Lotsa luck, fellas

John Batchelor doesn't see how the Republicans win in 2012. For victory, he says they need the young Catholic vote in the Rust Belt and in places like North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. "The Republicans’ best hope, on paper, then, would be to choose a young, Catholic candidate out of the Rust Belt." So scratch Michele Bachmann. Instead, the GOP is offering "Mitt Romney, 64, is a much older plutocrat from no particular place other than luxury." How does he appeal to voters "especially given his role in leveraged buyouts that helped transfer America’s manufacturing jobs to Asia? ... Rick Perry, 61, of Texas is also older ... How does [he] go North with the shopworn baggage of Johnny Reb superiority and an unapologetic evangelical paternalism? ... Newt Gingrich, 68, called 'Fat Elvis' by House members, is older and not much interested in more than performing a toneless soliloquy about himself. Ron Paul, 72, is much older, and not much engaged in more than libertarian fustiness ... Herman Cain, 66, is at best a dabbler in GOP policy, a talk-show provocateur in his element with a hot mike before a righteous crowd. Finally, Jon Huntsman Jr., 51, when he isn’t being a cipher, is mostly a mini-me of Romney." Lotsa luck, fellas.