Will even one GOP presidential candidate drop out?

What a disaster looms for the GOP in 2008!

Now and then there's a glimmer of hope, but the biggest weakness for them right now - well, other than Iraq, the jittery economy and the loss of incumbency - is the fact that not a single Republican candidate is man enough to back out of the race.

And in fact, the damn field just gets wider and wider. To my astonishment, there are widespread reports that Fred Thompson may jump in the race. In truth, there hasn't been this much talk of a Thompson candidacy since 2001.

In addition, Chuck Hagel is probably going to announce next week. Have I ever pointed out that Hagel doesn't stand a chance?

Bad news all around for the GOP, in any case. As I have written before, it's essential the GOP mobilize quickly around a candidate. In my opinion that candidate should be Romney, who is far stronger than media coverage and the talking heads - most of whom have personal friendships with the Clintons, Giuluani and/or McCain - would have the public believe. But whoever the eventual nominee is, they simply must attain the nomination quickly and not become involved in a long, miserable, destructive primary battle.

Now, the nominee will be chosen earlier this year due to changes in the primary schedule. But again, the sooner the eventual GOP nominee clinches it the better. It would be an enormous victory for the party to mobilize around a nominee even before the primary begins - perhaps Giuliani is that nominee, but getting the nomination early is really the least of the GOP's worries. But unfortunately, if the GOP is to win, a number of things have got to go in their direction and a quick nomination nab is one of them.

Surprisingly, there really isn't much movement in the index now. Obama continues to be the strongest potential Democratic candidate, Clinton remains a riskier choice, but still someone who could probably beat virtually anyone in the bloated GOP field. John Edwards would be a stronger nominee for the Dems, by just a well-coiffed hair, and in fact rises on my index because of all the positive attention the fool Ann Coulter generated for him. For the majority of Americans, if Coulter hates you, you must be doing something right.

I would say Chris Dodd is embarrassing himself, but embarrassment is dependent on someone paying attention to you.

I'll nudge Romney up for winning the CPAC straw poll but McCain rises too - because he didn't attend.

Here's hoping that next time a few GOPers will have done their party a favor and dropped out of the race.


DEMS

Barack Obama (IL) 98
Wes Clark (AR) 85 (-1)
John Edwards (NC) 56 (+1)
Hillary Clinton (NY) 54
Bill Richardson (NM) 49
Joe Biden (DE) 16
Christopher Dodd (CT) 9 (-1)
Mike Gravel (AK) 9
Dennis Kucinich (OH) 8


GOP

Mitt Romney (MA) 75 (+1)
Tim Pawlenty (MN) 67 (-1)
Tom Tancredo (CO) 45
Rudy Giuliani (NY) 33 (+1)
John McCain (AZ) 28 (+2)
James Gilmore (VA) 23 (-1)
Duncan Hunter (CA) 20
Chuck Hagel (NE) 19
Sam Brownback (KS) 19
Mike Huckabee (AR) 18
Frank Keating (OK) 15 (-1)
Tom Coburn (OK) 14 (-1)
Newt Gingrich (GA) 11
Ron Paul (TX) 10
Tommy Thompson (WI) 10
George Pataki (NY) 4 (-1)