Perry>>>Cain>>>Gingrich>>>Santorum

There is a while lotta fail in that following!

moops: Perry>>>Cain>>>Gingrich>>>Santorum

There is a while lotta fail in that following!

It's like a Republican centipede.
/SANTORUM.

The Republican base now is exactly like the Democratic base. They are woo'd by what the candidate says, and they go on gut feeling. The Republican party used to be "who can raise the most money and run the best campaign" and the conservatives got that in 2008, and for their troubles they got a Jewish, Muslim, Black Panther, Socialist, Commie, foreigner as President. They believe that their ideas are the only right and true ones, and that with shear force of will they will convert everyone else to them or spite the heathens. With Perry back in the race, they will end up voting for him once all the other wackos are gone.

Outrageous Muff: [stuff]

You're no Pocket Ninja, that's for sure.

Hmmm... by the read of it, the Big Tent of the GOP is coming apart at the seams.

Romney is the nominee, this is theater.

Ed Grubermann: You're no Pocket Ninja, that's for sure.

I hope not, I was being serious. Why else would 75% of the GOP base vote for "Not Romney"? He's been running for President for 7 years, spent over $100 million dollars, and still can't get over 25%.

Outrageous Muff: I hope not, I was being serious. Why else would 75% of the GOP base vote for "Not Romney"? He's been running for President for 7 years, spent over $100 million dollars, and still can't get over 25%.

I don't think that was the part he was commenting on...

Outrageous Muff: The Republican base now is exactly like the Democratic base.

If it ain't black and white then it must be all black? The Republican base is unprincipled, ethnocentric and vastly more hypocritical than the Democratic one; hence the fact that they will follow, in lock-step, anyone who pays lip service to their reactionary authoritarian prejudices and will throw under the bus anyone who doesn't look like they could win.

Thorndyke Barnhard: If it ain't black and white then it must be all black? The Republican base is unprincipled, ethnocentric and vastly more hypocritical than the Democratic one; hence the fact that they will follow, in lock-step, anyone who pays lip service to their reactionary authoritarian prejudices and will throw under the bus anyone who doesn't look like they could win.

The problem is Romney is the only one that can win, all of the others have zero chance. So instead of actually trying to win, they are woo'd by their hearts. In this case they are throwing the only guy who could win under the bus.

Minus1Kelvin: I don't think that was the part he was commenting on...

The day a man can't put all the crazy of Obama Haters into one sentence is they day I don't want to live on this planet anymore.

So, if Conservatives DON'T choose a candidate BEFORE the primaries even start, Democrats call Conservatives confused and shiftless. But if they DO choose a candidate BEFORE the primaries start, Democrats call Conservatives close-minded and hard-headed.

So, basically, Democrats don't like Conservatives. Slow news day?

Outrageous Muff: the only guy who could win

This is an assumption repeated over and over again in this campaign that I think has been accepted absolutely, totally, 100% blindly. It's based on some obsolete faulty intuition about moderates on either side of the middle of the spectrum being most capable of garnering the necessary plurality of american votes.

Thorndyke Barnhard: This is an assumption repeated over and over again in this campaign that I think has been accepted absolutely, totally, 100% blindly. It's based on some obsolete faulty intuition about moderates on either side of the middle of the spectrum being most capable of garnering the necessary plurality of american votes.

Romney is using the Clinton playbook from 2008. "Tell everyone that I'm the only one that can win because I'm the most centrists and appealing to moderates." The problem was that in 2008 Barack Obama was also very appealing to liberals and moderates, so her argument failed. With Romney, it's true. He is the only GOP candidate that has broad appeal, however he is hated in GOP circles for being a spineless coward on issues like abortion, gay marriage, and healthcare. The institutional problem is that for every Christie, Daniels, and other possible candidate that the GOP establishment wanted, none of them could win the primary.

All one has to do is look at Delaware in 2010. Mike Castle is the most beloved politician in the state. Former Congressman, and Governor. He was challenged by a wacko pundit woman in Christine O'Donnell. So in a state that's as blue as they come, the GOP voters took Castle to the woodshed. Now imagine that in every southern and western state.

