Conventional wisdom of less than a month ago was that either Tim Pawlenty or Mitch Daniels would be the GOP presidential nominee in 2012. Maybe Romney, but nobody likes Romney.

Then Daniels dropped out, and the “smart” money was on Pawlenty. Until this week. After his tepid performance in Monday night’s debate, the pundits already are writing off his chances. They aren’t dismissing him because of his ridiculous economic plan, mind you, but because he failed to deliver a promised insult about Mitt Romney. Oh, and he’s boring.

I swear, some days I think I’m going to wake up from the dream and realize I’m still in high school.

At this moment, Mitt Romney is the obvious front runner. But for a variety of reasons, Romney is unpopular with both the GOP establishment and the Tea Party. Of the lot of them I think Romney is least likely to fall on his face during a general election campaign, so I hope he stays unpopular.

Republicans are looking for a white knight to rescue them from running a clown candidate. NJ Gov. Chris Christie was getting some buzz a few weeks ago, but his popularity is slipping. And he says he’s not running.

So now they’re looking to Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, who in any other time in American history would be considered a certifiable looney tune. Now the normally sober Nate Silver says Perry potentially is the most conservative candidate who is electable. And political news media are taking Michelle Bachmann seriously.

A tea party group in California has produced what some are calling the most blatantly racist and sexist attack ad of all time. It makes the old “Willie Horton” ad look subtle.

In the blog comments today, righties are weirdly oblivious to why some would find this monstrosity offensive. They think the outrage must mean progressives think the ad is effective.

I understand the California Republican Party has distanced itself from the ad, but the baggers don’t want to take it down. Hey, it’s a free country. Let them stand by the political speech they believe in, and let the world see what they are made of.