You are a brave soul for posting here.
The GOP is either going to do one of two things in 2012, put up a sacrificial lamb against Obama, or put up a real contender, if the economy is still in the crapper by 2012, we will be in a major depression, then Ron Paul if he runs would have a chance, because Obama will have failed. And the economic situation will trump all others, by a huge margin.
Although by 2012 Ron might be to old to run, he will be in his mid-seventies.
I always wondered why Romney dropped out so fast during the primary, I was so surprised, he should have stayed in with Huckabee, and Ron Paul, and mixed it up at the GOP convention. He caved into the unity play, and how did McCain repay him, he picked Palin as VP. Oh the The Horror, The Horror of it all!
That would have been the smart play to stay in, even to lose, when you look at the democratic primary run, he should have stayed in until convention, just for exposure.
It could come down to a first round vote
Mitt
Huck
Paul
John
Even if John still won, it would have been better for ALL the major candidates, and the exposure it would have generated for them.
Honestly I don't think anybody could have beat Obama this round, Bush's GOP baggage was just to huge for ANY GOP candidate to overcome, even Ron Paul.
Besides people wanted to support a historic vote for the first black man to be President. Being involved in history itself. It was emotional, now that's that done, the GOP needs to get it's act together. Part of that is trying to get the biggest tent as possible, for people to come into with squabbling.
This forum is part of that tent.
One last point, Mitt was very disrespectful of Ron Paul during the debates and his ideas, either it was just because he never heard them before, or he thought ALL Americans are to stupid to understand them, and accept them.
Either way I remember the smirk on his face, the one that says by it's very nature,
"You old fool, your way out there in nut bar land"
Think it or not, you just don't do that in public, on national TV.