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Manhattan Diary by Cahir O'Doherty

The 2012 GOP presidential candidates are a farce

Posted on Thursday, December 01, 2011 at 08:51 AM

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Republican hopefuls

This week Rick Perry demonstrated he doesn't know what age you have to be to vote in the United States, or indeed when the 2012 election actually is. Herman Cain doesn't know if we contributed in any way to the downfall of Qaddafi's regime in Libya, or if in Cuba people speak Cuban.

Now Michele Bachmann wants to close our Iranian embassy, because she doesn't know we haven't had an Iranian embassy there since 1980. Predictably her supporters in Waverly, Iowa, applauded yesterday when she made her bold - but bonkers - announcement.

Bachmann sits on the House Select Committee on Intelligence. Is it any wonder the world thinks this nation is in decline?

Tune in next week when Bachmann tells us her first priority as president will be to track down and kill Osama bin Laden.

I mean days like this explain how a fatuous serial husband like Newt Gingrich can be in serious contention for the GOP nomination, even after being fired by his own party and after the pain he inflicted on the American worker with NAFTA.

I look forward to Gingrich explaining to the nation why child labor laws are unnecessary. It will also be instructive to hear him talk about protecting the sanctity of marriage. But the largest laugh lines will probably be presented by his wise rationales for protecting the rich from any kind of tax payment.

300 million people to choose from and this lot is the cream of the crop? Can it be long until one of these jokers asks Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall?

For President Obama the 2012 GOP field could not come more gift wrapped if they stuck a bright red ribbon on them. The Iowa caucus five weeks away and the gang that couldn't campaign straight are minnows nibbling at his heels.
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gobdawpaddy | Dec 03, 2011, 08:00 AM EST

Agree with sean. Thankfully, for the people involved and the president, there appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel. Unemployment dipped dramatically in yesterday's number, 8.6%. O'Bama wants to extend unemployment benefits for 12 months to help the 8.6%, but republicans are fighting this mpove with moronic claims that it would discourage unemployed people from looking for work....these clowns are so out of touch with the real world. In Boehner's case it may be just that all the sun has sizzled his brain. US banks have no problem raising funds on the inter-bank market, unlike their european counterparts due to O'Bama's move in 2009 to temporarily support the banking system. As far as I am aware, all these funds have been repaid as well. I hope O'Bama is given four more years as if one of the freaks from the current GOP lineup makes it, we're screwed again. Also Jerry, assuming you are posting from Ireland, you guys don't exactly have a great track record, BBertie, Cowen, Cullen, Mick Wallace, Jackie Healy Rae, his son Michael, Conor Lenihan, John O'Donoghue, Mary Coughlan etc. aren't going to be admitted to MENSA anytime.

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seanomelbourne | Dec 02, 2011, 06:20 PM EST

Money "loaned" to car companies saved about 1 million jobs the cash has been returned with interest and a million people are better off. go Obama!!!

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peterson | Dec 02, 2011, 01:13 PM EST

The mess obumma claims he inherited ----give me a break -- he created a much larger mess by giving stimulus money to companies that did not need it who paid "bonuses" to their top executives with it and to companies that went under after receiving the money. Any one of the GOP" candidates could do a better job as President than obumma. A lot of DFL members fear he is destroying their party.The U.S. demos have the best politicians that money can buy and that includes a number of GOP people as well !!

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jerryoneill | Dec 02, 2011, 12:00 PM EST

Ah, America only your best and brightest for your great leader. These idiots are even making Georgie Boy look bright and that's no small feat. The debates look like SNL during a writers strike.

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gobdawpaddy | Dec 02, 2011, 06:17 AM EST

This is the best the GOP can come up with? Cahir, thanks for pointing out some of the things these idiots have come out with. These clowns, Sarah Palin, Christine O'Donnell etc....God help us. While O'Bama has struggled to rectify the mess he inherited, I hope the American people have more sense than to replace him with one of these imbeciles. Of course when you read Cahir's account of the mutants cheering Bachmann's call for the closure of the US embassy in Teheran, makes me wonder...

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lokionline | Dec 01, 2011, 05:48 PM EST

I for one will be very disappointing if Romney gets the nomination. That will guarantee a boring campaign for sure. Mitt the Mirror(He reflects back to you whatever you want to hear)will lose because not enough Republican's, especially the Tea Party supporters, will turn out to vote for him. On the other hand a campaign with Newt or Ron Paul would at least be entertaining and contain some intellectually stimulating exchanges. They too will lose due to the marginalized positions they hold but at least it would be fun to watch. For my money I would love to see Obama and Ron Paul go at it. Paul appears to be the most comfortable in his positions and has the intellectual heft to put them across in a convincing way.

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lokionline | Dec 01, 2011, 05:33 PM EST

Ok... now that I know this page is accepting comments, unlike the page with the article on the Darren Scully by John Spain. I find it laughable to hear comments on this site about Obama's "Socialism". I suggest you look up some history about socialism and socialist political movements. Obama's about as socialist as my right toe-nail. The entire US political spectrum is canted so far toward capitalism that a socialist would look like a flaming commie to most US citizens. From where I sit Obama's policies are indistinguishable from Regan, Clinton or Bush's policies. They are all free market capitalists.

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lokionline | Dec 01, 2011, 05:23 PM EST

test, I am having trouble posting -- this is a test do not publish.

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seanomelbourne | Dec 01, 2011, 04:32 PM EST

Do not protest to loudly Cahir the GOP may dump Newt for a better candidate(if that is possible). I find it amusing that two professional politicians lead the GOP field. My!! what are the theadist to do??.The more interesting race may be for VP.

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hollabackgurl | Dec 01, 2011, 01:59 PM EST

It's 'toe' to 'toe' IrishBob. If you voted Democratic and you stopped watching Fox News you'd know that.

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irishbob | Dec 01, 2011, 01:19 PM EST

Mr. O'Doherty is correct. The majority of the Republican candidates are weak, but don't look past Newt. He is the only candidate that can go tow to tow with Obama in a debate and win. Look at Obama's record so far and you can not help but see what another 4 years of his crap will do to this country. Mr. O'Doherty is like all true Democrats, he is happy to follow the leader without finding out what got us in this mess in the first, and it was not Bush.

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hollabackgurl | Dec 01, 2011, 10:49 AM EST

But it's not so much an anti-Republican article as an anti-incompetent one, in my view. Bachmann's cluelessness is a disgrace, particularly for a Congresswoman. Rick Perry is no better and it's hard to believe he's the governor of a state.

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mrkennedy | Dec 01, 2011, 10:45 AM EST

Another Republican negative from you Cahir! The Devil could be the democratic candidate and you would still vote for him over a Republican. I served in the U.S. Military in both WW11 & Korea and never liked the Democratic candidates.

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newnation | Dec 01, 2011, 10:31 AM EST

when will america get it into it's head that the problem isn't the "mad free loading left" or "dumb religious right" it's that no matter who is selected from either side will be bought by corporate america and told what to do. no money in politics, get a candidate to promise that and that they won't be influenced by anything other than what is right for the american people as a whole and maybe if you are lucky america might be saved..

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mcmeprII | Dec 01, 2011, 10:03 AM EST

Michelle's going to repeal "Obamercare" too! Don't you forget it! What an amazing, overexposed collection of... oh, well, I think everyone is getting the message.

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