(Image source: Office of the Indiana Governor)
BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN
You're watching multisource U.S. news analysis from Newsy.
It’s a field better defined by who’s NOT in.
When Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels announced he would not run in 2012 -- many in the chattering class declared the GOP - desperate.
CBS: “Republicans are just not enthusiastic about the crop of candidates so far.”
ABC: “I think it's indicative of a Republican field not quite knowing where to go with this.”
Only one week earlier, some in the press had declared Daniels the GOP’s “savior.”
And now -- they’re left lost. Scrambling. So says Politico’s Jonathan Martin -- who predicts...
“...low-hum grumbling among Republican insiders that they’re gearing up to face President Obama with the weakest primary field in recent memory.”
A quick recap of who’s who in the GOP’s bid to boot President Obama:
IN the running - Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Herman Cain, and Tim Pawlenty -- who officially announced Monday morning.
And OUT: Mike Pence, Haley Barbour, Mike Huckabee and real estate mogul Donald Trump. And now Daniels.
CBS’ John Dickerson says Republicans aren’t happy with their options so far -- pointing to a recent Associated Press poll.
“45% of republicans said they didn't like the men who were running. Well, Mitch Daniels was, a lot of Republicans thought he could improve that. He was the last hope out there of candidates who might get in the race. Now that he hasn't, it means that whoever the nominee is in the party is going to have to make a case for how they are going to get Republicans excited.”
Daniels says he opted out of running at the request of his wife and four daughters. On ABC - Senior Washington editor Rick Klein says - the problem with the GOP is no one wants in -- but he also predicts -- the field isn’t set yet.
“Look to the Fall for another star power. There's just too much angst out there in the Republican field for there not to be an increased interest and another run at one of these folks possibly running for president in 2012.”
A columnist for conservative blog Hot Air says -- don’t believe the hype -- or -- lack thereof. Daniels was never officially in the running, so...
“...which segment of the base is left looking for a home, if any? ... Call me crazy, but I really don’t think an exit by Daniels shakes up the early stages of the race all that much.”
That may be so -- but it isn’t stopping plenty of pundits from speculating who will “take his place.” On Fox News, The Wall Street Journal’s Paul Gigot plays along.
CHRIS WALLACE: “...does it open up the race for a late entry like Chris Christie or Paul Ryan or someone...”
PAUL GIGOT: “I think this is going to open it up for Chris Christie and Paul Ryan, and Paul Ryan will think hard about this and he said he wanted to pass his budget to term the debate for the 2012 election and if nobody takes up the mantle, he's going to think, well, makes I should and the third person I would say you have to think about now is Jeb Bush...”
Both Chris Christie and Paul Ryan have denied they’re running. Other Republicans said to be considering -- Minnesota Congresswoman and Tea Party favorite Michele Bachmann, former Ambassador to China John Huntsman and Texas Governor Rick Perry.
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