As per the current GOP Field, it is possible for Rick Santorum to become the new Frontrunner?

This is neither an expression of support for Santorum nor a prediction as to who will win the nomination. It is simply an overview of the GOP presidential field in advance of the eighth debate which will take place tonight.

The GOP presidential scene has been a constant seesaw of action. Potential voters watched as Bachmann rose to the top only to lose her momentum after winning the Iowa Straw Poll because of Perry’s entrance onto the scene, her lack of executive experience, and her debate gaffes which she chose to repeat and stand by. Her appointment of Ed Rollins as campaign manager only caused her trouble, first causing many in the Palin camp to oppose her, and now having Rollins badmouth her and shrugging off all blame for her campaign’s failures while placing it squarely on her shoulders.

Perry too experienced the frontrunner experience immediately after the launch of his campaign, although it fizzled out just as quickly. His diminished status is largely due to his awful performance at the debates and also because of the big blotches on his record such as Gardasil, immigration, and crony capitalism.

Despite the downs the Perry and Bachmann campaigns have recently experienced no candidate should be ruled out, as the McCain campaign has taught us in 2008. Both Bachmann and Perry can still experience a comeback via a victory in one of the first states such as Iowa or South Carolina. Since there’s still over two months until the Iowa Caucus, there’s still ample time for the candidates to take turns in playing the frontrunner role.

Gingrich carries personal baggage and suffered a strong hit when he called Paul Ryan’s plan “right wing engineering.” However, with Perry and Bachmann performing so poorly in general and especially at the debates, Gingrich’s excellent performances have caused his earlier comments to be forgiven or forgotten by many. The last few weeks showed a continuous rise in Gingrich’s poll figures, and he has recently overtaken Perry for the spot in third seat. If Cain takes a hit, Gingrich may possibly be the one to benefit.

Romney is the only candidate who’s been amongst the frontrunners since the start of his campaign without losing his spot, thanks to the establishment’s complete backing. It’s important to note though that which Michael Barone pointed out; that Romney’s poll figures topped 25% in only three out of eighty polls taken this year, thanks to tea party conservatives’ staunch opposition against the flip flopper. However, his presidential demeanor, loads of money, and many endorsements continue to make him a serious player with strong chances of winning the nomination. As it appears right now, one will have to wait for the actual primaries in order to determine whether the establishment will once again have their way.

Paul’s foreign policy which is equal to or worse than Obama’s will keep him from winning the nomination especially in such turbulent times despite his economic talk.

This leads us to Herman Cain, the current frontrunner. Cain is a successful business executive who talks the talk in regard to conservatism. On the flip side, he has proven to be hasty in judging events and others such as at the Perry rock incident, and more importantly, has no record to prove he could walk the walk. True he was extremely successful in the private sector, but the private and public sector although interrelated are very different, and many former businessmen became terrible or corrupted politicians. Many are therefore wary of handing the presidency to someone who hasn’t yet held any political office where one is tested whether they are truly loyal to the ideals they spouted during the campaign or whether corruption and cronyism can affect or overtake them.

Now that Cain is in the spotlight, his ideas, proposals, and comments are being placed under careful scrutiny and thorough questioning. He will probably be grilled tonight over his joke/non-joke regarding an electrified fence at the border, and about the details surrounding his 999 plan. Time will tell whether he will be able to remain in the lead or share a similar fate as those before him.

This brings us to the final candidate in this discussion, Rick Santorum. Santorum is the only conservative who hasn’t had yet a turn in being frontrunner. Although Santorum is not an option for many conservatives because of his endorsements of moderates such as Spector in 2004 and a host of other RINO’s in 2010, His record is quite conservative. He doesn’t seem to have any serious baggage, though perhaps because it has never been dug up or brought to center-stage since he’s never been the frontrunner or anywhere close to such a position. Santorum is quite articulate and has had some good moments during the brief time-slots he was allotted at the debates such as when he took on Ron Paul for his comments on Iran’s nuclear programs and his entire approach to foreign policy.

So far, the process of the current primary has been; have someone shoot to the top, dissect him or her, and then throw them down to the dogs. Bachmann’s campaign is seriously derailed with Ed Rollins, her former campaign manager, badmouthing her as is typical in the political world (think Steve Schmidt.) Meanwhile, Perry’s numbers hit an unbelievable low with him polling at three percent in Florida and in the single digits in Iowa. Not surprisingly, a Perry Iowa Operative jumped ship and thrown his support behind Santorum. It therefore seems as though Santorum’s chance has arrived to take a stand in the limelight and have the focus turned to him. The right ad, campaign message, plan, reaction, or debate performance can all be the catalyst of a sudden Santorum surge. Similarly, a Cain collapse could result in voters looking around and taking a look at the candidate standing in the side. If a Santorum surge indeed occurs one would then watch to see whether he will remain standing, or fall like his predecessors.

