High Ground Underground

Here's Real Clear Politics' national poll tracking graph for the past year, showing Romney (purple) & Ron Paul (yellow) the steadiest. Beginning in June, when the campaign & debates picked up, you see one by one the various "flavors of the month" (or about 6 weeks) peaking -- Bachman (black), Perry (blue), Cain (red), Gingrich (green). Gingrich already peaked and falling. Brown is Santorum, pink Huntsman. Romney's picked up a couple key endorsements in early primary states -- the Des Moines (Iowa) Register, and Gov. Nikki Haley of S. Carolina (a Tea Party favorite). I'll repeat my little home-made ode that's appropriate here (goes to the tune of "Pumped up Kicks"): All the other pols with the pumped up polls, Better run, better run -- outrun Team Romney. All the other pols with the pumped up polls, Better run, better run -- faster than Mitt Romney.

Before I launch into some debate & spin analysis, and more recent campaign flare-ups (it has become very obvious since my last post that there is no chance of a Romney-Newt ticket), in case of any short on time or attention spans, here is a brief Mitt vs Newt (& occasional Obama) comparison. I regret this blog format doesn’t accommodate a ledger or spreadsheet table for side-by-side comparison. Leadership & Teamwork: Mitt has successfully led Bain Capital & various businesses to success, successful governor of Massachusetts working with a heavily Democrat legislature, successfully turned around a demoralized 2002 Olympics program, and honorably led as “pastor” (bishop and stake president) a congregation and group of congregations in his church. He’s had an exemplary 42-year marriage & family that love to spend time together. Newt led an initially successful conservative House & Contract w. America, but after his leadership was shown wanting, was ousted by his f