Ohio Made Super Tuesday a Superficial Nail Biter

   While Rick Santorum’s Super Tuesday results were far better than predicted, they did little to make a difference other than in the headlines we will be reading and in the cable news teasers that we will be hearing.

While it is true that the results from the ten state Super Tuesday contest can allow one t0 go so far as to say that Rick Santorum came out a winner,  his clear victories in Tennessee, Oklahoma, and North Dakota, and his second place finish in Ohio that was too close for comfort for  Mitt Romney, have undoubtedly established Rick Santorum as the other man in what seems to be a two man race and it will go a long way to energize both Santorum supporters and Romney haters.  However, the psychological perception, as undoubtedly important as it is, does not change the reality that Mitt Romney has created for himself and despite himself.

Although it is too early to establish precise electoral vote counts after yesterday’s returns, the combined results of the nearly 20 states that held binding contests to date, make it clear that Mitt Romney has a much clearer shot at the 1,144 delegates needed to win the Republican presidential nomination, than do his remaining rivals in the race. On Wednesday, Romney’s campaign chief, Rich Beeson, will make a rare public appearance designed to stress that if one does the math, Mitt is the only candidate left in the race who can realistically collect enough remaining delegates to win the nomination.  While mathematics does make it for possible for Santorum to win the nomination, reality does not because it dictates that Santorum would have to rack up at least 60% of all the remaining delegates.  To perform that well, Mitt Romney would have to be caught in bed with an underage boy and Newt Gingrich would have to be caught cheating on his latest wife, Callista and neither are likely to occur between now and the Republican National Convention in September.

Yet Santorum’s outperforming and Romney’s underperforming in many Super Tuesday states, ends nothing except the unlikely ability for Newt Gingrich to comeback.

For Newt, Tuesday’s win in Georgia, the state which he represented throughout his entire political career, was a gimme and barely enabled him to call himself a regional candidate.  Losing to Santorum and Romney in other Southern, Super Tuesday states, denied Newt even that title.

As for Santorum, he has become the last real hope for those who wish to deny Mitt Romney the G.O.P. nomination.  It will allow Santorum to continue raising decent amounts of money and will provide him with a small degree of momentum as we head in to the next contests of Kansas and Mississippi, two states that should be fertile territory for Santorum.  In between those two states, several American territories will be voting and Romney should easily win them, but Santorum’s anticipated strong showing in Kansas and Mississippi will most likely make Illinois the next major and possibly decisive contest to come up.  If Santorum does as well as expected in the next two states and manages to make Illinois as close as Ohio and Michigan were, or worse yet for Romney, was to defeat him there, the race will remain in flux for weeks to come.  At least until Texas on April 3rd, and ultimately the Mid-Atlantic version of Super Tuesday, on April 24th when Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island vote on the same day.

Still though, all the the numbers are on Mitt Romney’s side.

Santorum may be able to hang on much the same way that Mike Huckabee did in 2008 after Mitt Romney saw the writing on the wall and realized that the numbers were on McCain’s side.  But hanging on and winning are two different things.  Sure Santorum may go for a ride a little longer, but unless the small chance of brokered convention arises, he has no shot at the nomination.  And in a brokered convention, with the establishment clearly behind Romney, Santorum still has no chance at winning the nomination.  Even though the race is competeitve with Santorum doing far better than ever expected or predicted, any perception that the outcome of the nomination is in doubt is a deceptive one.

However; the  problem is that just having the numbers on your side does not mean you can win the one thing that that all this is for.  The presidency.

As I pointed out, Mitt Romney saw that John McCain had the numbers in 2008 and dropped out.  But Barack Obama went on to defeat McCain.  In 1996 after winning only 4 states, even Pat Buchanan saw that he could not defeat Bob Dole for the nomination.  But Bill Clinton defeated Dole.  Those defeats occurred because the eventual nominees won the nomination not because they inspired people, but because they were just more acceptable than the other choices.  A similar scenario exists now with with Mitt Romney.  But in some ways its even worse, because a substantial numbers of conservative oriented voters and anti-establishment types, just refuse to accept Mitt Romney.  At least so far.

Ultimately, Mitt Romney has to begin winning Republicans and Independents over because they like him, not because they don’t like his opponents.  If that is the formula Romney is banking on to beat Barack Obama with in November, then let us all just throw in the towel now because it won’t work.   With a billion dollars to spend, President Obama will have the ability to not only make people briefly like him, he will also have the ability to make people hate Mitt Romney, something which Romney seems to make easy to do.

Meanwhile, regardless of how exciting the results of Super Tuesday seem to be on the surface, below the surface is a reality that dictates a fate which gives the Republican presidential nomination to Mitt Romney.  And while Rick Santorum can tempt fate, no matter how promising he may look after Super Tuesday, he will not be able to change fate and we Republicans can only hope and pray that Mitt Romney eventually gives us more reason to vote him than just the fact that he is not Barack Obama.

Mitt Romney Wants Sarah Palin to Run for President

    In an interview with USA Today’s Susan Page, Mitt Romney states that he hopes Sarah Palin runs for President.

According to Romney;

“I think it would be a good thing if she did. She would make the race that much more exciting, bring more people to watch the debates, and I hope she gets in.”

Romney is totally correct on those points.

Palin’s entry into the race would have an incredibly positive affect for Republicans in the 2012 election. It will especially take a lot of ink away from President Obama.

However Romney does not mention the real reason why he would like Palin to run.

With Sarah Palin in the nomination contest, candidates like Rick Perry, Rick Santorum, Michele Bachmann, and Herman Cain, will have their vote totals suppressed by Palin’s candidacy which will absorb much of their support. And while she holds down the vote totals of candidate like Bachmann and Perry, Romney has a good chance to see his establishment conservative vote totals surpass all others and wrap up the nomination earlier rather than later.

Of course, with Palin running, there is also a good chance that Romney will lose…………..to her.

Palin’s Presidential Write-In Candidacy

    Sarah Palin had originally indicated that she would make a decision about a run for President in 2012 by the end of September. Yet in a recent interview with Sean Hannity she seemed to indicate that her decision might not come until November. When asked about her intentions and after being reminded by Sean Hannity that crunch time is approaching soon, Governor Palin responded by stating;

“There is still time, Sean, and I think on both sides of the aisle you’re going to see people coming and going from this race,”

According to Palin;

“In the Republican race, in this primary, I think people are still going to be coming and going because there is still time. And I’m still one of those still considering the time factor.”

