I don’t understand this sentiment of such as Jennifer Rubin and endorsed by Quin that Republicans and conservatives shouldn’t allow the pundits to narrow the presidential field for them, as if it were the pundits who were determining polling results that put Perry and Romney well ahead of the field, have candidates like Santorum bringing up the rear, and are preventing “somebody better…to emerge.” Perhaps after last night Michele Bachmann can’t be entirely counted out — though Rush Limbaugh sure thought so after her comments today on the HPV vaccine and mental retardation, which he called a jumping the shark moment.
If anything, the punditry’s problem is that it has created Jon Huntsman’s candidacy out of all cloth – though I don’t see Rubin or Quin complaining about that. The problem isn’t that Huntsman shouldn’t be counted out — but that he’s been counted in to begin with.
Meanwhile, with Sarah Palin being the one remaining possible late joiner, wouldn’t it be better for Quin and Rubin to direct their complaint at those such as Chris Christie, Mitch Daniels, and Paul Ryan, who’ve already made it clear they’re sitting this one out?