>> Voter also tend to follow herd mentality. Early primaries people look for a leader who is actually winning, if one or two emerge, the herd follows. >>
This is provable by history of course - but really irritates me and confuses me. This is why I never get too riled up about what “they” at the “GOP” is doing. It is the herd mentality of the average American, not Karl Rove and a few sinister plotters in some smoke filled room - who gives us our candidates. Without the stupidity collectively of the herd mentality, attempts to manipulate would be useless. I think this causes a lot of misplaced anger around here and other message boards.
I think sometimes people assume the ‘smokey back rooms’ control everything but frankly, they are also just part of the herd. They aren’t going to strike out on their own. They may attempt to control things early, but they don’t go against the herd because power comes in mass.
I aslo think that a lot of attempting to blame the “GOP Establishment” for the failure of their candidate is getting pretty old too.
Bachmann could have used her intelligence not unlike the way Newt is using his. But instead of making a libertarian argument, she pretty much decided to end her campaign in an usupportable rant bordering on slander.
People are looking for an alternative to Mitt Romney, but Newt is the only one that seems to have any lasting for now.
If you were to believe they “establishment” theory how could any one explain how Romney has been generally a second placer for so long?