Why did Romney lose?

[RecycleMichael]

I have listened to a lot of people today in my office building and on facebook plus listened to talk radio this morning. The reasons I have heard on why Romney lost are varied.

I have heard it was the liberal media, Hurricane sandy, black people won't vote for white people, Obama was Santa Claus, the guy wasn't a real Christian, and Americans are idiots. Other reasons found on the internets included that Romney wasn't conservative enough on abortion and same sex marriage, Paul Ryan couldn't win his home state, and Chris Christy hugged Obama a little too hard. I am sure there are many more.

I disagree with all these. Romney cost Romney the election. Obama was clearly beatable and Romney outspent all his primary rivals to win the nomination. He then talked about tax breaks while refusing to release his own taxes. He railed against ObamaCare while never discussing his almost identical RomneyCare. In the last debate, he simply agreed with everything Obama said.

I believe Rick Santorum would have energized the church-goers enough to contrast Obama. I believe that Gary Johnson would have been such a different candidate from the norm that Americans would have liked him enough to win. I even think a fired up Marco Rubio would have beaten Obama for the non-white votes.

This is all Romney. The republicans let him win the primaries full knowing that the big issues of the day he was of no real contrast to Obama.

Next time, nominate a better candidate when you want to win.

[nathanm]

[Townsend]

^^^LOL^^^

I did

[Townsend]

I blame the party as well.

"You're too crazy" v "You're not crazy enough"

[Gaspar]

I wanted Herman.  Perhaps someday we will get a candidate focused on simplifying things instead of growing them.  Perhaps it is too late for that.  Almost half the country are now "wards of the state."  It would probably take a miracle to change that.



Romney lost because of the Republican party.  The Republican party is out of touch and lacks the instruments to survive.  They are too bound by their religious elements that have infiltrated their ranks and made them unable to visualize the weakness that offers them in a modern world.  Perhaps it is fitting that Wisconsin was one of the states that dealt the final blow.  The roots of the party are believed to have been born there, liberal capitalists who bonded together to fight slavery.     The party of Lincoln, the party of Reagan, and what used to be the party of freedom is no longer recognizable.

Party aside, I think Romney would have made a good president.  I doubt he would spend 5 months of his presidency on the golf course, or kill over 1,100 people with non-military secret drone attacks.  I doubt he would form endless committees and commissions to pacify the people then choose to never meet with them or discount their advice.  I don't think he would need to appoint a "Secretary of Business" or a Pay Czar.  I doubt he would attempt to force executive orders or legislation before presenting it to the public or letting congress read it.

He would have obstacles though.  he would have taken office with a higher total number of unemployed than President Obama, and energy costs almost 150% higher, but I doubt he would spend 4 years blaming his predecessor.

A president like Romney would probably do horribly mean things like require work for welfare, and input for output in unemployment.  He probably wouldn't give nearly as many speeches.  Probably wouldn't push stimulus funds then invest tax payer money in ridiculous programs to reward his donors.  He would not have much time for Jay-Z, Clooney, or Beyonce.  Letterman, Ellen, and Jon Stewart would have a difficult time booking him.  He'd probably be interested in finding out what happened in Benghazi.  He'd meet with our closest allies and present a strong character to our enemies. He wouldn't give anyone a thrill up their leg.  He would probably waste a bunch of time attending those stupid national security meetings.  His boring wive Ann has probably always been proud of her country.  He'd make Big Bird and Chris Wallas pay for their own lunch, and stop funding $100K electric sports cars made in Finland with tax payer money.

Who knows.  Romney could have turned out to be a horrible president and done all of those things.

[nathanm]

I blame the extremists within the Republican party who are utterly convinced that there's a silent majority behind them when in reality the crickets are chirping because there's nobody else around.

[Townsend]

I blame the extremists within the Republican party who are utterly convinced that there's a silent majority behind them when in reality the crickets are chirping because there's nobody else around.

Oh man, me too.

[Townsend]

Romney could have turned out to be a horrible president.

Happily, we will not know.

