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Rove: The Lessons of Defeat for the GOP
Wall Street Journal ^ | November 14, 2012 | by Karl Rove

Posted on 11/14/2012 3:45:40 PM PST by Oldeconomybuyer

The GOP is undergoing the type of re-examination that occurs whenever a party loses. That useful exercise should be guided by facts. Here is some of what we know.

The media's postelection narrative is that Democrats won because of a demographic shift. There is some truth to that, but a more accurate description is that Democrats won in a smaller turnout by getting out more of their vote.

Tactically, Republicans must rigorously re-examine their "72-hour" ground game and reverse-engineer the Democratic get-out-the-vote effort in order to copy what works.

Strategically, Republicans will need to frame economic issues to better resonate with middle-class families.

Republicans need not jettison their principles. But they must avoid appearing judgmental and callous on social issues. Offensive comments about rape by GOP Senate candidates in Missouri and Indiana gave the media an excuse to put social issues at the election's center in a way that badly hurt the entire party, as well as costing Republicans two Senate seats.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: election2012; failure; loser; notmyfault; rino; rove
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1 posted on 11/14/2012 3:45:49 PM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

This suet pudding went rancid a long time ago.


2 posted on 11/14/2012 3:46:43 PM PST by Psalm 144 (Voodoo Republicans. Don't read their lips. Watch their hands.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

I’ll take my own lessons from last 11/6, thanks.


3 posted on 11/14/2012 3:46:59 PM PST by skeeter
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Why should I listen to Karl Rove? He was wrong on everything.


4 posted on 11/14/2012 3:48:38 PM PST by Durbin
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Tactically, Republicans must rigorously re-examine their "72-hour" ground game and reverse-engineer the Democratic get-out-the-vote effort in order to copy what works.
Leading from behind.
5 posted on 11/14/2012 3:48:38 PM PST by Cboldt
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Republicans need not jettison their principles.

Yeh -- they just need to jettison you.

6 posted on 11/14/2012 3:49:49 PM PST by Uncle Chip
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Lesson #1: Don’t listen to Karl Rove.


7 posted on 11/14/2012 3:50:39 PM PST by Behind the Blue Wall
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Rove, I’d like to take your white board, and shove it where your sun doesn’t
shine.


8 posted on 11/14/2012 3:51:04 PM PST by tennmountainman
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

This jerk has been behind every lost election since 2006. And he still thinks we need his advice?


9 posted on 11/14/2012 3:52:00 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Lesson #2: Stop nominating RINOs who are afraid to set a narrative and propose a plan for how conservatism is a solution vs “Obama is a nice guy”


10 posted on 11/14/2012 3:52:08 PM PST by CountryClassSF
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Someone needs to inform Rove and the leadership of the GOP that the first priority for him and the gang is to find their spine, guts, and gonads. Secondly, they need to figure out that it was voter fraud!


11 posted on 11/14/2012 3:52:38 PM PST by ExTexasRedhead
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Lesson One: The vast majority of Republican political consultants should be doing something else, ranging anywhere from graveyard-shift fast-food waitstaff to being terminated with extreme prejudice. (Don’t laugh, Democrat hacks. You’re Lesson Two.)


12 posted on 11/14/2012 3:53:08 PM PST by RichInOC (Palin 2016: The Perfect Storm.)
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To: Behind the Blue Wall
Lesson #1: Don’t listen to Karl Rove.

Right on the money!!! I will expand to five lessons:

Lesson #1: Don’t listen to Karl Rove.

Lesson #2: Don’t listen to Karl Rove.

Lesson #3: Don’t listen to Karl Rove.

Lesson #4: Don’t listen to Karl Rove.

Lesson #5: Don’t listen to Karl Rove.

13 posted on 11/14/2012 3:54:13 PM PST by sand88
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Republican party apparatchniks doing a post-mortem.

I'm just a goofball semi-retired banker and I could have told them the way the mop was going to flop two years ago.

14 posted on 11/14/2012 3:54:44 PM PST by elkfersupper ( Member of the Original Defiant Class)
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To: RichInOC

You can’t see me.........but I’m standing and applauding your reply.


15 posted on 11/14/2012 3:55:08 PM PST by RightOnline (I am Andrew Breitbart!)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

His best Democrat speech so far!!!

It’s everybodies fault but the head guy leading the charge.

George Armstrong Rove comes to mind!

“Where did all them F*&kin’ democrats come from?”


16 posted on 11/14/2012 3:56:07 PM PST by Randy Larsen (Aim small, Miss small.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Opinions are like anuses.


17 posted on 11/14/2012 3:56:07 PM PST by rfp1234 (Arguing with a liberal is like playing chess with a pigeon.)
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To: ExTexasRedhead

“Someone needs to inform Rove and the leadership of the GOP that the first priority for him and the gang is to find their spine, guts, and gonads.”

Horse feathers, frog hair and chicken lips. Can’t find what you ain’t got.


18 posted on 11/14/2012 3:56:11 PM PST by Psalm 144 (Voodoo Republicans. Don't read their lips. Watch their hands.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

You can be sure that as we speak Rove is looking for another liberal to promote in 2016.


19 posted on 11/14/2012 3:56:24 PM PST by Tau Food (Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

His best Democrat speech so far!!!

It’s everybodies fault but the head guy leading the charge.

George Armstrong Rove comes to mind!

“Where did all them F*&kin’ democrats come from?”


20 posted on 11/14/2012 3:56:50 PM PST by Randy Larsen (Aim small, Miss small.)
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