[Southsider2k12]

http://nwitimes.com/news/state-and-regiona..._medium=twitter

Gov. Daniels opens door to 2012 presidential run

INDIANAPOLIS | Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels says he's keeping the door open to a possible 2012 presidential run - but only by a crack.

The Republican told The Washington Post over the weekend that he has spoken with former president George W. Bush and others in recent months and has agreed to keep an open mind about the idea.

But the two-term governor told The Journal-Gazette of Fort Wayne on Monday that his focus is on Indiana for the next 18 months. He says he'd be willing to listen then if Republicans aren't happy with their field but that it would likely be too late to launch a presidential bid.

He says he's trying to recruit other people for a White House run.

[Southsider2k12]

http://blogs.wishtv.com/2010/12/17/daniels-on-2012/

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Daniels on 2012
December 17th, 2010 at 1:18 pm by Jim Shella under Jim Shella's Political Blog

The governor is doing year end interviews with members of the Statehouse press corps starting today. I asked him about his refusal to decided on a potential run for President prior to the end of the legislative session in April. Here is a transcript of the exchange:

Shella: By not deciding are you, in fact, deciding?

Daniels: Maybe. It’s a great question. You mean, shouldn’t you be getting started and heading to Iowa and doing whatever it is people do?

Shella: Exactly.

Daniels: Maybe. If so, so. You know, my duty is here. My heart is here. I’m incredibly excited about the chance to do some more really good things for Indiana in the next four months and that’s coming first. So,if it’s too late then it’s too late.”

[Southsider2k12]

Mitch is currently the headline at Drudge for his speech at CPAC.

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/ind...tive-coalition/

Daniels at CPAC calls for broad, civil, conservative coalition
9:53 PM, Feb 11, 2011 | by Tom Beaumont | 1 Comments Categories: Iowa Politics Insider TwitterFacebookShare
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Washington, D.C. — Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels Friday summoned frustrated Americans to join together in a broad coalition to set the nation on a healthier fiscal and economic course.

But Daniels, a Republican quietly weighing a presidential candidacy, did so in a cerebral call-to-arms by also asking a select audience of conservatives to welcome non-ideologues into the tent.

“We must be the vanguard of recovery, but we cannot do it alone,” Daniels told about 500 attending a banquet at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C.

“We have learned in Indiana, big change requires big majorities,” the second-term governor and former Bush administration budget director said. “We will need people who never tune in to Rush or Glenn or Laura or Sean. Who surf past C-SPAN to get to SportsCenter. Who, if they’d ever heard of CPAC, would assume it was a cruise ship accessory.”

The references were to conservative commentators Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity. CPAC is the acronym for the three-day conference sponsored by the American Conservative Union, where several of the prospective 2012 GOP presidential candidates have appeared.
Daniels touted accomplishments in Indiana such as an increase in school choice, tax cuts and health savings accounts. And he proposed for the nation changes in Social Security and Medicare that would give younger Americans different options when they need the entitlement programs, which are aimed at seniors.

“Medicare 2.0 should restore to the next generation the dignity of making their own decisions, by delivering its dollars directly to the individual, based on financial and medical need, entrusting and empowering citizens to choose their own insurance and, inevitably, pay for more of their routine care like the discerning, autonomous consumers we know them to be,” he said, prompting a standing ovation.

The speech was a breakthrough moment for Daniels, who has hinted more in recent months that he is entertaining a 2012 campaign.

A corps of national political media covered what was the first speech of its scope for Daniels.

But Daniels did not address the full conference as his likely would-be 2012 rivals former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney did Friday. Roughly 11,000 are registered for the conference, which ends Saturday. Many of them are college students.

Daniels has offered an unapologetic prescription for the GOP, which has caused him some grief with his own party. He has called for a moratorium on pursuit of social-issue legislation, a top concern for the Republican’s evangelical wing.

