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- iHaveNet.com: Politics
by Cameron Lynch
Spend a few minutes with
The analogous nature of these discussions made a recent dinner with a veteran
Haley Barbour, the second-term governor of Mississippi, may, at first blush, seem like the last man the
Barbour's current chairmanship of the
Yet simply to dismiss Barbour as a shrewd campaign tactician cheapens his substantive contributions to Mississippi as the state's chief executive. Barbour receives widespread credit for his crisis management skills during the disastrous hurricanes that traumatized his state in 2005. I spoke with one Magnolia State native who deadpanned: "Mississippi got hit worse than Louisiana. The difference was that Mississippi had Haley." Throughout his tenure in Jackson, Barbour has established an impressive record, even with an overwhelmingly Democratic legislature.
Barbour is most comfortable as the backslapping, bourbon sipping, good old boy, and his critics quickly pan him as just that. Engage him in a policy firefight, however, and you'll wish you hadn't. Barbour converses fluently about intricacies of Democratic healthcare reform, and the ramifications of proposed climate change legislation. Barbour works a room with the swagger of a riverboat gambler, but beneath that easy exterior whirls a policy mind that even think-tank wonks can envy.
At a time when many pundits insist that Tea Partiers, libertarians and social conservatives are splintering the
Barbour has some considerable obstacles to overcome if he is to challenge Romney, Pawlenty, and others. He must combat his "Beltway Barbour" moniker at a time when American voters couldn't be more frustrated with Washington or displeased with their political parties. President Obama's uproar over registered lobbyist participation in the 2008 presidential election (a tactic he will undoubtedly resurrect in the 2012 race) certainly wouldn't favor a Barbour candidacy.
Ultimately, demographics and geography may prove to be Barbour's greatest impediment. Americans perceive the
Barbour raised eyebrows late in 2009 when he spoke in Iowa and New Hampshire, but he has since toned down his travel schedule. For now, he insists his focus is rebuilding the
Barbour closes most of his speeches with a folksy anecdote that rips Washington Democrats. "Never," Barbour quips, "pay the cannibals to eat you last."
One can only assume Barbour will follow his own advice when determining his political future.
Cameron Lynch is a former aide to three U.S. senators and president of the
Available at Amazon.com:
Conservative Victory: Defeating Obama's Radical Agenda
The Political Fix: Changing the Game of American Democracy, from the Grassroots to the White House
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Case for Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour in 2012 Presidential Race | Cameron Lynch
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