The GOP record ever since Nixon is that whenever the GOP runs a conservative, they win; whenever they run a "reach-aroundacross the aisle" type, they lose.
Romney, Perry, Huntsman, Gingrich are all reach-arounds.
Bachmann has the heart of a bureaucrat (tax attorney, no executive experience).
T-Paw is squishy on Green issues and has the charisma of watching paint dry, and no killer instinct.
Cain is old and has no executive experience in government; acting as CEO is not the same as fighting a legislature with a hostile press watching.
Perry is an opportunist and once ran a campaign for *GORE*.
Now these three abide, Cain, T-Paw, Bachmann; but the greatest of these is Palin.
Cheers!
I would say that the Bushes were “reach across the aisle” types.