When Hannity asked she didn’t need to make a decision by November, her response was;

“You do, legally you do, because you have start getting your ducks lined up to have your name on these ballots.”

But probably the most telling comment she made during her interview was;

“This is going to be such an unconventional election cycle. … Mark my word, it is going to be an unconventional type of election process.”

Trying to dissect Palin’s words is probably futile. The former Governor and Vice Presidential nominee is keenly aware that her every word is scrutinized, and from them are extrapolated some wild hypotheses . As such, she quite smartly, and intentionally throws out phrases that keep speculation about her front and center.

But there are several realities that can’t be denied. The most glaring one is that if Governor Palin intends to run, in order to get her name on the ballot in South Carolina and Florida, she must make her candidacy official and file the proper paperwork within the next 5 ½ weeks.

Or does she?

As Palin said in her interview, “Mark my word, it is going to be an unconventional type of election process.”

When it comes to unconventional, Sarah Palin is the quintessential queen of unconvential. No politician is as unconventional as her. And while some suggest that her unpredictable nature makes her an unlikely political leader, it can not be denied that much of Palin’s popularity is based on her unconventional tendencies. It is what makes her the anti-establishment candidate at a time when the popular TEA movement that decided the 2010 midterm elections, is looking for an anti-establishmentarian figure to lead our nation.

So what could Palin have meant when after admitting that by typical legal standards, one would have to make a decision about the presidential election soon, but then suggested that this election is not going to be typical?

It is true that Palin would have to make her candidacy officially within the next several weeks if she intended to have ballot access in the South Carolina and Florida primaries. But it is also true that Palin could still win both those contests without appearing on the ballot. If an aggressive write-in effort were waged, Palin could actually catapult herself into frontrunner status and turn this election on its ear. That would certainly live up to her promise that we are about to enter into “an unconventional type of election process.”

To help make that promise come to fruition, Palin could remain an undeclared presidential candidate and continue to draw thousands to the appearances she she is already making around the country. But with a shifted focus on visits to Iowa, South Carolina, and Florida, and a few additional words, she could be in this race until the Republican national convention concludes.

With all the talk about Republicans not being very confident or excited by any of the existing candidates, Palin can appeal to those dissatisfied Republicans, and TEA movement voters by remaining the anti-establishment Republican. She can simply suggest that if you really want to send a message to Republicans and Democrats alike, we should think outside of the box that the establishment has put us in and do not limit ourselves to the candidates that the two Parties offer. And then all Palin needs to say is……

“Write in the name of the person you want to lead this nation, don’t just mark off one of the names that the Party machine allows you to choose from”.

From then on, a movement will be born, a movement that will make writing Sarah Palin’s name in as a symbol of protest and dissatisfaction with the establishment……of both Parties.

In the end, Governor Palin may not be able to win the nomination solely as a write-in candidate, but it could also be that Governor Palin does not intend to be President. Such an effort could simply be an ingenious way for her to insure that her voice is heard and that she continues to influence politics in the way that she intends to………… by keeping the establishment on their toes and preaching the virtues of limited government and bountiful freedom.

Then again, no one can say that Palin would have to remain simply a protest vote. A strong write-in candidacy could actually provide Palin with enough delegates to significantly influence such things as who the next vice presidential nominee is and numerous planks in the Republican Party’s platform. And if this happens to be a very close nomination contest, she could even garner enough delegates to select who the next presidential nominee is.

But that’s not to say that Palin won’t be the next President herself.

If her promise of an unconventional election bears out to mean a Palin write-in candidacy, a strong showing in Florida or South Carolina as a write-in candidate could create enough waves to propel her ahead of the official candidates. If that were to happen, all bets are off.

Why Palin?

    The current Republican presidential contest remains in flux. One of the reasons for that is due to the anticipation of several more potentially, politically potent, candidates into the race……….Sarah Palin and Rick Perry. Part of the reason so many are taking this wait and see attitude is due to a lack of enthusiasm for any of those who we know are running.

That said, I do not subscribe to the school of thought that suggests that the current field of Republican candidates for President has no giants in it. I maintain the position that after a long and hard fought campaign, one of them will rise to the top and along the way, they will become so admired, so appreciated that on Election Day 2012, people will enthusiastically go to the polls to support them. I find many positive things in each of the candidates and could easily get behind someone like Romney, who I supported in 2008. I could also easily get behind someone like Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, Tim Pawlenty or Newt Gingrich. On top of that I do not underestimate the magic that a well run campaign can produce.

Still, no matter how many excuses I make for a lack of popular energy for the existing candidates  it is still true that there is an enthusiasm gap.  But that is not the case with one name who may still enter the race.

Sarah Palin.

Of all the candidates and potential candidates, I find that Sarah Palin is the only potential presidential nominee who already inspires a great sense of enthusiasm within me and tensa of millions of others.  More so than any of the other conceivable nominees, Palin not only has a humongous loyal following, she has an immense and extremely energetic following and her popularity far exceeds that of any of her possible opponents.

Take for example Sarah Pain’s Facebook page. Facebook may not be the best barometer of political opinion, but its preeminence in contemporary internet communication offers a good idea of popularity.

Of the still evolving Republican field of candidates Sarah Palin’s fan base exceeds her nearest opponent by 2,140,214 people. Here’s a breakdown:

• Sarah Palin 3,213,192
• Mitt Romney 1,072,878
• Ron Paul 443,773
• Michele Bachmann 267,286
• Herman Cain 159,044
• Newt Gingrich 142,978
• Tim Pawlenty 103,743
• Rick Perry 77,379
• Rick Santorum 23,808
• Jon Huntsman 10,081

But putting those numbers and pop culture aside, there is no doubt that Sarah Palin energizes the base of the Republican Party. She provided whatever energy there was in John McCain’s doomed 2008 presidential campaign and since then, Sarah Palin has increased her role and visibility as a leading voice for constitutionalism and fiscal sanity.

Still, many believe that Palin can never win. They believe that even if she were to enter the race and somehow win the Republican nomination, she would be slaughtered in the general election. I am not so sure of that.

Despite left wing attempts to paint TEA Party enthusiasts to terrorists and equate them to kamikaze pilots, most Americans are coming around to the realization that government has become too big and spends too much and that Washington, D.C. bureaucrats have little ability to turn things around. Such a view fits right in to the message that Sarah Palin has been offering long before she was ever asked to run for Vice President. At the same time, few people are seen as having the resolve to do exactly as they say, as much as Palin does. People know she holds no punches and is not your typical politician. These quality are great positive contrasts to our current President.

