Why O won and R lost?

[Gregg]

I guess we'll have to nominate Cory Booker so you guys will have an excuse next time.

Don't know much about him, but know he's pretty outspoken and progressive (as in likes progress). I did catch an interview he gave earlier this week. He gave an excellent synopsis of what is happening in Newark, talking mostly about Sandy recovery this time. He also spoke quite passionately about the people there and how they have come together to overcome adversity. I thought it was an excellent interview. If first impressions are to be believed I like the guy.

[catherine]

Yeah, Cory Booker has a friendly rivalry with Chris Christie. Because of a couple of heroic actions Booker was involved in a few months back, Christie's people produced this very cute and bipartisan video. Stuff like this is why I really like both Christie and Booker. Why can't all politicians have a sense of humor?

[catherine]

Watching CNN and Tim Pawlenty admitted to Piers Morgan that the Republican party needs to figure out how to attract not just the country club but Sam's Club, and they need to find leaders that connect with most of America.

Exactly.

[Gregg]

Watching CNN and Tim Pawlenty admitted to Piers Morgan that the Republican party needs to figure out how to attract not just the country club but Sam's Club, and they need to find leaders that connect with most of America.

Exactly.

Can't argue with that. And I kinda like that country club / Sam's Club line.

[pinkytoe]

I came of age in the 60s when the hippie culture was alive and well. That experience very much shaped the ideals of my generation or so I thought. I keep wondering where all these older, conservative white males we keep referring to evolved from because they would have come from that generation too. I noted that at work a huge majority, 98% all of the grad students voted for Obama according to internal polls.

[redfox]

Interesting article about why the R's were surprised by outcome.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-...ocked-by-loss/

[Gregg]

I think the Romney campaign will be required reading for every campaign manager for many years to come. The assumptions that their strategy was based on were obviously flawed. How they got there is, or at least could be, a valuable lesson for future candidates.

In the spirit of what our nation has become I do think we should stop calling Mr. Romney the loser. He was simply victory impaired. I wish someone would give him his participation certificate so he can feel better about himself.

[SteveinMN]

Watching CNN and Tim Pawlenty admitted to Piers Morgan that the Republican party needs to figure out how to attract not just the country club but Sam's Club, and they need to find leaders that connect with most of America.

Can't argue with that. And I kinda like that country club / Sam's Club line.

Pawlenty (former MN Governor) has used that line for years; it was part of his Presidential campaign, too.

Me, I'm not swayed, largely because "Sam's Club" to me is not a positive. Sam's Club is an entity that sells huge amounts of stuff that most people don't need (and stuff they do need in quantity rather than quality), produced by companies which have (at Walmart's command and through their acquiescence) driven out the quality and humanity that made the product useful or attractive in the first place, sold by part-time employees who are earning minimum wage and minimal benefits. Costco is not hugely different except that they actually give a damn about their employees. I just don't see warehouse clubs as the answer for what ails this country.

[catherine]

Steve, I think Pawlenty was using the Sam's Club line to illustrate the common, middle-class guy spending money on bulk purchases to economize as opposed to the elite with tens of thousands to spend on country club memberships. Again--just a metaphor for class distinctions--not to be taken literally to promote the store itself.

[redfox]

Good news:

buying elections didn't work for the D's, either!

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/...or-exodus-2012