That is the central question of this election isn't it? If the republican candidates are indeed a better alternative to our current president? Sorry if having to sell the clown posse or the actions of pundits forces republicans into an unaccustomed defensive posture too often but that is the way it has to be.
Actually I think the central question will be the economy, debt and war. But don't let that stop you in your attempt to make it a Jerry Springer episode.
Republicans will be made to defend their claims of being better on all these issues and so far they are failing. They allow themselves to get swept up in the rumble when some crazy person makes them look bad, just look at what people are talking about, the nutters who republicans still close ranks to protect in spite of being very bad for their image. Defending Santorum's dominionist statements or Romney's elitism or Rush's misogyny is not helping republicans at all but they are going to defend them even at the cost of their so called central message.