There are two ways to win idiots’ votes.
One is to produce a well-funded and relentlessly negative campaign, spreading lies about your opponents and fanning all sorts of imaginary fears about them.
The other is to pretend to represent some sort of morally superior ideal, and to play identity politics until neither your record nor your policy positions actually matter.
Romney has generally taken the first route, and Santorum the second, though you can bet that behind the scenes Santorum is actively encouraging the “Newt is a baaaaaaaad man” narrative.
The primary reason Newt lost is because people are idiots. Some are conservative idiots, and some are liberal idiots, but 75% of voters in this country will listen to whichever side has the most ads, whatever the facts. They will tolerate lies, posturing, misrepresentation, and cliches— but they are deathly allergic to ideas. Newt refused to let his values and policy positions be reduced to sound bites, even sound bites like “I have cute kids; vote for me.” That may have been a tactical error given the current political climate, but it demonstrates that he was the strongest candidate in the race.
You and your fellow Santorum fans may feel a smug sense of moral satisfaction for “voting your conscience” this season. But all you’ve done is guarantee Obama a second term.
There are two ways to win idiots’ votes.
Idiots can’t think, won’t think and .... ohhhh shiney!
The biggest problem with Newt - who I support wholeheartedly - is he doesn’t speak in soundbites. He EXPLAINS. Most people do not want to learn or listen. His video on energy is totally amazing - but it is 30 minutes, not 30 seconds.
The country that put a man on the moon. That basically invented and forced through the technological revolution. And it seems that most of the voters can’t focus for more than ten seconds.
Newt never stood a chance in Illinois, I don’t think any Newt supporter thought that. I really wish Sen. Santorum had done much better. This was not the news I was hoping to wake up to today (yeah, I work odd hours).