The Republican Party's immediate future rests on the shoulders of its lame-duck leader, because for better or for worse, he's the face of the party. If he doesn't hit bottom quickly and then start to improve his own standing, the GOP is going to find itself in a black hole in terms of recruitment.

Already, there are whispers that the GOP presidential field is thin because too many potentially strong candidates are getting spooked by the environment. If 2008 looked more promising, wouldn't Govs. Haley Barbour of Mississippi or Jeb Bush of Florida be in? Wouldn't intriguing dark horses like South Dakota Sen. John Thune or Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty be rolling the dice?

Labels: 2008 Watch

Posted by Ryan S. on Wednesday, January 24, 2007 at 4:37 PM | Permalink |