But since Gingrich took South Carolina, the tables have turned in some circles. My opinion is that Newt won SC because he slammed John King so bad, voters were simply giving him a pat on the back.

Regardless, there is an important question to answer:

Should we hasten to get behind a single candidate?

I get emails from all kinds of people with all kinds of opinions. With permission from the emailer, here is an email I received from Andy Beumer, of Cincinnati, OH. (I removed irrelevant, personal portions of the email.)

My main issue of concern is having the very best presidential nominee for the Republican Party to go up against President Obama in the 2012 election. After taking a hard look at all of the candidates and watching each and every debate thus far, it is clear to me that Mitt Romney, although highly organized and having raised plenty of money for the fight, simply does not truly encompass the core conservative beliefs that the majority of the Republican electorate are looking for in a candidate. Although I believe his mostly moderate views might be attractive to many independents in the general election, I do not believe that he will generate enough passion from the conservative base in order to defeat the president.

Rick Santorum on the other hand, although truly a conservative at heart, in my opinion simply is not electable in a general election. Although I applaud his tenacity and his passion for wanting to improve our country, having him stay in the race at this point, only hinders the conservative movement’s ability to elect a truly conservative nominee (Newt Gingrich). For this reason, I am asking for conservatives everywhere not only to rally their support behind Newt Gingrich, but also to call on Rick Santorum to suspend his campaign and to endorse Newt Gingrich himself, in an effort to nominate the only conservative in the race who truly has a chance to defeat President Obama in the fall.

Andy is passionate, no question about that.  I see where he is coming from too.  I don’t necessarily agree with him, but I get his point.

Here’s where I’m at with this…

I don’t think there’s that much difference between these three candidates.

I’m not talking about their particular brand of conservatism, but in terms of how they’ll govern.

I think each of the three would work to eliminate Obamacare and to de-regulate.  Beyond that, I don’t think any of them will do much of anything that real constitutional conservatives want.

So, we get down to who can beat Obama.  Well, I just don’t know.  My instinct is that Romney or Santorum would have an easier time of it.  Gingrich would fare worse only because he is not so likable.

Be that as it may, Gingrich has a bluntness to him that I think most Americans find refreshing.

So….  I guess I’m still on the couch on this one.  I’ll look forward to seeing this through for a couple of more months before throwing my support behind someone.

But – mark my words….whoever the nominee, he will have my support.

My hope is that my friends over at various conservative and libertarian blogs support the chosen candidate too.  Regardless of velocity, now is not the time for a third party.

That would ensure defeat.

Don’t you think so?

I wanted Perry to do well.

He was my guy, at least before he actually got into the race. I watched him give one bad answer after another. Well, it’s not that the answers were bad…they were just….nothing. He said a bunch of words that meant nothing.

I got the distinct feeling I was watching the modern political incarnation of Huckleberry Hound.

Right down to the Texas drawl and slow, almost disinterested delivery, Rick Perry is now Rick “Huckleberry” Perry.

There was no vision. No passion. No convincing. Nothing. Blah. There was just nothing.

Watch this and tell me I’m wrong…

We need to start focusing on our guy (or gal) for 2012.  But who?  I have a part of me that thinks we need a previousely unknown candidate.  A dark horse who can rally the troops.  But the more pragmatic side of me urges caution in that regard.  So who is it going to be??