The Challengers

When I think about the Republican field for President, on the one hand, I gotta hand it to them for finally providing a diversified field. On the other hand, I can't imagine that the "rank and file" party members like any of them and must be in quite a quandry over who to vote for. Given my own upbringing and background, plus what I see in today's public media, the 'generic' Republican voter tends to be white, middle aged, Christian (not necessarily evangelical, but certainly only believes in one way to God), above-average income, married (and monogamous), and to put it bluntly, rather old-fashioned in a belief that women and non-whites have to 'know their place.'

Now this is certainly not the case for every Republican, and likely not even most, but it does seem to be a plurality. I'm sure there are many who are fine with a woman nominee, but there's also probably enough that feel the exact opposite that it probably hurt her chances regardless of her politics. Yeah, Sarah Palin got the VP nominee last year, but she wasn't voted in via a primary election, she was chosen. And she (and McCain) didn't win, and I have no doubt that there are some people out there that didn't vote at all because they didn't want to vote for a woman on one side, or a non-white on the other. Yes, those people still exist.

So how do the nominees stack up?

Michelle Bachman - Female, so any that don't like women in power won't vote for her. Plus, she's show a distinct lack of brainpower.

Herman Cain - Black, so any that don't like non-whites in power won't vote for him. Ditto on the lack of brain power.

Newt Gingrich - Smart, but he cheated on two ex-wives and divorced one while in the hospital. Not exactly a poster boy for 'family values' that so many Republicans like to spout.

Mitt Romney - Mormon, so any Christians that are real hard-liners (evangelicals, for instance), won't vote for him.

Jon Huntsman - See Mitt Romney. Plus, who?

Rick Santorum - Google it

Rick Perry - One George W. Bush was enough (and this one seems even dumber)

Ron Paul - Too libertarian - so any that are against legalizing drugs won't vote for him.

Not a single one of the candidates have all the qualities necessary to win over the majority "generic" Republican voter. There's not one white, male, Christian (preferably evangelical, but they'll accept any protestant - non mormon), still married to one woman (and not cheated), smart, totally conservative candidate, who's name can't be googled with laughter. Frankly, I see most Republicans holding their noses at the voting booth come 2012.

I think this is why, for the most part, Mitt Romney is presumed to win the nomination. He'll get enough plurality votes, 30% or so probably, that he'll have most of the delegates he needs, but no doubt he'll have to be saddled with some Tea Party darling (maybe even Michelle) to make the even further right consider voting for him to counter for his forays into bipartisanship (gasp!), while they agonize over his religion.

No doubt, its not a sure thing for Obama, but I think there's still enough divide in the Republican party that they'll have people staying at home rather than voting for one of these nominees as President.