I liked this article in the Washington Post this week. Here's an excerpt:

If neither [Rush] Limbaugh nor [GOP Chairman Michael] Steele is the leader of the GOP, then who is? The answer seems obvious: Mitt Romney.

It is hard to say "Mitt Romney" without wanting to say "Poor Mitt." He's like the quiet, polite kid who keeps raising his hand with the correct answer -- all his homework neatly arranged in his book bag -- but the teacher is too busy with the rowdies to call on him.

Oh, yeah, Romney was at CPAC, too. He also gave a speech and even won the presidential preference straw poll -- for the third straight year. But he notably has stepped out of the frame the past few days, and for good reason. He's taking notes, retooling, analyzing, waiting. Compare Romney's and Limbaugh's speeches and you see who the real GOP leader is.

Where Limbaugh wants to slash and burn, Romney wants to build and repair. Where Limbaugh wants Obama to fail, Romney wants "our country to succeed, no matter who's in power. We want America to be prosperous and secure, regardless of who gets the credit ..... in good times and bad, the interests of this great nation come first."

One man is an entertaining, rabble-rousing political commentator. The other is a temperate, optimistic leader with a business record of red-to-black successes. No one should confuse the two, though Obama surely hopes everyone will.