Why 2012 election was a message election
In an election year with unemployment hovering at 8 percent and millions of Americans deeply concerned about their future, in a year with no campaign-finance laws to prevent rich conservatives from dumping as much money as they wished into the process, in a year featuring an incumbent who motivated the GOP base by his mere existence, the Republican Party lost.
And it wasn’t just the presidency that they lost. At the beginning of the year, with Democrats forced to defend 23 Senate seats while Republicans defended just 10, GOP leaders were all but certain that they would reclaim Senate control and oust Harry Reid as majority leader. It was an historic opportunity.
Instead, they lost two seats. They lost five seats in the House as well, including, at last count, that of Allen West of Florida and Joe Walsh in Illinois. Michele Bachmann barely survived in a heavily Republican district. (UPDATE: The latest numbers suggest that the GOP will lose seven seats in the House, not five.)
In other signs of a changing America, voters in Maine and Maryland approved measures legalizing gay marriage. In Washington, a measure to legalize gay marriage also appears to have passed. In Minnesota, voters rejected a measure that would ban gay marriage. In Wisconsin, voters elected the nation’s first openly gay person to the Senate. And in Colorado and Washington, voters easily approved the recreational use of marijuana.
Three additional points:
The polls were not skewed. Needing an excuse to explain why the polls were so consistently unfriendly to Republicans, Fox News and the conservative media invented one: The pollsters were conspiring with the mainstream media to defraud conservatives. More specifically, the theory went, polls were showing Democrats outnumbering Republicans by a six- or seven-point margin. There’s no way that could be true, conservatives told themselves.
In one sense, it was the perfect explanation. It appealed to the GOP’s inherent distrust of experts who tell them things they don’t want to hear, and also played to their longstanding anger at the media. Eventually, though, all such explanations get “trued up” against reality. And in reality, Democrats did end up with a six-point turnout advantage over Republicans, just as predicted.
This was not Mitt Romney’s fault. Quite the contrary. From the beginning, Romney was the only GOP candidate who was even faintly plausible as president. Would Newt Gingrich have done better? Rick Santorum? Bachmann? Herman Cain? Rick Perry? Please. The blowout would have been epic.
Yes, Romney did pivot from “severely conservative” to moderate right before the first debate, and some in his party will now try to attribute his defeat to that decision. You know the drill: “He was a RINO, and RINOs always lose.” That easy excuse ignores the fact that Romney made that pivot because his “severely conservative” persona was getting killed in the polls at the time. When he changed, the polls changed. This race was close at the end only because he ditched conservatism and embraced moderation.
But here’s where the evidence gets incontrovertible: Last night, the GOP put up a viable Senate candidate in 17 states; most of those 17 candidates ran well to the right of Romney. If conservatism was a winning message, they should have done better with voters than the moderate Romney did.
The exact opposite proved true. In 12 of those 17 states, Romney outperformed the conservative Senate candidate. In six states, Romney outperformed the GOP Senate candidate by a double-digit margin. In five states, Romney outperformed the Republican Senate candidate by 15 points or more.
And the five GOP Senate candidates who did better in their states than Romney?* Every single one ran as a moderate. Overall, voters rejected conservatism, and “moderate Mitt” deserves great credit for squeezing every vote possible out of a tough situation.
But every vote possible wasn’t enough.
The country has changed; the GOP has not. Republicans lost badly among Latino voters, black voters, gay voters, Jewish voters and women. They once again did quite well among white voters, who comprised 72 percent of the electorate. But that’s down from 74 percent in 2008, which was down from 77 percent in 2004, which was down from 80 percent in 2000.
Does anybody see a trend in those numbers?
But other numbers are just as daunting. In exit polls yesterday, 74 percent of Republican voters said that they believe illegal immigrants should be deported instead of offered a chance at citizenship. That is clearly a core issue for the GOP base. Yet overall, just 29 percent of Americans share that opinion.
How do you convince that 74 percent of Republicans that their party has to change and change pretty dramatically if it’s to compete in the emerging America? How do you convince them that they have to break out of the lily-white political ghetto in which they’ve confined themselves?
It’s going to take leadership. It’s going to take people such as Marco Rubio and Bobby Jindal and Jeb Bush and Chris Christie telling hard truths to a base that has often found ingenious ways to avoid hard truths. It’s going to take a willingness to compromise and a willingness to change and a willingness to confront the talk-radio hosts and special interest groups who see no personal benefit to such change.
Overall, the narrowness of the GOP defeat in the presidential race disguises just how significant this election really was. The ground was prepared perfectly for a major GOP victory — everything was in place — and the opposite happened. And it’s not something new. In the last six presidential cycles, the GOP candidate has won a plurality of votes just once. That was George W. Bush in 2004, riding the fumes of his post-9/11 performance.
This was a message election, in terms of both ideology and demography, and from here on out that message is going to be restated louder and louder and louder until the Republican Party finds a way to respond to it.
– Jay Bookman
*The states in question are Connecticut, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Nevada and New Mexico.
