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Do Republicans deserve to lose?

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    WSJ's Bret Stephens dissects current crop of GOP candidates

  • Duration 4:33
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-- several Republicans who are not running for president have talked about how import and that's when he twelve election is New Jersey governor Chris Christie saying.

This is the most important election in generations.

Former Mississippi governor Haley Barbour saying quote this is the highest stakes presidential election of my life time.

Congressmen Paul Ryan of Wisconsin saying quote this is the most important election in our lifetime no matter what generation and you come from.

And Indiana governor Mitch Daniels says the mathematical threat that we face from the debts -- piled up -- are scheduled to pilot -- every.

Americans strong words from gentlemen that are not in the race our next guess -- some strong opinions as well about this race is Bret Stephens of the Wall Street Journal but they.

Quite editorial this week I -- break EC the GOP deserves to lose and you mentioned some of these guys that we just talked about why.

-- that you just mentioned the -- -- of the Republican Party can preferred Daniels to Barbara to have to someone else.

But these are the guys who had historical responsibility to step up to the plate.

If -- really set feel that this election is as important is that as it is instead who do we have on stage we have -- and Mitt.

Going for -- -- the 45 maybe fifteen rounds.

And almost certainly coming out -- against President Obama we have a very weak field.

At a moment when you have a very weak incumbent.

-- -- -- generalize here but just kept putting together -- be different excuses at some of these men you know whether it's Chris Christie was talking about Stanley Mitch Daniels also talked about the sacrifice my family.

Need to get into the race Chris Christie talked about experience it's -- reasons for not for not running yet.

Everyone has reasons and I guess Abraham Lincoln may have worried about Mary Todd state of health when he was wondering whether to run and in in 1860.

But when there is a national moment when there is a national crisis when there's a sense that you're in a historical inflection point as we are -- 2012.

He's stepped up their members of the -- they are the leaders of the Republican Party.

And instead you have a Republican Party that is presented the most extraordinarily weak field in this in as long as it as I can remember.

So they will be responsible.

When President Obama takes the oath of office again a year from now.

Where -- response that -- the ability align and the party.

I've demanding more had the candidates in trying to make them better if these are indeed the candidates that -- -- -- kind of hope.

That may be a a -- and Newt Mitt match up is going to improve.

Both candidates maybe make new somewhat more Avaya sober campaign there and maybe make -- somewhat more of an aggressive for a confident campaign -- But on the evidence right now you see two guys neither of whom is going to convince.

The not a majority of Americans to fire president Obama's Iraq.

Why do you say then though that Republicans deserved to lose going from your opinion -- about some of the candidates to -- the Republicans deserved to lose.

Is it pretty big -- why do you say that because the party house has responsibilities -- the leaders of the party have responsibilities that the primary voters also have.

Responsibilities to vet these candidates seriously and not just say well this guy is gonna do great in a debate against Obama and so therefore it's going to be an entertaining.

And entertaining ticket.

Debates are not gonna win the election for before the Republicans they didn't win it for John Kerry didn't win it for Al Gore either.

So let's end on some optimism right -- that's seven optimism honey it's quite tough -- several hiding somewhere isn't there what you're looking at what's ahead.

-- -- I mean there's always a silver lining for American as a powerful country we well you know we will get through no matter what what what what the result is.

-- possible silver lining is that if you -- if you have to crippled.

Front runners in the Republican Party.

Come come the convention.

You may have a brokered convention you may have one of these members of the a team that you just open up on your on your screen.

Finally stepping forward and saying I have a larger responsibility than whether my good all of my son's Little League.

-- yeah that's what hurt them getting it whoever that potentially hypothetically could be if they'd be haven't been in in any steadily get in the last minute could that be -- is.

You know being -- a leader that's not fully committed to it to the -- -- or someone who you know on the contrary who's who's exciting.

And someone who has the benefit of not having had that over -- ambition.

From from the very beginning there is something refreshing about that if it's a candidate who has long experience who's been in the public eye for long time.

And any number of those candidates warm running would fit that bill did you hear from any of this can't -- -- you know I have not done but I I suspect they might have -- Thank you very much a provocative piece I -- talking about -- thank you it's pleasure John us.

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