[Townsend]

Moments Leading Up To Romney's Concession Most Likely Hilarious



http://tinyurl.com/9wzna4d

BOSTON—Sources are confirming that the moments leading up to Mitt Romney's concession speech last night—from the expression on his face the second he realized he was going to lose, to the brief sigh he probably let out before walking onstage—were all more than likely pretty hilarious. "I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but it's kind of funny to imagine a 65-year-old man watching television, desperately hoping for something to go his way, learning it's not going to happen, and then just sitting there face forward while the rest of the room goes silent around him," Ohio resident Bret Foss told reporters, adding that the thought of a campaign aide putting his hand on Romney's shoulder and solemnly telling the former governor that it was all over just makes him laugh for some reason. "Maybe it's because the stakes were so high, but something about Mitt Romney hurriedly cobbling together a concession speech with one of his writers and then standing backstage all by himself as he waits for his cue to go on really cracks me up." Foss added that while it may make him sick in the head, he chuckles every time he thinks about the intense private moment Romney and his wife probably shared before he officially called the president to concede.

[swake]

I wanted Herman.  Perhaps someday we will get a candidate focused on simplifying things instead of growing them.  Perhaps it is too late for that.  Almost half the country are now "wards of the state."  It would probably take a miracle to change that.

How is that you get so enamored of economic plans that fail basic math tests? But then your math on the election was pretty far off too.

And it is simply an ugly lie that half the country are wards of the state. The election is over, please stop with the political bullsh!t.

[Teatownclown]

When you break it down by race and gender BamBam lost White Men and White Women who make up 4 times the electorate compared to Blacks and Latinos. But Blacks and Latinos came out MASSIVELY for Obama. Obama won Women by %11 but lost White Women by %14. Black and Latino Women did it for him MASSIVELY! Same with Age and Race. BAMBAM lost the White vote in all age groups who make up a majority part of the electorate. "Minority" voters turned out BIG for POTUS OBAMA in all age groups.

Hispanics produce an average of 5 children per family.... math again.

Yesterday was the last hurrah for white voters in America....new day dawning.

[Conan71]

Has anyone gotten a fix on what independents were saying in the exit polls?

I suspect those who voted for Obama may have looked at how long it took FDR to turn the economy around (WWII helped immensely) looked at how much time Obama has had to turn it around and figured it was worth giving him four more years to work on it.  I also believe many simply didn't identify with a wealthy oligarch or mis-trusted him.

One thing the Obama campaign did successfully is echoed in Obama's own words: "If you have no record to run on you make your opponent out as someone to run from."

They were very creative in this regard: A baseless whisper campaign that Romney was a felon and tax cheat, foreign bank accounts, disinformation on Mormonism, a supposed ethics violation by profiting from the auto bail-out (again a felon), misinformation on how PE and VC firms operate and Romney's role in Bain Capital, he was running for president to protect his tax rate and deductions, a supposed war on women, etc.

I also believe Democrat voters are better able to separate their political and religious views.  Gay marriage and abortion don't seem to have affected votes from Hispanics, blacks, or Catholics who have more traditional views on those issues.

Well played.

[Conan71]

BOSTON—Sources are confirming that the moments leading up to Mitt Romney's concession speech last night—from the expression on his face the second he realized he was going to lose, to the brief sigh he probably let out before walking onstage—were all more than likely pretty hilarious. "I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but it's kind of funny to imagine a 65-year-old man watching television, desperately hoping for something to go his way, learning it's not going to happen, and then just sitting there face forward while the rest of the room goes silent around him," Ohio resident Bret Foss told reporters, adding that the thought of a campaign aide putting his hand on Romney's shoulder and solemnly telling the former governor that it was all over just makes him laugh for some reason. "Maybe it's because the stakes were so high, but something about Mitt Romney hurriedly cobbling together a concession speech with one of his writers and then standing backstage all by himself as he waits for his cue to go on really cracks me up." Foss added that while it may make him sick in the head, he chuckles every time he thinks about the intense private moment Romney and his wife probably shared before he officially called the president to concede.

Wow, that's some really funny stuff right there.  Just about pissed myself.

[RecycleMichael]

A baseless whisper campaign that Romney was a felon and tax cheat, foreign bank accounts,

Baseless?

[Townsend]

Baseless?

Whisper?