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665 comments Add your comment
PartyTime
November 7th, 2012
9:19 am
Enjoy the next 4 years, i.e., you get what you pay for:
= higher unemployment
= higher taxes
= worsening economy
= rising cost of health insurance (aka, obamacare)
= speaking of obamacare = more taxes – just wait to see what you have to pay when you sell your house (one-time obamacare fee paid at closing – you’ll wish you had rented)
= less money in your paycheck (for those who still receive a paycheck)
= skyrocketing national debt (your kids and grandkids will have to pay off = less money in their paychecks assuming they have jobs = nothing left to take care of you)
= reduced government spending (how’s that going to impact “entitlements” aka govt. handouts?)
= what …….. family values? (I sort of remember hearing that term way back when …….)
ENJOY THE RIDE!!!!!!
Tundra Dude
November 7th, 2012
9:19 am
Karl Rove…. We haven’t counted Cats and Dogs as of yet !
and the BungWazi vote ain’t in yet….
Joe Hussein Mama
November 7th, 2012
9:19 am
WHttTea Party — “Allen West of Florida and Joe Walsh of Illinois… Goners!”
And Alan Grayson of FL — back in!
MiltonMan
November 7th, 2012
9:20 am
Funny to see libs gloating about their victory and the “end of the GOP”. The GOP will bounce back once a viable candidate is found. Electoral votes will continue to leave the blue states. Pelosi said herself that the dems would take back the house.
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
November 7th, 2012
9:20 am
“If you can’t beat Barack Obama with this record, then shut down the party,” (Laura Ingraham) said. “Shut it down, start new, with new people because this is a give-me election, or at least it should be.”
http://www.mediaite.com/online/laura-ingraham-to-republicans-%E2%80%98if-you-can%E2%80%99t-beat-barack-obama-then-shut-down-the-party%E2%80%99/
JamVet
November 7th, 2012
9:20 am
Republicans lost badly among … Jewish voters…
Right on, MOTs!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFtv5qe5o3c.
Goldie
November 7th, 2012
9:20 am
J.H. Mama — como se dice “pendejo” in ingles? No comprendo… gracias!
fred
November 7th, 2012
9:21 am
The challenge always facing all of us has to with creating the changes we want to see happen no matter what your political leanings are. Republicans have little tolerance for change and they actually value being rigid and immovable. Their reliance on violence and fear to achieve their ends hurts us all. As an older white man the changes have been liberating. May my white brothers and sisters who are willing to change step Forward!
Fred ™
November 7th, 2012
9:21 am
At least JM has the balls to post under his real name (and maybe 3 or 4 others as well lol), thta’s more than you can say of the other dishonorable right wingers.
Moonbat Betty: I don’t consider you a right wing fanatical nutcase lol, just a regular old Republican, so you don’t fit in the dishonorable category. You have shown you can disagree without being a ‘richard.”
Joe Hussein Mama
November 7th, 2012
9:21 am
E. L. Ira — “Boortz is losing it right now… Hilarious!”
Hey, Neal!
Big Bird wants you to know that this election was brought to you by the letters F and U.
Corbin Sharpe. I think, therefore I am...I think.
November 7th, 2012
9:21 am
My fellow progressives, let’s not spike the ball or do any touchdown dances. Like it or not, to make this political system work, we need GOP help. We have to work together, so let’s not rub it in. There ARE big things that need to be addressed and at the risk of repeating myself, we don’t need animosity…
Butch Cassidy (I)
November 7th, 2012
9:21 am
the cat – “Where is Ben Shockley????”
Where is Joseph?
Aquagirl
November 7th, 2012
9:21 am
To the right wing conservatives is it time to get ride of losers like Dick Morris, Hannity, Rush the scum Limbaugh, Karl Rowe?
That’s the problem with the fright-wing base tools. They can only keep ratings up and voters agitated by upping the ante. Next thing you know they’re out in lala land and even the most partisan hate-charged nuts start noticing what they’re hearing doesn’t match reality.
There’s a limited shelf life to Faux/talky radio and it’s expired. Karl Rove’s flameout last night was their Waterloo.
Fred ™
November 7th, 2012
9:22 am
Oh look up above, I have a wannabe……
#1 Foxy Lady
November 7th, 2012
9:22 am
Hey, where’s RB, Kayaker, USMC, Mighty Righty, Scout, Donovan , Butch etc…
These LOSERS are too busy SUCKING IT!!! to spew stupid, deluded solipsistic drivel…
What Happened to the Tea Party?
November 7th, 2012
9:22 am
Ann Marie Buerkle lost to Dan Maffei and Nan Hayworth was shut out by Sean Patrick Maloney.
Joe Hussein Mama
November 7th, 2012
9:22 am
M. Man — “The GOP will bounce back once a viable candidate is found.”
Maybe you should change your search parameters, because not a single one of the nitwits I saw on stage at those debates last winter was “viable.”
Jason
November 7th, 2012
9:22 am
I identify myself as a conservative but not a republican. The republicans don’t seem to want to include people such as myself so I am forced to vote democratic. Republicans have four years to get it together and realize that must of us live in the middle and if they don’t adapt they are done. Stop being decisive. We want so badly to vote republican but you seem to give us every reason not to.
