Resolutions

With New Year's Eve upon us, the Cooler staff will be spending the weekend watching college football and drinking champagne. So this will be the last you hear from us until Monday afternoon, barring some big news relating to a GOP 2008er.

We wanted to take this opportunity to thank you again for making us part of your daily web surfing. By the end of the year we will have had 30,000 unique visitors to this website (in just over 5 months) and we are grateful for every one of you.

With that, here's our final post of 2006. ________________________________________________

The Cooler intern has been spending the last 2 weeks doing some reconnaissance work in the 2008 camps. Each GOP candidate put together a New Year's Resolution that will help them do the best they can in 2007, to prepare for a victory in the Iowa Caucus in January of 2008. How can each of these men best position themselves in the coming year- the Intern has the New Year's note that each candidate wrote to themselves.

Mitt Romney- You need to pinpoint a message on the key social conservative issues, abortion and marriage, and stick to it through thick and thin. Once that position is fine-tuned, you cannot waver, no matter the audience or the situation. We will be challenged on it, but we must be strong, consistent, and persevere. To win in Iowa- we need to be THE credible alternative to John and Rudy, thus we need clarity on these key conservative issues.

John McCain- You've got to remember what it was that drew people to you from the start. How you rose to prominence. Focus on cleaning up Washington, reforming, independence, trustworthiness, and credibility. Don't lose that credibility by trying to force yourself on those who are already lost to the Limbaugh noise machine. Be the one person in the race that people can look to and say- there is a leader I can trust.

Rudy Giuliani- Rudy, you are America's Mayor. You stuck with George W. through thick and thin and thinner. You have national appeal. Don't lose sight of these advantages. In 2007 all you have to do is build a strong Iowa staff and be persistent in reminding the voters that you are a reliable Republican and you know what it takes to be an executive in a post-9/11 world.

Sam Brownback- Just as someone who is taking up exercising each morning in the New Year, you need to take up fundraising phone calls. It will be tedious, and you will sweat at times, but it is the only path to victory. $ + reliable SoCo record= Top 3 finish in Iowa.

Mike Huckabee- You need to consistently remind yourself that you are a candidate for President and behave as such. Spend at least 1 day (preferably 2) each month at the following airports: DSM, CID, SUX.

George Pataki- Do a rosary novena with prayerful hope that Rudy decides not to run after-all.
Newt Gingrich- Spend the next 9 months reinventing yourself on cable talk shows and listen to the people when they demand your presence in this race (even if the people aren't demanding anything)

Jim Gilmore- 3 words. Credible Conservative Alternative. Rinse, lather, repeat.

Tommy Thompson- Stay in the race just long enough to keep yourself in the national dialogue. Gracefully exit before you overstay your welcome.

Duncan Hunter- Focus on building name ID on military credentials. Don't criticize Romney, McCain, or Rudy's foreign policy proposals because Defense Secretary Hunter sounds nice no matter what administration it's in.

Chuck Hagel- Run enough positive TV ads in the Omaha media market, where you already have name ID to finish a respectable 5th in the Caucus.

John Cox- Statesman not nuisance. Statesman not nuisance. Statesman not nuisance.

Happy New Year Everybody. God Bless.

-The Cooler Staff.