I bet Santorum is pretty sticky.

Duke Phillips' Singing Bears: I bet Santorum is pretty sticky.

He's actually getting quite a lot of buzz. Santorum is on every young New Hampshire Republican's lips.

Outrageous Muff: Romney is using the Clinton playbook from 2008. "Tell everyone that I'm the only one that can win because I'm the most centrists and appealing to moderates."

I think that's what bothers me most about Romney. He just seems to feel self-entitled to the Republican nomination, and self-entitled to be president.

captain_heroic44: He just seems to feel self-entitled to the Republican nomination, and self-entitled to be president.

Well he is a Baby Boomer after all.

Outrageous Muff: With Romney, it's true. He is the only GOP candidate that has broad appeal, however he is hated in GOP circles

Actually, It's not true. You say so yourself in the very next sentence.
Romney is only appealing to some specific moderate conservative segment of the population but not in any broad sense covering BOTH that small particular type of right wing moderate AND some significant part of the rest of the right. Certainly nobody in the direct center or slightly-left-of-center has any interest at all in voting for Republican Romney.

Thorndyke Barnhard: Outrageous Muff: With Romney, it's true. He is the only GOP candidate that has broad appeal, however he is hated in GOP circles

Actually, It's not true. You say so yourself in the very next sentence.
Romney is only appealing to some specific moderate conservative segment of the population but not in any broad sense covering BOTH that small particular type of right wing moderate AND some significant part of the rest of the right. Certainly nobody in the direct center or slightly-left-of-center has any interest at all in voting for Republican Romney.

Romney is pro-choice. Or at least he was. Is he really even "right-wing?"

Thorndyke Barnhard: Actually, It's not true. You say so yourself in the very next sentence.
Romney is only appealing to some specific moderate conservative segment of the population but not in any broad sense covering BOTH that small particular type of right wing moderate AND some significant part of the rest of the right. Certainly nobody in the direct center or slightly-left-of-center has any interest at all in voting for Republican Romney.

It's called winning the general election. Something that both parties have to do. Romney was the only one that had a chance to win both, now they will destroy him to gain their pure leader in Perry.

Not to mention that the fundamentlaist christian conservatives define the base of the Republican half of the USA and the inherent ethnocentric dogmatic nature of these right-wing-authoritarians prohibits them from being able to pull the lever for this Mormon.

captain_heroic44: Romney is pro-choice. Or at least he was. Is he really even "right-wing?"

No single issue is capable of making or breaking one's identification with either side of the political spectrum.

Outrageous Muff: Romney was the only one that had a chance to win both

Based on WHAT exactly, given the limited scope of his moderate appeal, which I've already explained?

CapnBlues: Perry's not pure enough. He doesn't want to electrocute illegals until they're dead, so he's probably not quite conservative enough for The Base

True, but he's a hell of lot better than the pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage Romney. They can overlook not wanting to line up brown people and shoot them if their only other option is Romney.

Thorndyke Barnhard: captain_heroic44: Romney is pro-choice. Or at least he was. Is he really even "right-wing?"

No single issue is capable of making or breaking one's identification with either side of the political spectrum.

Yeah, but abortion signifies a constellation of values. People who are anti-choice usually have one worldview, and pro-choicers usually have another. It's sort of like being in favor of Social Security, and opposing it. If someone opposes it, you can be pretty sure he's generally got a certain laissez-faire worldview.

captain_heroic44: Thorndyke Barnhard: captain_heroic44: Romney is pro-choice. Or at least he was. Is he really even "right-wing?"

No single issue is capable of making or breaking one's identification with either side of the political spectrum.

Yeah, but abortion signifies a constellation of values. People who are anti-choice usually have one worldview, and pro-choicers usually have another. It's sort of like being in favor of Social Security, and opposing it. If someone opposes it, you can be pretty sure he's generally got a certain laissez-faire worldview.

I get what you're saying and I might agree that being anti-choice almost certainly makes you a righty; I'm just not convinced being pro-choice necessarily makes you a lefty.