The Six Words That Will Clinch Mitt Romney the GOP Nomination

Here we go, less than three weeks left until the Iowa caucuses and former Gov. Mitt Romney is once again back on top of the GOP field. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, the latest flavor of the month, or a few weeks in his case, is reeling, and Romney is within the margin of error of the lead both nationally and in Iowa.

Rep. Michele Bachmann, Gov. Rick Perry, Herman Cain, and Newt Gingrich all experienced very fast rises and meteoric falls.

[See a collection of political cartoons on the 2012 GOP hopefuls.]

Romney's consistency in the polls is a sign of the voters' long-term, durable familiarity and comfort with him, his background, and, most importantly, his policies. Those policies can be summarized in six little words: Small Government, Low Taxes, National Security.

Mr. Romney's 59-point plan artfully combines Small Government and Low Tax policies as a way to push the economy to some real recovery. On National Security, Governor  Romney has deftly called for a Reagan-style safety through strength policy.

Many pundits believe that because other candidates have been able to catch fire in the polls from time to time, while Mitt has stayed slow and steady in the mid-20 percent range, is a sign of extreme weakness of his candidacy. That's wrong.

[See pictures of the 2012 GOP candidates.]

GOP voters had fleeting interests in many of the other candidates, but as soon as the voters got to know them better, that interest fell like a rock. Why? Bachmann's obsession with social issues, Perry's inept debating outside of his praise for God himself (I mean Tim Tebow of course), and Cain's personal issues not being able to be explained by the number nine. Then there's Newt's "non lobbying" on behalf of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, which are about as liked by the GOP faithful as the Yankees in Boston or LeBron in Cleveland.

The six little words are right in Mitt's wheelhouse. That wheelhouse gives Mitt the ability to appeal to everyone in the big Republican tent. While other candidates are going up and down like little fishing boats in a stormy sea, Governor Romney is the cruise liner set to come into port as the winner of the GOP presidential nomination. 

• Read Ken Walsh on Mitt Romney's endorsements.
• Vote for which GOP 2012 candidate you think will drop out next.
• Check out 2011: The Year in Cartoons

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