Race for the White House 2012

While most of the media remained focused on events in Libya and Wisconsin, and especially on Charlie Sheen's Tiger Blood, a bit more noise was made this past week on the Presidential front.

Two notable candidates formally opened exploratory committees, as prelude to formal Presidential campaign. One of whom is one of the most prominent Republicans of the past generation, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia. While long rumored to one day run for President, this is perceived as Gingrich's final chance, and while he has high name recognition and respect for his intellectual firepower, few expect him to seriously contend for the nomination. The divisive figure simply has too much personal and political baggage to come anywhere near being able to hold up as a Presidential candidate in my view.

The other new candidate has even less of a chance. Charles "Buddy" Roemer, was a conservative Democrat Congressman from Louisiana before being elected Governor of his state in 1987. In advance of a reelection campaign, Roemer did what many Pelican State politicos often do, and switched parties. The incumbent Governor, who joined the GOP, was denied a spot in the general election losing to former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke, and former Governor Edwin Edwards. Roemer also lost a 1995 Gubernatorial comeback attempt, and lo these many years later, is now running for President. Based on his standing as a former Congressman and Governor, he would probably be invited to participate in the early GOP debates, but otherwise, good luck to him.

Making even more news, perhaps not to his own benefit, and to the immense anger of talking heads on the left and on MSNBC, was former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. While promoting his new book, Huckabee managed to falsely claim that Barack Obama grew up in Kenya, and thus that might prejudice his views on U.S. British relations, because of perceived views of a biological father he barely knew and a grandfather he never met. Huckabee later claimed his misspoke and meant "Indonesia" instead. Yeah, right. The ex-Governor had some more inflammatory things to say about Obama's background in subsequent interviews, and also managed to find time to take issue with the unmarried pregnant status of the recent Oscar winner Natalie Portman. But being Mike Huckabee, he later claimed he did not mean anything by it, of course. Charlie Sheen was unavailable for comment.