Is Haley the GOP 2012 Front-runner?
As Governor Haley Barbour continues his nation-wide pre-announcement presidential campaign, he is starting to look like one of the GOP front-runners. If not the GOP front-runner.
A couple of weeks ago conservative columnist George Will pegged Barbour as one of only 5 real Republican contenders:
Let us not mince words. There are at most five plausible Republican presidents on the horizon - Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, former Utah governor and departing ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, former Massachusetts governor Romney and former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty.
Meanwhile, with Japan fighting off a full-scale nuclear meltdown, nut-job outspoken “conservative” columnist Ann Coulter espouses the benefits of radiation. But back to Haley.
The national press is treating Barbour like the frontrunner. The Clarion-Ledger had a front page story today about a Texas businessman's large donation to Barbour's PAC. The reporter who wrote the story is with the Nashville paper.
Today's Wall Street Journal had an article discussing GOP contenders' split on military budget cuts. One contender got their photo in the article. Guess who?
Barbour breaks ranks with some Republicans by saying that spending cuts should include cuts to the nation's military:
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour this week told an audience in Iowa that any effort to balance the federal budget must include cuts in defense spending.
"We can save money at the Pentagon," Mr. Barbour told a group of about 200 GOP activists in Davenport. "If we Republicans don't propose saving money on defense, we lose credibility."
Barbour's take on defense spending is spot on. In order to meaningfully reduce spending, the U.S. will have to cut spending on the military, Social Security and Medicare. Everyone in Washington knows it. Many Republicans are afraid to admit it, since its a triple crown of bad news for the Republican base.
Companies that benefit from defense spending fill campaign coffers. In states like Mississippi many Republican voters want less government spending, but not cuts of their own Social Security and Medicare benefits. Spending cuts without cutting military and entiltlement spending is like a diet where you get to eat all you want. It may be what you want to hear, but it isn't going work. Barbour gets points for not sticking his head in the sand on this issue.
The national media is learning what political observers in Mississippi and Republican insiders have known for a long time. Barbour is smart and he's for real. So is he going to win? Who knows. He may not even officially enter the race. But right now he's campaigning and looking like a contender.
