>>6
While he might have lost some of the wingnut vote, he'd have been able to tap Obama's base,
and he'd have been the only credible candidate in the race able to do that. Most of the credible candidates in the field are just too far on the right to be able to win - Bachmann and Perry just wouldn't attract the average guy. If given a fair hearing, Ron Paul could do it, but he doesn't stand a chance of winning the Republican nomination and doesn't stand a chance of winning the election as a third-party candidate.