Although Republicans are convinced Barack Obama will lose next year’s election, and Democrats wonder how any incumbent can win in this economic mess, Obama is in a good position to win. Why? Well, start with the Republican field. Of the principal candidates, only three would have a plausible chance of beating Obama: Mitt Romney, Jon Huntsman, and Rick Perry. And given his dance on the ragged edge of debate disaster, that’s being charitable to Perry. The other candidates are either too old, too inexperienced, too lacking in reasonableness of outlook, manner, or temperament or too much a combination of the aforementioned shortcomings to be elected president.