The Republican presidential field via Max’s matrix

The emerging Republican presidential field is made up of four primary groups: the Populists, the Intellectuals, the Category Killers and the ‘Give Me a Break’ group. I wish it weren’t so.

But that is just how things are shaping up.

Here’s the basic breakdown:

1. Populists – This group done well cashing in on the Tea Party, but their populist streak means they’re either god-n-guns types or conservative crowd pleasers. Usually light on fiscal issues and hard on social issues, this group has to be taken seriously simply because it reflects much of red-state America. Members of this group will be easy targets for the liberal media, which — paradoxically — may work to their advantage.