That bloc plays an outsized role in Iowa’s leadoff nominating caucuses. Unlike Pawlenty and others, Daniels has not begun laying the groundwork for a potential Iowa caucus campaign.

He did not visit the state to campaign for Iowa Republicans, and contributed no money from his political action committee to Iowa candidates, another common practice for future caucus candidates. An aide said he would not make any public political moves until the end of April, after he hopes his proposal to create a statewide school-choice program is passed.

And Daniels did not touch any of the hot-button social issues such as abortion, as former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum emphasized in his speech to the conference Thursday.

The closest he came was:

“We must display a heart for every American, and a special passion for those still on the first rung of life’s ladder.”

Instead he called for a united conservative front, quoting, as many have at the conference, former President Ronald Reagan, for whom he worked as chief political adviser in 1985 .

“When one of us – I confess sometimes it was yours truly – got a little hotheaded, President Reagan would admonish us, ‘Remember, we have no enemies, only opponents,’ ” Daniels said. “Good advice, then and now.”

“With apologies for the banality, I would submit that as we ask Americans to join us on such a boldly different course, it would help if they liked us just a bit.”

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.indystar.com/article/20110413/N...ndyStar.com%7Cp

Wearing a green jacket that made him look like he'd just won the Masters, Gov. Mitch Daniels on Tuesday talked about the "savage process" politicians go through when running for president, and about the "certainty of hurtful things" occurring to the families of those seeking the job.

But it's clear he is deeply interested in launching a campaign.

Daniels eagerly fielded questions about the idea of running for president during a meeting with The Indianapolis Star's Editorial Board on Tuesday afternoon. His answers made clear what we already knew -- that he is giving the question deep thought -- and underscored how intently he has worked through the issues that would face him and the messages on which he would base a campaign.

Much of his message would center on his concern about what he calls the "red menace" of federal debt, which has been the focus of many of his national speeches and writings.

If he runs, he said, "it would simply be because I do think, and I hope I am wrong, that the country has put itself in a very difficult place.''

There is incentive to tackle the problem now, he said, before the problem is too dire. He warned that if the nation delays Medicare and Social Security reforms, the goal he and many others share of not reducing benefits for those approaching retirement age may prove to be out of reach.

"We're starting to run out of time," he said.

A potential Daniels campaign is compelling in large part because he is willing to talk about tough choices that most candidates for president strategically avoid.

The pundits and others who have pushed Daniels to run are doing so primarily because he is willing to have adult conversations on issues such as Social Security, Medicare and defense spending. Tuesday, he talked idealistically about the idea that voters would welcome such conversations, even though they would lead to tough decisions.

It would take the right message, he said.

"I hope you would call the American people to the challenge of our day," he said, adding: "We have arrived at a testing point, and some people are already writing our obituary."

It sounds good. But, I asked, is the nation, and the political world, truly capable of a reasonable debate over such hot-button issues? Recent history casts doubt on that premise.

"I can't prove it to you," he said. "But we'd better find out."

As he has long indicated, Daniels said he would make a final decision on whether to run for president soon after the state legislature wraps up its 2011 session, presumably later this month. To his benefit, the GOP presidential contest has unfolded at a slower pace than many expected.

"It's amazing that we have the luxury of time," he said.

Even more helpful is the low caliber of the opposition, which one colleague in Tuesday's meeting noted has been described as a "freak show" by some critics.

"It's always good to be held to a low standard -- 'At least he's not a freak,' " Daniels said, laughing.

Ultimately, Daniels said of the GOP field, "I like all these folks, and odds are I will likely end up supporting one of them."

He said those words. But he also acknowledged nobody else in the field is seriously addressing the nation's budget problems. And so, the question remains: Will he become the candidate willing to do so?

It sure sounds like it.

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/state-and-reg...6699b6ad5c.html

As Indiana's Republican governor mulls a presidential run in 2012, his home state is becoming a showcase of conservative ideas, poised to create the nation's broadest private school voucher system and become the first to cut off all government funding for Planned Parenthood.

