REPUBLICAN LINEUP

As we move into the primary season, the Republican lineup keeps changing every day. The reason for this is that Republicans are not satisfied with their front-runners. A lot people see Romney as a phony and a waffler. This comes out in things like his position on abortion: "I never said I was pro-choice, but my position was effectively pro-choice. I changed my position. And I get tired of people that are holier-than-thou because they've been pro-life longer than I have. But I'm proud of the fact." Huh? The Concord (NH) Monitor even came out with an editorial that said: “Don’t vote for this man.”

Because of the negative feelings about the former Massachusetts governor, Senator John McCain is now ahead of him in the polls. The Arizona senator has been endorsed by papers in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.

Rudy Giuliani was in first place for a long time. He certainly looked good after 9/11. However, since then questions have come up about his judgment. Social conservatives are concerned about his personal life and his waffling on positions dear to their hearts. People are less willing to leave the fate of the country in his hands.

Giuliani is no longer the front runner. He has been edged out of that place by former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee. Although Huckabee is in first place among Republican voters right now, people still don’t know a lot about him, and critics from both the right and left are beginning to snipe at him.

McCain is admired for his straight talk, but a lot of people do not like his position on the war in Iraq. Some people have questions about his age. If elected, he would be the oldest person to become president. Democratic candidate Dr. Carl Perrin, however, thinks of the Arizona senator as “that young McCain fellow.”

Perrin is still way behind in the polls, but things could change for him as they have for Mike Huckabee. In the general election Perrin could well be facing either Huckabee or McCain. Either one would be a more worthy opponent than Romney or Giuliani.