Goldie
November 7th, 2012
9:22 am
Partytime @ 9:19 — so what happened to your Party and “The Math” that was working so well for America? Any self-reflection or accountability at all from you???
flagboy?
November 7th, 2012
9:23 am
Joe. . . .”So drop the rhetoric and the demonizing, and let’s talk turkey”
Is this addressed to me?
howard emmons
November 7th, 2012
9:23 am
Well, thank God, Fox News, Carl Rove, and Rush are secret Democrats, their mission was to convince Americans that the Republican Party has gone “mad”, that they are a bunch of raving lunatics…I have to say they did an outstanding job! We can only hope they will keep up the good work!
Adam
November 7th, 2012
9:23 am
THE FALLEN:
Here lies the dead predictions of many on the right, who were just so far in the right wing bubble that they thought Obama would lose.
Jm
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2011/09/22/government-shutdown-again-looms-as-possibility/?cp=1#comment-731493
Granny 8:37 that’s fine. Continue.
And see the results in 2012
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2011/10/25/why-did-romney-react-so-harshly-to-news-of-iraqi-withdrawal/?cp=3#comment-763526
Obama is going to lose
Get used to it libs
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/04/04/what-the-georgia-legislature-got-right-in-2012/?cp=1#comment-915453
Game set match
Romney going to pummel Obama next
kayaker:
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/02/03/jobless-data-critical-in-2012-political-campaign/?cp=1#comment-852297
Before you liberals start counting the votes in November, a few pesky statistics might help to explain the spin that Bozo and his gang hang on this all important parameter. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, the following states still have unemployment above 8.5%….. IN,NJ,KY, MI, SC, GA, IL, FL, NC, DC (not a state),RI,CA,NV,WA,AZ,TN and OR. That’s 36% of the states that still are under water, according to Bozo. The new spin is 8.3% but has ignored all of those who have quit looking, They are conveniently removed from the roles of the unemployed after an extended period to massage the numbers. Real unemployment, if you crank in all of the parameters, could reach as much as 12-14%. Blacks still are the highest with black youth running about 40% in some parts of the country.
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/09/08/gallup-documents-good-post-convention-jump-for-obama/?cp=3#comment-1068014
Romney 320 electoral votes. He will take all of the “swing states”. America is not that stupid.
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/09/08/gallup-documents-good-post-convention-jump-for-obama/?cp=10#comment-1068703
Romney….. 320 electoral votes. America will wake up in the voting booth. They did for Reagan, they will for Romney as well.
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/10/30/jeep-were-staying-in-u-s-and-romney-is-wrong/?cp=1#comment-1131580
Romney…. 320. Bozo…. 218. Count on it.
Donovan:
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/02/13/surprise-wall-street-casts-its-lot-with-the-gop/?cp=4#comment-862464
Anyone who voted for Obama and continues to believe in his cause speaks for itself. You will never be taken serious nor will your ideas become real.
All this nonsense you spill out on this left wing site is typical elitist double talk for stupidity. I rather enjoy rubbing your faces in reality each day only because you need it.
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/06/28/will-the-supremes-be-obamacares-real-death-panel/?cp=2#comment-995115
Yeah, the decision is not even out yet and this blog today is a liberal rant against Republicans, big business and middle class suppression.
Lord knows how you all will react to Obama’s defeat in November.
Day counter (It’s 1535 days, b**ch!):
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/03/02/romney-tax-plan-soaring-debt-huge-breaks-for-rich/?cp=3#comment-884905
Thanks to all you Democrats/liberal/progressives out there.
Over ther past three years, you guys have set up the rules for the future, such as DEFLECTION, BLAME IT ON BUSH (O’Bama in 324 days), LYING, NOT TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS, STUPID STATEMENTS, PERSONAL ATTACKS, HOLYIER THAN THOU ATTITUDES and HATEFUL MEANT SPIRITED.COMMENTS
Thulsa Doom (I am really disappointed I didn’t save more from you
):
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/03/23/developer-bailout-bill-a-sordid-case-study/?cp=6#comment-904522
Contrarian,
303 days? The math depends on whether you are looking to early November when the community organizer will be soundly defeated or later on in January when the lame duck actually leaves the white house with his tail between his legs.
JohnnyReb:
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/04/17/starters-gun-fires-in-great-race-of-2012/?cp=1#comment-927809
A month ago the Left was crowing how the primaries were damaging Romney. A week after Santorum withdraws Romney is at a minimum even with Obama. Yet, the Left projects Obama to win. Bless their loyal, optimistic bleeding hearts.
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/05/08/barack-obamas-war-on-free-enterprise/?cp=3#comment-947068
All you Moonbats who keep disparaging Republicans, I’m coming after you as we get closer to November and it has become obvious Obama will not win. When? When you are down to having nothing left but the race card.
