It’s Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2013, another cold inauguration day in the nation’s capital.
Coming to the podium is a portly man who many never believed had a chance to move into the house at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. As he raises his right hand, the words dribble out like molasses over a southern breakfast:
“I, Haley Barbour, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
Upon completion of the oath he, with wife Marsha, dance at ball after ball as every major newscaster in America discuss just how a governor from Mississippi (and former lobbyist) was able to capture the presidency.
Still almost three years before citizens cast their ballots for what could be the 45th president, some say the likelihood of such a scenario could be growing by the day, while others must quit laughing before contemplating such a reality.
Now head of the Republican Governors Association, Barbour has become a fixture on many pundits’ lists for who could challenge President Barack Obama in 2012.
Melissa Smith, political communication professor, said Barbour has some catching up to do in order to be considered a top-tier Republican candidate.
“Unfortunately, Mississippi is seen as mostly a poor Southern state that many people pay little to no attention to,” Smith said. “He does have a good launching pad as a two-term governor, but he needs to get out there and let Americans know who he is and what he stands for.”
In order to set himself apart from other potential candidates such as Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee, Smith said Barbour should share ideas specific to him and not the party.
“Most of the time when you see Barbour on television, he is normally presenting the Republican viewpoint and is very much associated with the party,” Smith said. “If he is serious about running, then he needs to become someone who people can identify with and they become familiar with what sets him apart.”
Some believe Barbour has a lot to offer with his handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and willingness to make tough decisions with the state budget, a characteristic which could lead him to victory if government spending remains large and the national debt soars.
MSU graduate Erica Pounds said the governor has good leadership qualities, but needs to do more to earn her potential vote.
“Governor Barbour did his best to keep Mississippi from falling apart when Katrina came through, but that’s as much credit as I can give him,” Pounds said. “Right now I would say no, I wouldn’t vote for him.”
Senior communication major Alan Whitfield said he would have thought Barbour to be a good candidate until just recently.
“Before he [proposed] to merge some of the state schools, I would have thought about voting for him if ever he were to run,” Whitfield said. “But now, I see what he has said and proposed, and I can’t see myself wanting him to take higher office.”
The conservative politician has yet to reject the notion of running and has even made party fundraising appearances in the early primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire. Adding fuel to the flames is the almost daily national television appearances the governor makes, raising his profile in the process.
Speaking to the NBC program “Meet the Press” earlier this month, Barbour said he is not focused on 2012.
“I don’t have any plans to [run for president], but I wouldn’t consider it until the elections of 2010 are over,” he said.
Although Barbour may be mum on his political future, Smith said the time is now for him to start laying the ground work for a presidential run.
“He cannot wait until his second term is complete, he really needs to get started right about now,” Smith said. “In today’s political climate, you need to start campaigning well in advance; look at Mitt Romney – he has never stopped running.”
Smith said in order for Barbour to be taken seriously, he needs to address items which could be politically damaging.
“The governor really needs to go out and talk about his lobbying past, especially since it was for the tobacco industry. That alone will turn a lot of people off,” she said. “But you never know what could happen, look at Bill Clinton. He was a governor of a poor Southern state and things turned out pretty well for him.”