President Thune?

Hmm I think the GOP might have a true contender to pit against Obama in 2012.

Tall, handsome, not yet 50 and with the sort of sunny demeanor that winning national Republicans usually possess, the former high school hoops star looks the part.

He’s also something of a national party favorite for slaying a political giant — then-Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle in 2004.

I think some midwestern charm and a platform of fiscal discipline that rails against bailouts and the failed stimulus could get him pretty far. However, this trait could take him all the way:

A former aide recalled that when the then-candidate greeted scores of fans by name at a 2002 South Dakota State football game, a national TV crew got angry, thinking the campaign had planted a group of supporters to come through the gate while Thune was working the crowd.

“I told them, ‘John is just amazing at remembering people’s names,’” said the former aide. “He proved it when he later remembered the entire four-person TV crew’s names two hours after he met them while walking in.”

I think this alone might win him the Iowa Caucus. Imagine giving a shout out to a few people in a crowd that he recently met at a diner in Ceder Rapids or at speaking engagement at the American Legion Hall in Des Moines. A handshake and an "I'm glad you can make it to this event, Joe" can easily swing a dozen votes his way.

Plus he was a star high school basketball player and could do a one-on-one event with Obama instead of a debate. I could see him crossing-over and then dunking on Obama in a pick-up game then helping him up.

The affable Midwesterner mold gave us both Lincoln and Reagan and they were pretty good Presidents to say the very least.