The moment of truth is at hand

by A.B. Stoddard, columnist, The Hill - 10/07/11 5:18 PM ET

No Christie, no Palin. No eleventh-hour rescue from the flawed Republican 2012 presidential field. What is the GOP to do ?

Wait. Maybe Rudy Giuliani really does plan to jump in. Not that that
would help. Alas, the moment of truth has arrived. And the Republican
Party has to choose between Texas Gov. Rick Perry — making a fighting
comeback with his $17 million haul — and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt
Romney. Candidates have either flamed out or refused to come to the
dance, and the two men left standing will have to battle it to the
finish line.

As I wrote in my column this week, voters love the wannabe candidates for various reasons but never seem to coalesce around them in significant numbers. Many readers are offended that I am not taking Herman Cain seriously, since he is the latest to rise in the polls. I love the book tour, but when his October schedule is wide open and he won’t tour the early primary states, is he actually trying to run for president? And why would Republicans elect him to take on an incumbent president?

Romney has planned to be the last man standing, and is likely to have the funds. He knows he isn’t popular, but his hope is that in the weeks and months to come the establishment will rally behind him at long last. Yet conservatives still believe — flawed as he is — that Perry can come back to win the nomination. Or then again he could continue to implode. Romney’s strategy depends on it.

WHO IS THE GOP FRONT-RUNNER NOW? Ask A.B. returns Tuesday, Oct. 11. Please join my weekly video Q&A by sending your questions and comments to askab@digital-staging.thehill.com. Thank you.