Enneagram of the 2012 potential presidential candidates

My last Enneagram post on the ‘08 candidates was just laying pipe so I could get to this post.

Let’s roll up our sleeves and talk about the good stuff!

When 2011 rolls around and we begin to see who will be running for president, I believe the most critical issue at that time will be the same issue it is today: the economy.  I don’t believe our current president is taking any action that will be effective at stabilizing our economy in the meantime.  Obama is arguably making choices that have weakened our economy, and those ramifications will continue to be felt.  Tea Party activism against our federal budget will also continue.  We’ll see after these 2010 elections and how the Congress is subsequently altered, but let’s move forward in our discussion under the assumption that the depressed economy will be the number one concern for the voters in 2012.

As I mentioned last time, if McCain had been a One at the moment the banking crisis struck he would have known what to do and probably would have won the election.  Because I don’t think our economy has strengthened since that moment, I still feel that the ideal candidate for this time and place will be a One.  We need a tough money manager; we need a money visionary; and we need someone who can administer the medicine with a little bit of sugar.  A One has those qualities.

Who do the Republicans have in the bullpen?

Yep, that’s My Man Mitch Daniels.  I’ve talked about him a lot because his fiscal leadership as governor of Indiana has been excellent.  As soon as I consider the Enneagram, Daniels’ One-ness becomes clear.  Any presidential feelers he’s extended are because of our economic mess; any claim to presidential qualifications he asserts are due to his economic experience.  He’s not necessarily weak on defense or social conservative issues, but he is a Mighty Mouse about money and he knows it.  With Mitch, you get The Blade first and all else second.  This man will get our financial house in order, if that’s what we primarily want.

Paul Ryan, congressman from Wisconsin and author of the Roadmap budgetary plan.  Again, a very appealing candidate about whom I’ve talked in the past.  He says he won’t run because he has a young family, which is a very honorable reason.  We’ll see where the country sits in 2011 and what Mr. Ryan’s priorities are at that point.  His weaknesses will be similar to Daniels’ — he’s all about the money.  However, he is an excellent speaker.  He can explain Social Security funding without putting you to sleep.  And he’s telegenic with – - ahem – - no comb-over.

Okay, Chris Christie is clearly not a One.  (A One would never, ever be overweight.)  The new governor of New Jersey is an Eight.  However, he has shown himself to be a fiscal powerhouse who will not be intimidated.  When his opponent in the governor’s race hinted that Christie was a large man, Christie told Corzine to “man up and say I’m fat.”  Now that’s an Eight!  Plain-speaking will be very welcome in 2012.  You will remember that McCain ran as an Eight and didn’t do so well.  We would take that risk with Christie, too, although I believe his economic record in NJ will be impressive when election time comes around.  Also, with an Eight we get someone who can speak very strongly about defense.  As a pro-life Catholic, he checks an important box for me.  Maybe Christie, maybe not.  Keep him in the back of your mind as a non-One with some One-like strengths.

What about women candidates?  We would love to run a woman, but I can’t think of any One women right now.  She would be a short, fiscal fireball, so keep your eyes peeled and let me know if you think of someone.  As for the most prominent Republican woman whom we all love, Sarah Palin, she has some handicaps.  Speaking strictly of the Enneagram, as a Three she would be vulnerable.  The current president is all about smoke and mirrors, and I believe a Three is too naturally evasive to provide a strong contrast.  Obama would be able to successfully accuse her of opaqueness, and that’s a field on which we don’t want to play.  We need crystal clear transparency.  An honest, straightforward candidate can eat him alive.

However, what if Obama isn’t the Democratic nominee?  With his tanking numbers and his seeming dislike for the rigors of being president, he may withdraw after one term.  Hillary waits breathlessly in the wings.  How would she fare?  I think a One would run very well against her, too, but we’d have to reassess if the dominoes fell that way.

Interesting, eh?