In A Nutshell: The Republican presidential pool

Are the Republicans putting their best foot forward? Running through the list of front-runners certainly makes you wonder if they’re taking this election seriously.

The flavor-of-the-month tastes a bit like Newt, though it recently tasted like Godfather’s pizza.

Let’s take a look at these candidates for the highest office in the land. Newt Gingrich, the new front-runner, has a history of marriages, adultery and ethics violations. Herman Cain, the previous front-runner, has a history of sexual harassment allegations. Michelle Bachman has a history of praying the gay away. Rick Perry can’t remember which three government agencies he would cut. Oops.

Isn’t there another candidate out there with supposed front-runner status? The flip-flopping, formerly liberal-leaning Governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney. Wait, he’s a Mormon. Maybe if he was running for President of Utah he’d have a chance, but I just don’t see religious Republicans voting for a Mormon.

Finally, there are the bottom three: Rick Santorum, Ron Paul and Jon Huntsman. Santorum — hopefully due to a slip of the tongue — said he wants to go to war with China. Huntsman has quite a pedigree, but no name recognition — also he’s a Mormon. As for Ron Paul, he’s Ron Paul. Enough said.

It’s quite a hodgepodge of candidates for the Grand Old Party, and it spells a grand old loss come election time if they don’t start taking this election seriously.

-John Hines, Opinion Editor