21 reasons why Obama won and Romney lost
15. Blitzkrieg: “Political campaigns sometimes seem small, even silly,” the newly re-elected president said in his late-night victory speech in Chicago after Tuesday night had morphed into Wednesday morning. Obama blamed unnamed “cynics” for this unhappy state of affairs, but he might more properly look in the mirror — or at his own longtime Chicago-based political operatives.
Beginning last summer, Obama and his surrogates embarked on an ambitious plan to erode Romney’s image and reputation with a series of relentless personal attacks. This asymmetrical warfare — Romney criticized Obama’s record while Obama savaged Romney’s character — cost Democrats more than $100 million in eight battleground states. But it worked.
One negative TV spot portrayed Romney as a heartless corporate raider responsible for killing a steelworkers’ wife while running Bain Capital. When questioned about these claims, an Obama spokeswoman said she didn’t know the former steelworker at all. Actually, the same Obama press aide had put him on a campaign conference call with reporters where he pitched the same story — one that turned out to be false in most of its particulars.
This kind of thing continued apace, whether it was the president’s aides attacking Romney over his tax returns; the family dog’s accommodations on a long-ago family vacation (the roof of the station wagon); attacking Ann Romney as a woman who does not work; also attacking her, a breast cancer survivor who also has MS, for having an Olympics-ready dressage horse; and in the waning days of the campaign surreptitiously trying to slime the Mormon faith.
To a measurable degree, this strategy succeeded in its goal, which was to make Romney an unacceptable alternative to a president who hadn’t been successful.
Blowback
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He lost because this is a hard left country, not a right of center country, as the mantra claimed.
And it only gets worse.
Buddahpundit on November 7, 2012 at 6:04 PM
Only one reason: We are surrounded by losers who don’t grasp the world around them and want free crap.
tyketto on November 7, 2012 at 6:06 PM
McCain – Barry is a nice guy . FAIL .
Mittens – Barry is a nice guy but a poor President . EPIC FAIL .
The GOP just could not bring themselves to ever criticize a half black man . Losers all .
DeweyWins on November 7, 2012 at 6:07 PM
Looking back on things, last night’s results shouldn’t have been a surprise to us. Romney never really led in the polls for the most part except during a very brief period in October. He didn’t get much of a bounce from winning the primaries. He didn’t get much of a convention bounce. Instead we were all too focused on Obama’s numbers.
The signs that the Romney campaign was in trouble from the very start were there, it’s just no one saw them. I am starting to wonder if, contrary to my initial idea that we lost on independents due to Sandy, if some portion of the base refused to turn out for Romney. Or perhaps it was both.
We really need someone to drill down into the election results as soon as possible and find out where the exact failure points were instead of rushing to apportion blame.
Doomberg on November 7, 2012 at 6:07 PM
sadly, the makeup of the electorate has changed. If we continue social conservatism, the party will fall. We must evolve. Even under a collapse, im afraid a lot of people will still not see the light.
cjv209 on November 7, 2012 at 6:07 PM
No way is this the fault of social conservatism. Romney is not a movement conservative nor a social conservative.
Rebar on November 7, 2012 at 6:09 PM
People see Obama as a liberal (he’s a socialist) and the GOP sent a mean liberal to take on a fake liberal. There was no contrast of vision because they don’t really disagree that much and Romney wasn’t that likable.
sharrukin on November 7, 2012 at 6:11 PM
the Democrat machine was to powerful, thats it.
rob verdi on November 7, 2012 at 6:12 PM
The sad reality is that Americans are completely turned off by social conservatism. Even young republicans and conservatism. Romney may not have been a bona fide conservative but the country had the perception he was. Perception is everything to the average voter. We are political junkies who actually look at the issues, the normal american voter only hears “OMG HE WANTS TO BAN ABORTION AND KILL GAYSS!!!11″
cjv209 on November 7, 2012 at 6:15 PM
young republicans and libertarians* sorry typo
cjv209 on November 7, 2012 at 6:16 PM
The Republican party in the Northeast “evolved” long ago. Except for a short term off year fluke like Brown and some long term incumbents, who survive on that, a republican couldn’t win in the Northeast if he was a black woman who performed an abortion live on tv while marrying 2 men. Many do worse in their state than the Presidential candidate.
Rocks on November 7, 2012 at 6:17 PM
This is a flat out falsehood.
The majority of Americans are against homosexual marriage, as evidenced by 32 straight referendums, and most polls show a slight majority of Americans are against abortion on demand – especially publicly funded ones.
Rebar on November 7, 2012 at 6:19 PM
He will just tell you that they would win except for those bad Republicans in the heartland.
sharrukin on November 7, 2012 at 6:20 PM
Chris Christie’s Lowered Expectations walk along the beach with Bronco Bamma didn’t help.
Fallon on November 7, 2012 at 6:20 PM
#1 Ever minority in Cleland got Obamapho.
