Jay Cost: Obama Should Worry About the GOP Field

Jay Cost, an excellent political analyst, thinks the GOP field for 2012 will be stronger than anyone thinks:

The conventional wisdom is that the emerging Republican field for 2012 is a very weak one. However, like so much else in the topsy-turvy age of Obama, the conventional wisdom on this one is completely upside down. The idea of a weak GOP field is almost as ridiculous as a debate about a fifty-year-old birth certificate just as the economic recovery comes grinding to a halt. Almost.

In fact, Obama and the Democrats have good reason to worry about the emerging Republican field. Here are four big reasons why.

I'll give you the four points and let you read the detail in his post:The GOP has several serious candidates.

1. The GOP has several serious candidates. 
2. An Obama-Clinton type of battle is unlikely.
3. A “fringe” nominee is unlikely. 
4. An “enthusiasm gap” should not be a problem.

I hope he's right. Obama will still have the media firmly in his pocket and will be able to do no wrong between now and the election...at least no wrong worth reporting. On the other hand, the GOP field will be peppered with questions about Obama's birth certificate, abortion, creationism, they'll be asked why they hate black people, gay people, old people, women...etc. Just be ready for it.