3581

The quote is just verbal diarrhea containing stuff GOP voters don’t like.

3582

What bothers me more than the statement is the simple fact that the GOP knows they can say completely meaningless or self-contradictory statements free of any accountability or repercussions, because nobody will call Newt on it at all. There’ll never be a point where a journalist sits down and says “Hey, Newt? Can you tell me what the word ‘atheist’ means?” because the American media is completely, totally broken.

3583

Here’s another beauty from Rick Santorum:

“The reason Social Security is in big trouble is we don’t have enough workers to support the retirees. Well, a third of all the young people in America are not in America today because of abortion, because one in three pregnancies end in abortion,”

Again… disgusting. Found these quotes on the daily show.

3584

It’s almost as if there weren’t an easy way to get more than enough workers over here. But oh no they’d be brown :(

3585

I have concluded that just getting the Republican nomination must mean something because I still feel there is no way these people can win a national election.

3586

Santorum is really weird.

If I recall, he and his wife took their miscarriage home and had a funeral or something for it. Was really weird.

3587

God I wish I were you. I flop between abject terror and churning rage because I’m pretty sure they can easily win in 2012 unless Obama gets a hell of a lot better at messaging.

H.

3588

Not with these candidates. Republican’s biggest problem for 2012 is their lack of someone with a brain.

3589

They can put Romney out front and have the entire base and half the middle, right now. You’re overestimating the depth of knowledge the general public has about the candidates. If they see a handsome white face and no massive scandal springs immediately to mind, that’s good enough. What will make the difference is if the Dems can successfully advertise the recovery and drive home the point that the recession started with Bush.

H.

3590

Naw, we are already seeing better job numbers and since the Republicans haven’t done shit to create jobs I don’t think they can claim success in this area. The recession itself has officially been over for nearly two years, it’s been the jobs or lack therof that’s been the issue. And now that’s turning the corner. Too bad these numbers couldn’t have come in six months ago but the economy took a hard hit and wasn’t going to turn around in a month or even a year.

3591

But can they get that point across to the voting public? Rasmussen:

Meanwhile, 35% say that the effects of global warming either will never happen (19%) or will not happen in their lifetimes (16%).

That’s a clear misunderstanding of reality right there. Combine that with the screeching of elections and a healthy dose of “us vs. them” and the Dems may very well fail to inform people that the recession is over.

H.

3592

Global warming is a relatively complex issue, it’s not the same as having a job or not having a job. Personally, I am not qualified to assess on my own whether or not global warming is happening. I do believe in the science behind it. And that’s the real divide, these people don’t care about facts, or research, or theory. All they care about is more money and if lying through their teeth is how to get it then they’ll do that.

Except that when it comes to a national election. Obvious lies are just that, obvious lies. And when Michelle Bachmann stands up and says that slavery was ended by the founding fathers, most people will hold that against her. Same with Sarah’s bullshit.

3593

Romney/Huckabee would be a very powerful ticket. I think that’s the one I’m most scared of right now.

3594

Oh, I don’t think Bachmann or Palin could win, but Romney/Gingrich? Huckabee? They’ve got a great shot. Picture this headline from Fox News:

“Democrats claim jobs are improving, but are they?”

That’s exactly how they’ll frame it, and it’s enough to make the standard conservative believe otherwise. Never mind that the body of the article will have a number showing that jobs are improving somewhere, even for the percentage that bother to read it at all, you can frame it away.

“Jobs increased by 200,000 in February, but this number is far short of the 400,000 jobs needed to reach pre-recession levels of employment in the next year.”

See that? Completely bogus premise, that somehow we need to get back to the old employment numbers in twelve months, but it makes the 200,000 seem to fall short of an arbitrary goal. I’m tellin’ ya, most people can’t consume information critically any more.

3595

Who really wasn’t even waiting to assume so, anyhow. He already knows it.

That’s just where we are now.

3596

You think Newt can win nationally with his “radical Islamists are going to take over America” agenda? Really? Keep in mind that Sarah and her stupidities did not win McCain his election. I don’t see Newt, even running as a VP, helping Republicans win a national presidential election.

3597

I don’t think Newt can win any ticket. Too much baggage there and, like several other candidates, I’m not sure he’s really running to win. He’s running so he can get a post-election gig as a commentator or book writer or whatever.

We shouldn’t get distracted by the Cains, Palins, Gingriches, and Trumps. None of them have any chance, and they’re just taking our attention away from the people who really can win the election.

3598

He wouldn’t be a dealbreaker with Romney, is all I’m saying. Biden wasn’t exactly well-respected by the middle or the right, either. Conservatives will look at Newt and think “He’s an asshole, but he took on Clinton!” You have to remember that the conservative base has no problem whatsoever voting for assholes, bigots, or plutocrats. As long as they’re white and will be mean to the left, they’re fine.

H.

3599

Sarah Palin just endorsed Justice David Prosser in Wisconsin’s State Supreme Court race coming up on Tuesday. Kiss of death?

3600

We’re talking about him winning the presidency in 2012, not about him winning the ‘conservative base’. I’m sure he along with the other lunatics could win the conservative base. But to win the presidency, a candidate will need to win the independent voter, a more discerning voter than the conservative base, and a voter who is not likely to vote for someone who says that his grandchildren will live in an America that will be run by Islamic extremists.