So when it comes to the general election, some people may claim that Palin’s greatest liability is that she is too extreme. While many claim that this may destroy her chances of winning the general election, I contend that on the issue of the economy, Palin’s extremism is an asset. The economy is more than likely going to remain the number one issue. It is also likely that people will want a President who is willing to lead on the economy and not play the same old political games that both the left and right play when they come in to office. Palin has convincingly demonstrated that she would not be a politics-as-usual President. When she says that she would cut the budget, few doubt that she would, even if Congress fights her on it.

And insofar as other issues go, few if any conservative Republicans doubt Palin’s conviction to conservative values. This is not an issue which Palin would need to campaign on. If the religious right doubts Palin’s moral compass and faith, then they would probably doubt Jesus himself. The truth is that among the conservative base Palin need not prove she is conservative enough. This puts Palin in a perfect position to focus on the preeminent issue of the day………the economy. If she were to pursue the Republican presidential nomination, she need not be distracted by any other issue. At the same time Palin is in a perfect position to argue that on social issues, she maintains the most conservative position of all her opponents. Palin believes in the Constitution and her limited government values force her to hold the conservative position that government does not belong in our bedrooms. Take for instance Palin’s veto of the Alaska state legislature’s attempt to preclude the same-sex spouses of state employees from receiving state benefits. Despite Palin’s own personal opposition to same-sex marriage, she refused to allow the state legislature to deny these benefits on the grounds that it was discriminatory and unconstitutional. In other words, Palin believes that the Constitution settles political debates, not personal opinions. That is conservative. But it is also a conservative view that liberals and moderates should be able to appreciate.

The bottom-line is that if Sarah Palin does decide to run for the Republican presidential nomination, she should not be underestimated. Over the past two years, not only has she increased in popularity, she has also become one of the most vetted possible presidential candidates in history. Every aspect of her life has been under endless assault ever since she was first nominated for Vice President in 2008. The media has never let up on scrutinizing her every move and every word. From her clothing, to her family and even her personal emails, everything Palin-related has been dissected, investigated, examined, commented on and publicized. And what has come out to damage her? Nothing.

Ultimately, unlike the current existing field, Palin’s leadership has been inspiring. For me, the last time that there existed a potential candidate for President who inspired me was in 1988 when former Congressman and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development  Jack F. Kempran in the Republican primary. Kemp’s candidacy help draw me in to a life and career of conservative politics. Of course it must be mentioned that despite the inspiration, Kemp did not make it past New Hampshire. He lost to George “Read My Lips” Bush. But four years later President George H.W. Bush was denied reelection. Many voters were not happy with the fact that Bush broke his promise and caved to liberal calls for tax increases. So in retrospect they might have actually been much happier with the strength and conviction of Jack Kemp more than that of George H.W. Bush. That may perhaps be a lesson for Republicans to remember if Sarah does decide to run.

For Republicans, There Are No Favorite Sons or Daughters Except for One ……Gary Johnson

  Public Policy Polling, a left leaning outfit, has put out some interesting results from a survey of how well the Republican presidential contenders are liked by the voters in their own states. The surprising winner here is former two term, New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson. The losers ………3 term Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and former 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

If one intends to run for national office, it is often taken for granted that the state they come from, supports them. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter only won 6 states and the District of Columbia. Fortunately for him, two of those states were his home state of Georgia and his Vice President’s home state of Minnesota. In 1984, Carter’s Vice President, Walter Mondale, was the Democrat presidential nominee and aside from the District of Columbia, the only state that he carried was Minnesota ….…..his home state.

But such favorite son or daughter results are not always the case.

In 1972, Democrat South Dakota Senator George McGovern won his Party’s presidential nomination, but in the presidential election, McGovern’s state of South Dakota voted for Richard Nixon.

And look at Al Gore in 2000.

The man had once represented Tennessee in the U. S. Senate and that same seat was once held by his own father. Yet in the infamous 2000 presidential election, Tennessee voted for George W. Bush. Had Gore been able to win his own state, the result in Florida, the state that was governed by G.W.’s brother at the time, would not have mattered.

So being the favorite son or daughter of your state is not just a good thing, sometimes it is a must.

Yet the PPP survey shows that only one candidate has a higher favorability rating than unfavorable rating. That is the understated, underdog of the 2012 presidential field ….. Gary Johnson. And not only is he the only one with a higher favorable to unfavorable rating, his favorability numbers are dramatically higher than his unfavorable numbers. Twelve percentage points higher to be exact. As seen in the graph from PPP below, 32% of New Mexico voters have an unfavorable opinion of their former Governor and 44% have a favorable opinion of him. Compare this to Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachman who’s unfavorable number among Minnesota voters is 26% higher than her favorable numbers, 33% favorable 59% unfavorable, and Sarah Palin who among Alaska voters stands at 33% favorable to 58% unfavorable.

What accounts for Bachmann’s bad numbers in her state is the fact that she is a national conservative voice from a relatively conservative district in an otherwise liberal state. What accounts for Palin’s bad numbers in Alaska is not quite as obvious. But much of it could be due to the fact that Alaskan’s who once gave Palin favorable ratings that were the highest of any Governor in nation, were very disappointed and angered by her decision to resign midway through her term in office. Another factor is overexposure and the disruption of  life in the state that came with Palin’s sudden rise to national and international fame. On the flip-side, part of the reason for Gary Johnson’s still high positive numbers from New Mexico voters, may come from his lack of attention.

Johnson is a rather mild mannered, understated man. He was elected Governor as an outsider with no prior political experience, did a good job with no scandals or media circus scrutinizing his every move, and went on to win a second term that went much the same way. Since leaving office, unlike Palin, Johnson, stayed out of the fray avoided controversy and allowed his last impression among New Mexico voters to be a lasting impression. Those are some reasons that account for why he still is more liked than disliked.

Unfortunately, while these numbers show that Johnson could probably do well in his state’s Republican presidential primary, it does not look like Johnson will do that well elsewhere. It’s a shame too. With New Mexico being a swing state, it could be critical to reaching the magical number needed to reach the electoral vote required to win the presidency . Of course nothing is to say that President Obama has a much higher approval rating than any of those mentioned in most of these states. Still, it would be encouraging to know that you could count on your own state. The only potential Republican nominees that we should legitimately expect to lose their own state in the general election would be Mitt Romney in the case of liberal Massachusetts, and if he really was delusional enough to run again, Rudy Giuliani in adark blue New York state.

