At this point in the process, I agree with this statement. There are other factors that could change our definition of the candidate "with the best chance of winning." Personally, I can't see Rudy Giuliani ever overcoming his negatives.
I think Mitt Romney has a chance. I really believe that he never paid attention to the social issues in 1994 or even 2002 when he was elected governor of Massachusetts. I believe he saw himself as an executive who could fix the mess that the state government had become, and his only interest was in making things run more effectively so that the government wouldn't go bankrupt and wouldn't bankrupt the citizens. I don't applaud politicians who are blind to the importance of other issues, but I can accept that they would say things that were wrong without thinking. I can then accept that when they've given the issue proper thought, they would change their minds. Mitt Romney will undoubtedly lose the votes of Christians whose feelings about Mormonism won't let them elect a Mormon to office. He still has to do the hard job of persuading various conservative groups that he is sincere when he says that he will be our friend. However, I think he can mend some fences that Rudy Giuliani cannot mend.
The other option is that the party will reconsider someone who has been rejected as a candidate who "can't win." My personal favorite is Duncan Hunter, and I think he could win in the fall. Mike Huckabee might have a chance as well. Otherwise, I'm not encouraged at our prospects.
Bill
I don't disagree with your assessment of Mitt at all. I'm sure there are people, not necessarily just Christians, who won't vote for him because he's a Mormon, but I think his religion is the least of his problems. If he were able to convince conservatives of his conversion and sincerity, he could mend a lot of the fractures, and for all the knocks he's received from across the entire political spectrum about being the "plastic" candidate, I think that's mostly sour grapes. He gives a good speech, he's attractive and energetic, he can raise boatloads of $, and he is a first class intellect, and quick on his feet.
I would be very pleased to see Duncan Hunter move up the food chain (my favorite candidate too,) or Mike Huckabee, the one who is without a doubt the most likeable of all that are running, but with things the way they stand, there's one quarter left before the voting starts for one of them to catch on fire and raise enough $ to be able to compete.
This is going to be a very difficult election for any Republican unless something unforeseen happens to change the playing field. I can't imagine why many Republicans want to go into it with a candidate that has no chance at all of mending the base enough to be competitive, unless the goal is to elect the Democrat.
Regardless of his qualifications and abilities, Mitt or any other member of the Mormon Church is not going to be elected President.
That is just a fact of life. To nominate someone with that liability , is, IMO, foolish and dangerous.