Why not the rest?

John writes off Sarah Palin as a presidential contender in light of her current poll ratings. Mark Tapscott thoughtfully expands on John’s post. It’s no surprise that her numbers, whatever they are, have fallen over what they were two weeks ago into a zone that makes her look implausible. She has just taken an unbelievable pounding at the hands of the mainstream media.
Yet she is a resilient figure and her numbers may well recover, especially if she can find her way to take a break from the limelight for a decent interval. It’s easy to discern her weaknesses at the moment. As a potential candidate, however, Palin also has strengths that separate her from the Republican pack and that could make her a formidable competitor against them as well as against Obama. The intensity of her support among the Tea Party component of the conservative movement is unmatched by the loyalty of any significant constituency to any of the other Republican candidates.
The rest of the pack of likely Republican candidates for the presidency has problems too. Mitt Romney? He’s got Romneycare hanging like an albatross around his neck. Haley Barbour? Let’s just say he doesn’t match up well with Obama. Newt Gingrich? I’m unaware of any base of support on which he might draw.
Mitch Daniels? If exhaustion with Obama has set in and created a market for a boring candidate, Daniels might be the ticket. Tim Pawlenty? I doubt he would even carry Minnesota and, after his eight years in office as governor, he has left some of us wondering what it is he really believes in. John Thune? The Senate is a notoriously difficult place from which to run a presidential campaign. Mike Huckabee? He’s found his niche at Fox News.
And yet, depending on circumstances, just about any one of them might also be able to compete against Obama. Or so it seems to me.

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