Joining the show, as he does each week, was Richard Roffman, a veteran 30-year publisher with extensive domestic and international experience. He and Neal Asbury reviewed the current slate of GOP candidates.

Neal related that he had attended a dinner in Indiana attended by Congressman Mike Pence, who represents a district that includes Ft. Wayne.  A lawyer and former radio host, Pence may make a run for governor. The impetus would be if the current governor Mitch Daniels, decides to make a run for President.

Rich had lunch with Florida Congressman Allen West, who related that the biggest problem the GOP has is that the GOP has a tendency to create a candidate list based on seniority, which often isn’t the strongest slate.  West, like many Republicans, would like to see different candidates that will galvanize the GOP.  It is often referred to as the “Bob Dole problem,” referring to Bob Dole’s ill-fated presidential bid, which failed to excite the party.

Neal noted that Mitch Daniels would make a good candidate, as would Chris Christie, Tim Pawlenty and Mitt Romney, although Romney still has baggage left over from his “RomneyCare” health program in Massachusetts.

Rich pointed out that although many people compare Romney’s plan to ObamaCare, Romney’s plan did not make it illegal for residents not to adopt the program.
Neal proposed that if the legality of ObamaCare could be fast tracked to the Supreme Court, it would severely damage the Obama re-election bid.  Although the Supreme Court isn’t expected to review ObamaCare until this October (fast tracking a legal brief to the Supreme Court has only occurred three times), the ruling could be issued in October 2012, just before the November elections.

Neal also mentioned Mike Huckabee as a potential GOP candidate, but he doubts if Huckabee will give up hosting a lucrative Fox show to make a presidential run.

Rich and Neal would both like to see a new group of GOP candidates that aren’t currently on the “radar screen.”   They don’t think that Palin, Bachmann or Trump can win a presidential race.