The first two years of Obama’s presidency have been a far cry from the “hope and change” fantasy that he promised in his campaign. Everything that has been tried to restart the economy has failed ($787 billion stimulus, cash for clunkers, corporate bailouts, etc.). Foreign policy has been a disaster (Iran getting closer to nuclear weapons, North and South Korea on the brink of war). His crowning achievement so far was the passage of health care reform legislation (Obamacare) that was widely unpopular among the American people and has just been ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge. The mood of the public toward the President and his policies was seen in the November election when the Democrats were trounced by those campaigning on a platform of fiscal conservatism.

Because of all of this, many are almost certain that Obama will be a one-term president. As unpopular as he has become in just two years, there’s no way he’ll be electable in 2012, right?

Don’t be so sure. In a new Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, this unpopular President beats a Republican challenger 42% to 39%. When the poll pitted Obama against Mitt Romney, the President’s lead increased, 47% to 40%. Against Sarah Palin, a favorite among the Tea Party, Obama leads 55% to 33%!

I don’t know how accurate this poll is. Maybe it’s flawed, who knows? But it should tell us one thing very clearly: Obama’s defeat in 2012 is not inevitable.

Just because someone runs as a Republican, that does not mean they will beat Obama in an election. The GOP needs to find someone who can win, not just someone to appear on the ballot. Making Obama a one-term President is not going to be easy, despite his unpopularity.

So who will be on the ballot? Who should it be? Sarah Palin? Newt Gingrich? Mike Pence? Ron Paul? Personally, based on what I know of him, I like Chris Christie, even though he has said he’s not going to run in 2012 (but in politics, we know that’s never written in stone).

What do you think? Who can the GOP nominate that will beat Obama?