WANT ADS POSTED – AT 11:31 A.M. ET:  The New York Times reports that Republican operatives are encouraging more candidates to get into the presidential race, a reflection of the belief, accurate or not, that the current field doesn't inspire excitement. 

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Republican leaders, activists and donors, anxious that the party’s initial presidential field could squander a chance to capture grass-roots energy and build a strong case against President Obama at the outset of the 2012 race, are stepping up appeals for additional candidates to jump in, starting with Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana.

“I’m getting letters from all over the damn country, and some of them are pretty moving,” Mr. Daniels said in an interview last week at the Capitol in Indianapolis, where his friends believe he is inching closer to exploring a candidacy. He added, “It can’t help but affect you.”

The first contests of the primary are about eight months away, and most of the candidates have yet to fully open their campaigns. But some party leaders worry that Republicans are making a bad first impression by appearing tentative about their prospects against Mr. Obama and allowing Donald J. Trump to grab headlines in the news vacuum of the race’s early stages.

“The race needs more responsible adults who can actually do the job,” said Fergus Cullen, a former chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party.

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, who leads many polls despite taking few steps to organize a campaign, is quietly asking supporters to be patient. And Jon M. Huntsman Jr., a former governor of Utah and a relative moderate in a party that has moved to the right, has just returned from his post as ambassador to China to decide whether to join a campaign-in-waiting built by Republicans who see an opening for him.

The wish list among Republicans is wide and varied. Sarah Palin, a former governor of Alaska, retains a devoted following. But activists also express a longing for others to step off the sidelines, including Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas and Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, the chairman of the Budget Committee.

COMMENT:  Republican anxiety is a reflection of three things:  First, Obama, a mediocre president, is a superb candidate, and great salesmen can often sell a weak product.  Second, the Republican Party itself is not very popular, and a charismatic candidate is needed.  Third, Republican pros understand that the media will be deep in the tank for Obama, even deeper than in 2008, and a Republican candidate will have to speak over the heads of the journalists and directly to the American people, as Reagan did artfully.

Marco Rubio has just ruled himself out, once again, for a place on the national ticket.  That, however, can be reversed later on, with no penalty.  He is one of the few potentials who has a compelling personality. 

Mitch Daniels, a superb governor of Indiana, appears to be the flavor of the month, and he has indicated that he will decide in the next few weeks whether to run.  His selling point is his record.   But he is vulnerable to charges that he is too narrowly focused on budgetary matters and has difficulty holding an audience for more than a few minutes.  Intriguing guy, though.

We'll be watching the initial field on May 5th, this week, in the campaign's first public debate.  Now it all begins.

May 1, 2011