Now we’ve got to let tonight’s debate take place and see how each candidate performs.

Michelle Bachmann's Total Lack of Class

I strongly feel that Palin will be entering the race sooner than later.

If, however, she chooses not to run, I join Legal Insurrection’s motto of ABMB, Anybody But Michelle Bachmann for the Republican primary.

My strong opposition of Bachmann is not because of her lack of executive experience nor because of her inability to respond to simple questions from reporters. In short, it's her lack of class.

Bachmann owes Palin a tremendous debt of gratitude for helping her get reelected. Yes, Bachmann had expressed her thanks immediately after the elections in 2010, but what is that worth in face of her current actions? How can one attempt to explain the hiring of a campaign manager who slammed Palin publicly and continues to lead your team in an underhanded campaign against her as a response to her support, endorsement, campaigning, and fundraisings for you?

Opposing a fellow candidate’s policies is one thing. Attacking the person who enabled your reelection and is not even in the race yet is unacceptable and inexcusable. It shows classlessness, a lack of basic manners, and is totally un-presidential.

Here's an excerpt of Legal Insurrection, and you can read the rest of his great piece right over here. 

There is only one candidate in the Republican field whose campaign staff has used trash talking Sarah Palin as a campaign strategy.

Michelle Bachmann and/or her senior staff have decided that the path to short-term success is to insult Palin and to present Bachmann as the only viable alternative to establishment Republicans.

First it was Ed Rollins publicly insulting Palin almost at the very moment Bachmann announced her run; at the time I left open the possibility that Rollins had gone rogue, but Bachmann herself never made it right and Rollins still is the brains behind her campaign.

Next was this report of what is going on in the run up to the Iowa straw poll:

”I like Sarah Palin a lot,” Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann said at Thursday night’s Republican presidential debate. “We are very good friends.” …

But a personal relationship between the conservative female leaders has, in fact, been nonexistent for the past 16 months, as aides from Bachmann’s camps have privately — and sometimes publicly — disparaged Palin to an extent that has caused growing exasperation in Palin world. That behind-the-scenes rancor is now boiling over as the former Alaska governor inches closer to a presidential run.

Some of the volunteers who have been organizing here in the nation’s first voting state for a potential Palin campaign have been particularly miffed by what they describe as a concerted effort from the Bachmann camp to spread rumors that Palin has already decided not to run and will eventually endorse the Minnesotan.

“It is so pervasive and so continuous that it can’t be rogue people doing it without the understanding and encouragement from the candidate herself,” a Palin supporter in Iowa told RCP. “The entire Bachmann team has gone around the state saying Palin is a lightweight and a quitter and saying that Sarah’s about to endorse Michele. Bachmann’s campaign is radioactively dirty. They are shameless.”

In the whispering campaign against Palin, Bachmann likely picked up some supporters who were hoping for better but figuring Bachmann was the best they could get.

Michele Bachmann is entitled to run her campaign any way she wants, and using typical Ed Rollins tactics is her prerogative.

But millions of Palin supporters — some of whom support her for President, others of whom merely support her because of what she stands for and has gone through — are entitled to take Bachmann’s campaign tactics into account when choosing a “Plan B” should Palin decide not to run. Michelle Bachmann has spit on those supporters at her political peril.

For me, Plan B means anyone but Bachmann. And it is enough to finally get me motivated for the primaries. 

In all probability, Plan B will never see the day of light.  However, I consider Bachmann's lack of basic human gratitude as a blemish never to be erased or forgotten even several elections down the line.

Recapping the Big Week; The Iowa Republican Debate and State Fair

This politically-loaded weekend signals a start of the action in the upcoming weeks and months which will reach a crescendo on election day.

At the debate Thursday night, Bachmann and Pawlenty argued over whose accomplishments are more noteworthy very much like two kindergarteners arguing whose Dad is stronger and whose Mom’s casserole is tastier.

Bachmann also found it necessary to remind everyone what “good friends” she and Palin are, hoping to get I don’t know what from her statement. Wouldn’t bet her as sooo foolish in thinking it’ll earn her either Palin voters or Palin’s support.

Rick Perry’s decision to put out a bid for the presidential office has placed him in the same category as most politicians who completely disregard previous promises when faced with the opportunity to advance their personal career, let alone attempt to reach the highest office of the country.

During Perry’s reelection campaign in 2010, which had been reversed from its downhill descent thanks to Governor Palin’s endorsement, Perry promised to complete his term both as a reassurance to the Texan citizens and as a thanks to Palin for her support.

Ignoring his promise to his constituents, Rick Perry chose to make his grand announcement this past Saturday — of all days — in a hamfisted attempt to overtake the news of the Ames poll in a Palin-like manner, like a coincidental attendance at a movie and a barbeque in New Hampshire has done to Romney’s announcement. Serving him right, his announcement ended being overshadowed by the worthless Ames Straw Poll, capable only of predicting who won’t be the nominee.

