Draft Governor Manchin for President on the Democratic Ticket

It has been a very long time since both major parties have each offered the nation a reasonably sane, basically conservative Presidential nominee. I reckon that the 1928 election between Republican Herbert Hoover and Democrat Al Smith was the last time conservatives could have been reasonable happy with the candidates of both parties.

Our nation needs a Presidential election in 2008 between a reasonably conservative Democrat and a conservative Republican. Should conservatives consider drafting West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin to be the Democratic Party’s nominee?

Is he the perfect conservative Presidential candidate? No.

Is he one of the only terrorist hating, tax cutting, pro-life, NRA-endorsed (A+) pro-gun, and anti-Kyoto major office holders in his party? Yes!

Here is a report of a visit by Governor’s Manchin to Iraq:

He even signed two missiles at Balad Air Force Base. He dedicated one of them to "West Virginia's brave and fallen." The other one had an even more emotional message.

"On the other one, I wrote, 'Sending you to hell, from Almost Heaven, West Virginia'. I just thought, 'Hey, these are people doing tremendous harm to our people.'" .

He is at least somewhat receptive to some of the ideas in this new free market prescription, “Unleashing Capitalism,” for encouraging economic growth in his state. This report’s quote of Manchin on the danger of over reliance on government is encouraging:

NEWS9 asked Manchin about Sobel’s book and not only was the governor familiar with “Unleashing Capitalism,” he agreed that the state’s economy and people are too reliant on state government."If you had a child and you raised that child and that child is 40 years of age and still living at home and says 'hey mom and dad, you didn't give me my allowance this week,' you really haven't provided an atmosphere for a productive human being,” said Manchin.

Finally, be sure to observe the effects of state policy on economic activity in Unleashing Capitalism's satellite photo.