Last week, I was talking to a colleague about the Republican primaries. And we remembered the primaries of 2008. There was a field of estimable politicians — politicians you could imagine as president: Giuliani, McCain, Romney, Huckabee, Thompson. What about this year?
Well, as you know, many possible candidates declined to run: Daniels, Jeb Bush, Barbour, Thune, Ryan, Christie, others. And that left Mitt Romney and . . . and . . .
Mitt Romney, Rick Perry, and a slew of lark candidacies, when you think about it.
In Impromptus today, I ask a tough question: When you look at the present GOP field — particularly at one of the debates — do you see anyone besides Romney who can beat Obama and be president? Do you really? Perry, can he do it? How about President Cain, President Bachmann, President Paul, etc.?
By my mail, I can see that some readers are a little ticked by what I say today. But this mail has a tone of shooting the messenger (if I say so myself).
In any case, I hope Republican primary voters don’t choose someone with little or no chance of beating Obama. Boy, do I hope it! I also hope they choose someone adequate to the task of the presidency, in these daunting times. The 2012 election, we’ve all noticed, is very important. Far too important to kick away.