They’re from across the ocean so what could they know about our presidential elections, right?

England’s great political rag, the Spectator, has chimed in on the 2012 Presidential elections and says that although President Obama is eminently beatable, the Republicans aren’t offering anyone to beat him. The author of this article, Richard Littlejohn, says the GOP’s strongest candidate won’t run until 2016.

Donald Trump

Littlejohn says former Alaska governor and GOP Veep candidate Sarah Palin “probably won’t run, but she remains a role model for women called Peggy Sue who waddle round Wal-Mart in their curlers.” He says Minnesota congresswoman Michelle Bachmann “is perhaps the only woman in American politics who can make Palin sound like Indira Gandhi” and thus can “safely be ruled out” of contention. He claims country singer Travis Tritt has more of a chance of beating Obama than Mike Huckabee. Mitt Romney has no chance because he passed in Massachusetts a health care plan similar to Obama’s. Tom Pawlenty’s flaw, Littejohn writes, is his total lack of charisma.



Mark Rubio



“But nothing speaks more eloquently about the talent drought in the Republican party than the emergence of Donald Trump as a serious challenger,” writes Littlejohn. “This suggests a kind of mass death-wish among the right. America may have been ready for a black president, but would it ever vote for someone who parts his hair under his ear? You should never trust a man who pretends he isn’t bald.”

But Littlejohn does see a legitimate Republican challenger, only he won’t be running in 2012. That’s Florida Senator Mark Rubio.

“It’s dangerous to make predictions about American politics,” Littlejohn writes, “but I offer one now: that Rubio will be America’s first Hispanic president by 2020 at the latest.”