national polls follows a surprise win at a closely-watched Florida straw poll, where he upset Perry, who was considered the favorite to win the much watched straw poll of GOP activists. Since then Cain has been in the media spotlight, thanks to a flurry of media appearances.

The Washington Post/ABC News Poll also asked Republicans if they thought New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin should enter the race. Forty-two percent said Christie should jump in, while only 31% said Palin should make a bid. When responding to the same question, 34% said Christie should not enter the race, and 66% said they didn't think Palin should get in.

CNN confirmed Tuesday that Christie will not enter the 2012 race. He will make that announcement at 1 p.m. ET at a news conference in Trenton.

When included with the other candidates, 10% of likely GOP voters backed Christie, putting him eleven points behind Romney (21%) and four points behind Perry and Cain (both at 14%). Nine percent backed Palin.

The Washington Post/ABC News poll surveyed 1,002 adults by telephone from September 29-October 2. The sampling error was plus or minus four percentage points.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/04/another-poll-shows-perry-falling-cain-rising/#more-178722

[chadstallion]

Huntsman is running an awful campaign.

which is too bad, as If I had to vote GOP, he would get my vote. wouldn't you know.....

[Dos Equis]

Still a long way to go for all of these candidates.  They'll need a lot of coin to compete with Obama.

Perry brings in $17 million in third fundraising quarter
By: CNN's Peter Hamby and Paul Steinhauser

(CNN) – Texas Gov. Rick Perry raised more than $17 million dollars from more than 22,000 unique contributors in the first seven weeks of his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

Perry's presidential campaign announced Wednesday morning that he also has $15 million cash on hand, as of Sept. 30, the end of the third quarter of fundraising.

Perry announced his run for the White House on Aug. 13, half way into the third quarter. His campaign said the vast majority of the money raised by Perry is for use in the primaries and caucuses, with just $50,000 of the funds designated for general election use.

Team Perry said they received donations from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam, with 51 percent of the donors hailing from outside Texas.

"The generous contributions from Americans across the nation prove the overwhelming support for Gov. Perry's principled, conservative leadership and vision to get America working again," Perry Campaign Manager Rob Johnson said in a statement.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will report raising between $11 and $13 million over the last three months, according to a source familiar with the tally. That total is less than the $18.2 million Romney collected during the previous fundraising quarter. Romney spokeswoman Gail Gitcho would not confirm the total but said a downturn in fundraising is normal during the course of a campaign.

Friday was the deadline for the third fundraising quarter of 2011, but campaigns are not required to report their totals until Oct. 15.

The quarterly totals will be watched for signs of each campaign's financial strength, but no report will be as closely scrutinized as Perry's.

Perry quickly shot to the top of national polls after his late entrance into the race, but has dropped in those surveys in the past week after two uneven debate performances and criticism by the other campaigns over his stance on illegal immigration and Social Security.

Perry is one of the most prolific GOP fundraisers in the country, but federal finance laws are stricter than those in Texas.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/05/perry-brings-in-17-million-in-third-fundraising-quarter/#more-178889

[Dos Equis]

"Top notch"?  Will have to see the rest of the names on that list. 

Romney assembles top-notch foreign policy team

(CNN) – On the eve of his foreign policy speech at The Citadel in South Carolina, former Massachusetts Gov. and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced selections for his foreign policy and national security team.

Romney revealed the names Thursday. They include former Sec. of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, who will serve as a special adviser and co-chair Romney's counterterrorism/intelligence working group.

Romney's 22-member team of special advisers also includes former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman and former Missouri Sen. Jim Talent.

The current frontrunner for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination-according to the latest national polls-also assembled thirteen working groups to tackle international affairs, national security, defense, and human rights with specific groups dedicated to regions around the world.

Romney's Friday address will be his first on major speech on foreign policy.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/06/romney-assembles-top-notch-foreign-policy-team/

[Dos Equis]

Huntsman: I'd Attack Iran if It Gained Nuclear Arms
Monday, 10 Oct 2011
By Newsmax Wires
 
Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman generally has positioned himself as the GOP field’s most moderate member. But in excerpts of a foreign policy address he’s giving today, the former Utah governor threatens Iran with attack if it successfully pursues nuclear weapons, Politico reports.

"I cannot live with a nuclear-armed Iran. If you want an example of when I would use American force, it would be that," Huntsman says.

