Barbour for President?

I left a comment at Tran Sient's in which I stated that I was an independent and voted for the person I felt would do the most good for our country. I also stated that I was disgusted with both the Republican and Democrat party. It seemed that of all the candidates being bandied about for president, the one most capable was Hillary Clinton. I have changed my mind, again.

It had been said that Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour could be running for president. I discounted it at the time because this was in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I couldn't help but think, yeah right, someone for Mississippi having a shot for president?

In a previous post, I had voiced my concerns about Barbour speaking before the Council of Conservative Citizens, a quasi-racist group. That and his support for current Mississippi flag have me concerned.

However, from his actions after Hurricane Katrina, he has proven a very capable leader and saved us on the Mississippi Coast from a lot of hassle in the aftermath. Even though I voted for him during the last governor's race, I wasn't quite sure of him. I am not the only one that considers him to be presidential material. The Washington Post had a long article about him today. Below are some excerpts but you should read the entire article.

Barbour makes regular trips to "the devastation" -- the operative synonym for the coastal region. Like Reagan, the governor's political idol, Barbour emphasizes hopeful rhetoric even amid despair-inducing conditions. He talks of how Katrina could, in the long term, be the impetus for a "renaissance" in Mississippi.

This renaissance, if it occurs, could be a springboard into a run for president in 2008 -- something Barbour had been considering before Katrina. "He is, in some ways, in a very enviable political position," says W. Martin Wiseman, director of the John C. Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State University. Wiseman adds that Barbour's fortunes will be determined largely by his ability to bring in federal relief dollars -- a task he is suited to.
...
Barbour also benefits from the chaos next door in Louisiana, which has received more scrutiny and criticism. He is often asked for his assessment of Louisiana, particularly of its Democratic governor, Blanco. He won't answer explicitly, but his critique is barely veiled. Asked about a proposal to turn over Mississippi's relief effort to a federal "czar," Barbour says, "We don't need that here," adding that neither do neighboring Alabama or Florida. "These states are capable of doing the right thing."

Louisiana?

"That's not for me to say," he says.

Before I make a final decision about him, I need to learn more about his goals on foreign policy and the Global War on Terror and the exact relationship with the Council of Conservative Citizens. I know he is a bulldog when it comes to fighting legislators.