President Generic

A Republican has opened up a 47 to 39 percent lead over Barack Obama for 2012 in the latest Gallup Poll, but voters don’t know who he or she is.

At this point in their reelection bids, both Bushes were leading generic opponents, even though George H. W. eventually lost to Bill Clinton while George W. defeated John Kerry.

But now, in what the President agrees is a “stressed-out” nation, Americans are venting their anger at the man in the White House.

Understandably so, but when the 2012 GOP challenger has a name and a face and, most important, a record and positions on issues, how will that translate into what they do at the ballot box?

The dilemma of the Republican field of has-beens and never-will-bes is reflected in the first campaign ad of Ron Paul, trying to portray the extreme libertarian as another Ronald Reagan. Lots of luck with that one.

Frontrunner (barely) Mitt Romney is still straddling every position in sight, but opponents are reviving the ads Ted Kennedy used to trounce him in 1994, showing that his vaunted business acumen consisted mostly of merging companies and eliminating jobs.

Michele Bachmann is still explaining away her weirdness, while Herman Cain is gagging on his gaffe about no Muslims in his cabinet and Tim Pawlenty is trying to find traction on anything.

In 1976, Jimmy Carter came out of nowhere to defeat Gerald Ford in an electorate that was disgusted by the aftermath of Watergate, but the prospects for a GOP President Generic next year are looking dimmer with each passing day.

Can you beat somebody with nobody?