The "Bring Back Domestic Manufacturing, isolationism" stuff was very much not part of early 2000's conservative republican politics. They were hyper-liberals on economics in a way that's not credible today and this was peak war on terror. His brand of politics is much closer to Trumpism than anything from the Bush era, and I'd argue its likely to be much more appealing to a broad base of people. This is pointing the way forward for the Republicans much more than the Pence pick was. Picking up the smart parts of Trump's populism without the personal baggage. The problem is it's completely superficial because these politicians are still beholden to the same elite donor base that has made everything the way it is. If they end up in power for any length of time they'll become deeply unpopular just like the third-way.
The VP pick has always been really indicative of the republicans, except for Paul Ryan. That one was just weird, but also they ate shit and lost so maybe thats why.
The "Bring Back Domestic Manufacturing, isolationism" stuff was very much not part of early 2000's conservative republican politics. They were hyper-liberals on economics in a way that's not credible today and this was peak war on terror. His brand of politics is much closer to Trumpism than anything from the Bush era, and I'd argue its likely to be much more appealing to a broad base of people. This is pointing the way forward for the Republicans much more than the Pence pick was. Picking up the smart parts of Trump's populism without the personal baggage. The problem is it's completely superficial because these politicians are still beholden to the same elite donor base that has made everything the way it is. If they end up in power for any length of time they'll become deeply unpopular just like the third-way.
The VP pick has always been really indicative of the republicans, except for Paul Ryan. That one was just weird, but also they ate shit and lost so maybe thats why.