Which Republican presidential candidate or potential candidate is the looniest?

It is hard to find the mainstream this year.

Mitt Romney thinks that he can criticize Obama’s health care and at the same time defend the nearly identical program that he initiated.

Newt Gingrich thinks that, despite a sorrowful marriage record, he can credibly defend family values among those for whom this is an important issue.

Herman Cain wants to block a mosque from being built in Tennessee on the grounds that it blocks freedom of religion.

Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin are members of the Tea Party. Among the issues that the party has raised is a strong opposition to phasing out incandescent bulbs and opposition to the first lady’s promotion of healthy food choices.

Bachmann strongly supports her husband’s Christian Counseling business, which uses Medicaid funds and which is on record for trying to convert gay men into heterosexuals. She also does not seem to have accomplished anything in her 3 terms in Congress.

Palin thinks that people will be able to ignore her resignation from the governorship of Alaska. She is also promoting a feature length campaign ad as a documentary.

Ron Paul has the standard libertarian stance of wanting to get rid of Social Security, Medicare and just about every other government organization. In any other year, he might stand out as a fringe candidate.

Rick Perry strongly denies global warming while his state is going through a record setting drought. His solution to this and other problems is to call for a supposedly nondenominational prayer event sponsored by fundamentalist Christian organizations.