Is 2012 a 1996 remake?
By Brian Kirwin | Monday, December 19th, 2011 | PoliticsCan’t go to the movies lately without seeing remakes on the list. Somewhere along the line, film producers stopped looking for good books to make into movies and just looked for movies to make into movies.
If someone was going to remake the 1996 Republican primaries, they wouldn’t have to look farther than the current list of candidates for casting.
Playing Bob Dole – Newt Gingrich- Long legislative record being used against him. More experience than anyone in the field. Voluntarily left office.
Playing Pat Buchanan – Ron Paul – Not exactly wanted by Republican establishment, and looks like one small push away from being an independent. Protectionist foreign policy. Libertarian domestic policy.
Playing Steve Forbes – Mitt Romney – $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Playing Phil Gramm - Rick Perry – Sometimes, it’s easy to mess with Texas. Sound bites don’t win debates, especially if you forget what they are.
Playing Alan Keyes – Herman Cain – Best speaker in the cast, but woefully unprepared to be president. This part was cut before the release date, but might still make the DVD extras.
Playing Morry Taylor – John Huntsman – The real 1%, since that’s all he’ll get in a primary. The guy that makes everyone wonder “Why is he on the stage”
Playing Bob Dornan – Michelle Bachman – Since Bachmann said she was in a two-man race with Newt Romney, I guess I can take a little license with this role. Two members of Congress on the Party’s extreme right wing who aren’t making a dent nationally.
Playing Lamar Alexander – Rick Santorum – Destined for Cabinet Secretary.
If we are remaking 1996 in this year’s movie season, I’m hoping that someone remembers to change the ending.
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The right wants to jeer him. The left wants to censor him. Moderates usually want both. Brian Kirwin is a political consultant and public relations strategist in Virginia Beach with a lightning-rod flair. Brian also serves on the VB Arts & Humanities Commission and frequently appears on Hampton Roads theatrical stages, if only to prove that all actors aren’t liberals. Kirwin’s columns stir up debate and hit the political scene with no punches pulled.
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Comments
14 Responses to "Is 2012 a 1996 remake?"
Nice analogy. I thought it kind of fell apart after Cain/Keyes….although I’ll buy Bachmann as Dornan. You’ve libeled Lamar Alexander.
I think if the remake plays out to the extent that the Bob Dole character gets the nomination..then we’ll see Barack Obama as Bill Clinton.
Hmmm, could Forbes have beaten Clinton in ’96?
Prefer a 1980 remake.
Considering that historians will argue for years if Barry has been worst President of The United States in the last 10,000 years, Barry does remind me of Jimmy Carter. Except at least Jimmy do not go to a church where the preacher said God Damn America.
I guess Brian is concluding the deja vu epilogue is an unbeatable Barrack Obama.
Strange Brian would compare Paul to Buchanan, a Holocaust diminution advocate, blocking deportation and citizenship restoration of Nazi war criminals, and with a co-campaign chairman (Larry Pratt) that arranged engagements with white supremacist groups and militia leaders.
Is this an inference?
In the 90s, Bill Clinton had an economy built on Gates and Buffet. This time, they can only provide their morale support.
They provide moral support also.
Playing Pat Buchanan playing Ron Paul – Ross Perot, the hand grenade with a bad haircut.
I think the Forbes-Romney, and Gramm-Perry comparisons are especially good. I would say that Santorum-Alexander is the weakest comparison. Also I think that Herman Cain comes across as much more reasonable and competent than Alan Keyes. That being said Brian is right that both are great speakers and both are underprepared for the position.
You all don’t get it. Brian’s point was that there was an awfully weak Democratic incumbent in 1996 that should have easily been beaten. He survived because the Republican Presidential nomination field was even weaker.
As evidence that no one knows who Jon Huntsman is, or cares, bloggers continue to spell his name wrong…
Michele Bachmann, too…
Thanks, Andreww.
Morry Taylor? Gary Johnson would be a better fit for him since nobody knew (or cared) who he was either, both before the campaign or after.
Also, Lyndon LaRouche should be played by Donald Trump.
No problem, BRYOHN! (What’s worse is I did it throughout a post specifically about Bachmann….)
Andrew, not your fault. She spells it wrong.
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