I think Gail Collins speaks for at least 71% of Americans when she write this about the lastest Republican primary results:
Well, the results of the latest wave of primaries are in. The people have spoken, decisively. All 10 of them.
I am exaggerating. In Rhode Island, well over 3 percent of the eligible voters flocked to the polls on Tuesday, as the overwhelming majority declared their enthusiasm for Mitt Romney as the Republican presidential nominee. We are totally talking mandate.
And I cannot tell you how much excitement there was in New York. Six percent turnout! In my neighborhood, the atmosphere was electric. ...NYT
Yes, the people have spoken derisively decisively.
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Molly Ball makes the point that the Mitt Romney, a weak choice and probably one of those candidates who always seems unelectable, profited significantly from having to run against people like Newt Gingrich. Gingrich should be given credit for Romney's ascendance.
With few delegates at their disposal and even fewer brownie points on the board, Gingrich and Santorum would seem to be in poor position to demand any consideration from Romney. This is especially true for Gingrich. Santorum has a national following and constituency among social conservatives, and won 11 state contests in the primary. Gingrich, whose constituency has now dwindled to the 27 percent of Delaware Republicans who believe Romney should have more aggressively sought their votes, and who won just two states, has no such leverage. If Romney wanted to get back at him -- for criticizing his work in the private sector, accusing him of "pious baloney," and describing him time and again as an unelectable "Massachusetts moderate" -- he could probably leave the former House Speaker out in the cold with minimal consequences.
But Romney does owe Gingrich, and Santorum, for one major favor they did for him. By behaving childishly and running totally amateurish campaigns, they made Romney look good. Next to Santorum's inability to stay on message, Romney's gaffes looked minor. Next to Gingrich's petulant posturing, Romney looked like a grown-up. Next to both men's improvised, bare-bones efforts, Romney's flawed operation looked like the Cadillac of political campaigns.
In losing in the most undignified manner possible, Gingrich made Romney shine. And for that, Romney owes Gingrich his gratitude. ...Molly Ball, The Atlantic
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Wait, wait! There's more. No, I'm serious. There's been surreptitious support for decent health care in the US from some brave voters as well as an anti-incumbency sentiment that goes far beyond the screeches of the tea partyers.
The defeat of two conservative House Democrats by more liberal opponents in Tuesday’s Pennsylvania primary illustrates the strong hold the new health care law still has over committed Democratic voters and foreshadows an even more polarized Congress next year in the aftermath of the latest round of redistricting.
Representatives Jason Altmire and Tim Holden both lost in primaries to opponents who joined together with activist groups to pummel the veteran lawmakers over the opposition to the new health care law and climate change legislation — positions they had used to their advantage in the past to show their independence from President Obama and the Democratic Party. ...NYT
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