Elf Sternberg

I think Romney is the most likely choice. He can be boringly robotic when he tries to play the politician, but when he switches over to the businessman role he's more comfortable with, he's actually listenable and even passionate. Even boring can get nominated: think Dole in '96.

Fortunately Gingrich self-imploded on liftoff. He might pull a comeback yet, stranger things have happened, but he appears to have a knack for letting his mouth run at the least opportune time, which is a very hard thing to overcome for a politico.

Its probably just as well for the GOP that the candidates who might actually do a better job than Obama, such as Daniels or Jeb Bush, aren't running. Unseating an incumbent is a difficult chore under any circumstances, and 2012 will be a uphill struggle even if the economy is still in the doldrums.

And, I wish we had a party whose real goal was to "promote the general welfare." Neither of the Big Two seems like much of an option, by that measure.