The 2008 US presidential election had very impressive and widely followed campaigns. But it will be an entirely different story for the 2012 election because only the Republican party will have unforgettable primaries and that Barack Obama will run for a second term in office.
Therefore when the Republicans choose their presidential bet, they need to pit him with Barack Obama in terms of intelligence and ability. Obama was popular among the young voters and minorities. The Republicans will have to choose somebody who can beat Obama.
Political observers says that 2012 election will be a reality check for the Obama presidency. If the American people still approves of his administration then he will win a landslide victory. If the American people think that they did not see the change they were clamoring for during the campaign then they will vote for someone else.
The most likely bets for the election in 2012 would be Mitt Romney and Bobby Jindal, Mike Huckabee, Tim Pawlenty and Charlie Crist. Sarah Palin may be again considered but she seems to lack national and international appeal.