Santorum Bases His Candidacy on a Fight for America’s Freedom, Against President Obama

 While New York liberal, Anthony Weiner captured Monday’s headlines with his admission that he is a member of Congress who is a liar that denied his penchant for the proliferation of porn on the internet that featured his own member, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, a candidate known for his conviction to values and moral decency, was citing the real promise that our nation was founded on, as the foundation for which he based his decision to officially run for President.

 

In his speech delivered in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, Santorum hammered President Obama on everything from his unwillingness to wisely use our nation’s resources, to amassing a debt that will cost future generations 40 cents on every dollar.  “Who are you, Mr. President, to say that you, and your Administration should take 40 cents out of every dollar, and borrow it from future generations to prop you up” said Santorum. 

 

But what the former Senator used to really pummel the President with was Obamacare.  For him Obamacare is the primary example of what is wrong with the thinking of the current Administration and it was used as the basis for his theme……..keeping Americans free. 

 

Santorum made the case that our nation was founded by people who did not want to live  where their rights were granted to them by Kings, but instead to live in a nation where they were free to exercise the unalienable rights granted  by God.  He argued that the purpose of America is to be free yet under the current Administration, that freedom is at stake.  He added;

 

“We are facing a time when we have a group of people led by President Obama who believes that America’s greatness is in government , not its people . And there is one singular act that is the lynchpin and that is Obamacare”

 

According to Santorum, Obamacare is designed to take power away from the people and make them dependent by hooking them up to government with an IV.

 

“They want to hook you. They do not want to free you. They do not want to give the opportunities. They believe in themselves, the smart people, the planners” , said Santorum

 

In a reference to Margaret Thatcher, Santorum made the case that Obamacare, was the greatest example of the type of

legislative threat to our freedom and prosperity that we must make a priority in turning back and repeated the words of Lady Thatcher who after doing an assessment of her time in office, compared to Ronald Reagan’s time in office and stated;

 

“I was never able to accomplish in England, what Reagan accomplished in America, and it was one thing that stood in my way….the British national healthcare system.”

 

Senator Santorum wrapped up his remarks  by describing how in 2008 Americans wanted a President they could believe in, but President Obama took that faith that the American public gave him, and “wrecked our economy, centralized government, and robbed people of their freedom” and concluded by saying;

 

” I believe now that Americans are not looking for someone that they can believe in.  They’re looking for a President Who believes in them.   Fellow Americans, it is our watch, it is our time…it is our time for all of us  to step up and do what America requires us to do.  I’m ready to lead.  I’m ready to do what has to be done for the next generation.  with the courage to fight for freedom, the courage to fight for America.  That’s why I am running for the President of the united States.  Join the fight!”

 

While this speech was not enough to propel Santorum to the head of the pack, no one speech could have.  But this one did demonstrate that he understands the conservative ideology that, if articulated right, can defeat President Obama.  And while many discount the Senator as a one issue candidate, it is clear to me that if his opponents believe that, they can easily be blindsided by an underdog who has been known to come from behind in the past.    So while expectations for him in the G.O.P. field may not be high, he should not be underestimated.  If he can raise a sufficient enough war chest to stay in the race, he will at the very least raise some eyebrows.  And based upon what is a proven conservative record and his ability to convey the sense that he truly understands what lies at the heart of conservatism, if given a chance by voters, Santorum will be one of those candidates who makes the Republican nomination contest a real horse race.    

 

 

 

For Republicans, the First Step Is the Primary Within the Primary

    As we finally begin to understand what the likely field of Republican presidential candidates will look like, it is becoming clear that the same dynamics which influenced the 2010 Republican primaries and general election, are likely to play a significant role in the 2012 Republican presidential nominating contest. In 2010, the influence of a strong TEA movement, shaped the platform that incumbents ran on, and determined the outcomes of many primary contests. The now former Congressman from Delaware, Mike Castle, is one of the most notable people who can attest to that.

In Delaware’s Republican U.S. Senate primary, Castle, a former Governor of the state, was an establishment candidate. He was defeated by Christine O’Donnell who, for better or worse, was the anti-establishment candidate. In Nevada, Sharron Angle, another anti-establishment candidate, defeated a number of other establishment Republicans in her attempt to win the G.O.P. nomination. In both cases, those ladies may have lost their general election races, but many other anti-establishment candidates, won both the Party nomination and their general elections. There was Marco Rubio,  Rick Scott, Daniel Webster, and Allen West in Florida, Tim Johnson in Wisconsin, Niki Haley in South Carolina, New Mexico’s Susana Martinez and many more, including hundreds more on the county and local levels. Ultimately, the TEA movement brewed a potent formula that is still infusing itself in to the electoral and legislative process and it will continue to do so in the nomination process of the next Republican presidential candidate.

The same anti-establishment sentiment that propelled statewide and local candidates to victory in 2010 is going to again play itself out in presidential primaries and pit the anti-establishment against the establishment. In fact, in many ways, the race to nominate a Republican presidential candidate is likely to come down to two people……..the establishment candidate and the anti-establishment candidate. Consider it a primary within the primary.

On the establishment side, you have frontrunner Mitt Romney, followed by Tim Pawlenty, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, and possibly other major players like Texas Governor Rick Perry, along with minor candidates like former Governors Buddy Roemer, George Pataki, Bob Riley and possibly even former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. In the end though, the establishment primary will really be only between Romney, Gingrich, Santorum, Pawlenty and if he runs, Rick Perry.

As for the anti-establishment primary, who will be competing in this field is still a bit unsettled. With names like Bachmann and Palin not yet in the race but seriously considering it, this inner-primary has yet to take shape. At the moment, Herman Cain is the anti-establishmentarian frontrunner. Competing against Cain is former two term New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson and Texas Congressman Ron Paul.  Both Paul and Johnson have a very low ceilings of support, but we have yet to see how high the roof on Herman Cain’s popularity is.

While Cain has a definite ability to outperform both Johnson and Paul, the entry of Bachmann and/or Palin in to the race, will give Cain a good run for whatever money he can raise.

On the establishment side, while Romney has the inside track, he can easily be thrown off pace and with the specter of RomneyCare hanging around his neck, he could be quickly overcome by Pawlenty, Gingrich, Santorum, Huntsman or Perry.

But in the final analysis, the nomination will most likely come down to the candidate which the establishment gravitates towards and the candidate that the anti-establishment coalesces around. It is hard to say which two will win their primaries within the primaries. I tend to believe that unless Texas Governor Rick Perry enters the race, Mitt Romney will be the system backed candidate.

