There are a lot of reasons Romney got where he did and very little of it is to blame on the conservatives who didn’t want him. There was only one other credible candidate who didn’t look like a newbie up there or look unpresidential, and that was Newt. Everyone else could easily raise doubts in the voters’ minds as to whether they would be electable against Obama.
Since there was absolutely nothing intrinsic to Newt that made him seem unelectable, the only way that could be done was by Romney destroying his reputation in a shameless, unforgiving, dishonest and brutal manner. Since Romney had far more money than any other candidate, he was able to spew his lies and very little could be done to counter them by his opposition.
Lastly, the party-run media FOX News, Drudge Report, National Review, Washington Times and many RINO radio shows all received their talking points from the RNC and followed orders. Since conservatives heavily get their news from those outlets, nominating anyone other than Romney was about as hard as electing a non-Communist in China. The betrayal by the conservative media of their core audience is the biggest untold story of this election cycle.
The easy way out. I saw Newt as not electable, not really worthy of the office, probably not enough gravitas even for a cabinet position. He's a fine professor I imagine, and a good congressman.
Its hilarious to me that the same people who used to scream "RINO!" at me for defending Newt, are now lamenting the demise of his campaign. Conservative insanity never ends. That's why we're screwed.
You and I share a similar recollection of events.
However...
The media has always been against us. Actually, I think it's much better than in olden days. There used to be no alternative; for many years, Walter Cronkite determined political "truth." Nothing new here, we always have to fight the media.
There are a lot of reasons Romney got where he did and very little of it is to blame on the conservatives who didn’t want him.
We can blame them, both candidates and supporters, for not unifying against Romney. The results we have now were predictable when we began. Thomas Sowell outlined them very early on. Unify against Romney or Romney is the nominee. It wasn't rocket science then or now.
As far as RNC talking points, much, if not all, of the RNC media was purely anti-Obama and quite skillfully done.
If you're talking about the 'elites,' they are the ones who won before and therefore are the de-facto leaders. You control the party by winning. If you wish to change the party, you must defeat those currently controlling it, politically. If you win politically, you have the political power - no matter who you are. Nothing new here.
But you don't succeed in defeating those in control with a weak field and a disunited opposition. I can't remember that ever working. Organizing and unity wins.
The outcome of this primary was the least surprising part of it. Nothing changed, no one new entered, the candidates didn't unify, their supporters didn't unify.
Romney wins because nothing changed.