By Kyle LaFleur - Talk Radio News Service
Two years may seem like a long period of time but, in the political world, it is just around the corner, especially when it involves an election as critical as the 2012 race is gearing up to be. Though no candidates have officially thrown in their hats, a panel of journalists recently weighed in on prospective challengers to President Barack Obama in 2012.
On the Democratic ticket, Senior Political Analyst at The Washington Examiner Michael Barone found it unlikely that President Barack Obama would be challenged in the primary. Barone said it would be surprising to see someone challenge the first African American President in his own party because the average Democratic primary electorate consists of nearly 20 percent African Americans voters.
“It does seem to me it is possible that there may be basis for a challenge from the anti-war left,” Barone said, including Howard Dean and Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold as possible candidates.
Executive Editor at The Weekly Standard Fred Barnes said that a Florida Governor Jeb Bush and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie ticket would be an “absolutely winning ticket,” but acknowledged that neither have shown interest in running.
As for former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who have been receiving media buzz as potential candidates, the panelists found that neither would hold much water. Chief Political Correspondent for The Washington Examiner Byron York said he felt that Romeny would not get enough people to “love him” and would not connect with a certain part of the Republican electorate as in past Presidental runs. As for Palin, York felt she was a “divisive figure amongst Republicans.”
“I do get a sense of this extreme hunger for somebody new to come in and save them,” York said about the Republican Party.