handicapping 2012

"...and to my way of thinking, the 2012 primary field for the Republicans just is not very exciting at this point. I don't think any reasonable person can argue with me, do you Rove?"   "No, no reasonable person..."   "Palin isn't in, she may never be in,  but if she does get in, and if she did manage to win the nomination somehow, there is no way in hell she could ever win the general election. I mean, people may not like Obama, but at the end of the day I think that Palin is too shrewish and, quite frankly, dumb, and opportunistic and self-aggrandizing for the majority of Americans."   "Word, Bill. Every liberal in the world would show up to vote against her and the majority of conservatives would probably stay home in disgust."   "Exactly what I said. It's a case of better red than dead, because I think most folks would rather be Communists than corpses. Now Huckabee, no word from him, no sign from him, he's probably gonna sit things out, wait until 2016."   "Yep, because if Palin did somehow win, we'd certainly want a primary challenger waiting in the wings."   "Romney has two strikes against him, the health care thing and the Mormon thing. I'm personally not prejudice but a lot of folks aren't ready for a Mormon president. Gingrich, bright guy, best ideas guy in the party, but a lot of people don't like smart guys of dubious character. I like him, but that's me... Tim Pawlenty looks like he's definitely in - what say you?"   "I'm sorry, Bill, I kind of drifted off for a moment."   "My point exactly. Barbour, whatever.. Huntsman, the Obama connection... Santorum, now you're just being ridiculous. There is one person who's been getting a lot of publicity lately and that is Donald Trump, who said that if he decided to run for president he would be willing to spend six hundred million of his own money on the race."   "Well, he'd have to Bill. Who in their right mind would be willing to give money to Donald Trump?"   "No one reasonable, and that's my point."   "You didn't really seem to be making a point there, Bill."   "Rove, have you ever played doubles tennis? You don't strike me as much of a sports guy, but in doubles tennis you sometimes score by allowing your partner to go for the ball. I let you have the ball and you made my point."   "Oh."   "Trump also seems to be somewhat damaged by the fact that most Americans see him as a smarmy and thoroughly odious human being. I like him, but that's just me. Another negative is that he's been saying a lot of things that are clearly ridiculous."   "The thing is, I don't think he believes his words are ridiculous. Like yesterday, right here on Fox News, when he's talking about all his experience with world leaders..."   "Which consists primarily of selling luxury penthouses to dictators and ousted despots."   "Right, right, heh heh... and he lets slip the secret that he dealt with Gaddafi, which everybody already knew..."   "Which everybody who watches FOX News already knew."   "...and he brushes back that horrible hair and says 'I screwed him'... Oh man, I was doubled over with laughter. Because, I think, he was being completely sincere."   "Yeah, he screwed him because he rented Gaddafi a piece of land he didn't use and then refused to give him a refund. Gaddafi probably didn't care if he got a refund, Mister Trump. He probably rented the land with the blood money of the Libyan people, you money-grubbing nincompoop.."   "Good point, Bill. Donald Trump, politically speaking, is a mental midget. The man makes Sarah Palin look good."   "Sarah Palin does look good, Rove, she just doesn't look like a good candidate. Given the disastrous field, do you think Jeb Bush or Chris Christie might get in? Or even Fred Thompson?"   "I pray to God so, Bill."