海角大神

The Chris Christie tease continues. The governor of New Jersey insists he鈥檚 not running for president, yet on Monday night he gave a campaign-like speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California that leaves the door open a crack. All the attention is flattering, he admits. Perhaps that鈥檚 why he keeps acting like a maybe-possibly-sort-of candidate even as he insists he鈥檚 not running.

Chances are, Governor Christie won鈥檛 run. His own brother says he鈥檚 not running. And time is short, if not already past. In the eyes of many political operatives, it is already too late to put together a credible national operation. Yet elite Republicans, like Weekly Standard editor William Kristol and some wealthy donors, continue to pine for him.

Doesn鈥檛 all this 11th-hour yearning for Christie 鈥� for someone 鈥渂etter鈥� than the nearly dozen Republican candidates already in the race 鈥� harm the eventual nominee, assuming it鈥檚 one of those folks already in? If former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney or Texas Gov. Rick Perry winds up as the nominee, won鈥檛 it look as if the party 鈥渟ettled鈥�? Aren鈥檛 people idealizing Christie 鈥� and the other major Republicans who opted out, like Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, and House Budget chairman Paul Ryan 鈥� just a tad?

Some Republicans are pleading for perspective. Peter Wehner, a former political adviser in the George W. Bush White House, says that, indeed, this is a 鈥渃rucial moment, and a crucial election鈥� and voters should want the GOP鈥檚 finest to step forward.

But 鈥渁t the same time, there is a tendency among some commentators (myself included) to view those who have not entered the field as figures of extraordinary and enduring strength and skill,鈥� Mr. Wehner writes at CommentaryMagazine.com. 鈥淚t often seems that way, right up to the moment when a candidate enters the race, at which point they immediately become diminished, flawed, and mortal.鈥�

Governor Perry probably knows the feeling well. He was not planning to run for president, then all those other GOP heavy-hitters opted out, and he jumped in. Now, after a few weeks on the trail, Perry has floundered in the debates, irritated his base by calling those who oppose in-state tuition for illegal immigrants heartless, and raised questions about his electability.

Let鈥檚 cut the declared candidates some slack, says Wehner. 鈥淭he individuals who have stepped forward and placed themselves squarely in the line of fire deserve a tip of the hat 鈥� and maybe, from time to time, a measure of grace and understanding,鈥� he writes.

The perfect candidate is a myth, says Julian Zelizer, a presidential historian at Princeton University. 鈥淚n the primary process, you see the flaws,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hen the question is, who can overcome their flaws and run a good campaign.鈥�

So no, he says, Mr. Romney isn鈥檛 mortally wounded by this idea that the GOP would be 鈥渟ettling鈥� to have him as their nominee. If he gets the nod, the race will be between Romney and his flaws (and virtues) and President Obama鈥檚 flaws (and virtues).

This angsting over a 鈥渇lawed field鈥� is nothing new. Past Democratic fields have been called the 鈥�10 Little Indians鈥� and the 鈥淪even Dwarfs.鈥� Even President Reagan, when he was still candidate Reagan, had a hard time convincing Americans that he wasn鈥檛 too far to the right and ill-informed to be elected president.

If Christie were to take the bait and get in, he would quickly come down to earth. A national discussion would ensue over whether someone with his health issues, including his extra-large girth, could handle the demands of the modern-day presidency. His record as a red governor in a blue state would come under intense scrutiny, as it has already started to. Conservative tea party activists have already found multiple issues that cause alarm over Christie. His blunt-talking, in-your-face style 鈥� now heralded as refreshing and authentic 鈥� might rub some voters the wrong way.

After early grumbling, Republican voters themselves have shown growing satisfaction with their field of candidates, polls show. So all the hand-wringing by party elites is probably for naught. In a matter of weeks, deadlines will arrive for getting on the ballots in states that hold the earliest primaries. At that point, it really will be too late, and this story line will fade.