I think the essential problem with American presidential politics is the assumed advantage the incumbent brings to his re-election campaign. The party that doesn’t control the Whitehouse is pulled in 2 different directions — capturing the Whitehouse, or control of Congress.
Right now you’d have to say that A-list Republican presidential contenders would rather wait another 4 years and that Congressional leaders are fixated on capturing the senate. The assumption underpining both strategies is that the incumbent usually gets re-elected.
Romney is the “place-holder” nominee for the Republican leadership more concerned with winning seats in Congress. Perhaps they think that Obama will be a lame-duck the moment he gets re-elected? I suggest that Obama’s playing footsie with the OWS movement suggests his willingness to put mobs in the streets. Therefore, the priority needs to shift to defeating Obama himself.
“Right now you’d have to say that A-list Republican presidential contenders would rather wait another 4 years...”
By that time the country would be so broken that no one could repair the damage in one term and would likely be seen as a failure. Then it would be right back the Dems. This election is really for all the marbles.