What was it that Obama said to his supporters? ... “If they bring a knife, you bring a gun.” - Barack HO
I think it is also possible some have just gotten fed up and given up on elections mattering.
Also a lot of us probably underestimated the long term effects of the Financial Meltdown on the national Republican brand, fair or not. Romney’s economic image was not enough to change that dynamic.
Someone will have to come along to make them BELIEVE again...and I have no idea who that is, or if they exist. And to be honest, things never really DO change much.
Rove and Bush knew how to go into those rural communities and speak to them. Bush was able to walk the line between talking in a way that appeals to evangelicals, without turning off the moderates. Romney was trying to do the opposite. Speak to moderates without turning off the evangelicals (this could also relate to the Mormon factor). I thought anti Obama thoughts would help overcome this, that Romney had done enough, but it seems not.
The truth is, Bush was a talented campaigner that flew under the radar due to his manner. I remember reading Bill Clinton’s thoughts about Bush in 2000 when Bush was speaking in Iowa..this was really early on...and Clinton said he saw how good Bush with the crowd “he gets it”.
That style works with the Right and the middle. Obama found something that turned non likely voters out, but how many Obama’s do the Dems have....the GOP obviously didn’t have another Bush lying around (this is in terms of campaigning, not governing). And, things change too, you can’t really duplicate campaigns...they all have their own story, feel and point in history.
Unfortunately, I fear the GOP will decide to go LEFT to win it.
For all the talk of Bush being TOO Right and Romney portrayed as right be the MSM, they were barely in the middle.
The biggest win for the Left and MSM was the ability to define what true Left and right are. When Romney can be said to be too extreme on the Right....reality is dead.