the maverick, the populist and the convert

With two-thirds of a hat tip to someone I heard on the radio this morning...

"The maverick, the populist and the convert" is a quick description of the three Republican candidates. (He described Romney as a flip-flopper-- but he has only flipped, not flopped, so that's not an accurate label.)

Those who value loyalty to the party and/or are offended by his principled stands will be bothered by a maverick.

A populist appeals to some and not to others-- in terms of both style and substance.

And a convert is appealing if he's trusted. Romney has struggled here-- above and beyond the norm, in my opinion-- because of his Mormonism and his "plastic" style. Interestingly, "converts" are often known for their zeal-- the antithesis of what he brings to the table.

After Super Tuesday, the point appears to be moot. The Republicans will probably be stuck with the maverick. At the end of the day, most Republican voters had a set of significantly flawed choices-- from their perspective. The result, not surprisingly, is significant unrest within large segments of the party. Was any other outcome possible?