I’m not sure that this can be answered easily. In recent weeks Mitt has been blasted by the media and by the other Republican campaigns because of his “sketchy” conservative stances and a religious belief that is out of the “mainstream.”

But the straw poll conducted by CPAC found that they favored Mitt. (FT.com story)

Mitt got 21%
Giuliani 17%
McCain, who did not attend the conference, 12%.

Does this mean that people consider him a conservative?

Mitt was governor or Massachusetts, which means that his record will be tainted by the liberal thinking of the legislature in that state, but does this excuse his record and statements regarding gay lifestyles, Universal Healthcare, and taxes?

I think the answer is that people believe that of the current crop of candidates Mitt is the best chance we have to put a “conservative” in the White House.

I wonder though, what would happen if someone with the star quality (pun intended) of Fred Thompson were to enter the race? This is a man who would be regarded as “the Real Deal.”

If Fred does not enter the race and those that are currently in this are all that what we have to choose from…Then Mitt is the Realest Deal of them all.