Despite fears of Romney being a Benedict Arnold to the conservative cause and having a government-centric mindset, Romney will be a strong candidate. Say what you want, but Romney has a good record. Especially when it comes to management and economics, two things critical to the immediate needs of our nation. He will strike all the right chords and do so in a way that could earn him not just the Republican presidential nomination, but the confidence of Republican voters as well. And in the general election, as the nominee, Mitt Romney has the ability to craft a campaign that can beat President Obama. But Mitt can easily be derailed from his seemingly likely road to the nomination and even the White House, if a during the primaries and caucuses, a certain former Governor winds up becoming the candidate that the ant-establishment forces gravitate toward.

That person is Sarah Palin.

In 2010, she was the needle that the TEA movement used to inject its brew into the G.O.P. with. In 2010, she was the TEA Party’s Cheerleader-in-Chief and the quintessential anti-establishmentarian. And right now, it looks like Palin has the staying power to still be that Cheerleader-in-Chief in 2012.

While people like Herman Cain and Michele Bachmann could prove to be quite formidable, Palin is really the only anti-establishment candidate who has the ability to maintain the enthusiastic support of a majority of TEA movement Republicans while also being able to attract a significant portion of support away from the establishment candidate ……..especially if that ends up being Mitt Romney. In fact, if the primaries within the primaries pit Palin against Romney, I believe Palin wins the nomination.

That  is obviously conjecture. For it to even be possible, Sarah Palin will have to first decide to become a candidate for President in 2012. Additionally, the opportunity for any number of game changing events to take place is endless, and I still contend that the logistics of a well run campaign can make a candidate who looks weak now, seem quite strong later. But what is not conjecture is the fact that the G.O.P. will be encountering a primary within the primary. The anti-establishment forces are firmly ensconced within the G.O.P. and they are ready to do battle again in 2012. For these people, trust does not come with “political experience”. In truth, political experience is a minus to them. For these people, being a “good Republican” is not enough. They want a different type of Republican, the type who is willing to push the G.O.P. establishment and who can demonstrate that they are not willing to play the political games that have gotten us to where we are today. These sentiments are going to certainly produce a divide that will lead not to the usual competition between liberal Republicans and conservative Republicans but rather one between Republican insiders and Republican outsiders.

The final outcome will depend upon on which Republican outsider runs against which Republican insider.

Sarah Palin Tells Chris Wallace What “President Palin” Would Do

   I have stopped predicting who will enter the race for the Republican presidential nomination. After seeing names like Pence, Thune, Barbour, and Huckabee, all shy away from a bid for the nomination and after being convinced that Mitch Daniels would run, only to find out that he won’t, I have stopped trying to figure out what any other potential candidates will do. This is especially so concerning former Alaska Governor and vice presidential nominee, Sarah Palin. Pain is a master at throwing people off guard. She relishes her ability to befuddle the media that tries to follow her every move and she holds her cards close. However, in a rather extensive 25 minute interview with Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday, Governor Palin sounded like someone prepared to challenge President Obama in 2012.

Palin came across as calm, cool, and in command of the issues. Her opinions were also presented in a way that made her come across as a  populist with a common sense conservative approach to the problems being denied by our President, but understood by the people.

In one of her brightest moments of the interview, Sarah hit Democrats and the President on the economy and said;

“Their [the Democrats]plans for bigger government, more federal control over our private sector, more regulation and burdensome mandates on the people, and on our businesses, its not working and we need to shift gears and change course.  And it is very noble of President Obama to want to stay at the helm and maybe go down with the sinking ship, but I prefer,…… many Americans prefer…… that we start plugging up the holes, powering up the bilge pump, and start to get rid of this unsustainable debt that is sonking our ship.”

Palin sounded most like a presidential candidate when host Chris Wallace asked the former vice presidential nominee, “What would President Palin do, specifically, to boost the economy?

Without any hesitation, Palin simply said that she “would go in the opposite direction of what these Democrats and President Obama have tried in these past 2 ½ years.” But as she continued her answer, at about 4 minutes, 10 seconds into the interview, she stated,

“What President Palin would do is cut the federal budget….making sure that we’re not crowding out private sector investment. And we will cut that spending”

Another telling point came when Wallace pointed out that Palin and Bachmann are both popular TEA Party figures as well as social conservatives and as such, asked Palin  if there was room for both her and Bachmann in the race, or would they split the same base of support between them?

Here , Sarah Palin gave a response that may have offered a “between the lines” interpretation indicative of her sense that she fully expects to become a candidate.

Palin stated;

“No, we have differences too. I have many years of executive experience too, and she has her strengths to add to the race. But no, yeah, there is certainly room. The more the merrier. The more competition, the better.”

That segment of the interview can be found at almost the very end of the video at about 23 minutes, 30 seconds in to it.

While I once leaned towards believing that Palin was not going to run for President, the last month has made me begin to think that she might actually go for it. For a while, she was suspiciously absent from the political scene as she laid relatively low. For me, that was a sign of Palin preparing for something big and trying to not overexpose herself too early. Now, while Palin vigorously argues that she is simply celebrating our American history, her recent bus tour for that  purported purpose, offers up an oddly timed, campaign-like experience, that affords her valuable attention.

Now we can add to that this nearly half hour long interview, an interview in which Palin talks about decisions that would come from a “President Palin”, and discusses room in the race for her and other candidates, so matter-of-factly, that it almost sounds as though she is welcoming candidates to challenge her for the nomination. But I am still not getting my hopes up.

The positive potential that I believe exists in a Palin presidential candidacy is endless. In 2008, I was part of a movement to nominate her for Vice President and became one of the happiest people in the world of politics when she actually was nominated. I believe it was the only smart decision made by John McCain and his campaign. However; I do admit that since then, Palin has been somewhat marginalized by a vindictive, liberal element and relentlessly brutal media. To a degree, her image was damaged and her negative ratings surpassed her positive ratings. But I also believe that if Sarah Palin can transition from playing the role of Republican cheerleader to Republican statesman, she could easily turn those ratings around. All Palin needs to do is come across a bit more Thatcher-like than pop star-like, and she could easily become America’s “Iron Lady”.

This latest interview was a step in that direction.

Sarah Palin Fundraising and Confirming That She is Still Seriously Considering a Run for President

I had been getting a little suspicious of the fact that for Sarah Palin has been conspicuously quiet and out of the spotlight this past month. Her drop from the headlines were beginning to make me suspect that she was getting ready to announce her candidacy for President. You see, I understand that Sarah Palin is unconventional. I also know that she likes to catch people, especially her opponents and those within the lamestream media, off guard. So I began to think that she was quietly readying herself to surprise everyone with the declaration of her candidacy. Much like she surprised everyone with the birth of her son Trig, or her resignation as Governor of Alaska. But no sooner did I begin to pay any attention to these suspicions, Sarah sent out 400, 000 direct mailing pieces that solicited financial donations to her PAC.

