GOOD QUESTION, SIR – AT 8:19 A.M. ET:  It is no secret, as the Soviet diplomats used to put it, that there is widespread discontent in the Republican Party, and for good reason.  Many conservatives feel that the Republican presidential field is weak, in some cases eccentric, and in all cases of questionable electability. 

Conventional wisdom has it that the race is now a battle between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry.  Neither rouses much excitement.  Romney's the old car in the garage, functional but hardly fit for a great date.  Perry is the dashing new candidate, dynamic and engaging, but carries more baggage than American Airlines.  His quotes are the stuff of Democratic dreams.  He's actually written that Social Security is unconstitutional.  There goes Florida.

Many Republicans believe that the party must skip a generation to get the right candidate.  They'd hoped Paul Ryan would take the plunge.  He didn't.

But there is someone else, as The Politico reports:

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. – Freshman Sen. Marco Rubio came to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Tuesday night to make the case for smaller government. Many of the 1,000 guests attending the sold-out address came here to see a man who they hope one day will be president.

Just eight months into his first Senate term, the Florida Republican has repeatedly denied he’s eyeing higher office. But that’s done little to quell speculation – and excitement among supporters – that Rubio could be the GOP nominee’s vice presidential pick in 2012 or that he could mount a run for the White House himself four years later.

“My question is: Why isn’t he running now?” Thousand Oaks resident Bobbi Andersen said after Rubio’s address. “I understand it’s a lack of experience, but I can’t wait until he’s the next president.”

Yup, that's the question.  Why not now?  I think Rubio would electrify this field as none other. 

Moderator Gerald Parksy’s first question to Rubio was this: “If your mother asked you to accept the VP spot, what would you say?”

Rubio, a favorite of the tea party movement, deflected the question with humor.

“It’s a great honor to be thought of that way,” he replied. “I have no interest in serving AS vice president for anyone who could possibly live all eight years of the presidency.”

During his remarks – interrupted numerous times by applause – Rubio expounded on what he called the “proper role of government” in America, a vision shared by Reagan that balances free enterprise with compassion for those who can’t fend for themselves.

Some cite Rubio's lack of experience, but he's far more experienced than Obama was when Obama ran, so the Dems couldn't exactly use that issue.  Rubio was speaker of the Florida State House.  He actually works at being a U.S. senator, as opposed to Obama, who occasionally showed up when not dreaming of another office. 

I'm one of those unhappy with the field.  I'd be very happy if Rubio, who clearly is getting to like all the attention, would allow himself to be "considered," the first step on the way to a run.

We can dream, can't we?  Maybe there'll be some surprises ahead.

August 24, 2011