If it came to the convention...

[Whacker77]

Anyone who's read what I've written for 15 months knows I think Jeb Bush would be the best choice.  In fact, I think we might be seeing the first hints of that this past weekend when Al Cardenas, head of CPAC and Jeb confidant, said a contested convention would likely produce Jeb as the nominee.  Cardenas even gave a time frame for when a new candidate might enter, June.

I think Jeb would be the choice for the convention because Romney, realizing he can't win, would throw his support behind Jeb.  Jeb's also reliably conservative and popular with Hispanics.  I think Christie would then become Jeb's running mate and they would make a powerful combination.

Alas, I think Romney will grind down the will of voters and win prior to the covention.  I hope that doesn't happen though.

[Whacker77]

the whole notion (and Sarah Palin's fevered dream) that the nominee would not be one of the candidates currently running is ludicrous. What are the chances that Santorum + Romney wont add up to 50.01%? And who thinks that those two wouldn't strike a deal?

Exactly.  The last time a candidate was drafted at the convention was 1896, I believe.

This where people get it wrong.  A drafted candidate is one who doesn't want to run.  If a new candidate decided to throw his hat in the ring in June, he would be an interested candidate.  He wouldn't be "drafted" at the convention because he would have thrown his name in the hat already.

[Whacker77]

the nominee from a brokered convention would almost have to be Romney or Santorum, with the other getting the VP slot, and a Romney/Santorum ticket being more likely.

Well, I just threw up in my mouth at that thought.

[Whacker77]

Jeb would not be acceptable.

Paul Ryan or Marco Rubio would.

the nominee is going to have to be someone who was actually on the ballot. Choosing a compromise candidate who nobody voted for in a smoke-filled room simply wouldn't work in this day and age.

I don't believe that for a second.  If the clown show rolls into Tampa with no one at the magic number and they're all trailing Obama badly, the convention will NOT nominate a sure loser.

I'm operating under this assumption.  If the nominee isn't Romney, it will be someone who is not in the race right now.

[Whacker77]

Really even though I find Romney, Santorum and Gingrich three of the most repulsive people in American politics even I would actually feel pretty bad for them if the GOP basically said "F**k you, none of your campaigns or votes mattered one bit. We're just going to nominate whoever we want." As pointed out elsewhere, many independent voters might not even be aware of how that's legal. It looks REALLY bad. Like twice as bad as if Hillary somehow got her superdelegate coup in 2008.

Why feel badly for a group of men who couldn't generate enough enthusiam to win over just half of the primary electorate?  If none of these clowns can consistently break 40% in any contest, why does one deserve to be the nominee?

[Whacker77]

Why are you so concerned what the Republicans do at their convention?  Of course Democrats want one  of the current men in the race to be nominated because they know none can win a general election.

The most recent Fox poll shows 49% of Republicans still want a new choice to run.  That's astounding this late in the process and it shows how desperate the situation is.  If the mythical white knight were to announce in June and campaign all the way to the convention in hopes of winning on the second ballot, I doubt most would have a problem.

The fact a big name would step in a moment of need for the party likely would endear him to the party.