In them Palin writes;

“Taking back control of the House last year was only the first step, Now you and I must fix our eyes on 2012. Our goal is to take back the White House and the Senate.”

This does not necessarily mean that Governor Palin is running for President. It could just be her way of preparing to do in 2012, exactly what she did in 2010 to help boost the electoral fortunes of conservatives running for office. Still, the timing is suspect. It came two days after Donald Trump declared he was not running for President and three days after Mike Huckabee took himself out of the running. Huckabee and Trump appealed to the same pools of evangelical and anti-establishment driven voters that comprise Palins base of support. But now with Trump and Huckabee out, Palin has less competition to contend with among those voters. That made the sudden appeal to them for financial support a well timed opportunity for Palin to make a pitch to them that could help consolidate their support behind her.

Then, in addition to the revelation of a new fundraising effort by the Governor, she appeared on Sean Hannitys Fox New program (listen to the interview in the video below this post). Among some of the matters discussed was Sarahs thoughts on her own 2012 run for President. When asked what she intends to do Palin replied Im still assessing the field because I still know its still going to change, the lineup, She added that she was praying about it and looking for others who are ready go rogue within the Republican Party. Governor Palin did say that she wanted to give everyone who is running a good listening and added that she especially wants to give the candidates time to distinguish themselves through the persona lives that they live.

During the interview, Palin indicated that she is not a fan of either politicians or the political process and suggested that she has no intention to put herself on a unneccessary timetable. Palin believes that there is no need for her to make a decision one way or the other yet. In her case that is true. Palin already has significant name ID and seeing as how she is such a contentious figure, she is one of the few potential candidates who can afford to let some go by before she jumps into a spotlight that she has essentially has not been out of for very long. In fact, if Palin does intend to run, a late entry is probably her best bet. For one thing, it gives the media less time to bog her down with coverage that intentionally paints her in a negative light. And for another thing, once the Republican presidential field is established and gets accustomed to its unique composition, if she intends to run, a surprise, late entry into the race would throw the other candidates campaign off balance in a way that would be to Palins advantage.

Still, nothing conclusively indicates that Palin intends to run. However in one characterization of the field, Governor Palin phrased her statement in a way that included herself among the republican contenders for the Republican nomination when she stated. everyone one of us, we bring strengths and weaknesses to the table.

I for one am still leaning more towards Sarah deciding not to run than I am towards her deciding to run. At least not for the Republican or Democrat nomination. But if figures like Mitch Daniels and Rick Perry or the often mentioned Chris Christie, do not somehow end up in the race, I believe Palin could easily see a field with spark in it and decide to become a candidate later rather than sooner.

Santorum Takes A Big Step Towards an Official Run for President

Earlier this evening in an interview with Fox News Greta Van Susteren, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum announced that after visiting 25 states and concentrating on Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina, the first four states to hold Republican presidential nominations contests, he is encouraged enough to create a presidential exploratory committee. The purpose of this committee will be to find out whether or not the resources to mount a competitive campaign for the Republican presidential nomination are there.

With a great deal of encouragement from several quarters of the Republican base, Senator Santorum has been buoyed by the reception he and his message are receiving and as he explained, with many other questions answered, the only one remaining is whether or not he will be able to raise enough money to carryhis message over the finish line. Santorum told Van Susteren that in last campaign for the United States Senate he raised over $31 million and 40% of that came from out of state donors. So he is optimistic about what his exploratory committee will find.

There is no word yet as to when Santorum expects to know if he will be able to gather the resources to take his effort to the next stage and declare his candidacy for President.

Two days ago, Mitt Romeny announced that he is setting up an exploratory committee to see if and when he too will run for President. Others who have taken that same step include Minnesota’s former Governor Tim Pawlenty and former Speaker of the HouseNewt Gingrichis anticipating making a similiar announcement soon. On Thursday in New Hampshire, at 9:00 am, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson will beannouncing that he is an official candidate for the Republicanpresidential nomination.By the end of the month Missisppi Governor Haley Barbour and Indiana Governor MitchDaniels have promised to announce their own decision onwhether or not they willtake any steps to move closer to a run for the White House. The only otherRepublican contender who has already made his candidacy official is FredKarger a political consultant and gay activists fromCalifornia.

Another Republican Ready To Decalre Their Presidential Candidacy

On Tuesday, Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson ent out a press release decaring that he will be decaring his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination. The announcement will come on Thursday, at 9:00 am, on the steps of the New Hampshire State Capitol Building. (See Press release below).

Governor Johnson is a self described Libertarian-Republican and possibly even more so than Ron Paul hehas the ability to force issues such as the legalization of drugs on to the table. WhileJohnson is himself opposed to recreational drug use, it is his belief that a nanny state which tells adults what they can or cannot use, is not inlline with the Constitution of the United States. In fact, although Johnson does not intend to make this a competition betweenjust him and Ron Paul, he will be indirect competition with Ron Paul and the libertarian mantlethatRon Paul has held for many years now. While the two have many similiar posoitions on the economy drugs and foreign policy, the real competition willl be which one has the ability to turn their beliefs in to the mainstream beliefs of the Republican Party.

Having had the executive leadership of governing a state, Johnson may have the the advantage their. Especially since unlike Ron Paul who promotes his beliefs through proposing and supporting or opposig legislation, Governor Johnson has actually implemented his beleifs and successfully applied his belief system to the everday governance of a state. And he did so by winning two back to back elections to the office of Governor in a state that is not ususally very friendly to Republicans.

Governor Gary Johnson set to make major announcement in New Hampshire

Former Republican Governor of New Mexico to discuss future plans, 2012 campaign

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sue Winchester
801.303.7924

April 12, 2011, Santa Fe, NM Gary Johnson, former Republican Governor of New Mexico will hold a news conference on Thursday, April 21st at 9:00am EDT at the New Hampshire State Capitol Building in Concord (location: Capitol front steps: 107 North Main Street, Concord), to discuss his plans for the 2012 election.

Governor Johnson, who has been referred to as the most fiscally conservative Governor in the country, believes the highest priority for America is a balanced federal budget. He calls the national debt the greatest threat to our national security.

