I would disagree with you on one point -- Reagan didn't have the press on his side when he ran, either time. An articulate, attractive, positive conservative of national stature can speak over the press and connect with the American people. But who are the truly national conservative leaders? I can't think of any. Again, I think we've done a horrible job grooming new leadership.
Yes, you're correct about Reagan. I remember how the press HATED him, but his charismatic personality outshown them & the American people liked what they saw.
But I do think the media has gotten wiser about not letting a good conservative get their foot in the door with them. They are shutting Hunter out, in my opinion - don't even put his name on the polls.
Luckily, we have the internet now - a valuable tool we need to use. A good conservative can win, if good conservatives get behind him or her.
But there are a lot of stupid people in America. This large swath of voters just voted in Democrats because Republicans did a horrible job in conveying their message. They completely forgot the bread-and-butter economic & trade, and free market issues that used to be the mainstay of the party. I mean, supporting an online ban on gambling? Medicare D boondoggle? No Child Left Behind? How is this helping conservatism?
Republicans need to get back to this. Stop trying to be our Daddys by preaching this moral stuff that turns people off. I'm not saying they should ignore it, but there's no need to run on it 24/7. We know Republicans (for the most part) are pro-life, pro-gun, and pro-marriage.
Now Rudy/Romney are able to attract these voters without alienating social conservatives. They would be fools to run on a gun-control, gay marriage, pro-abortion, absolute fools. That's why I'm puzzled at the attacks on them. So don't vote for them then in the primaries.