Billybob:
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/05/07/states-compete-to-buy-jobs-with-taxpayer-money/?cp=3#comment-946149
i love to see the leftists trying to project obama’s socialist/marxist mindset and his central gov’t planning policies on people who are screaming to limit gov’t and get gov’t out of the way and are screaming for our elected officials to actually follow the constitution/cut debt/cut deficits……that’s why leftists are on the way out this fall b/c people see their lies more and more every day……keep talking libs, you are creating the landslide that will hit the dem party on nov 7th
Recon/Del:
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/05/08/the-other-half-of-the-real-estate-collapse/?cp=2#comment-947407
It appears by the polls that the Obama campaign that really began in September of last year isn’t resonating very well with voters. Now with an existing weak economy that appears to be going into further decline it’s hard to see what more Obama can blame.
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/05/09/the-trouncing-of-dick-lugar-is-a-cry-for-war/?cp=1#comment-948052
It’s looking like it might be getting time for Obama to get ready for the shellac.
Joseph:
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/05/11/wall-street-oops-we-did-it-again/?cp=1#comment-951545
Is it true that Dan Savage will be a keynote speaker at the Dem Convention? Wow they are taking this homo marriage thing seriously…. To their own peril…. LOL…
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/05/31/the-race-for-the-white-house-what-the-numbers-say/?cp=2#comment-967378
I do understand that your trying your best to keep a straight face and sugarcoat the fact that Obama is about to go down to a resounding defeat. As it stands he’s not even close to the mid 50 approval that Bush enjoyed before the election of 04′. You know that Jay. Assuring your most avid foaming at the mouth far left readers is all you got I guess. No sitting President has been in a position like this in recent memory. Get ready for it libs…
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/09/07/no-president-could-fully-repair-the-damage-in-just-four-years/?cp=2#comment-1067223
Absolutely not Paul. Obama’s debt when all is said and done will be will be closer to $6 trillion by the time he leaves office Jan. 20th….
EJ Moosa (by the way, what happened to this fella when the jobs numbers started showing GOOD NEWS?):
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/05/31/the-race-for-the-white-house-what-the-numbers-say/?cp=3#comment-967369
The economic numbers (forget the poll numbers) point to a resounding defeat for an administration that spent trillions with nothing but debt to show for it.
USMC:
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/06/01/gwinnett-county-and-its-culture-of-corruption/?cp=3#comment-969455
This President is a complete disaster!
tick tock, tick tock, tick tock…
Romney by 3%
Common Sense:
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/06/15/obama-offers-temporary-reprieve-to-young-illegal-immigrants/?cp=3#comment-984048
Obama’s 1 term predicition if he did not get the job done in 3 years was the only honest statement he has made during the last 4 years.
Mighty Righty:
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/06/21/a-lot-of-baloney-flying-fast-and-furious/?cp=4#comment-988108
The day after the election, the very media that is now claiming fast and furious is no big deal and praising the the illegal executive order last week making the “dream act” law without the legal process, will be citing these among others as the reason Obama was defeated.
Zap:
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2011/08/31/hugely-profitable-companies-pay-more-to-ceos-than-to-uncle-sam/?cp=9#comment-706998
Uh huh, 2012 is gonna be a bad year for the rats.
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2011/08/31/hugely-profitable-companies-pay-more-to-ceos-than-to-uncle-sam/?cp=9#comment-707012
Oh, and your beloved Obama is done. Over with.
Other Fallen:
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/05/16/lets-unleash-the-true-power-of-the-job-creators/?cp=5#comment-956110
Bad news for the true Obama believers on here. The guy is losing. The campaign has really got started yet….and he’s losing…….against a Mormon. A former governor of the liberal state of Mass. A the NY Times/CBS poll is telling us that………………Only surprise I have, it’s not by more……But it will be. And no, it’s not a love affair with Mitt………………It’s anybody but Obama driving this. I know most of regulars on here will go into a depression and turn to heavier pot use in November.
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/05/29/debt-ceiling-standoff-is-an-act-of-economic-sabotage/?cp=8#comment-967084
Don’t matter what you libs say, Obamab is out, Repubs take senate as well, the makers inthis country get confidence back, and this economy will tke off. Get ready for 8 years opf Romney.
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/06/01/latest-jobs-data-say/?cp=2#comment-968969
Adam:
There is nothing positive to say about the current president. We will have a new one in January.
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/06/28/most-of-obamacare-including-mandate-upheld/?cp=1#comment-995378
The Tea Party is not dead. This was the last straw, and Obama will be voted out in November, along with the rest of the Dem goons.
h ttp:// blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2012/07/03/romney-puts-that-sleeping-giant-back-to-sleep/?cp=7#comment-1002299
Dear Adam,
Obama will lose by a wide margin in November. His numbers trail Jimmy Carter’s at this point and will go into free fall by September. Obama is the laziest, least intelligent, and most poorly qualified person that has EVER held the office. Obama could not run a corner convenience store…
What Happened to the Tea Party?
November 7th, 2012
9:24 am
Wow, Boortz is in complete melt down mode!
Goldie
November 7th, 2012
9:24 am
“The GOP will bounce back once a viable candidate is found. ”
Oooh, here we go with the “the candidate was the problem” theme!
MiltonMan
November 7th, 2012
9:25 am
“Hey, where’s RB, Kayaker, USMC, Mighty Righty, Scout, Donovan , Butch etc…
These LOSERS are too busy SUCKING IT!!! to spew stupid, deluded solipsistic drivel…”
Good to see the libs are staying classy.