And while Gov. Mitch Daniels has pushed the voucher program, the Planned Parenthood measure could present a political predicament for him as he nears an announcement on whether he will run for president.

The Indiana House approved both bills Wednesday, sending them to Daniels to decide what to do next.

The Planned Parenthood measure is a significant victory for the anti-abortion movement and would cut the $3 million in federal money the state distributes to the Planned Parenthood organization for family planning and health programs. It also ban abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy unless there is a substantial threat to the woman's life or health and requires women seeking an abortion be told that life begins at conception and that doctors performing abortions have admitting privileges in a nearby hospital.

But as Daniels considers the measure, he could be forced to make a decision between the state's fiscal interests and a prime goal of his party's social conservatives.

If he signs it, Indiana risks losing $4 million in federal grants for family planning services. If he vetoes it, Daniels could antagonize ardent social conservatives already wary of his public statements about the importance of focusing on economic issues.

But signing it also could provide Daniels with the political cover he needs from those who question his commitment to social conservative causes. He could point to it throughout the presidential campaign as evidence that opposition to abortion rights and other social causes are part of his political makeup.

Daniels has said he will decide on a run for president after the Legislature adjourns, which is expected Friday.

A Daniels spokeswoman said the governor would not comment until the bill arrives on his desk for action. He'll have seven calendar days once he receives the bill to take action. He also could allow it to become law without his signature once those seven days pass.

For its part, Planned Parenthood says abortions account for just 3 percent of the services it provides. Planned Parenthood clinics across the country perform 1 million screenings for cervical cancer, 830,000 breast exams and some 4 million tests and treatments for sexually transmitted diseases. Abortion-rights supporters say cutting funding for Planned Parenthood would primarily hurt poor women who often have few choices for health care.

Conservative lawmakers say, however, that any money the organization receives at least indirectly supports abortions.

The voucher program, meanwhile, would allow even middle-class families to use taxpayer money to send their children to private schools. It's contentious, but it's also something Daniels himself pursued.

Unlike other systems that are limited to lower-income households, children with special needs or those in failing schools, Indiana's voucher program will be open to a much larger pool of students, including those already in excellent schools. Families would have to meet certain income limits to qualify, with families of four making up to about $60,000 a year getting some type of scholarship.

Daniels' agenda mirrors ideas being pushed nationwide by Republicans empowered by 2010 election victories. But Daniels has successfully led Indiana _ a conservative state not known for going out on a limb _ into uncharted education territory.

"Other states are going to be taking notice about how far Indiana's going," said Robert Enlow, president of the Foundation for Educational Choice.

Opponents say Daniels' agenda will hurt public schools by taking money and students away.

"He says that his motivation is to improve student achievement, but so many of these reform measures are not aimed at improving student achievement," said Nate Schnellenberger, president of the state's largest teachers union. "He wouldn't be siphoning public money from public schools if he was concerned about those students who remain at public schools."

[Dave]

I wonder how Mitch's polling against The Donald.

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.indystar.com/article/20110430/N...n-within-weeks-

Gov. Mitch Daniels said this morning he will decide "within weeks" whether to seek the Republican nomination for president in 2012.

Daniels had long said he would not reach a decision until after the end of the legislative session. Lawmakers adjourned last night.

Talking to reporters as he signed one of the key education reforms passed this year, Daniels gave no firm date on when to expect an announcement.

"Oh, it will be within weeks," he said. "I haven't made up my mind therefore I don't have a date in my mind."

Asked how he would let the public know -- in a news conference, a speech, a Facebook page posting? -- Daniels said: "The what has to come before the how has to come before the when. Since I don't know what I'm not t hinking about it yet."

Whatever his decision, this year's legislative session did nothing but boost his chances. With both the House and Senate now in Republican control, Daniels won sweeping education reforms that will greatly expand charter schools while paying for other students to attend private schools; a balanced budget that even calls for a future tax refund if there's ever enough money; a corporate tax cut; and even an anti-abortion bill that defunds Planned Parenthood. That last bill, which Daniels has said he will sign into law, is the legislative answer to those critics who have blasted his call for a "truce" on social issues.

