Fellow Laderians,

I was very active in Democratic Party politics when I was a young adult in Pennsylvania back in the 1960s. My father, C.L. Schmitt, who called himself an "Independent Democrat" because he was his own man, held several elective offices including State Legislator. The experience was invaluable as I learned campaigning, organizational and communications skills, as well as the art of negotiating and compromising – skills that served me well in my career in Corporate America. I was also fortunate to interface with many high-ranking officials, including governors, legislators, and U.S. Senators and members of Congress.

I remember thinking at the time that the Republican Party had high-quality presidential candidates, people like Mitt Romney’s father George, Pennsylvania Governor Bill Scranton, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, and others of that caliber, while the Democrat’s top talent seemed tired, worn out, hackneyed, if you will. So, with all that talent, who did the Republicans nominate for the presidency? Richard Nixon. Go figure!

Now, 40 years later, the Grand Old Party finds itself with a field of candidates for the presidency that can't shoot straight. It's not that the party doesn't have talent waiting in the wings for 2016, apparently unwilling to risk a failed run for the presidency in which they believe President Obama will win a second term. But this current field of candidates, bumbling all over themselves to win the approval of the ultra-conservative Tea Party wing of the Republican Party, would be laughable if it weren't for the seriousness of what they are trying to achieve, the Presidency of the United States.

Mitt Romney, the only highly-qualified candidate among the pack, can't get above 25% in the ubiquitous tracking polls while the Tea Partiers pick a new favorite just about every week. First it was Donald Trump. Really, Donald Trump! Then embarrassingly ill-informed Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, followed by likeable Texas Governor Rick Perry who lost the lead by not being able to remember what three federal departments he'd eliminate if elected president. Oops! That briefly opened the door for philandering Henry Cain, whose Nine-Nine-Nine tax plan was as silly as he appeared to be chanting it over and over.

Disgraced Newt Gingrich is currently on top, but the other candidates are rapidly chipping away at his lead by reminding Republican voters of his ethics and philandering problems, while Ron Paul, who many believe was expected to win the Iowa Caucus next week, suddenly has had to explain the racist and bigoted newsletters he published not too many years ago. That leaves us with Rick Santorum, my former senator from Pennsylvania, who hasn't as of yet made any gaffs and might surprise everyone next week.

In the end, I believe Mitt Romney will win the Republican nomination and, if he can get past his massive flip-flops, will present President Obama with a formidable opponent.