This tweet from hale_razor nails it on the spot, although he’s missing Ron Paul and some of the others. (Gotta remember he’s limited to 140 characters …)

“Michele Bachmann joins previous Iowa straw poll winners President Pat Robertson, President Bob Dole, President Romney and Geo HW Bush in 79.”

So here’s a congratulations to Michele Bachmann for joining the ranks of the previous Ames poll winners / election losers.

Bachmann, like Perry, owes her reelection to Sarah Palin’s endorsement since a nice chunk of the funds for her congressional campaign came because of Palin’s support. Bachmann, like Perry, expressed her heartfelt appreciation to Palin during the campaign.

She continued to express her appreciation with her announcement of a presidential candidacy and the hiring of Ed Rollins, a sufferer of PDS, as her campaign manager. When the buzz around Rollins became too loud to ignore, Bachmann apologized without removing him from her campaign staff. Bachmann’s attempts to play both sides of the game with her camp painting Palin as not serious and not running while stressing Palin’s past endorsement, current “ahem” friendship and probable future endorsement has come across as desperate and dirty. Why is she so desperate for another endorsement (which she’s not getting) from a non-serious non-candidate?

Topping off the weekend, Pawlenty dropped out of the race Sunday morning and suddenly Bachmann, on one of the many Sunday shows she attended, went back to having full respect for him with plans to call him (for his endorsement).

On NBC Bachmann dodged questions about past statements regarding gay marriage, putting a truce on traditional marriage very much the way Mitch Daniels has done with the social issues. On Face the Nation her replies amounted to fifty-one “I”’s not including another handful of me’s and my’s. Her performances on the other shows and actually anywhere appear similar to one another in the endless stressing of herself. On Fox she defended her decision not to vote for the current debt deal, touting her own plan which had no chances of going through, while ignoring her being one of only nine Republicans to have voted against cut, cap, and balance.

I don’t know why, but after rereading the last few paragraphs it sounds so strikingly similar to someone known as the campaigner-in-chief.

In all the hubbub of Perry’s speech, Bachmann’s victory, and Pawlenty’s dropping out , the event winning both hands up as the one with the most reporters present was the Iowa State Fair where not-yet-announced but very-likely-to-announce-soon candidate Sarah Palin attended.

As posted yesterday by Nicole, a short walk of 100 yards took over two hours because of the throngs of people wanting to meet her in person, so what does Palin have to lose with waiting until the end of the summer for her announcement? I mean, just imagine Palin having been at the debate last Thursday. While Bachmann and Pawlenty – two former now-tentatively-back-to-being best friends – were bickering endlessly in an attempt to outdo each other’s accomplishments, Palin’s been doing a heck of a job refudiating Obama’s polices. Palin’s focus has never been on her own advancements but about the people’s needs and is ready to support the most conservative candidate capable of doing the job (which just happens to point towards someone with the name of Sarah Palin.) While everyone’s busy talking the talk, Palin’s the only one with a stellar conservative record and a tremendous base of supporters ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice. Palin doesn’t need emails sent out a week in advance asking for donations in light of her upcoming announcement as Perry has done.

Although I think Ann Coulter is having a love-affair with Christie or something and can’t understand her childish calls for him to run, I had to agree with one sentence and a portion of one other sentence of her interview on Hannity last Friday. After saying that primary voters are desperate for a decent candidate, which is the first sentence I agree with, she then finished with Perry’s bid saying that “He won’t live up to expectations and the American people will throw themselves into the arms of Chris Christie.” If one substitutes Christie with Palin it would make it a complete thought, but the first half of the sentence is worthy and necessary to being repeated.

Perry is selling himself as THE conservative who has caused Texas to be the economic stronghold of the country, leading to high expectations amongst many not aware of his record. He omits the stuff he’d prefer the voters shouldn’t hear, choosing to forget that nothing remains under the wraps during a campaign. Once conservatives are informed of the endless portions of federal programs he fought to receive, the free education he handed to illegals sneaking over the border, the growth of spending and debt in Texas all these year up until this one, and how a third of the added jobs he boasts of are not in the private sector but are government jobs, they will indeed seek an alternative. The alternative consisting of the only conservative fearless and experienced (future) candidate who is ready to tackle the issues heads-on. 

Give it a couple of days or weeks and conservatives will wake up and smell the coffee. With the field thinning out and the list narrowing, as in 2008, all heads will once again turn towards Alaska. Sarah Palin won’t disappoint voters and not only because of her stellar record of serving solely for the people with complete disregard to personal promotion. The media have painted her with thick black strokes of negativity which will cause the regular folks which begin to tune into politics during the next couple of weeks/months, will stare mesmerized as the true image of Sarah Palin unfolds before their eyes.

This article is cross posted from Conservatives4Palin