All aboard the Romney Express

Nominal Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney is the establishment candidate in a decidedly antiestablishment era of American politics. He's been pining for the Oval Office since leaving the Massachusetts Governor's Mansion in 2007, if not earlier, and lacks the "belly up the the bar and share a frothy mug of draft beer" aura that Presidents Clinton and Bush mastered, and Obama has attempted (and albeit failed) to authenticate at a Pennslyvania bowling alley and the aptly named Beer Summit. The 2012 Republican field has cycled anti-Romney candidates in and out since last spring in search for an authentically conservative candidate to at least test Mitt's inevitable coronation in Tampa next August. The current mix has failed and is nearing its expiration date with Romney positioned for both early victories in January primaries and caucuses, and also for the long slog, if need be, to the convention floor. All aboard the Romney Express.

While I remain a fan of former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, his candidacy never gained traction, and he will soon face reality in the Granite State, where he has placed all of his eggs in one basket and will lose soundly to adopted native son and bitter Mormon rival Romney. Huntsman would be wise to play nice and position himself for a Secretary of State position within Romney's cabinet The two of them stand as Republicans' only chance to unseat the incumbent and deliver conservative majorities to both houses of Congress.

Newt Gingrich peaked two weeks too early, and the subsequent attacks from all sides revealed the former House Speaker for what he is: an intellectual leader of the conservative establishment lacking the moral bearing, discipline, and humility to head a ticket, much less a country.

Ron Paul has already reached his ceiling in Iowa and elsewhere. Even a victory in the Hawkeye State won't generate the "big mo" he needs to convince conservatives that the Republican Party needs a libertarian makeover, particularly in the foreign policy space where isolationism remains a relic of the 1950's Taft Wing of the party.

The remaining contenders can be cast aside in one broad brushstroke: Each in unelectable in a general election and would set the GOP up for a rerun of the 1964 Goldwater train wreck. Santorum was clobbered in his own swing state of Pennsylvania in his 2006 reelection bid, Perry lacks intellectual heft to say it gently, and Bachmann is Sarah Palin with a little more polish.

Romney's rivals dismissed before a single voter caucuses or head the the polls, I'll return tomorrow with my case for the former Massachusetts governor.