Ted Torgerson on November 7, 2012 at 6:22 PM
Only “one” reason Mitt lost the election. He abandoned his base early on to pursue the moderate vote, but never returned to court his base back in the fold. Obama’s campaign was largely negative because they courted their base hard. End game. Republicans didn’t learn this during McCain, and apparently they didn’t learn it this time around either. And from what I’m hearing, many are still in denial of this fact.
Ozprey on November 7, 2012 at 6:22 PM
Yet gay marriage passed in Washington, Maryland, Maine yesterday and the Minnesota amendment failed. Also Obama, a pro-abortion candidate, won overwhelmingly. American’s just don’t care for Social conservatism causes anymore. They see free shit and social conservatism takes a back burner.
cjv209 on November 7, 2012 at 6:24 PM
Because Barky promised to keep watering the Tree of Never Ending Money.
Relax, good times are coming.
Bishop on November 7, 2012 at 6:24 PM
THIS
portlandon on November 7, 2012 at 6:25 PM
Yep, all those deep red states where liberalism hangs on by its fingernails.
Bishop on November 7, 2012 at 6:26 PM
It wasn’t to me or to others but come here and post and get accused of being a liberal hack, a troll, a moron etc….
No, people saw what was happening but most here didn’t want to see it.
Frank Enstine on November 7, 2012 at 6:26 PM
FIFY.
You can’t blame conservatism, social or otherwise, for this.
In fact, Republican turnout in 2012 was less than in 2008 and 2004, if Romney has been a true social conservative he very likely would have had the turnout that would have put him over the top.
Rebar on November 7, 2012 at 6:27 PM
Hilarious! Of course,
social liberals, I mean moral rebels take any and every chance to blame traditional, judeo-christian morality as the source of and cause of all failures and problems.yhxqqsn on November 7, 2012 at 6:27 PM
OT is anyone hearing Hewitt right know AKA last nights biggest loser?
He’s in full on campaign mode for 2014 and 2016. Give it a rest. Homeboy just got his arse handed to him and he’s still cheer leading for GOP squishes. Good lord.
DiscePati on November 7, 2012 at 6:28 PM
“Head on over to Hugh Hewitt dot com and click on the Act Right button”
Shut up already
DiscePati on November 7, 2012 at 6:29 PM
1. Minorities.
2. Women.
3. Young people under age 30.
They rarely vote for Republicans.
—————
Plus getting lots of anecdotal evidence from my parents and their friends- the older Republican conservative and church going crowd- that no way would they vote for a Mormon/Latter Day Saints church Presidential candidate. Whew! Got an earful about that.
albill on November 7, 2012 at 6:30 PM
This was our 1980 Election, and instead of having a Reagan, we had Gerald Ford. So America picked Jimmy Carter.
portlandon on November 7, 2012 at 6:32 PM
Ok say social conservatism isn’t the problem but the lack of enthusiasm from the base is the problem. You rile up the base but then lose independent minded voters (whoever the hell these people are). It still leads to the same results. No net gain of voters. We must adopt more libertarian ideals and move away from the establishment if we are to stand a chance. We have let ourselves be stomped on by the media and have labeled as the party of the past.
cjv209 on November 7, 2012 at 6:34 PM
Except for three last night (Maine, Maryland and Washington) and a fourth in Minnesota where an anti-SSM initiative was voted down.
times are changing.
urban elitist on November 7, 2012 at 6:37 PM
Reagan would have lost with today’s demographics.
Buddahpundit on November 7, 2012 at 6:38 PM
The media and schools must be taken on.
Immediately.
GardenGnome on November 7, 2012 at 6:40 PM
Romney won the argument — he got the independents and the Democrats were dispirited. The problem is, about 10% of the electorate was non-voters whose only interaction with the election was being herded to the polls and told how to vote.
Count to 10 on November 7, 2012 at 6:40 PM
There is only one question for Republicans to ask themselves about this election:
Obama received at least 9 million less votes than in 2008. Allowing a couple of million for Sandy, which is high,based on exit polls these people are overwhelmingly over 30, white, married and voted for Obama in 08 cause they bought the hype. This year they decided they could not bring themselves to vote for Obama again but they did not like Romney enough to get off their butts and vote against Obama. What about Romney caused this? As it had to be about Romney as he couldn’t even muster as many votes as McCain.
The answer will also explain how many candidates down ticket, both social conservatives and social liberals, lost elections.
Rocks on November 7, 2012 at 6:40 PM
This was Reagan.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvg7lRsCVJ8
Show me Romney’s speech that compares and I will believe you.
sharrukin on November 7, 2012 at 6:40 PM
Yeah, I’m beginning to buy into this argument. I’d be more inclined to buy the “landscape has changed” peoples’ arguments if 2010 hadn’t happened in between 2008-2012.
