After watching the Monday night debate I was struck by five of the candidates (not Cain, Newt or Perry) and their desperate performances. Bachmann came across unpresidential, to put it mildly. Huntsman is an Obamanite who has absolutely nothing to offer conservatives. I thought Newt won the debate but he and Santorum are trying to revive political careers that ended long ago. I still like and respect Herman Cain, but he doesn't have the horsepower to win. And Ron Paul... well...
You know exactly what I think of Mitt Romney. I don't ever pass up an opportunity to denounce Willard. See my RE:#23.
Unless there are other entries in the race, its going to boil down to Romney and Perry. If Romney couldn't beat McCain or Huckabee in 2008, IMO, he can't beat Obama in 2012.
I've not made any final decision yet. As I told a FReeper last night, Perry's okay. A low tax, free market, pro-military, pro-life, pro-gun, pro-American conservative. A successful Governor for 11 years and someone who can beat Obama.
We agree on Romney and we have for years! He came right to me so I was shocked and mumbled “good luck” and he said “I think I’ll need it” and I said, “Yeah, I think you’re right, we’re the Tea Party Party, ya know,” and he asked me what he needed to do!
The radio station that hosted the after the debate event took the photo of me with him, so I hope the photographer follows through on his promise to email it to me so I can post it here, along with the photos he took of me with Bachmann and Newt. Perry took his own picture with me using my throw away camera...lol. I will have that developed and hope it turns out all right.
I managed to position myself front and center in the receiving line, and was really surprised that each spent so much time talking to me. I made the best of my time with each one.
It was an “after party,” so my impressions are based on that atmosphere. Perry is a very nice and fun guy but not very serious, and I came away depressed. I have stood before greatness, (RWR) and stood before mediocrity several times, and I think he falls into the latter category. I told him I hope he’s ready in foreign policy and in jest (I hope) I think he said “what’s that?”.
I don’t know that he’s electable either, just 4 short years after President Bush, but aside from Ron Paul and Mitt Romney, we almost have to be *anyone but obama* so long as we’re not supporting any amnesty/sell out candidate. Been there/done that.
It’s still a long way to go until the first primary.