Daniels dismissed any suggestion that this year's legislative accomplishments were passed with his presidential prospects in mind.

"It occurred to me while I was making my breakfast this morning if I switched from oatmeal to corn flakes someone would say it's a move to the Iowa caucus," Daniels said. "It's just a weird time. People can believe what they want but I hope some people here know us well enough to know this is an agenda for Indiana's future. That's all we've cared about."

He choked up more than once during the Statehouse signing ceremony for Senate Bill 1, which creates a new evaluation system for teachers, in which seniority and level of education would count as no more than a third of the score. The other two-thirds, which would have the most impact on whether a teacher gets a merit raise, would have to rely on how well they perform in the classroom, including on how well their students score on tests.

Daniels was emotional as he thanked Rep. Bob Behning, an Indianapolis Republican who has long led the fight for these reforms, and in particular as he thanked Rep. Mary Ann Sullivan, an Indianapolis Democrat who broke ranks with her party to support some of the reforms, including the expansion of charter schools.

"I admire you, so very much," Daniels said, his eyes glistening with tears.

Senate President Pro Tempore David Long, R-Fort Wayne, said the agenda "really has nothing to do with the governor's political future."

But, he added, if Daniels does run this agenda "can only help."

"I think this session will put an exclamation point on his tenure as governor."

House Minority Leader B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, said this session was all about Daniels' presidential ambitions.

"I have no doubt that he's not only running for president, he has a good shot at the nomination, because he's getting further right," Bauer said. "

When Daniels was asked what he'll do next year, in what will be his final year as governor, House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, jumped in with his own plans for 2012: "I'm working on the Mitch Daniels for president campaign."

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.wsbt.com/news/wsbt-mitch-daniel...0,3334941.story

WASHINGTON (AP) — Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels said early Sunday that he won't run for president because of family considerations, narrowing the field in the race for the GOP nomination.

"In the end, I was able to resolve every competing consideration but one," Daniels said, disclosing his decision in an e-mail to supporters. "The interests and wishes of my family, is the most important consideration of all. If I have disappointed you, I will always be sorry."

The e-mail, sent by the governor through Eric Holcomb, the Indiana Republican Party chairman and one of Daniels' closest advisers, was confirmed by another aide close to Daniels on the condition of anonymity to avoid publicly pre-empting the governor's announcement.

"The counsel and encouragement I received from important citizens like you caused me to think very deeply about becoming a national candidate," Daniels said in the middle-of-the-night message.

"If you feel that this was a non-courageous or unpatriotic decision, I understand and will not attempt to persuade you otherwise," he added. "I only hope that you will accept my sincerity in the judgment I reached."

Daniels had been considering a bid for months, pressured by many in the establishment wing of the party hungering for a conservative with a strong fiscal record to get into the race. He never sounded particularly enthused about a national run, and always pointed back to his family -- his wife and four daughters -- as the primary consideration.

As he weighed a bid, the spotlight shown on his unusual marital history as well.

His wife, Cheri, filed for divorce in 1993 and moved to California to remarry, leaving him to raise their four daughters in Indiana. She later divorced, and she and Daniels reconciled and remarried in 1997.

He didn't mention those details in the e-mail.

It ended: "Many thanks for your help and input during this period of reflection. Please stay in touch if you see ways in which an obscure Midwestern governor might make a constructive contribution to the rebuilding of our economy and our Republic."

[Treehugger]

http://www.wsbt.com/news/wsbt-mitch-daniel...0,3334941.story

w00t.

[Southsider2k12]

I'm really surprised. With all of the stuff that was going on, I really thought he was setting himself up to run for President. I still wouldn't be surprised if he ended on the ticket as a VP candidate with someone who is a more social right winger.