I had sort of thought we’d see a recovery from the primary but I’m starting to think some portion of the base simply refused to turn out here. Romney was never really ahead except for brief, statistic blips for the most part after the primary. This idea that “it’s all fiscal/social conservatism’s fault!” is a red herring because it wasn’t even on anyone’s radars until non-Tea Party candidate Akin opened ran big, fat mouth.
Doomberg on November 7, 2012 at 6:41 PM
I’m glad Obama didn’t do any hope speaches this election. Also, we could have had Perry or Santorum but Nooooooooooooooo….
The Nerve on November 7, 2012 at 6:42 PM
Not really. It’s the same crap as always, just a different gimmick. Once they have squeezed everything they can out of “gay” and the damage is done, they will move on to the next pander.
Count to 10 on November 7, 2012 at 6:42 PM
None passed with strong majorities even though they were in blue states during a Presidential election with lower Republican turnout.
Rocks on November 7, 2012 at 6:42 PM
Blah blah blah blah.
Ronald Reagan, George Washington and Jesus Christ would have lost to Obama. That has become painfully clear in the last 18 hours. The candidate didn’t matter. It was the perception of what and who Obama is: the magic black man; santa claus in a suit, the politician who champions all the hip causes of the day that make people feel squishy about agreeing with him. Mainly because it’s “expected” of them. It was the sesame street generation, high on self-esteem fumes, and now with the power to vote themselves more money, who got this man re-elected; a generation of self-congratulatory narcissists whose sense of self-worth is only outdone by their inversely opposite lack of shame, generosity and sense of history. A facebook post I saw this morning was from a woman “full of joy” for giving Obama another 4 years, whereupon she asked–without irony–could she now have a job too?
This was an election of perception, not reality. It had everything to do with a populace that has ensconced itself in a pursuit of itself; a culture whose every heart inclination is only evil all the time. Obama is the supreme representation of that.
Which is why there will likely never again be a conservative candidate in the White House. What is conservatism anymore anyway? You’re as unlikely to find any sort of consensus on this blog–this thread–as anywhere. The disease is complete.
somewhatconcerned on November 7, 2012 at 6:45 PM
Nevertheless, a win is a win. The minority electorate is becoming a bigger factor. While they may not show up in midterms (2010), they do show up in Presidential Elections enough to tip the scale in the Democrats favor. We have foolishly allowed the Democrats to have a monopoly on the minority vote. Soonor or later the minority will match the majority and the whole game will change, forever.
cjv209 on November 7, 2012 at 6:46 PM
Can we just ditch all this micro-analysis, and realize that the reason for this victory was the media?
A media that defended and shielded Obama for four solid years, talking up a lousy economy, ignoring deficits, failures and scandals, glossing over gaffes and screwups that would have been a political death sentence for a Republican, and most importantly, leaping to rip out the throat of every last one of Obama’s political adversaries.
No matter what changes we made to the candidate, the approach, the campaign, or anything else, this would not have changed.
tbrosz on November 7, 2012 at 6:47 PM
Libertarians don’t vote GOP, they vote libertarian or democrat. Any pander to them is wasted effort.
The key to winning is, and always has been, a strong true conservative running on fundamental conservative principles. Romney was the arch-typical “moderate” establishment candidate, and couldn’t get the social conservative votes that would have put him over the top.
Conservatism wins every time it’s tried. Those advocating abandoning these principles are no friends of the GOP.
Rebar on November 7, 2012 at 6:50 PM
But they all passed, didn’t they?
You guys are so afraid of facing the real world as it is now that you’ve abdicated any shot at leadership. Your Ward Cleaver nominee couldn’t beat a black guy with 7.8% unemployment because your only real agenda is to take America back to Leave it to Beaver.
Why don’t you just get out of the way?
urban elitist on November 7, 2012 at 6:51 PM
That too.
somewhatconcerned on November 7, 2012 at 6:51 PM
They minority electorate doesn’t like gay marriage much either which is why these votes were closer than the other referendums and Presidential vote. Heck, legal weed is way more popular than gay marriage.
Rocks on November 7, 2012 at 6:54 PM
Duh. Even with gay guys.
urban elitist on November 7, 2012 at 6:55 PM
And yet there were delusional morons here insisting that Romney would be totally gung-ho about repealing the federal version of his signature accomplishment. Yeah.
Armin Tamzarian on November 7, 2012 at 6:57 PM
When Scott Brown or Linda McMahon wins I will or even 1 stinking house rep in the Northeast. The republican party has no shortage of socially liberal candidates lined up to lose.
Rocks on November 7, 2012 at 6:58 PM
#22- Sarah Palin
sartana on November 7, 2012 at 7:00 PM
If only they could have done as well as noted socially “conservative” retards like Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock. Or Sharron Angle. Or Christine O’Donnell.
Armin Tamzarian on November 7, 2012 at 7:06 PM
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