He has voiced such a view previously, telling New Hampshire's WMUR radio station: "What do you do when Iran all of a sudden develops a weapon of mass destruction over the near year to year and a half? . . . Now, if ever there was a reason to consider using U.S. force, it would be in pursuit of situations like that."

But most of Huntsman’s prepared remarks are more moderate. He repeats his call for an end to the war in Afghanistan and says the United States should "right-size our current foreign entanglements."

Huntsman seeks "more agility, more intelligence, and more economic engagement" in foreign policy, rather than "simply advocating more ships, more troops, and more weapons."

On the issue of defense spending, Huntsman says, “A re-examination of America’s role in the world also requires a reexamination of our military and defense infrastructure. It may surprise some people to learn that we spend more on defense today than at the height of the Cold War. Indeed, we spend more on defense than the rest of the world combined.”

The country is stuck with a top-heavy military structure created during the Cold War, Huntsman says. “It needs to be transformed to reflect the 21st-century world, and the growing asymmetric threats we face,” he argues. For example, counterterrorism needs to be a much larger part of our foreign policy. We must be prepared to respond to threats — from al-Qaida and other terrorist cells — that emanate from a much more diverse geography, including Yemen, the Horn of Africa, Pakistan and the Asia-Pacific.”

http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Huntsman-nuclear-Iran-attack/2011/10/10/id/413861

[240 is Back]

I was surprised to see Ron Paul in second, because the story that ran on TV only mentioned Romney and Perry.  A little unfair to Paul IMO. 

props.  happened in ames too.  "Bachmann wins, T-Paw in 3rd!" was the headline

[Dos Equis]

Christie to Endorse Romney Ahead of GOP Debate
Published October 11, 2011
FoxNews.com

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, just one week after definitively announcing he will not run for president in the 2012 race, plans to endorse Mitt Romney for the job Tuesday afternoon, Fox News has learned.

The event is set to take place in Hanover, N.H., just hours before the Republican candidates gather for a debate nearby at Dartmouth College. In securing the support of Christie, Romney will have at his side a tough-talking governor who during his two years in office has built a reputation as a fiscal hawk not shy about taking on the public employee unions.

The former Massachusetts governor is enlisting Christie at a time when his frontrunner status is once again being challenged. Romney saw his lead slip after Texas Gov. Rick Perry jumped into the race in August. Perry has since fallen back in the polls, but businessman Herman Cain broke through to within a few points of Romney in several recent national polls.

Marking a fast turnaround for Romney, the new endorsement comes one week to the day since Christie called a press conference in Trenton to end once and for all the speculation that he would make a late entrance into the race.

Christie for months had said he would not run, but acknowledged that encouragement from others had him rethinking the decision in recent weeks. But he said he never changed his mind, and determined he had too much unfinished business to take care of in his home state.

The endorsement of Romney should leave no doubt that Christie is out as a potential candidate, but in as a potential high-profile surrogate for the former Massachusetts governor.

Romney also has secured the endorsement of former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who bowed out of the race in August.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/10/11/christie-to-endorse-romney-for-president/

[MM2K]

Are you guys ready for Mitt Romney's coronation as the Republican nominee?

[Dos Equis]

Are you guys ready for Mitt Romney's coronation as the Republican nominee?

Not so fast . . . .   

Cain Leapfrogs Romney to Vault to Lead in Poll
Published October 12, 2011
FoxNews.com

What a difference a few debates can make.

Herman Cain's star has risen steadily in the past two months, from a largely unknown CEO running for president to a top-tier candidate in the Republican field for 2012 -- and now voters even rank him above the presumed front-runner, Mitt Romney, in a poll released Wednesday evening.

As GOP voters grow disenchanted with Texas Gov. Rick Perry and remain wary of Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, Cain, a onetime radio-show host and former CEO of Godfather's Pizza, catapulted into the lead in the Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.

Drawn by Cain's blunt, folksy style in recent debates, 27 percent of Republican primary voters picked him as their first choice for the nomination, a jump of 22 percentage points from six weeks ago.

Romney held firm in second place at 23 percent, his same share as in a Journal poll in late August, while Perry plummeted to 16 percent, from 38 percent in August.

The poll of 1,000 adults, conducted from Oct. 6-10, comes as many Republican donors and officials have begun to rally around Romney as the party's likely nominee, despite a continued lack of enthusiasm for him documented in the new poll.

