Ron Paul - Should Pick General Petraeus Now.

Rick Santorum is an social conservative that wants to legislate morality.

He is not in my opinion electable. He also opposed rule by the constitution, which I guess is inconvenient for him, with it's "un-elected" supreme court. As he becomes known he can only sink in the polls, or be embraced by the extreme right only to die in the general election.

Romney is a tool of the party establishment and a the 1%. I can't see him winning a general election against Obama if the economy continues its current trajectory of a gradual recovery. His foreign policy positions are not different from Obama, and he really has no vision for a renewed purpose for America, and the bottom 80% of the public generally. He also has no vision for energy, space, science and development in general, preferring to prove that government is the problem. I just don't see a Romney candidacy catching fire with the public.

So that leaves Gingrich or Ron Paul, one of which (Gingrich) has been mortally wounded.

I think it's unlikely the fragmented field of the remaining social conservatives will leave any time soon, so it's likely Ron Paul's total of 20-25% will continue. Public selection of a strong advocate for the armed forces and a proven defense record like Gen. David Petraeus could swing many undecided voters to his cause, as well as steal headlines, but he will likely put off such bold moves until it is too late. Voters think he is a kook, and a kook he will remain unless he embrace traditional american defensive obligations and responsibilities. This is despite his strong economic policies (overly austere in my view, but likely to be tempered by a rebellious congress), and obvious constitutional credentials.

We therefore appear headed for four more years of Obama.