#1 Foxy Lady
November 7th, 2012
9:25 am
PartyTime… dream on. good times ahead peeps!
PartyTime, you enjoy the SUCKING IT, LOSER!!!
clem
November 7th, 2012
9:25 am
time to put fork in the intransigent tp party….it is time to compromise
Skip
November 7th, 2012
9:25 am
Cons can’t run a campaign, how could they run a country?
Joe Hussein Mama
November 7th, 2012
9:25 am
Goldie — “J.H. Mama — como se dice “pendejo” in ingles? No comprendo… gracias!”
It’s a common insult in Spanish, mostly used in Mexico and Central America, from what my Hispanic wife tells me. Its literal translation is ’stupid’ or ‘dummy,’ but there’s a big shading of nastiness to it as well. My wife says it’s closer to ‘m-f’er’ or ‘pubic hair’ but your mileage may vary.
KARMA KARMA KARMA Caught Up With The Chameleon Myth Robme
November 7th, 2012
9:26 am
@Scrivener
November 7th, 2012
8:33 am
The reason Obama was re-elected was, A, the storm hit, and B, the media refused to cover the bad economy accurately (can be clearly demonstrated by comparison’s to the Bush economy) and virtually no coverage of Fast and Furious or the Benghazi scandal. The scandals won’t be going away, folks, just because the election is over, and it won’t look good for Obama.
========================================
The REASON CONS lost:
A. God don’t like UGLY.
B. You reap what you sow.
C. Don’t mess with the 47%, minorities, hispanics and women
clem
November 7th, 2012
9:26 am
milton man, you have no room to talk about class.
Not the one
November 7th, 2012
9:26 am
Heres some great news in 4 year Ms Obama can run for prez and serve 2 terms and then Oblama can run again and win. We have lost America there ain’t no turning us around.
Doggone/GA
November 7th, 2012
9:27 am
“Fox is the most watched of all the news channels”
No, it isn’t. It’s the #1 CABLE news channel. The broadcast channels still hold the top spots over all news.
Cosby
November 7th, 2012
9:27 am
A message…The country is still split – 50/50. But I guess the moochers vs the producers voted more. I know Jay and all his media hypes are just getty…but wait until the Annoited one pushed his agenda of marxism to the brionk – ignores the constitution, breakd the law even more than he has, ignores congress and continue to do anything he wants. I’m not sour, but I do feel for all the stupidity in the USA who have no clue where we are now headed, but then perhpas we have become a nation of servants to the Big Government in DC.. Look for higher energy prices, dictation as to what kind of vehicle you drive, how far you can drive it, how much your job is worth ( how much you will be paid), look for your medical care to be dictated by the un elected panel, look for doctors to leave the practice and for get about research and development in the health field. Look for a weak military and the continued rise of Islamic movement, look for a Nuclear Iran and North Korea. but then I have no answer for stupidity and am ashamed of America, but then I guess when most think American Idal is the greatest thing ever, this is what you get. I feel for the young people in this country that will never know freedom, personal responsibility, feeling of acompolishments. Sour, not in the least, just feel sorry for the dumb masses and what awaits them, but then a true republic historically only last 200 years and The USA outlived that expectation. I guess when people feel they can vote themselves confiscation of other peoples money, dictoral government takes over. A sad, very sad day in the USA..May god have mercey on the soul of the USA.
MiltonMan
November 7th, 2012
9:27 am
The GOP will bounce back once a viable candidate is found. ”
Oooh, here we go with the “the candidate was the problem” theme!
Yes, when you cannot win your home state of MA (not expected to win) or a state you had close ties with (MI) & your VP candidate cannot win his home state (WI) you are not the right candidate.
Joe Hussein Mama
November 7th, 2012
9:27 am
Flagboy — “Is this addressed to me?:”
It was intended to be more the amorphous and indefinite ‘you,’ but I’ll certainly discuss it with you (specifically) if you like.
home&home
November 7th, 2012
9:28 am
I suppose there were no rich liberals dumping as much money as they could into the process. yeah, right…
Other than that, you’re right. The country has changed, comrade. Hope you guys are right, otherwise…
Butch Cassidy (I)
November 7th, 2012
9:28 am
MiltonMan – “The GOP will bounce back once a viable candidate is found.”
Too bad you didn’t think of that before the election.
Michael
November 7th, 2012
9:28 am
Scrivener the reason Romney lost is because of people like you. You still don’t get it. You blame everybody else for your the mistakes of your own party.
Jm
November 7th, 2012
9:28 am
Bloomberg headlines:
Dollar falls on Obama re-election
US stock futures decline as Obama wins re-election
Keep whistling past the graveyard
Goldie
November 7th, 2012
9:29 am
Gracias, J.H.Mama — comprendo ahora! Como “muy loco” pero con huevos!
Redneck Rick
November 7th, 2012
9:29 am
The next “big” steps for the GOP:
Step one: Blame the “Lame-Stream” Media for the Obama win.
Step two: Claim voter fraud or intimidation.
