Romney is not an election winner. He lost in his U.S. Senate race to unseat Ted Kennedy and decided not to seek re-election as governor, largely because he would have almost certainly lost. And he lost to John McCain in 2008, which is not exactly playing the varsity. Could he win in 2012? Arguably, but not definitely.

Romney is not a strong debater. Certainly he improved greatly in the most recent Florida debate, but he still trails Santorum and Gingrich in his ability to woo a crowd. While debates, by themselves, do not determine elections, they move marginal voters one way or the other. A strong debate performance will be essential to defeating Obama for the Republican nominee.

Romney is not a tax-cutter. Yes, he has a great record as turn-around artist in the private sector, saving dozens of companies and rescuing the Salt Lake City Olympics. He certainly deserves the money he has made and he has made a lot of money for shareholders. But that is micro-economics. Presidents do macro-economics: taxes, spending, regulation, federal reserve and national debt. As governor of Massachusetts, he agreed to more than 500 tax and fee increases. He didn’t even propose an income-tax cut.