Fox News to be 2012 GOP Pre-Primary?

Dick Morris thinks so.

Basically, his theory is that so many Republican primary voters watch Fox News that appearances on the network will become a de facto vetting and primary process for Republicans in 2012.

This would be a process that would advantage folks like Mike Pence (who appears frequently on Fox) to say nothing of folks like Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee (who are paid contributors to Fox, Palin as a commentator and Huckabee as a show host). Folks like Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, and fellow Hoosier Mitch Daniels would be left out in the cold.

Morris, of course, might be just a bit biased; he's a contributor and "analyst" for Fox News, too.

But, just as a thought, isn't there something just a little bit unnerving about having the possible next leader of the free world being vetted by voters based entirely upon their appearances on Hannity?