Republican leaders, activists and donors, anxious that the party’s initial presidential field could squander a chance to capture grass-roots energy and build a strong case against President Obama at the outset of the 2012 race, are stepping up appeals for additional candidates to jump in.
“The race needs more responsible adults who can actually do the job,” said Fergus Cullen, a former chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party.
The conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer called the field “split and weak” two weeks ago on Fox News.
Peter Wehner, a former adviser to Mr. Bush, credited a “lack of fizz” in the field so far with letting Mr. Trump gain attention as a potential Republican candidate despite previous contributions to Democrats and even a suggestion for the nation to examine a single-payer health care system.
“At this point, there appears to be a flatness to the field,” said Mr. Wehner, who has been highly critical of Mr. Trump. “There’s a void right now, and even clowns can fill voids.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42840178...new_york_times