As August draws to a close, and Hurricane Irene bears down upon the east coast, here are the most current 2012 presidential election poll numbers.

Public Policy Polling conducted a poll 18 – 21 August 2011 on who would be the Republican/Tea Party (GOTP) nominee if it all ended today:

Perry 21, Romney 17, Palin 13, Bachmann 11, Cain 7, Gingrich 7, Paul 6, Santorum 3 and Huntsman 2 …

Reverend Ricky Perry is holding a slim lead over Mittens, with the Ice Queen polling in third – even though she has yet to announce she’s running; do the people polling and being asked understand this? Krazy is hanging in there while Newter and the Pizza Man, who has never met a Muslim he hasn’t disliked, are running neck and neck in fifth place; Paul is there – sort of – and Santorum and Huntsman continue to flip positions at the back of the pack.

In Iowa – according to Magellan Strategies – Perry has jumped in front with 24 displacing Bachmann to 22, Mitt 19; Paul 9; Cain 6, Gingrich 4, Santorum 4 and Huntsman 1…

In New Hampshire – Magellan Strategies: Mitt 36; Rev Ricky 18; Paul 14; Krazy 10; Cain 3, Huntsman 3 and Gingrich 2…

If the election was held today, according to Rasmussen:

President Obama 46/Romney 38

President Obama 43/Perry 40

President Obama 43/Bachmann 39

President Obama 50/ Palin 33

President Obama 39/Paul 38

These four weren’t even mentioned in the last poll:

President Obama /Cain

President Obama /Gingrich

President Obama /Huntsman

President Obama /Santorum

If the GOTP nomination circus – and the general election – had both ended this week Reverend Ricky would be the GOTP candidate, and he would still have lost to the President.