Since launching the OUR America Initiative in late 2009, Governor Johnson has traveled to 38 states, participated in hundreds of media interviews and addressed a wide range of organizations all across the nation. He is vocal in his opposition to U.S. involvement in Libya, and has called for an end to American military involvement in both Afghanistan and Iraq. He supports marijuana legalization and advocates common-sense immigration reform.

Following the formal news conference, Governor Johnson will be available for media opportunities through Saturday, April 23rd. Details and locations are provided below:

Thursday, April 21

9:00am: Gary Johnson news conference at New Hampshire State Capitol Building in Concord
10:00am 12:00pm: Media availability in Concord
12:00pm 1:00pm: Lunch reception with NH Legislators (location: Barley House downstairs, 132 North Main Street, Concord).
2:00pm 4:00pm: Media availability in Manchester
6:30pm: VIP Reception/Photos with Governor Johnson (location: Executive Court, 1199 South Mammoth Road, Manchester)
7:00pm: Public kick-off event (location: Executive Court, 1199 South Mammoth Road, Manchester)

Friday, April 22

9:00am 6:00pm: Governor Johnson to visit local businesses, meet with residents and various political groups in the Southern New Hampshire/greater Manchester area.

6:00pm: Depart Manchester for North Conway, NH.

Governor Johnson will be available for live TV/Cable segments (throughout the day on Friday, and subject to availability on Thursday) from the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at St Anselms College in Manchester. Please schedule in advance if possible.

Saturday, April 23rd

Governor Johnson will be skiing Tuckermans Ravine on Mount Washington. Media are invited to cover the event and/or ski with the Governor. Tuckermans Ravine is an extreme skiing endeavor. Interviews can be conducted at Hermit Lake Shelter (a two hour hike from the trailhead) or at the trailhead following the run. If interested in covering or skiing, please contact Sue Winchester or Lizz Renda at media@ouramericainitiative.com for details and credentials. For more information on Tuckermans Ravine click here.

8:00am: Meet at Pinkham Notch trailhead (location: AMC Pinkham Notch Camp on US Route 16, eighteen miles north of North Conway, NH). Begin 2.5 mile hike to Hermit Lake Shelter
11:30am (approximately): arrive at Hermit Lake Shelter
12:00pm 3:30pm: Ski Tuckermans Ravine
3:30pm 6:00pm: Hike back to Pinkham Notch trailhead
6:30pm: Depart for Manchester

In South Carolina, Santorum Wins. Barbour Loses

Republicans in Greenville, South Carolina held their county convention this weekend and addressing the more than 500 attendees were Newt Gingrich, Haley Barbour and Rick Santorum.

Not long after each of the three potential Republican presidential contenders spoke, 413 of those in attendance at the convention voted in a straw poll that produced a big win for former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum. Santorum won 31 % of the vote and coming in second, far behind him, was Newt Gingrich with 14%.

Santorum impressed the GOP activists in attendance with a bombastic speech that touched upon the most important issues of the day. H, ,along with Gingrich and Barbour, praised House Republicans for their handling of the budget negotiations and credited them with getting Democrats to cave and give in to some of the biggest budget cuts in history. But Santorum also roused the crowd with his anti-Obamacare points. He received some of the loudest applause when he spoke of his own healthcare plan which he calls You Care. As Santorum tells it, it is called You Care because you know how to care for yourself better than the government.

Between his good performance and 13 previous visits to South Carolina, more than any other potential presidential rival, Santorum still did surprising well, especially given his lead which was more than double that of the second place finisher.

While Santorum won big, and Newt Gingrich faired decently in the straw poll, Haley Barbour, the third soon to be presidential candidate to address the convention, lost and he lost big. Barbour has been focusing much of his efforts on the G.O.P. establishment leadership in both South Carolina and Florida. He has made numerous trips to both states and is constantly talking to legislative and Party leaders in both states. Yet in the straw poll he pulled a mere 5% of the vote, tying for 6^th place with Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul. The only major name who had a more disappointing total was Sarah Palin who received 4%.

Part of the reason for Barbours loss, despite being there to personally address the straw poll voters, is his lackluster oratory skills. While what Barbour says is popular with the G.O.P. base, how he says is uninspiring and as a result, so are his vote totals.

Common thinking is that Haley Barbour actually has a better chance of becoming the Republican presidential nominee than does Rick Santorum. Barbour has solid roots within the establishment and among Party leadership and numerous Republican Governors. He also has a fundraising network unmatched by anyone, including President Obama. Barbour also has a direct line to some of the top talent in politics. All that is in addition to his own superior political strategic skills. But unless Barbour can begin addressing voters in a way that crerates some visuals and inspiration, all his potential will be wasted. Barbour is in desperate need of skilled wordsmiths, people who can phrase the great thoughts that Barbour has in a way that makes people jump to their feet and in a way that can communicate his message to other regions of the country in a way that makes them forget the Southern drawl that dominates his bland message.

The final results of the Greenville Straw Poll were as follows:

• Santorum – 31%
• Gingrich – 14%
• Bachmann – 7%
• Trump- 7%
• Romney- 6%
• Christie- 6%
• Barbour – 5%
• Ron Paul- 5%
• Huckabee – 5%
• Palin- 4%

Shortly after President Obama offered up a speech that presented a national energy full of contradictions, former Pennsylvania Senatorum and likely 2012 presidential candidate Rick Sanotorm issued the folowing opinion.

For Immediate Release
March 31, 2011

“With gas prices approaching $4.00 a gallon, President Obama once again chose rhetoric over substance in a attempt to gloss over his Administrations failure to move us toward energy independence. On one hand, he speaks of expanding domestic energy production, but then does nothing to reduce the regulatory barriers that are hindering oil, gas, and coal industries from expanding and creating the fuels of the future, said Senator Santorum. Our nation must institute a comprehensive all-of-the-above energy strategy that focuses on expanding and harvesting our domestic resources as a means of advancing not just energy independence, but energy security. If the past few weeks have taught us anything, it is irresponsible to rely on a region as unstable as the Middle East for energy resources that are so vital to us. Energy development is also critical to creating jobs in rural America where our unemployment is the highest.”

To learn more about former Senator Rick Santorum, please visit www.RickSantorum.com.

