Howard Fineman Talks Mitch Daniels' 2012 Candidacy On 'The Chris Matthews Show' (VIDEO)

The Huffington Post's Howard Fineman appeared on "The Chris Matthews Show" Sunday, along with the BBC's Katty Kay, MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell, and Time Magazine's Michael Duffy, to discuss the GOP's potential 2012 candidates, and the potential hurdles they face.

One challenge several potential nominees may face is their personal histories. Newt Gingrich is on his third marriage. Donald Trump is, "Well, Trump," as Matthews puts it. And Mitch Daniels' wife left him and their four daughters in 1993, and reconciled with them a few years later.

"Is this going to be the kind of, for lack of a better word, ickey discussion that no wife or husband really wants to spend a year talking about?" Matthews asked.

"He will be able to carry this because of his own character," Howard responded. "And while there will be stories about the wife, and things to discuss, it's not necessarily in this day and time an insuperable barrier, even though it's going to be a side story all the way along."

"I think the issue here is not the divorce," Katty Kay added, noting that several Republican candidates who have been divorced and that voters have grown more tolerant of divorce in a politician's past. "We're looking really at the balance between character and political prowess," she said. Are voters in this difficult time going to think, 'Right we can overcome someone's past, we can overcome someone's personal foibles, because we think they have the intellect and the courage to be president,' or are they still going to vote on character?"

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Comments

[raphaelbonee]

01:11 AM on 05/17/2011

So ... when does forgiveness turn into being a doormat.

I can see being gone a day or a week ... but 3 years?!?!? I know I know ... still. It says something.

[American African]

06:15 PM on 05/16/2011

This family's life will be picked apart if Daniels gets into this. What they endured as a couple is their own business, but the salacious details will all come out and the press and public will eat it up. I hope for the sake of his family, he does the noble thing and protects them. Stay out of this one, Mr. Daniels.

[den1953]

09:52 AM on 05/16/2011

One has to wonder when pundits concentrate on what any candidate will do for the American public and not what they have done in the past, not one Republican is mentioning any message of substance,perhaps because they have no message other then blame the President......

[yoozum]

08:51 AM on 05/16/2011

Saw Howard Fineman this weekend as the commencement speaker at my sister's graduation. He did a great job and even wove in material from the Broken Lizard comedy troupe.

[Russ Kirk]

07:57 AM on 05/16/2011

'Right we can overcome someone's past, we can overcome someone's personal foibles, because we think they have the intellect and the courage to be president,' or are they still going to vote on character?" I remember the strong defense of Bill Clinton when I read this statement.

[margoharris]

09:05 AM on 05/16/2011

WJC won with only 42% of the vote the first time.

[gevan]

02:55 AM on 05/16/2011

Re Katty Kay...does the BBC have American pundits commentating on British elections? just wondering.

[yoozum]

08:51 AM on 05/16/2011

Another country? What's that?

[gevan]

09:08 AM on 05/16/2011

Where Katty Kay is from which.

[donbrown]

02:26 AM on 05/16/2011

I think it's hilarious that certain people don't even make the list of possible candidates for discussion here:

Sarah Palin - Gone

Rick Santorum - Are you kidding?

Herman Cain - Who?

Michele Bachmann - Why Bother?

Gary Johnson - We gave him a shot -- Next!

Bobby Jindal -- Fugeddaboudit

[braziliancongo]

01:38 AM on 05/16/2011

Not sure why anyone would listen to a re-tread Newsweek journalist let alone one from Time.

[scully05]

01:26 AM on 05/16/2011

Howard Fineman is a republican. He likes nothing more than the President to loose in 2012 but he'll be surprised when he wins. As far as these republican women, none of them has good a character no better than the men they share. They're all despicable. I'm not saying no one can never be mistake less, but have the decency to be discreet about it. Don't take for granted that all Americans will turn a deaf ear or a blind eye to 'Hiking in Appalachia."

[chrsmith3]

11:28 PM on 05/15/2011

My cat's in a sandbox looking to bury Mitch Daniels.

[tster1965]

11:20 PM on 05/15/2011

I watched the show. Howard Fineman is always on top of things. He made a comment at the end of the show, saying that the Republicans may win the Senate in 2012.

Howard, I sure hope that you are wrong.

[lodazal]

04:08 AM on 05/16/2011

Depends on the American voter! We shall see how naive they really are! If they want more overreach on workers rights, womens rights, Social Security, Medicare and more tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations they will put more Republicans in office.

[yoozum]

08:52 AM on 05/16/2011

The math is pretty stacked against Democrats in terms of how many seats are up for grabs next year.

[anelder]

10:56 PM on 05/15/2011

Me, I certainly won't attribute divorce etc. to a lack of character. However the manner in which it is done will always be a reflection of character. In this Mr. G. fails the test of how to do so with fairness and dignity. This is character and thus applies to methods and manner of conducting oneslelf.

[KarateKid]

10:14 PM on 05/15/2011

President Obama has NEVER been linked to ANY disrespect for FLOTUS, and vice versa.

So, just who is representing American values?

[oldgeek1]

09:03 PM on 05/15/2011

The character issue only applies when it is a Democrat If it is a Republican it is dismissed as history or not important.

[clearconsice]

09:40 PM on 05/15/2011

Yeah, like right now for instance.

[margoharris]

09:08 AM on 05/16/2011

Like right now.

[vegancheesenut]

10:18 PM on 05/15/2011

If gawd forgives a republican it's just fine.......forgotten, nada.....didn't happen

[Jaladeno]

10:59 PM on 05/15/2011

Well, as long as Coburn is the middle man, that is...

[ckdogs]

08:21 PM on 05/15/2011

I'm not sure how people make their political choices any more. Some of the candidates who are doing well are the ones who have the most baggage, and who are flame throwers of nonsense. Bachman, Palin and Trump would lead this group. Gingrich is smarter, but just as over the top. Mitt is a responsible guy, but not that likeable - though I am impressed that he takes credit for his medical insurance program. Some people want a religious leader; some want a take no prisoners conservative.
Hard to put that all together in one candidate. I don't think personal issues make that much of a difference.