66 questions about the future of 16 potential 2016 presidential candidates

The midterms are over. As Maurice Sendak wrote so eloquently, “Let the wild rumpus begin.”

The 2016 presidential race could well be a wild thing. More than a dozen White House wannabes have been campaigning across the country this year, ostensibly for local candidates for state and federal offices. Hillary Clinton is tanned, rested and ready, and Jeb Bush is being pressured to undertake a second restoration of the Bush Dynasty. There are future dark horses, wild cards and future comedians’ punchlines who tonight are dreaming big dreams.

So many candidates. So many questions. Here are 66 questions for 16 of the potential contenders.

We won’t know all the answers until November 2016.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz:

• Is Ted Cruz the Phil Gramm of this election cycle?
• Is Ted Cruz the Barry Goldwater of this election cycle?
• Is Ted Cruz the B-1 Bob Dornan of this election cycle?
• Is Ted Cruz the Pat Buchanan of this election cycle?
• Is Ted Cruz the Ronald Reagan (1980 vintage) of this election cycle?
• Is Ted Cruz the Barack Obama (2008 vintage) of this election cycle?

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton:

• Is Hillary Clinton the Bill Clinton of this election cycle?
• Is Hillary Clinton the Hillary Clinton of this election cycle?
• Is Hillary Clinton the George H.W. Bush of this election cycle?
• Is Hillary Clinton the Al Gore of this election cycle?

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie:

• Is Chris Christie the Rudy Giuliani of this election cycle?
• Is Chris Christie the Rick Perry of this election cycle?
• Is Chris Christie the Pete Wilson of this election cycle?
• Is Chris Christie the Ronald Reagan of this election cycle?

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul:

• Is Rand Paul the Ron Paul of this election cycle?
• Is Rand Paul the Barry Goldwater of this election cycle?
• Is Rand Paul the Bob Taft (1952 vintage) of this election cycle?
• Is Rand Paul the Warren Harding (1920 vintage) of this election cycle?

Texas Gov. Rick Perry:

• Is Rick Perry the Rick Perry of this election cycle?
• Is Rick Perry the John McCain (2008 vintage) of this election cycle?
• Is Rick Perry the Mitt Romney (2012 vintage)of this election cycle?
• Is Rick Perry the Richard Nixon (1968 vintage) of this election cycle?
• Is Rick Perry the Pat Paulsen of this election cycle?

>Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney:

• Is Mitt Romney the Mitt Romney of this election cycle?
• Is Mitt Romney the Adlai Stevenson (1960 vintage) of this election cycle?
• Is Mitt Romney the William Jennings Bryan (1908 vintage) of this election cycle?
• Is Mitt Romney the Dwight Eisenhower of this election cycle?

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush:

• Is Jeb Bush the George W. Bush (2000 vintage) of this election cycle?
• Is Jeb Bush the Bill Clinton of this election cycle?
• Is Jeb Bush the Bill Bradley of this election cycle?
• Is Jeb Bush the Bill Scranton (1964 vintage) of this election cycle?
• Is Jeb Bush the Nelson Rockefeller of this election cycle?
• Is Jeb Bush the Mario Cuomo of this election cycle?

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum:

• Is Rick Santorum the Gary Bauer of this election cycle?
• Is Rick Santorum the Alan Keyes of this election cycle?
• Is Rick Santorum the Harold Stassen of this election cycle?

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren:

• Is Elizabeth Warren the Barack Obama of this election cycle?
• Is Elizabeth Warren the George McGovern of this election cycle?
• Is Elizabeth Warren the Gene McCarthy of this election cycle?
• Is Elizabeth Warren the Dennis Kucinich of this election cycle?

>Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley:

• Is Martin O’Malley the Tom Vilsack of this election cycle?
• Is Martin O’Malley the Bruce Babbitt of this election cycle?
• Is Martin O’Malley the Adlai Stevenson of this election cycle?
• Is Martin O’Malley the Rutherford B. Hayes of this election cycle?

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio:

• Is Marco Rubio the John F. Kennedy of this election cycle?
• Is Marco Rubio the Ted Kennedy of this election cycle?
• Is Marco Rubio the Colin Powell of this election cycle?

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee:

• Is Mike Huckabee the Mitt Romney (2012 vintage) of this election cycle?
• Is Mike Huckabee the Pat Robertson of this election cycle?
• Is Mike Huckabee the Bill Clinton (the man from Hope) of this election cycle?
• Is Mike Huckabee the Huey Long of this election cycle?

>Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker:

• Is Scott Walker the Mike Dukakis of this election cycle?
• Is Scott Walker the Phil Crane (1980 vintage) of this election cycle?
• Is Scott Walker the Phil Gramm of this election cycle?
• Is Scott Walker the Calvin Coolidge (1924 vintage) of this election cycle?

</ul>Dr. Ben Carson:

• Is Dr. Ben Carson the Dr. Spock of this election cycle?
• Is Dr. Ben Carson the Mr. Spock of this election cycle?
• Is Dr. Ben Carson the Herman Cain of this election cycle?
• Is Dr. Ben Carson the Wendell Willkie of this election cycle?

</ul>Former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb:

• Is Jim Webb the Gary Hart of this election cycle?
• Is Jim Webb the Pat Buchanan of this election cycle?
• Is Jim Webb the John McCain (2000 vintage) of this election cycle?

</ul>Vice President Joe Biden:

• Is Joe Biden the Alben Barkley (1952 vintage) of this election cycle?
• Is Joe Biden the John Nance Garner (1940 vintage) of this election cycle?
• Is Joe Biden the Hubert Humphrey (1968 vintage) of this election cycle?
• Is Joe Biden the George H.W. Bush (1988 vintage) of this election cycle?

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