I won’t miss Tpaw.  Too much of a RINO for me.  I will admit, though, that he looks more “presidential” than any of the others save Romney.  But, unfortunately for him, he has all the charisma of one of my dining room chairs.  He lacks both the “killer inctinct” and “fire in the belly.”

He got scared of Rick Perry’s shadow.  Too bad– I liked the guy from my one encounter with him.

Agree about the “killer instinct” and “fire in the belly”– and I’d add he clearly is too much establishment and is paying way too much attention to media narratives.  No serious candidate should ever drop out before real voters have had their say in an actual primary or caucus.    I think his chance was still as good as anyone out there.   He was “acceptable” to more people than anyone else out there. Bachmann and Perry could still easily blow up, which would have left him as a very strong alternative to Romney.  Just very bad political judgment on his part.

Third place was high enough to keep going. Tim clearly planned to use a poor showing at Ames as his excuse to drop out. Spending all his money in Iowa this summer was just part of that plan. He failed in his goal to drag Michele Bachmann down with him, but that torch has passed to Rick Perry,

A poor third in the one state he has well-organized wouldn’t keep the money flowing.  When you go all in on a hand, you must win or go home.

I think the turning point for Pawlenty, at least the point from which he could never recover, was from the earlier debate when he backed away from his tough stance against “ORomneyCare” – the GOP electorate isn’t looking for civility, they are looking for aggression this cycle.  Romney’s established name recognition and business credentials gives him a bit more latitude on that score, so long as he is tough on Obama.

Bachmann’s entire appeal is her unabashed and unapologetic attitude.  She has no relevant experience and has not been an effective legislator – she claims to have “led by opposing” bad bills, but when?  Which bills did she successfully lead opposition against?

Perry will be the more conservative alternative to Romney, and he has the resume to carry into the general election, too.  All the rest are in it for either ego, to sell books, or to set up a future run for something.

If Sarah Palin gets in the race, I hope Mrs. Bachmann will drop out and do what I’ve been advocating she and Alan West and a few others should have been doing this Summer: STAGE THE DAMN COUP!  Throw Boehner and his Establishment minions out.  She’d be a crackerjack Speaker Og The House.

That would be fine if the Tea Party was a majority of the Republican caucus, but I don’t think they are. They need to concentrate on building toward becoming the majority. Then it wouldn’t be a coup.