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Why don’t Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum just quit?
The Washington Post ^ | April 6, 2012 | Jonathan Renshon, Jennifer Lerner and Philip Tetlock,

Posted on 04/06/2012 1:30:41 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

[SNIP]

...For candidates such as Santorum and Gingrich, a loss would be highly public. When you’re the exciting new candidate, you’re likely to focus on the endless possibilities, and optimism rules the day. But when the polls turn against you, the fear of failure starts to weigh more heavily. Despite whatever they go on to do, the stigma of losing can be nearly impossible to shake. For example, a Los Angeles Times headline last summer read “Failed presidential candidate Al Gore attacks winning candidate Obama over his environment policies.” The story had nothing to do with campaigning, yet Gore was still branded as a loser.

[SNIP]

....How could they misread reality when there’s so much information (i.e. nonstop polling) about how they’re doing? Well, having so much information makes it easy to evaluate a situation in a way that reflects well on ourselves and is consistent with our beliefs. Losing a primary might be interpreted in a candidate’s mind as a better-than-expected result (still a defeat, but not as bad as the naysayers predicted!) or even as irrelevant (especially in the states where delegates are allocated proportionally to the share of the vote).

Fortunately, some of these pathologies are avoidable. If candidates set objective benchmarks for themselves before campaigning, it would be harder for them to spin results in their favor.

But candidates are still human — no matter how smart and capable they might be. When Bob Dole said last month that it was “getting close to the point” where Santorum should decide whether to drop out, he acknowledged his own difficulty in giving up his pursuit for the 1988 GOP nomination. “As much as you don’t want to do it, sometimes you have to face reality.”

And the reality is, we already have a Republican nominee: Mitt Romney.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: conservatism; gingrich2012; gopprimary; kenyanbornmuzzie; mittromney; newtgingrich; ricksantorum; santorum2012; superdelegates
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"Pretty please."

It took 3 people to write this little ditty.

However, the Obama administration will not have Mitt to zero in on before the GOP Tampa convention in August. And once we're at the convention, then we will be able to learn how the delegates shake out -- have a conversation with the GOP Establishment. I know the party bosses had other plans but so did we and it didn't include another hand-picked moderate nominee pushed on us.

Oh and.... RNC neutrality challenged on Romney

1 posted on 04/06/2012 1:30:49 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Like Churchill?


2 posted on 04/06/2012 1:31:45 PM PDT by sodpoodle (Newtrition - soul food for a starving America.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Mitt Romney is a suicide vest wrapped around the chest of the GOP.


3 posted on 04/06/2012 1:33:18 PM PDT by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

3 people to write this crap. All they are doing is asking conservatives to throw in the towel before the primaries are finished.


4 posted on 04/06/2012 1:33:48 PM PDT by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Pursue Happiness)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Neither Newt’s supporters nor Santorum’s want their candidate to quit.

I want them to see this through to the bloody end.


5 posted on 04/06/2012 1:34:08 PM PDT by SatinDoll (No Foreign Nationals as our President!)
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To: sodpoodle
Nominate Romney and we might as well all put this on:


6 posted on 04/06/2012 1:37:48 PM PDT by garjog
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

The fact that the Left wants them to tells me they should stay in.


7 posted on 04/06/2012 1:39:02 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Over half of U.S. murders are of black people, and 90% of them are committed by other black people.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Despite whatever they go on to do, the stigma of losing can be nearly impossible to shake.

Mitt Romney has lost more elections than he's won, yet he won't go away.

8 posted on 04/06/2012 1:39:54 PM PDT by FoxInSocks ("Hope is not a course of action." -- M. O'Neal, USMC)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Because the media can’t get the truth out, a few candidates for Presidents can do what the media fails to do. Also a live event has more impact the a million newspapers. In my book that is what I call priceless.


9 posted on 04/06/2012 1:41:33 PM PDT by jonrick46 (Countdown to 11-06-2012)
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To: cripplecreek

Hi CC: You know as well as I do that the same people own both parties so either way the establishment wins over the people. God have mercy.


10 posted on 04/06/2012 1:45:45 PM PDT by Paperdoll (On the cutting edge)
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To: SatinDoll

I agree.

Since Mitt is the “obvious chosen candidate and cannot lose” (/s) what difference does it make if they stay in?

I’d like to see it go to the convention.


11 posted on 04/06/2012 1:47:18 PM PDT by berdie
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Why don’t Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum just quit?
**********************************

I don’t know, maybe because they are like a coach and they see us giving up and they are showing us the way—don’t quit.

Maybe because Gingrich pledged to us— my life, my fortune, and my sacred honor. This is about America.

Or maybe they are tenacious power hungry turds.

Or maybe everybody should have a chance to vote their conscience, not just a few states deciding for the rest of us.

Maybe it is just the point of it all. Why should the GOP be god and determine for the rest of us how it is going to be.

Maybe Romney will come out of this with more respect and deference for those he wishes to vote for him.

Maybe Romney will have learned how to better stand up to Obama by having to struggle for his nomination.

Why don’t the peanut gallery just shut up and not worry about it—que sera sera.


12 posted on 04/06/2012 1:48:55 PM PDT by Irenic (The pencil sharpener and Elmer's glue is put away-- we've lost the red wheel barrow)
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To: SatinDoll

BUMP!


13 posted on 04/06/2012 1:53:21 PM PDT by GVnana (Newt 2012 - He Speaks for Us)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
I want to hear what Texas has to say. I think if Romney and Paul are their only choices it will be a super low turnout and maybe even a Paul win.

If Mendacious Mitt gets the nomination the only way he will be able to beat Obama after all his anti-conservative mudslinging will be if he picks a Tea Party Veep and swears to serve only one term.

The ONLY way he can beat Zero.

14 posted on 04/06/2012 1:57:15 PM PDT by Happy Rain ("ONE TERM MITT__SARAH 2016")
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To: garjog

Four More Years (A Few THOUSAND More Tears)


15 posted on 04/06/2012 1:58:29 PM PDT by FedsRStealingOurCountryFromUs
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To: GeronL

I think the GOP should man up and publicly ask the remaining states to call off their primaries and save some money.

Throw all the cards out on the table and come right out and tell the people that the GOP doesn’t care what they want.


16 posted on 04/06/2012 1:59:42 PM PDT by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
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To: cripplecreek
Mitt Romney is a suicide vest wrapped around the chest of the GOP.

LOL! That's a keeper!

17 posted on 04/06/2012 2:02:49 PM PDT by COBOL2Java (FUMR)
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To: cripplecreek

Better yet, the remaining states could just ask Mitt Romney which candidates he would prefer we nominate for Senate and House races too.


18 posted on 04/06/2012 2:07:46 PM PDT by ngat
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To: cripplecreek

If they actually did that, I think I’d actually be hoping for a new party very quickly


19 posted on 04/06/2012 2:09:23 PM PDT by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Pursue Happiness)
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To: GeronL
If they actually did that, I think I’d actually be hoping for a new party very quickly

Which is exactly why they don't have the courage to do it. They'd rather blow millions of dollars with a farce to keep the slaves on the plantation.

I was watching "The Village" the other night and was struck by the similarities to the way the political parties are. The mythical monsters in the woods keep us from getting too curious.
20 posted on 04/06/2012 2:15:02 PM PDT by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
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