Possible 2012 Republican Presidential Candidates

BRADENTON – If you were watching election coverage on television last Tuesday, you probably heard the saying, "the 2012 race for the White House starts tomorrow," at least once and for a very simply reason – it's true. Presidential elections are a three-year process, the fist portion taking place off the grid for the most part, as potential candidates feel out respected advisors and party heavyweights before beginning to setup the complicated (and expensive) apparatuses required of the next step.

That next step has arrived. Those who have already made up their mind and whose current position would not suffer from an early announcement will begin to openly test the waters in the coming months. I'll note that front runners rarely fare well – especially in the age of the 24-hour news cycle. Remember what people were saying about George Allen in early 2006. Front runners go under the microscope early and are the target of every candidate late to the race. Neither President Obama nor John McCain were anything close to odds-on favorites at this point in 2008.

Candidates who announce early put the bull's eye on their back, hoping that the trade-off of a longer period to fundraise and build brand recognition pays off. Often times, they don't have much of a choice. The early polling favors those who've already enjoyed a national platform because most Americans don't recognize the names of the other viable contenders yet. Hence, it's no surprise who is at the top of early polls among average Americans – Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee and Newt Gingrich –political veterans with big audiences for their many books and frequent media appearances.

I'll go on record as saying that I don't believe any of them will be nominated in 2012, but

pissant, this is a RomneyBOT blogger who ignores Romney's
backstabbing in 2008 and 2010,
and who now encourages more Romney antiGOP and antiPalin Backstabbing(TM).

This does not belong on FR, does it?

BRADENTON RomneyBOT:
"Mitt Romney kept his nose clean in the two-year interim
and avoided Huckabee and Palin's penchant for the kind
of self-promotion that sometimes seems
beneath a bona fide presidential candidate. ....
I think Romney's best chance is the most unorthodox route.
Rather than jumping into the race as the front runner,
he should hold out and weigh the national mood as the field thins.
He has enough name recognition and fund raising clout to be
a late entrant if times change, but if Republican voters look
similar to the group we saw last week, Mitt's better off
watching this one from the sidelines.
Getting beaten badly would be political suicide
for a second-time candidate."

The Palmetto Scoop reported:
"The sources said nearly 80 percent of Romney's former staff was absorbed by McCain and these individuals were responsible for what amounts to a premeditated, last-minute sabotage of Palin."
that Palin would be a serious contender for the Republican nomination in 2012 or 2016, which made her a threat to another presidential quest by Romney.

"Peeking Out From the McCain Wreckage: Mitt Romney"

"Someone's got to say it: IS MITT ROMNEY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBAMA'S VICTORY?"

"Vanity: Team Romney Sabotaged Palin and Continuing to Do So?"

"Romney Supporters Trashing Palin"

"Romney advisors sniping at Palin?"

Poor sport spoiler Romney doing what he does best:

Novak: "Fred Thompson drop-out rumors traced to Romney campaign"

Said Novak: "The rumors were traced in part to Mitt Romney's campaign,
trying to stir up strife between McCain and Thompson."

"Despite outspending his rivals by huge margins throughout the primaries,
(Mitt Romney, Carpetbagger UT,CA,MA,NH,Mexico) lost Iowa, South Carolina, Florida and California.
The only primaries he won were in Michigan, where Dad was governor; LDS states;
and a few states on Super Tuesday in which his California-obsessed rivals
couldn't spare the cash to advertise.
Only John Connolly in 1968 had a worse cash-to-delegates ratio.
And John McCain rightly did not like Romney's tactics during the primaries.
(W)hen (Romney's early leads) started slipping away, he resorted to unfair,
distorted, scorched-earth negative ads, betting that his opponents couldn't
afford to spend enough for the truth to catch up to his charges."
[Romney: A Mistake for McCain, 7/23/2008, Dick Morris]

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