Since I’m not a party member, I’ve been watching the Republican presidential nomination contest as an interested audience member—it has been a show, but one with profound consequences. Hearing the morning radio news about former US Sen Rick Santorum winning three states last night confirmed was I was sensing from reading various sources on the ‘net. The national GOP is in disarray. Mitt Romney keeps saying, “I’m it,” and the voters keep tagging somebody else.

On the other hand, it looks like President Obama’s re-election team will have the message, organization, and money in place by the summer convention to wage a strong campaign against whomever the GOP sends forward. The stock market and employment numbers are trending in a better direction for the President. The Clint Eastwood ad for Chrysler aired during the Super Bowl could have been a preview of the Obama for America campaign movie, othewise why all the angst in some quarters of the GOP establishment? Romney said don’t interfere with federal government support; let the carmakers fail. Bad call.

I’ll go back to what I wrote here some months ago. I don’t understand why the national Republicans didn’t start with stronger potential opponents to the President. Well, actually, I think I do understand. The “A Team” didn’t think the President could be beat, not really. Why else was there so much oxygen available for jokers like Trump and Cain? So now they have what they have, and the pundits are jabbering about drafting a new standard bearer.

Of course, Republican activists can say the Democrats were in disarray in 2008, with Hillary and Barack beating each other up through the late stages of the primary and caucus season. That was a horror show for weeks, but the Obama team steadily built its delegate count. In the public arena, the Democratic Party was working through an identity crisis. I think it turned out well, but that’s one voter speaking.

“It’s halftime in America. And our second half is about to begin.” A poet wrote that ad copy, I learned yesterday. Nice work.