Step three: Lament the choice of a RINO candidate.
Step four: Blame Blacks and Hispanics.
Step five: Drag feet on Obama-initiated legislation
Step six: Begin House Impeachment proceedings on Fast and Furious or Benghazi “cover-up”.
Adam
November 7th, 2012
9:29 am
Oh man it felt SOOOO GOOOD to post that.
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
November 7th, 2012
9:29 am
“The GOP will bounce back once a viable candidate is found”
that’s the POINT, Captain Observant.
#1 Foxy Lady
November 7th, 2012
9:29 am
MiltonMan, please see Limbaugh’s definition of “slut” or the GOP’s codification of “legitimate rape” to glean a little class. As for my comments, you can…. well you know…… SUCK IT, LOSER!!!!
HDB
November 7th, 2012
9:29 am
Goldie
November 7th, 2012
8:56 am
“I will be writing a letter to my two Georgia GOP Senators and my GOP member of Congress and implore them to work with the President for the betterment of our great country. I invite others to join me.”
Woo-hoo, H.E.P. — now we’re talkin’! “)
COUNT ME IN on this!!!
Democrats retain Senate majority; key wins for Kaine in Va., Warren in Mass. – Washington Post
November 7th, 2012
9:29 am
[...] seize supermajority in state LegislatureSan Francisco ChronicleHouston Chronicle -Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) -Voice of America (blog)all 5,428 news articles » VN:F [1.9.8_1114]please [...]
Pass the Cheesy Grits Please
November 7th, 2012
9:30 am
Electoral votes will continue to leave the blue states
And red states will start turning blue with them.
See Virginia.
Peter
November 7th, 2012
9:30 am
I identify myself as a conservative but not a republican.
Thank you Jason !!!!!!!
He has correctly identified a large group of the population with an education…….. perhaps the Republican’s will now begin to work for all American’s and not the FEW they choose to help.
Tundra Dude
November 7th, 2012
9:30 am
como se dice “pendejo” in ingles? No comprendo… gracias
keine Obszönitäten auf diesem Blog erlaubt
Joe Hussein Mama
November 7th, 2012
9:30 am
Not the one — “Heres some great news in 4 year Ms Obama can run for prez and serve 2 terms and then Oblama can run again and win.”
No, he can’t. Obama is ineligible to run again.
What do you think this is, Alabama? They only pull that kind of spit there and in Argentina.
Goldie
November 7th, 2012
9:30 am
“I know Jay and all his media hypes are just getty…but wait until the Annoited one pushed his agenda of marxism to the brionk – ignores the constitution, ”
BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH.
And on it goes!
Joe Hussein Mama
November 7th, 2012
9:30 am
Tundra Dude — “keine Obszönitäten auf diesem Blog erlaubt”
Wirklich?
willie lynch
November 7th, 2012
9:30 am
MiltonMan
November 7th, 2012
9:27 am
Maybe they just weren’t the right party.
Sarah Palin
November 7th, 2012
9:31 am
I finally found where Korea is!
Thanks to Bristol for this big ol’ map she gave me.
Senor Coughee
November 7th, 2012
9:31 am
Good article, Jay. BUT, BOTH “sides” need to learn to work together. BOTH “sides” need to realize they cannot have it all, and need to make concessions. BOTH need to stop worrying about the D and the R, who “wins” or “loses”, or who “one ups” the other guy. If not, we’re in for another long four years of bitter partisanship.
MiltonMan
November 7th, 2012
9:31 am
MiltonMan – “The GOP will bounce back once a viable candidate is found.”
Too bad you didn’t think of that before the election.
Oh believe me, I did but the field was pretty “slim pickens”
Li'l Aynie
November 7th, 2012
9:31 am
The Republican Party should split. The moderates should retain the Republican name. The rascist, rabid radicals should be called Dixiecrats, which they have been all along, or intransigent old white men (OWM).
Did you notice that, for the first time, the wacky electoral college scheme favored the good guy? In the past, the western flyover states and third-world southern states were able to distort the votes of the American people.
But, the persistent political division of the states, roughly along the lines of the Union/Confederacy split in the 1860, is troubling. A massive influx of Latinos should solve that problem.
youcantseetheforestforthetrees
November 7th, 2012
9:31 am
You are right-the people who want the handouts outnumber the people who actually work. Democrats/Liberals only vote for their special interest, not the general good.
Regnad Kcin
November 7th, 2012
9:31 am
“Regnad Kcin:
Please dispute one thing I said. Obama overwhelmingly won the black, latino, and Jewish vote by HUGE margins. Even Jay mentioned it in his article. Those are ACTUAL, INDISPUTABLE FACTS.”
RJohn – if you re-read my post, you will find that I never disputed those facts – I commented on your self-admitted confusion as to why these groups of individuals (who, in your post, you converted into monolithic, stereotypical blocs), did not act in a way you expected. I advised you to view people as real individual people, as this may help dispel some of the confusion your you were bemoaning.
Always glad to help!
flagboy?
November 7th, 2012
9:31 am
Joe – I just wanted to make sure you weren’t accusing me of demonizing or obfustication/rhetoric . I actually take a small bit of pride in not seeming like a complete idiot on the interwebs.
