Mitt Romney And The GOP

Will conservative Republicans back this man? Do they have to?

Mitt Romney’s been running for president since before 2008. He’s accomplished, rich, and raring to go. His Republican rivals for the GOP nomination have so far risen and stalled out without denting his campaign.

Rick Perry on debate troubles. Michele Bachmann on fury. Herman Cain, now, maybe, on sexual harassment allegations. And still Mitt Romney’s GOP poll numbers don’t really pull out of the 25 percent support range. Why? And is he inevitable anyway?

This hour On Point: Mitt Romney and the GOP. Will conservatives back this man? Do they have to?
-Tom Ashbrook

Karen Tumulty, National Political Reporter for The Washington Post.

Michael Gerson, columnist for The Washington Post. He was a top aide to President George W. Bush as Assistant to the President for Policy and Strategic Planning. His recent column "The Conservative Case for Mitt Romney" ran on Monday.

Richard Viguerie, chairman of the conservative news and commentary site, ConservativeHQ.com.

Ryan Hecker, a Houston political activist who founded the Tea Party’s “Contract From America.”

Forbes "Rick Perry’s campaign is in danger of “flaming out,” going down in a blaze of mean-spirited claims as he attacks and tries to trash Mitt Romney with only modest success. Perry is also the best thing that’s happened for Herman Cain, because he keeps trashing Romney, driving GOP voters his way. Newt Gingrich is also gaining ground thanks to his superior idea stream, and experience in staying above the fray."

The Washington Times "Rick Perry incoherently trotted out an optional flat tax, hoping perhaps that it would slow his plummeting poll numbers, but his devotion to the flat-tax gospel is even more indeterminate than Romney's."

Red State "Hours after the Politico’s Roger Simon accused the GOP of being racist, the Politico begins a sincere effort to destroy the black guy running to be the GOP’s Presidential nominee. The opposition dump on Herman Cain has begun in earnest. Before getting into the details, let’s pay attention to what this means."