How The Worst GOP Presidential Candidate In US History Could Be Anywhere Near Close Is A Mystery --

[TheMastersNemesis]

to me even in the light of the apparent racism. Support of Romney just shows how demented a certain sector of this country is. And it is a crying shame and terrifying as well.

[OldDem2012]

1. You're basing your comments on what the media and the polls are reporting as fact? nt.

[Comrade_McKenzie]

12. Some of us don't believe that there's a giant conspiracy...

Sometimes you have to step outside the safe bubble we've built here and take things at face value or you'll drive yourself crazy not knowing what's real and what's not.

[OldDem2012]

26. I've been around for a long time, and I know what's real and not real....

...but if you want to believe what the media and the pollsters are telling you, by all means, feel free.

[KharmaTrain]

2. No Mystery...

...money can make a lot of things happen. With a billion dollars floating around out there (much of it against the President) we're going to learn if our national elections and political system can be bought. That kind of money can and has whipped up a lot of fear, hatred and racism. Here's hoping sanity prevails next week but the fact that over 40% of the electorate will vote for Bishop Willard tells you how bad things have gotten in this country...

[CoffeeCat]

3. The extremists in the party would vote for a tuna-fish sandwich,

if that meant that the tuna-fish sandwich would send Obama back to Chicago.

Some of them are racist, some of them believe the "socialist/marxist/kenyan" nonsense, some of them are just rabid idiots.

Do not underestimate the stupid factor in the Republican party. They're all amped up on Glenn Beck and Fox News, and they would support anyone (yes, even Romney) if that meant getting Obama out of office.

They're anti-intellectuals and very proud of that. Remember that "study it out" goofball lady? That's who these people are.

[Canuckistanian]

4. I know

How people can't see right past this empty suit is a mystery to me, too.

The only thing I can imagine is that people are hurting and that means get rid of whoever is in power, without thinking of the REASON why they're hurting.

[bowens43]

5. He's not a bad candidate.....

he is a horrible person and an outrageous liar but he is a very capable political candidate.
He understands the electorate. At this point, truth and policies are irrelevant, he knows this. He knows that he will get the republican base no matter what . He knows that the so called undecideds are for the most part very low information voters who will be swayed by rhetoric whether or not it's true. He is good at getting votes and that is the only thing that counts.

[demwing]

6. Simple - you may have not noticed, but Barack Obama

isn't white. Shhh!

That's all it takes for the racists to cry. Fuck 'em, their time is almost done.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

7. Obama inherited the worst economic mess since the Great Depression

The right has spent hundreds of millions of dollars claiming that the economy is his fault, howling about the debt (while refusing to raise tax rates on the rich) and claiming the stimulus was a waste, since we're not a full employment yet. I'm sure there are hundreds of other ridiculous lies and distortions being peddled as well.

It's amazing to me that Obama is likely to be reelected at this point. Usually an economy this bad is a president's eviction notice from the White House, whether he caused it or not.

Don't get me wrong, I've very pleased at the prospect of Obama being reelected, but the campaign's success in their uphill fight against the bad economy and the flood of PAC spending is amazing.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

8. I Can Answer That Question In 3 Words, Bob

"Citizens United"

and

"Racism."

[Arugula Latte]

17. Although, to think that Bush II got it close enough to steal means

that this pathetic condition has other roots besides those two, which, granted, are HUGE (HUGH!1!!) in this particular election.

[wiggs]

9. This is what 40 years of planning can do. Media consolidation, conservative think tanks disguised

as non-partisan, citizens united, denigration of unions/science/truth/knowledge/education, polarization, fomenting of hate and fear, total campaign willingness to go low and lie and deceive, 90% of talk radio being conservative, and free GOPTV everywhere.

It took billions of dollars and decades of planning but what they gained was at least confusion and diminishment of public discourse....plus they know they can convince 30% of the country of ANYTHING.

[freshwest]

16. +1,000.

[hifiguy]

19. Bingo. nt

[WorseBeforeBetter]

21. Exactly. (n/t)

[highplainsdem]

10. Bigotry, money, & RW manipulation of media.

[bkkyosemite]

22. RW manipulation of vote machines for years now

[DefenseLawyer]

11. I have an old friend from college

He's originally from New Jersey, was a moderate Democrat back in the late 80's when we were in college together. He's now an attorney and has lived in Mississippi for the last 20 years. He is now the biggest anti-Obama wingnut you would ever want to meet. It's just crazy hearing him talk now that he's even the same person I knew. He's an educated, formally reasonable man who now parrots Glenn Beck and the worst of the crazy, racist anti-Obama rhetoric. The only way we can even be friends now is to agree not to discuss politics. The only explanation I have is that he has been immersed in Mississippi for so long that crazy is just normal down there.

[kelliekat44]

14. although he was a former moderate Democrat didn't mean he wasn't a racist.

[DefenseLawyer]

29. I never ever heard him say or do anything remotely racist in the time i knew him

and we were very lose friends in college from the time we were freshmen, including living in the same apartment for over a year. I suppose anything is possible, but it seems like it would be difficult for a racist not to slip at some point.

[wishlist]

30. Southern influence isn't required to become rabid right winger

A close relative of mine was also a moderate Dem and voted for Clinton the first time around. He is a well off corporate exec with an Ivy League MBA living in New England. After Clinton raised taxes and he got hit with a $35000 tax increase, he became a rabid right winger and a totally delusional devotee of Gingrich, Grover Norquist, Limbaugh, Beck and all the Fox News extremists. Despite rest of our family remaining reasonable moderate Dems (and some of us living in the South now) he never lets up in his ranting against the evil Dems and writing hate filled internet articles demonizing Dems as godless mindless traitors who hate America and are out to destroy the country.

[DefenseLawyer]

32. I agree that it isn't required

but it certainly seems to be the variable in this case. He's not rich, he's not religious and he hasn't just become more conservative, he's lost his goddamn mind. I'm not South bashing, but I have no doubt that living in Mississippi has influenced his world view. Obviously he has the kind of personality that would allow him to be swayed in this way, and Mississippi or not, the point is there are plenty of otherwise smart educated successful people like my friend who are now crazy. The idea that Teabaggers are all uneducated rubes just isn't the case.

[Horse with no Name]

13. My theory is that they are polling the same people

over and over....

[davekriss]

15. At this point, it's Citizens United

[hifiguy]

18. There has been a concerted effort to dumb down the populace

for more than thirty years. This, combined with the corporate concentration of the media that has been an active part of that effort, and the large number of the religulously insane in this country, has resulted in critical thinking becoming an endangered species. Complex issues never have simple answers, something 35-40% of the 'murkan people simply cannot comprehend. Ignorance can be fixed if someone is willing to learn. Stupid is forever.

[leftstreet]

24. Then people must be dumb if they believe these polls n/t

[TheMastersNemesis]

25. I Really Don't Believe The Polls --- Its My Neighbors Around Me That Make Me Wonder.

[L0oniX]

20. Racists factor. n/t

[marshall]

23. It's the double edge sword of tolerance

One can suppose that yes, we as a society have become more tolerant of other religions.

On the other hand, that means we have become more accepting of Mormons. That a Mormon could even get a major party's nomination for president is stunning, and would not have happened in my grandparents or even my parents generation.

[Delphinus]

27. You are

stating what I've been asking for months! It truly is beyond belief!

[randome]

28. He is worse than Palin.

[RiffRandell]

31. It's crazy.

My husband and I say it everyday. McCain was a better candidate (and I can't stand the guy) and fucking Romney is closer in the polls. Stupidity is rampant in this country.