So shoot. What’s your idea?
Jm
November 7th, 2012
9:32 am
Foxy lady is beyond annoying
Butch isn’t even a con you twit
JamVet
November 7th, 2012
9:32 am
And what about that mystery meat rube who used the handle of X more days?
Does he now add 1461 to that total?
(Peals of laughter at his expense here…)
trailerparkted
November 7th, 2012
9:32 am
The Tea Party, Hannity, Limbaugh, Fox News, Ann Coulter, Sarah Palin etc….. have been 100% detrimental to the Republican Party, the party can no longer be the party of Angry Middle Age White Men, The Religious Right and Confederate States, the United States is changing and republicans had better get on board!!!!!!!!!
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
November 7th, 2012
9:32 am
” Electoral votes will continue to leave the blue states
And red states will start turning blue with them.”
I know – this is the “logic” that cracks me up everytime … like all the folks moving south are suddenly going to become Republican just because they start eating fried okra.
Joe Hussein Mama
November 7th, 2012
9:33 am
home&home — “I suppose there were no rich liberals dumping as much money as they could into the process. yeah, right…”
And here y’all though Romney was good at managing other people’s money, yet he managed to waste $3 billion.
I heard a good one on Morning Joe this morning; it was pointed out that Linda McMahon has now spent ~$100 million of her own money trying to win a Senate seat in Connecticut — so Willie Geist said that in six years, she will just cut out the middleman by putting $42 million in a dumpster in New Haven, CT and lighting it on fire.
DannyX
November 7th, 2012
9:33 am
Remember the Republican “skewed polls” scream?
Funny thing about that! Turns out Rasmussen was the skewed poll! Rasmussen was horrible, turns out they were nothing but a Republican puppet poll. I know, hard to believe.
Their final poll in these crucial swing states were very wrong…
Ohio
Wisconsin
Colorado
Iowa
Virginia
Florida
Unskewed PPP picked all of the swing states correctly.
will the "REAL" Mitt Romney please stand up
November 7th, 2012
9:33 am
Yes, when you cannot win your home state of MA (not expected to win) or a state you had close ties with (MI) & your VP candidate cannot win his home state (WI) you are not the right candidate.
_____
but MANY Repubs felt as if Romney would win by a landslide. They were against the polls that stated that President Obama was holding a small but constant lead.
Pass the Cheesy Grits Please
November 7th, 2012
9:33 am
You are right-the people who want the handouts outnumber the people who actually work.
Most of the people on welfare and looking for handouts are from the red states.
PartyTime
November 7th, 2012
9:34 am
KARMA KARMA KARMA and Cosby – SO RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ad
November 7th, 2012
9:34 am
The (or at lease “a”) reason Obama won was that enough of us old white guys voted for him along with blacks, Hispanics, etc. Obama was inclusive – the GOP, not so much. If the GOP thinks their mistake was that Romney wasn’t conservative enough or that they just didn’t nominate enough Tea Party crazies, then even more of the old white guy crowd will vote Dem.
St Simons
November 7th, 2012
9:34 am
here kitty kitty……
Karl Rove
November 7th, 2012
9:34 am
Wow! I’m truly an idiot. I didn’t get ONE thing right about this election.
Joe Hussein Mama
November 7th, 2012
9:34 am
Cosby — “Look for a weak military and the continued rise of Islamic movement, look for a Nuclear Iran and North Korea.”
North Korea is ALREADY nuclear, you clueless nit. They tested a bomb during Bush’s adminstration, while we were busy jerking around in Iraq.
Catch up to the rest of the class.
the cat
November 7th, 2012
9:34 am
Anyone have Dickie Morris on youtube?
#1 Foxy Lady
November 7th, 2012
9:35 am
You are right-the people who want the handouts outnumber the people who actually work. Democrats/Liberals only vote for their special interest, not the general good.
Of course, it had absolutely nothing to do with the GOP’s agenda or policy positions. Nothing at all. You forgot to blame the main stream media too, LOSER.
Clydesdale
November 7th, 2012
9:35 am
The American Dream is dead in urban areas. We’ve all seen the map. 80% of the map turns red on election night but only draws 48% of the vote. A few states, mostly with high urban concentrations drive us to a democratic presidency. I don’t think we need an intervention. We need to sell the American dream to urban people of all colors including single white women. The American dream is alive in 80% of the land. If your dream is to own a tiki hut selling surfboards in Key West you can go do that. If you want a ranch in the country with horses you can chase that. No where in this old classic dream do we think of government needing to assist us in this dream. Urban people apparently have added that element to the American dream. Unfortunately look at the stats for those who supported Obama twice now. Darker skinned people drove the unemployment rate. They are in the mid teens. The you need the government assist for the “Dream” fails the very people who support it.
DawgDad
November 7th, 2012
9:35 am
Tax increases targeting the “rich” is smokescreen nonsense; taxes will rise for everybody, directly or indirectly. This election was lost to the GOP because Blue States are beholden to big government and entitlement programs and . . . debt, and we’ve crossed the threshhold as a country where there is no recourse. They’ll be knocking at your door, Georgians, to fund their bailout. The mandates will come down harder, billions for this, billions for that. Somewhere down the line the debt will be called.
