The weakest part of our political system, by a considerable margin, is the presidential nominating process. It tends to exclude from consideration those with the greatest experience in what is uniquely the president's responsibility, foreign policy and military strategy.

Ahead by double digits in the polls, former House Speaker Marco Rubio, the Republican candidate in the U.S. Senate race, is about to get some help from a prominent Washington conservative -- Gary Bauer, best known for his bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000 and for leading the Family Research Council during the 1990s.

An unexpected figure has recently emerged as a possible candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012.