The media suggests that the top tier candidates are those currently receiving the highest poll numbers.

I'll argue that the top tier candidates are those that most protect the sanctity of life.

The criteria of fit recognizes that all life is sacred, from the moment of conception until natural death. This means that such a candidate would oppose abortion, oppose all use of embryonic stem cells, limit the death penalty only in extremely rare circumstances, defend the disabled from euthanasia, and respect the pro-creative and indissolubility of marriage (yes, marriage is a sanctity of life issue).

Only one candidate meets all of this criteria: Senator Sam Brownback.

In second position is former Congressman Ron Paul. Paul's only sanctity of life weakness is that he opposed government intervention in the Teri Schiavo case despite being a vocal opponent against euthanasia. Additionally, his advocacy of an immediate withdrawal from Iraq questions his concern with the sanctity of life of the Iraqi people. Regardless of the morality of this war, abandoning them into total civil war wouldn't not be just either. One of his strengths is that he vocally opposes any use of the death penalty.

In third place is Mike Huckabee. Huckabee opposes abortion and creating new human life for embryonic stem cell research, but he supports using existing embryonic stem cell lines. Huckabee supports only limited use of the death penalty and based on his past comments, probably would support it never being used.

In fourth position is Mitt Romney. Romney shares the same viewpoint on embryonic stem cell research and the death penalty as Huckabee, but Romney opposed government intervention in the Teri Schiavo case. Romney has the significant weakness of being a recent convert to these values. Thus, trust is the real issue with Romney. No matter what he says, we still need time in order to build that trust. 2008 might be too early for us to know.  I'm sorry Mitt but faith without works is dead.  In time, when I see the work of your pro-life belief, perhaps then I will have faith in your conversion.