On Wednesday, with five of the Republican presidential candidates addressing members of the New Hampshire state legislature in the state capitol, Herman Cain fired up the crowd. His fiery speech drew several standing ovations in defending his "9-9-9 plan," which would replace the tax code with flat 9 percent taxes on businesses, personal incomes and sales across the nation.

The question is whether his newfound prominence will be a lasting phenomenon in a campaign that has seen many others surge and then fade. Since the spring, conservatives have given short-lived bursts of support for a string of contenders, including Donald Trump, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and Perry.

"Will I be the flavor of the week?" Cain said Wednesday in New Hampshire. "Well, the answer is an emphatic, 'No,' because Haagen-Dazs black walnut tastes good all the time."

Cain in many ways isn't operating a traditional campaign. He was on tour promoting his new book in recent weeks, and he will make stops between Memphis and Nashville on Friday and Saturday, though Tennessee is unlikely to factor in the Republican nomination. He doesn't plan to return to Iowa, site of the first nominating contest, for weeks, his aides say.

Cain, 65, held a New York fund-raiser Wednesday afternoon and an Ohio finance event Wednesday night. His campaign says it has a paid staff of 30, compared with more than 80 for Romney.

Pressed on how much money he had to ramp up his campaign, Cain would only say "enough," while insisting that money began to flow after his win in a Florida Republican straw poll last month.

Cain raised $2.5 million during the second quarter of the year, and one person close to his campaign said he isn't likely to have raised significantly more than that in the quarter that ended last month.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/10/12/cain-vaults-to-lead-in-poll/

[Dos Equis]

Romney adds more backers
Posted by
CNN Political Unit

(CNN) - Mitt Romney raked in more endorsements Wednesday, this time from a current senator, a former House speaker, a congresswoman and a former congresswoman.

Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, Rep. Judy Biggert of Illinois and former Rep. Susan Molinari of New York announced their support for the Republican presidential contender in press statements.

Cochran said Romney is the right person to lead the country away from President Barack Obama's policies.

"Our country cannot afford another four years of President Obama's policies," Cochran said in the release. "Mitt Romney has the pro-growth message and the unmatched experience that will be required to improve our economy."

Cochran, Mississippi's senior senator, also backed Romney's first bid for the White House in 2008.

Hastert, who served in Congress as an Illinois representative for 20 years, said the former Massachusetts governor will "turn around this economy" and provide the leadership the country needs.

Biggert pointed to Romney's "real world experience" as the reason for her endorsement.

"I am happy to have the support of these important leaders in Illinois," Romney said. "I look forward to partnering with them in our efforts to get America back to work."

– CNN Producer Gabriella Schwarz contributed to this report.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/12/romney-adds-more-backers/

[MM2K]

The more 9-9-9 is vetted the more Cain will suffer, and he will become a laughing stock for having rushed out with it. I like Cain a lot but he really has exposed his lack of government experience with this plan.

[Dos Equis]

The more 9-9-9 is vetted the more Cain will suffer, and he will become a laughing stock for having rushed out with it. I like Cain a lot but he really has exposed his lack of government experience with this plan.

Laughing stock?  I doubt that.  He has the right idea:  reduce the size of the federal government, reduce our tax burden, drastically reduce the size of the IRS.  Whether his plan works or not, he's moving in the right direction.   

After listening to him, I have no problem with his lack of government experience.  His experience in the private sector is enough.  He knows how to successfully run a business.  He knows how to lead. 

[Bindare_Dundat]

The more 9-9-9 is vetted the more Cain will suffer, and he will become a laughing stock for having rushed out with it. I like Cain a lot but he really has exposed his lack of government experience with this plan.

[Dos Equis]

Cain, Romney Tied After Republican Debate, Rasmussen Poll Finds
Thursday, 13 Oct 2011
By Andra Varin

Herman Cain and Mitt Romney are dead even in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, just after they and other GOP candidates debated economic issues, according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll released today.

The Atlanta businessman and the former Massachusetts governor both garnered 29 percent support in the nationwide poll of 1,000 likely Republican voters taken Wednesday, one day after the Republican debate at Dartmouth College.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was the only other contender to reach the double digits, and he was a distant third at 10 percent. Texas Gov. Rick Perry, once ballyhooed as the front-runner, had 9 percent.

Texas Rep. Ron Paul was next with 5 percent. Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann had 4 percent support, while former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman scraped up just 2 percent each.

