A very good analysis, Kate and pretty much what my thoughts are as well.
I would add one additional point. If it weren't for the Tea Party, I think we'd already see candidates announce but conservative hopefuls must now walk a very fine line: cater to the mainstream Republicans and to the fringe Tea Party. The Tea Party has splintered the conservative side and nobody knows what do do at this point. That's why nobody has announced -- a perfect opportunity to hammer away at Obama for additional months is lost. Instead, the right is in a state of flux. The Tea Party splintering from the Republican Party was the best thing that could happen to the Democrats.
Incumbent presidential candidates are tough to beat anyway. And I'm still waiting to see what Obama does leading up to the election to look even more presidential. Maybe an air strike on an aspirin factory like Clinton did when the Monica Lewinsky story broke. Remember when Bush changed the Security Level every couple of days leading up to his re-election? It was orange, then red, then orange... and as soon as he was re-elected the changes magically stopped.
Currently we have an inept president, who has no intention of tackling an unsustainable deficit or debt. I also have no interest in any other long term politicians in either from the rep side. We need someone in there who will actually do something to stop the circling of the drain. The only one I know who could do it is Christie, but he isn't running.
I think he needs more experience, but Paul Ryan or Marco Rubio would be 1000000% better for this county than our current (or for that matter, our previous) president. It's time to get serious. We can't wait 5 more years...
Too bad future generations aren't here to see all the great things we are spending their $$ on!!
Put the Senate firmly in Republican majority and the 2012 elections will be a success. Doesn't much matter if Obama is sitting in the Oval Office for another 4 years if the Congress rejects his agenda. Another 4 years of Obama might put Israel in additional danger, and it would all but assure Iran of completing their nuclear aspirations as Obama seems to have forgotten all about that danger to national, and world, security, but overall I think the Republican Party at this point is looking at keeping the House and gaining the Senate as a higher priority than defeating Obama. With 2/3 of the seats in the Senate this election cycle being held by Democrats this time around, and needing 4 to gain the numerical majority and perhaps as many as 11 within the realm of possibility, Obama could very well spend the majority of his second term pulling the veto stamp out of the desk drawer hoping that his fellow Democrats aren't going to be jumping ship to hold onto their jobs.
kresspin wrote: I finally figured out why no Republican candidates have thrown their hat into the ring for President...
They'd have to give up their fat FOX paychecks.
That is partially true. I know Palin, Huckabee and Newt are all getting paychecks from Murdoch and he would have to suspend them until they drop out of the race.
Thomas Sowell: There are no solutions, just trade-offs.
Poll surprise: Donald Trump tied for second in GOP field
Make way for The Donald.
Donald Trump is a force to be reckoned with on the national political stage, according to a new poll on Wednesday night.
The NBC/Wall Street Journal poll shows Trump tied for second place with Mike Huckabee, both at 17 percent, and leading the GOP pack among Tea Party supporters.
Mitt Romney is the frontrunner with the support of 21 percent of Republican primary voters.
Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin trail, with 11 percent and 10 percent support respectively.
The poll found Trump on top of all his potential rivals among Tea Party followers.
Talk about ego kresspin, Obama already wrote (thats debatable) two books about himself before ever being president. I don't mind a big ego as long as there is a brain to go with it.
The left is angry because they are now being judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin.
That is partially true. I know Palin, Huckabee and Newt are all getting paychecks from Murdoch and he would have to suspend them until they drop out of the race.
