Politico: GOP's New Mission -- Stop Palin

[Psychic Octopus]

I'm pretty sure that the establishment will - actually, most of it already has - rally around Mitt Romney. There will be a few defectors that support Pawlenty, or other candidates, but Romney will definitely be the "establishment" candidate. Palin will have to rely on Tea Party support and people who owe her favors.

Middle-aged, inoffensive, calm, mid-western Man.

That's my biggest fear...

Mitch Daniels, luckily for you, probably won't be nominated due to his controversial statements regarding a national sales tax and a social truce and what not. Not that I think he automatically would be a good candidate, since he may turn off conservatives in exchange for independents.

Unless you are talking about Pawlenty, who is also a mid-western man.

[Psychic Octopus]

I'm pretty sure that the establishment will - actually, most of it already has - rally around Mitt Romney. There will be a few defectors that support Pawlenty, or other candidates, but Romney will definitely be the "establishment" candidate.

I think that's far from certain.  Most of the establishment hasn't rallied behind anyone yet, and probably won't for a while.  The establishment is pretty flexible, and will get behind whichever of the "acceptable" candidates is leading at any given time.  If Romney maintains a lead over the next year+, then the party establishment will stick with him.  If his campaign implodes and/or he's overtaken by Pawlenty or Thune or whoever, the establishment will waste no time in moving over to them.

Well, I suppose that if his campaign implodes, then yes, but he's clearly positioning himself for the role. The other two don't have the name recognition yet, and Pawlenty's efforts at creating a nationwide brand for himself so far appear to be a failure. I think Romney is the most likely choice for the establishment.