They BOTH suck
November 7th, 2012
9:35 am
Jam @ 9:32
That was good.
Peter
November 7th, 2012
9:36 am
Jm Do you day trading based on a hope and a prayer ? Or are you an investor looking at the market, doing your home work, and finding great picks, the next up and coming ideas that will grow into the new business of the future ?
Gee Under Bush didn’t the stock market implode ?
Darwin
November 7th, 2012
9:36 am
Jay – Same thoughts were shared in 2008 and look what happened. After the sweep in 2010 Republicans did not see the need to change because the white vote carried them. It will take more than a decade for the demographics to shape the Republican message via necessity. The Republican field was so weak this time. Probably will go even more hard line since the election was still close and the House remains Republican. Anyway, Go President Obama. You earned a second term.
HDB
November 7th, 2012
9:36 am
OK….I’m going to bring this out this way:
When you attempt to run a demographic campaign and alienate the largest-growing segment of the populace…when your party does everything possible to marginalize and dissuade that changing demographic from exercising their right to vote….when your policies find themselves being anathematic to that growing segment….is there any wonder that a new coalition is formed to defeat you??
Romney galvanized the white vote….scoring 60%…but that demographic is FALLING! With 70% of the Hispanic vote and over 90% of the African-American vote…and Romney’s admission that 47% of the American populace doesn’t matter to him….is there any wonder that he lost??
The GOP needs to wake up….the “ol’ Confederacy” is unsustainable!!
Fred ™
November 7th, 2012
9:36 am
MiltonMan
November 7th, 2012
9:25 am
Good to see the libs are staying classy.
++++++++++++++++++
They are just following the example YOU have set for the last year or so…….
teamguy
November 7th, 2012
9:36 am
H L Mencken was right.
Goldie
November 7th, 2012
9:36 am
“so Willie Geist said that in six years, she will just cut out the middleman by putting $42 million in a dumpster in New Haven, CT and lighting it on fire. ”
I heard that one too, J.H. Mama — and Sheldon Adelson and the Koch Bros. can do the same!
Bwaaaaa!
MiltonMan
November 7th, 2012
9:36 am
“but MANY Repubs felt as if Romney would win by a landslide. They were against the polls that stated that President Obama was holding a small but constant lead.”
Nothing more than wishful thinking.
333
November 7th, 2012
9:37 am
Well said Cosby—I’m afraid we have lost our Republic to the moochers—This will become a Federalist society run by the non-producers.
I'm a liberal and believe everything I read and nothing the other side comes up with...cause we're smart and they are not
November 7th, 2012
9:37 am
Congrats. signing off for good.The moniker is dead. Wish all of you good health and good luck.Been fun.
Michael
November 7th, 2012
9:37 am
Cosby, may I suggest that you move to another country with your values. Maybe Pakistan.
#1 Foxy Lady
November 7th, 2012
9:37 am
thank you Clydesdale for letting us know for sure that your are a bigot. thanks for clearing that up.
Senor Coughee
November 7th, 2012
9:38 am
There was a message sent last night that neither party seems to “get”. We’re split nearly 50-50, and they are going to have to come to some compromise in order for things to work.
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
November 7th, 2012
9:38 am
“Turns out Rasmussen was the skewed poll! Rasmussen was horrible, turns out they were nothing but a Republican puppet poll.”
not that we didn’t already know this.
NATE RULES!!!
Goldie
November 7th, 2012
9:38 am
“Unfortunately look at the stats for those who supported Obama twice now. Darker skinned people drove the unemployment rate.”
WOW — you Cons got a lotta work to do before 2014!!!
MiltonMan
November 7th, 2012
9:39 am
“They are just following the example YOU have set for the last year or so…….”
That I have set??? I guess you conveniently forgot about all the name calling directed my way??? Your man won – congratulations.
Butch Cassidy (I)
November 7th, 2012
9:39 am
333 – “This will become a Federalist society run by the non-producers.”
When does your flight leave?
HDB
November 7th, 2012
9:39 am
DawgDad
November 7th, 2012
9:35 am
“This election was lost to the GOP because RED States are beholden to big government and entitlement programs and . . . debt, and we’ve crossed the threshhold as a country where there is no recourse. They’ll be knocking at your door, Georgians, to fund their bailout.”
There…fixed your statement!1
It’s known that the RED states take more funding fro the government…for every dollar in taxes, the RED states get about $1.40 back…..
getalife
November 7th, 2012
9:39 am
Good morning Americans.
A beautiful morning isn’t it?
Regnad Kcin
November 7th, 2012
9:39 am
“80% of the map turns red on election night but only draws 48% of the vote”
Clydesdale – Obama won more states than Romnry – figure it out…
DawgDad
November 7th, 2012
9:39 am
“We need to sell the American dream to urban people of all colors including single white women.”
How do you sell YOUR dream to people who do not want to embrace it, many of whom live in the moment?
a voice in the wilderness
November 7th, 2012
9:39 am
what a disaster…