In a two-way matchup, Cain squeaks past Romney by 43 percent to 42 percent. The former Godfather's Pizza CEO would wallop Perry, 54 percent to 29 percent. Romney would also best the Texas governor, 54 percent to 30 percent.

http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Cain-Romney-Republican-Rasmussen/2011/10/13/id/414346

[Dos Equis]

Cain offers possibilities for his VP
Posted by CNN's Laura Koran

(CNN) - GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain laid out his key criteria for picking a running mate, and detailed how he would go about selecting key advisers in the White House should he win the presidency, in an interview with radio host Steve Gill.

Cain even went so far as to name specific people he says embody his vision of leadership and who he would consider offering roles in his administration. Among the possible contenders are Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina.

The GOP candidate and former CEO of Godfather's Pizza also offered praise to his opponent Newt Gingrich, saying: "I am going to call upon Newt Gingrich to assist me at some point some way because he brings so much knowledge and insight to this whole [political] process, but more importantly, to the problems we face in this country."

So what criteria does Herman Cain consider crucial for potential advisors? "First" said Cain, "someone who understands problem solving and leadership the same way that I do. You know, there may be different styles of leadership, but there's still only one formula for successful leadership."

Also important: eagerness to surround oneself with smart people, willingness to "challenge the system," and extensive experience in one's given field.

When asked if he would prefer a running mate with experience in government to balance out his private sector background Cain was equally clear, stating: "I would probably look for someone who has had that in-DC experience, experience in Congress or whatever the case may be. But not so much that they're going to say 'here's how we have to do it.'"

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/13/cain-offers-possibilities-for-his-vp/

[Soul Crusher]

Look, Cain tossed out something.   Its far from perfect, but at least it starts a debate.  Perry has no plan, Romney is a mess, huntsman has a good plan, Ron Paul we know what we get, newt gets shit done, etc

[Bindare_Dundat]

RP is supposed to be coming with his plan on Monday.

[Soul Crusher]

RP is supposed to be coming with his plan on Monday.

So far RP is still my choice for the NY primary.  I think the needle has gone so far in the wrong direction, we really need a radical move the other way.   I have no illusion that a libertarian utopia will be arrived at w RP in one term, but we need to send a message that the status quo is not acceptable. 

[MM2K]

Look, Cain tossed out something.   Its far from perfect, but at least it starts a debate.  Perry has no plan, Romney is a mess, huntsman has a good plan, Ron Paul we know what we get, newt gets shit done, etc

Its far from far from perferct, its not even workable. You cant even start there. Its politically dumb and government policy wise it is unworkable. Look, I am all for some type of flat income tax OR flat consumption tax, but youre not going to get there by telling people who dont pay any taxes that they are all of a sudden going to pay 9% income tax and 9% consumption tax. And you cannot put an additional revenue stream onto people. Once it is there it will not go away.

Romney is not a mess at all. In fact, out of all the candidates in the field who are still around, Romney is the only one that seems 100% serious about the Presidency. That is why, for all of his faults, I will be supporting him for the nomination. Tim Pawlenty was serious, but he got out early. Perry is close to serious but is floundering and obviously didnt want the Presidency enough to get in early enough. Give Romney credit for putting people on the ground early and declaring early. He recognized that the peiece of crap we have in the White House was vulnerable, as everyone should have.

[Dos Equis]

Romney Raises $14.2 Million in 3rd Quarter
by Serafin Gomez | October 14, 2011

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney raised $14.16 million in the 3rd quarter, and has $14.65 million on hand, according to financial numbers released today by the former Massachusetts governor's presidential campaign. Overall, Romney has raised a total of $32 million for the GOP presidential primary.

"We are proud of the $32 million we have raised for the campaign so far. This is just the start of the effort to help fuel Mitt Romney's message that will defeat President Obama next November, " Romney for President National Finance Chairman Spencer Zwick said.

The total represents only primary contributions as the campaign did not raise general election funds, the campaign emphasizes. By comparison in 2007, Romney collected $10 million for the third quarter reporting period. Texas governor and GOP rival for the nomination Rick Perry raised $17 million in the same quarter-- his first full fundraising period as a presidential candidate.

"Seems like they spend a lot of money and have little to show for it," tweaked Mark Miner, a Perry spokesman.

FOX News' Lexi Stemple contributed to this report.

http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/10/14/romney-raises-142-million-3rd-quarter