Howard Fineman Discusses The GOP Presidential Contest On MSNBC's 'The Last Word With Lawrence O'Donnell' (VIDEO)

Howard Fineman sat down with Lawrence O'Donnell on Monday to discuss the Republicans likely to seek the GOP Presidential nomination.

Fineman explained the current breakdown of the Republican party:

"There really are at least two Republican parties right now. There's the Iowa Republican party, and that is the one that's going to be the first to speak in the nominating race. And there's sort of the establishment Republican party, and it's a crude way of dividing things, but it's pretty accurate."

He continued, "People like Pawlenty and Romney and Barbour are the ones who think they can speak to the whole country, or at least they haven't given up on the thought of doing so. Right now the other candidates are focused on one thing, getting 25-30% of the caucus votes in the Iowa caucuses early next winter. That's all it's about for all these people, and they can't be focused enough on Evangelical issues, on the hardcore rhetoric, that's why they're out there doing what they're doing."

Fineman also had some thoughts on Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.). He explained, "I think if there's not another real Evangelical focused candidate in the race, I think Michele Bachmann can run very close and very strong there, and that's what she's planning to do I think."

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Comments

[Hypocrisyissad]

10:32 AM on 03/29/2011

Michelle Bachmann was the most enthusiastically received candidate . .

Says it all about Iowa!

ME, I don't even want to fly over Iowa in an airplane!!

[jojojo]

10:59 AM on 03/29/2011

"Says it all" about REPUBLICAN Iowans, to be accurate.

[Mike Louis D]

10:08 AM on 03/29/2011

The President can lose, but not to a Republican.

[dfranz]

10:01 AM on 03/29/2011

If Iowans elected Steve King they'll vote for Bachmann. This state takes more federal subsidies than BP Oil and the people there have lived in their little cocoon for so long they have no idea what the rest of the country is going through. That's why they always vote for very narrow issues.

[AncientTerp]

11:28 AM on 03/29/2011

Actually, Iowa is full of nice, reasonable, thoughtful people. Otherwise, King Corn (i.e., maize), its products, and its agricultural subsidies rule the state.

[seawillow]

09:51 AM on 03/29/2011

A landslide win for President Obama. He continues to govern from the right. He is the best Republican president Republicans could want. Thery get what they want, and can blame him for whatever goes wrong. They are probably right now holed up in a sound-proof room, plotting how to lose on purpose, but not make it obvious.

[R U Sirius]

10:23 AM on 03/29/2011

Fanned and faved for your excellent perception.

[ArkayMI]

12:24 PM on 03/29/2011

Very true. GOP got all they wanted. More troops to Afghanistan, Bush tax cuts extended, War on Libya started, corporate insiders in Obama administration, the list goes on and on. They can stay on the outside and keep blaming Obama on Faux for the next 4 years if they lose. If they win, they have to deal with those pesky stuff like jobs, governing etc. etc. Obama is the best Republican president since Clinton :-)

[lizerdmonk]

08:50 AM on 03/29/2011

If you can all remember that at this point during Bush first term there was so much buzz about the next election and no one was sure he would win but there was much noise to challenge him. Now I don't think anyone is looking forward to the next election and there not much hope for whomever is coming against Obama because they all know they will not win so what's the point. 2016 is were everyone will come back if some real candidates on both sides show up.

[RMorr2002]

09:07 AM on 03/29/2011

You ARE kidding....Right???   Obama's track record....the economy sucks, the housing market is in the toilet, record deficits, record bankruptcies & foreclosures, high unemployment and gas approaching $4 a gallon.

Unless things improve dramatically and very quickly, obama will lose to the Republican nominee....whoever it is!

[BBROWN69]

09:42 AM on 03/29/2011

You name the Problems that we currently have, and Blame them on Obama. It is TRUE that they took place under Obama, but they were caused by the Presidents that preceded him. Facts don't bare out your Rhetoric!

[otispfudpucker]

09:46 AM on 03/29/2011

I think not. People want a true level headed person and are tired of the nonsense the Republicans are doing not only in DC, but also in the states with Republican Governors where they are showing their extreme behaviors toward the middle class as well as taking care of their sugar daddy billionaires. No, people have woken up to this and will not tolerate it. I live in Wisconsin and many, many, many, Republicans here are participating in recalling the Republican Senators and are also waiting to help recall this Tea bagger Governor.So I do believe Obama will be re-elected and the Republicans will once again have the curtain drawn back on their ruthless, selfish ways.

