THUNE OUT – AT 10:03 A.M. ET:  Republican Senator John Thune of South Dakota, considered by many observers one of the more attractive prospects for 2012, has bowed out of the presidential race:

Washington (CNN) - After months of speculation, Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, told supporters Tuesday that he will not seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2012 and instead will focus his time and efforts on Capitol Hill.

Thune released a joint statement with his wife, Kimberley, on his Facebook page shortly after noon saying that, for now, he needs to be in the Senate.

"There is a battle to be waged over what kind of country we are going to leave our children and grandchildren and that battle is happening now in Washington, not two years from now," Thune said in the statement. "So at this time, I feel that I am best positioned to fight for America's future here in the trenches of the United States Senate."

COMMENT:  Although Thune is less-well-known than other candidates, he has a winning personal quality, and has a good record in the Senate.

I do wish political writers would pay some attention to the newer prospects, like Marco Rubio of Florida.  The party needs a dynamic candidate to take on Obama, not simply someone who's been standing in line.  And choosing a Hispanic-American would be good politics.  Some would argue that Rubio lacks the experience to be president, an argument not likely to be raised by Obama, whose serious experience when he ran in 2008 could be written on a postage stamp.  Rubio was speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, a high state position, before being elected to the United States Senate in November. 

I fear that a divided GOP will make a hash of things in 2012, allowing this failed president to sail into a second term, with potential catastrophic damage to the nation's foreign policy.

February 23, 2011