Well I was making a little fun of the market research style of modern politics but since you want to take this seriously;
I really think that politician do understand why people prefer conservatism to liberalism.
But that does not and can not change how people get elected to office.
A politician in order to get elected has to try to appeal to the maximum number of voters they possibly can.
The reason someone like Ron Paul will never get elected to office of the Presidency is because he has somewhat fringe views that he does not make any effort to soften or hide.
Hillary Clinton also has some fringe views on the other end of the spectrum as Paul but she does soften those views and down right obfuscates on her true nature as so she does have a chance at winning election.
The reason that market research, opinion polling and focus group techniques are used in political campaigns is because they work.
It is all about winning.
Maybe you are confusing understanding with being converted to the cause.
“Maybe you are confusing understanding with being converted to the cause.”
Of course not. The elites by definition believe they are right. They are characterized by their arrogance; they cannot be converted. With enough information they can, however, fake a conversion, at least long eonugh to get elected, which is what focus groups and polling are all about.