I will have to go with the "neither" group........Romney is of questionable ideology......although he talks like a conservative, there is no such thing as a conservative in Massachusetts, therefore I suggest that he gives lip-service to his claim to conservatism........he is far too "slick" for me, and there is his health care initiative when he was governor. He will claim that he was required to take that action due to his liberal constituency in MA, but I just don't buy it.......I think he is a younger version of John McCain politically.
Huckabee is a Baptist minister......as a Baptist myself, this, in a way, is a good thing, but there are many conservatives who are not evangelicals that will be turned off by that.....he brings the whole "church and state" issue along as baggage to a lot of people that would otherwise vote for a solid conservative candidate. Not to mention the fact that he sometimes comes across as a backwoods bumpkin......I'm sure that is part of his act, but it is disturbing to many who wish to see a strong experienced decision-maker in the white house.......we've had a sax player from Hope AR, we don't need a guitar player from the same town as POTUS.
As for who I really like......I'm still waiting.......I thought Palin would have a good shot if she made it into the VP slot, but there is something about her that bothers me.....I can't really put my finger on it, but I believe that she lacks "depth" as a leader.....she is certainly good on the stump, but I have some reservations about her underlying leadership abilities at this time.....were she to win a Senate seat, or gain additional national political experience where I could examine her record on critical issues, I would vote for her in a heartbeat, but I'm not willing to go out on a limb based on what she says in a campaign speech.......that sort of thinking is what got us Obama......
I really like Bobby Jindahl from Louisania, but when I look at him in the cold light of day, he lacks the charisma that it would take to go all the way, and I think that the press would exploit that, and make him look foolish regardless of his capabilities.
I guess that I'm waiting for a "dark horse" to emerge much like GWB did in the 2000 race........before 1998, nobody ever heard of Bush the younger, and he stormed on the scene due to the behind the scenes machinations within the party.
If I had to make a call right now, I suspect that Romney will get the nomination, and unless things are very bad in 2011........he will lose, just like Bob Dole.......
doc
