WEAK FIELD WORRIES GOP

It’s only 2011, but the Republican party is already getting nervous. Looking at the current field of contenders seeking the GOP nomination for president, many of the party faithful are not impressed while many party leaders just don’t see how any one of them can effectively beat Barack Obama in 2012.

The Republican party is made up of so many varying factions, they are already discovering how hard it will be to find a candidate that appeals to everyone.  There are the northern fiscally conservative elites, the racially charged southern wing, the moral family values and pro-life religious conservatives and the Tea Party Republicans, among others.  But how can anyone appeal to so many opposing views?  Or perhaps more importantly, can any of the current crop of Republicans actually overcome America’s first black president?

Here’s a look at the lot of them and what Republicans fear most about each:

MITT ROMNEY –  Currently considered the front-runner, mostly because he ran before and has the greatest name and face recognition.  But most in the GOP find him stiff, unapproachable, and too much of a New England “liberal-in-conservative-clothing” to be branded a bonafide Republican leader.  His health care plan while Governor of Massachusetts is so similar to President Obama’s signature plan, that a Romney nomination would instantly remove “Obama-Care” as strategic campaign rhetoric for the Republicans. And the fact that Romney is a Mormon will rattle all the conservative Christians throughout the Bible-belt, who could never see anyone other than a Christian in the White House.

TIM PAWLENTY –  The moment he coined the phrase “Obamney-Care” as a means of comparing Mitt Romney’s health care plan to Mr. Obama’s plan, he gained some leverage.  But the moment he wimped out at last week’s GOP debate, when he refused to challenge Mitt Romney to his face regarding “Obamney-Care,” that is when the nation realized Tim Pawlenty has no backbone.  As one Republican operative put it, if Pawlenty can’t stand up to Mitt Romney, how can he stand up to Barack Obama and the Democrats?  Or in other words, they see Pawlenty as a nice guy, but just not someone who’s ready to represent them as president.

NEWT GINGRICH –  The day virtually his entire staff walked out on the campaign, pretty much sealed the deal for Gingrich for president.  And that’s without even getting into any discussion about his controversial history of marital infidelities and his unwise attack on the congressional Republican agenda.  Not necessarily a good way to make friends within your own party.

RICK SANTORUM –  Who?

RON PAUL –  As one CNN commentator put it following last week’s debate, the hunched over and scowling Ron Paul looked very much like the old geezer who’s always screaming: “Hey you kids… get off my lawn.”  His poor body language and negative remarks made him come across as “old angry man” and not necessarily presidential.  As many Republicans are well aware, he’s a popular but fringe candidate, who serves as more of a spoiler than a legitimate contender.

HERMAN CAIN –  The former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza opened last week’s debate by announcing he is not a politician.  Although Cain saw that as a positive quality, it may very well work against him, since he has never run for or held public office.  Not even city Dog Catcher.  The concept of a non-politician who’s never held one political office, suddenly being elevated to leader of the free world doesn’t seem plausible.  Plus, when Cain appeared on national television and admitted that his own agenda for the country could not and would not work, it’s hard to see Cain being the GOP’s answer to Barack Obama.

MICHELE BACHMANN –  She’s been mocked in the past for appearing ditsy, particularly during an odd televised speech where she looked away from the camera instead of speaking directly into it.  But her showing at last week’s debate seemed to surprise many within the party.  Several Republicans took to the networks to praise Bachmann for being much smarter than they had previously realized.  But is the standard task of being able to construct a sentence or conjugate a verb when no one thought you could, really enough to win you the nomination?

Do any of the above candidates have a real shot at the nomination?  Do any of the above candidates have a chance in hell of beating Barack Obama?  Or is the GOP secretly praying for a last minute save from someone like Rudy Giuliani, or even contemplating a last ditch effort to draft NJ Gov. Chris Christie?