Correct, with on exception........Newtie will NEVER be the candidate either and for many of the same reasons.
Out of the bunch I mentioned, he would be my choice. If Tancreado can be something besides a "johnny one note" he may also get my vote. But if you are talking about the best all around candidate, Newt is it. I don't understand the vitreol in the Freeper den about Newt. He gave us the conservative victory, the "Contract" was passed in 100 days, it WORKED, and he is right on most if not all of the issues. I love president Bush, but I disagree with his stand on the border. But try to imagine Algore, or Kerry in office today.
Unless something better comes along,( and it looks increasingly doubtful), I'll take Newt. If the Repubs get to squishy,( Frist, Guliani, et al), you will see the return of the 3rd party spoiler.
Newt has Founding Father type qualities and he "get's it". He balanced the budget, not Klintoon, and he impeached the bastid! The Senate is the one that went wobbly. He is an Army brat, so he gets it about the military, and he was a history teacher that knows Real History.
Someone else may catch my eye, but right now, it's Newt and I think more conservatives need to examine just what they find wrong with him. The most I've heard is that he has a queer daughter and hes been married more than once. Well, Gulinai dresses in drag and marches in parades and he's been married more than once, and was living "in sin" while mayor. McCain is working on multiple marriages, and I'm sure others are too. The point is, I don't think McCain being a POW qualifies him to be Commander in Chief. And I don't think Guliani being Mayor of NYC makes him an expert on terror. I look at the whole enchilada and pick from that. There are those that want Frist to fix health care because he's a doctor. He's a nice man, but if he could fix it, he already would have a plan that was so irresistible, it would be law today. I don't want him running the military or Foreign policy just because he was a doctor.
If it's not Newt, who then? I'm open for serious candidates.