[Paulo1]

08:42 AM on 03/29/2011

I would much rather he spend a few minutes discussing the Democratic Party. We desperately need the buzz to raise a challenger to Obama.

[davesideas]

09:12 AM on 03/29/2011

brilliant...let's help the republicans recapture the presidency...

[ArkayMI]

12:28 PM on 03/29/2011

No. A primary challenge is to remind Obama that he cannot take progressives for granted and also to build the base for a more progressive candidate in the future (2016).

[Greg Petty]

11:53 PM on 03/29/2011

nope

[SaintZak]

08:35 AM on 03/29/2011

"People like Pawlenty and Romney and Barbour are the ones who think they can speak to the whole country"

Romney is the only one who could connect with the general public. Barbour?! Speak to the whole country? Give me a break.

The Republican Party establishment knows that 2012 is lost so far as the Presidential election goes, they're not wasting any viable candidates on a losing cause. That's why the side-show attractions are coming out to play. The danger they face is that the 2012 primary campaign could become such a circus that the entire party is dragged even further down by the fringe element of their base. They'll have a tough road ahead of them trying to reformulate themselves as a more moderate party in time for 2016.

[ArkayMI]

12:33 PM on 03/29/2011

Yes. 2012 will be a sides-show. But I think any moderates left in GOP will be able to use the loss in 2012 to get the party back from the radical teabaggers and present a more moderate image in 2016.

[GoodDay]

08:27 AM on 03/29/2011

I can't figure out why these so-called commentators and reporters don't include Jeb Bush in their list of Republican hopefuls. I admit he would be an extremely lousy President, but from an objective standpoint he is the most likely candidate.

[lizerdmonk]

08:53 AM on 03/29/2011

Because Jeb is not stupid and he knows not to run against Obama especially with the Tea Baggers running around remember he married to a Mexican and speaks Spanish and his children are Brown. If he smart and wants to run he will come out in 2016 as a moderate against the crazies from the right and he may end up winning unless Hillary decides to run.

[GoodDay]

09:25 AM on 03/29/2011

I don't think the Republicans are writing off 2012 as a lost cause. What if some other Republican won in 2012? Does that mean Jeb Bush waits another 8 years? As far as the Tea Party goes, Jeb Bush is the brother of the granddaddy of the Tea Party.

[SaintZak]

08:55 AM on 03/29/2011

He's waiting in the wings for 2016. The minute the election is called in 2012, the Bush '16 campaign will begin.

[gwinegarden]

09:16 AM on 03/29/2011

Sounds about right.

[Greg Petty]

11:54 PM on 03/29/2011

Nuff said

[MoreChoices]

06:59 AM on 03/29/2011

It always seemed to me that presidential candidates from either side were basically older white men expressing whatever their ideals were to the people. Whether you agreed with them or not, there was a seriousness to them that showed respect for the office they were trying to win. My wish was always for a younger, more in touch group of candidates to take the reigns and move us forward with newer, modern day ideas. As it turn out, there is certainly more to choose from other than the older white guy. But many of these newer, younger candidates are very irresponsible in the way they act. They offer nothing to move us forward. They make up the most outlandish stories and amazingly have a following of people that will literally believe anything. The whole process is being dumbed down and cheapened. It is very sad to see where we are heading.

[321bibi]

06:52 AM on 03/29/2011

Terrific! HP Tv

[321bibi]

06:49 AM on 03/29/2011

Love the gray hair and glasses. Good move hiring this guy!

[davesideas]

06:46 AM on 03/29/2011

give it a break...it's only March of 2011; let's simply ignore the " potential" candidates for another year...

[927Matrix]

06:36 AM on 03/29/2011

I would say none of these people have a chance but since my fellow Ohioans put Kasich in office all bets are off.

[david sarro]

05:44 AM on 03/29/2011

So we have Iowa Republicans to thank for Trump's trumpery about being "very concerned" about Obama's birth origins and serial-adulterer Newt's ludicrous expositions on morality and religion? What kind of people invite such pap?

[GrantS]

04:22 AM on 03/29/2011

Dear God:

I haven't had much faith in you for most of my life, but if you would just please, please, please, PLEASE let Michelle Bachmann be the presidential candidate for the GOP, I promise to mend my ways for the whole time her campaign runs up to the election.

No promises after that.

[bigmadd]

04:56 PM on 03/29/2011

A MEN

[Greg Petty]

11:55 PM on 03/29/2011

x2