[CutePuppy]

Here's a snapshot of some Republican electorate, and why Santorum and Romney are helped by and benefit from a low, unenthusiastic, suppressed turnout by depressing the voters and playing "identity politics" - yes, there is such a thing in the Republican party, too, and Santorum is phony enough to have exploited it to the fullest:

From Louisiana primary voters hardly enthusiastic about GOP options - Chicago Tribune, by John Hoeffel, 2012 March 24

< snip > ..... But few voters seemed thrilled about their choice in the GOP presidential primary, with some settling on a candidate at the very last minute. And several said they liked Newt Gingrich, but didn't vote for him in the end because they believed he can't win the nomination.

Louis and Norma Pelletteri voted for Santorum, settling on him because he is a family man with Christian values. ..... < snip >

..... David Kopelman, 47, who works in procurement at a shipyard, said he saw Santorum on the television news firing a semiautomatic handgun at a shooting range in northern Louisiana and that caught his attention. He owns about 30 guns. "Guns is one thing. The right to bear arms," he said. "He's going to be my man." But jobs is the other thing. Kopelman's shipyard is slated to close next year. He's worked there 26 years. When he started, he said, there were 6,800 employees. Now, he said, there are 4,000. "Work, work, work. Work is the main thing," he said. "I'm putting my faith in him." ..... < snip >

..... Bucher said he had preferred Gingrich for his intelligence, conservative values, leadership skills and political experience. Now, however, he said he believed the former House speaker should exit. "I think he's got too much baggage and he just cannot make up the gap," he said. ..... < snip >

..... Wayne Softley, 56, who works as a rigging grip in movie production, also said his first choice was Gingrich, but he thinks the former Georgia congressman is too far behind now. "I just figured I'd give Santorum the vote," he said. "I'm trying to make my vote count."

Joseph Natal, who owns a brake inspection business, was inclined to support Gingrich as well, but also chose Santorum. "I didn't want to waste my vote," he said. ..... < snip >

..... Lynne North, a 74-year-old retired paralegal, joked that she chose Romney because he was better looking. "We like Romney, and we like what he stands for," she said. But her husband, Donald Masinter, 78, a retired salesman, said he didn't know why he voted for Romney. ... He had leaned toward Gingrich because he thought his experience made him the most qualified to solve the nation's biggest problems. "I figured he knew how Washington worked. He'd just fit in a lot faster than the others would." North, however, was turned off by Gingrich. "He's just too sure of himself." ..... < snip >

..... Elizabeth voted for Romney, but she was at a loss to explain why. "I think she picked him because she thinks he's going to win and she wanted to get it over with," William offered. Elizabeth did not disagree. ..... < snip >

If you were not depressed enough, this was the sample of the electorate's decision-making...

If people actually voted their values and hearts, instead of treating primaries as a sport, and thinking they are voting "strategically" while being influenced by polls (even more important in very low turnouts where every vote switch counts more than usual) then Newt would be ahead in several states and delegates count, particularly in close ones like Alabama and Mississippi where Santorum went right at Newt, claiming he is a "true conservative," after Newt all but threw Michigan for him.

Santorum was only a "team player" for Bush and the establishment, and always for himself, not the "true conservative" he portrays himself. There is no way to "play nice" with backstabber Rick, as many of his Senate colleagues knew.

Even though evangelical leadership has been split between Santorum and Gingrich, Rick and his endorsers (Dobson, Plaats etc.) have been going after the evangelical votes much more aggressively. It seems that it's paying off, as they don't really care what gaffes come out of his mouth, as long as they keep hearing him preach.

Local Tea Party organizations seem lethargic, leaderless, dis/un-organized and some may have bought into Mitt's and Rick's and GOPE smears against Newt, while national talk show hosts are either pushing Santorum or Romney (Rush even skipped a day when he didn't think he could defend yet another Santorum's gaffe from previous night)... They are the same talking heads who always complain about the big government, but not only they fail to support the only candidate who actually is interested in and can make an eloquent case for small government but who also has and described the detailed plan for it - they pretend that he is doing exactly the opposite while playing up others' nonexisting small government "credentials" or avoid the small government issues altogether in the campaign.

Note to Super-PAC: in essence, for all intents and purposes, many people already vote as if Newt had dropped out because of "he has no chance" and the "strategic vote" mantra from Santorum supporters - the biggest obstacle now is getting people to >actually vote> for Newt, not just like him and his ideas but then throwing their vote away on a disaster-in-waiting Biden-talkalike, who is not going anywhere (but we can be sure that they are going to blame Newt for any and all failures of Rick - that will be the face-saving excuse of evangelicals who chose poorly, again, and the talk-show hosts).

Repeat of 1998-1999: when in doubt - blame Newt. People who fought him the most and besmirched him, will blame their own failures on Newt Gingrich, while claiming his successes as their own (Clinton, Santorum et al).

[Cincinatus' Wife]

You’ve researched and written a powerful post. Thank you!

The GOP loved Newt in the early debates as they could use his style and comments to diminish Mitt’s opponents.

Once Newt began his turn at threatening Mitt, the money men came in to hammer him and compliant a Fox News didn’t care much.

Then, when Newt emerged in South Carolina, the money men and the MSM worked to shell him with a 10 day, $20 Million paid (and news coverage unpaid) barrage of negative and false ads (Newt still took a majority of districts but lost the popular vote to Mitt who does well in urban areas).

As the Primary process rolls on, the GOP’s tactics and the media’s power over the electorate is on full display (if one cares to see it).

Gingrich is the one that they KNOW will shake up the Establishment (the know how, the record, the determination).

[caww]

Wow...can I borrow some of that post when it might fit on the threads...excellant post...

CW