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Rick Santorum Sends A Message To New Jersey Republican Straw Poll Voters

As White House 2012 and Building the New Majority conductsa presidential straw poll of New Jersey Republican grass root activivsts, candidates, campaign managers and staffers, former Pennsylvania Senator and likely presidential candidate Rick Santorum, has sent them a message which credited New Jerseyans with starting in 2009 what he called “the American Renaissance” Santorum writes:

“What New Jersey gave, the rest of America is taking. Each of us needs to step forward and stand tall for what we know to be true, that America is the most uniquley exceptional nation in the history of the world, not just b ecause of what we have accomplished, but for who we are as a people and all that we aspire to be.

The American renaissance started here [New Jersey] in 2009, and the rest of the country picked up the flag last year. But we must continue to fight by electing a new President in 2012 and electing a new Republican Senate majority”

You can click on the image below to read the complete message.

White House 2012 will is conducting a straw poll at a conference sponsored by Building the New Majority, a statewide organization that identifies, developes and empowers candidates byfocussing in onthe development of candidates for local, county and state offices through direct contributions and grassroots support in order to help rebuild the New Jersey Republican organization from the ground up. The White House 2012/ Building the New Majority Garden State Republican Presidential Straw Poll will be the first of its kind in New Jersey for the 2012 presidential election and should give a sense of where the Party’s base currently stands on the evolving Republican presidentiall nominating contest.

Results of the poll will be released on Saturday, March 26, 2011, the second day of the Building the New Majority conference.

Click on the image below to read a larger version of Senator Santorum’s complete message

Rand Paul Visits South Carolina

Kentucky Senator and TEA Party favorite Rand Paul could be testing the 2012 presidential waters with a trip to South Carolina.

The son of Texas Rep., 2008 GOP presidential candidate and possible 2012 candidate Ron Paul, Rand is appeared this afternoon before the College of Charelston’s “Bully Pulpit” series to talk about Libya, his possible 2012 interest and the national debt. He is scheduled to appear this evening before the Charelston Meeting, a center right, invitation only organization that invites politicians to address it’s membership strictly off the record.

Paul, like his father a Tea Party favorite, who won his Senate seat last fall, is visiting several early presidential voting states independently of his father. The only answer he will give regarding his own Presidential aspirations is, “The only decision I’ve made is I won’t run against my dad,” he said, adding that he wants to see the Tea Party influence the 2012 GOP nominee.

So how many Paul’s will there be on the ballot come 2012? Just one according to Rand. Which one however remains a mystery.

Can The TEA Party Win On A National Level?

With the 2012 GOP field of presidential hopefuls lending numerous rumors and anticipation to it’s constituency the polls seem to be giving early indications that those names who have been there before have the advantage heading into the spring.

2008 candidates Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney have been neck and neck in most polls and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich along with 2008 Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin have been receiving a large helping of media attention. So with the polls showing the familiar names leading the pack, where does the TEA Party fit into all of this?

Most media outlets recognize CNBC’s Rick Santelli with launching the movement with a speech from the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange on February 19, 2009 while giving a speech against the Obama administrations proposal to help homeowners with their mortgages. Keli Carender, blogger, teacher organized some of the earliest Tea Party style protests, before they were even called Tea Party protests. In February of 2009, Carender held a rally against the economic stimulus package in downtown Seattle. Ron Paul supporters credit him with launching the movement as far back as 2007 when the GOP held the keys to the White House and the federal budget deficit began to grow.

Despite who claims credit for the origins of the movement it flexed it’s muscles during the 2010 midterm elections. Some credit has to be given to the TEA Party movement for the Republicans taking the majority away from the Democrats in the House of Representatives. It was their message of controlling government spending and debt that propelled the GOP to victory.

So why is it that most polls for 2012 show the members of the ‘old guard’ as the early favorites? Sarah Palin is held in high regard by many who consider themselves TEA partiers but has shown little indication that she is making a run in 2012. Ron Paul won the CPAC straw poll for the second straight year but in national polling is far behind the leaders. Tim Pawlenty has been campaigning to and garnering new found support amongst the TEA Party faithful but has yet to make any real gains to put himself on the same level of support as the early polling favorites. MN Rep. Michelle Bachmann has been hinting at a run and is the founder of the House TEA Party Caucus but has made many highly publicized gaffes and hasn’t even been a blip on the radar if the polling is any indication.

It is apparent from the results seen in 2010 that the TEA Party movement has a certain bit of influence. They are well organized and always draw media attention to their message of government fiscal responsibility. The question is can they bring the same message and support on a national level during a run for the White House as they did on the local level bringing a GOP majority to the House? The early polling doesn’t seem to say they can. It is very early in the process however and things can change quickly in the world of politics.

I believe that 2012 will be a huge test for the TEA Party movement. If they can get a candidate amongst the leaders for the GOP nomination they should be able to cement themselves as a true influence in national politics. If they fail to break through during THE largest race in the nation, they could be relegated to a mere footnote in American political history. Their message is a good one and seems to resonate with most Americans perception of the countries economic situation. Will that roll over into support from the independents that are necessary to win the White House? Time will only tell. Early indications however show that they have inroads to make within the GOP first.

Rick Santorum Goes After Romneycare.

Former Pennsylvania Senator and potential 2012 GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum took a few jabs at former Massachusetts Governor and potential 2012 competitor Mitt Romney and the health care program he implemented in Massachusetts.

“I have a lot of concerns about him in this election cycle because of the pre-eminence of health care and the issue of Romneycare,” Santorum told the Boston Herald at a fund-raiser for a Roman Catholic group in Newton, MA yesterday. “I think the issues unfortunately don’t line up particularly well for Gov. Romney at this time, particularly with health care being front and center on the stage.” He also called Massachusetts’ health-care reform “a failure.”

“People have tried to differentiate it from Obamacare in the sense that the states have the right to do what Massachusetts did, and I don’t dispute that Massachusetts and Gov. Romney had the right to do it, but the question is, was it the right thing to do?” Santorum said. Romney has insisted that health-care repeal is a state-by-state right. He has promised to repeal Obamacare because it’s a federal mandate forced on the country’s 50 states.

Santorum, who endorsed Romney in 2008, said he’s changed his mind because, “It’s a different field. It’s a different set of issues.” Santorum has said that he will make a decision on a 2012 run within the next couple of months and has logged more trips to NH this year than any other potential candidate. A sign to most observers that he is intending on declaring himself a candidate.

Santorum is not the first to call into question the Massachusetts law implemented by Romney as Governor. Other Republicans have attacked Romney and the health-care reform legislation he created as the 2012 presidential race heats up. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said Romney should apologize for the law. Santorum stopped short of demanding an apology, but said, “We need someone who’s a strong, practical conservative who believes not in government mandates, not in government control of the health care system but in a patient-centered approach to health care.”