# Will The Republicans ever figure out why they lost? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 26, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224 "2012-12-26T21:33:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 76
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1501 "2013-07-16T18:28:40Z")
I wouldn’t say the DLC is gone, the party has instead internalized it. That’s why today’s Democratic party is centrist. There’s no need for a DLC anymore. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1502 "2013-07-16T18:45:40Z")
The center moves around. The DLC fell apart because it became basically toxic within the Democratic Party, despite its success from both a policy and electoral perspective. basically for a short time the Blue Dogs ran the party, now they don’t anymore. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1503 "2013-07-16T18:48:24Z")
When was that? I must have missed it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1504 "2013-07-16T19:02:37Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The center moves around. The DLC fell apart because it became basically toxic within the Democratic Party, despite its success from both a policy and electoral perspective. > > basically for a short time the Blue Dogs ran the party, now they don’t anymore. No, now, [don’t get them mixed up](http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Democratic_party#Internal_factions). Blue Dogs != DLC. > [@](#): > > **Internal factions** > While the Democrats have a substantial liberal wing among the public at large, the party’s inability to coordinate itself properly results in a political platform that consists of rolling over to Republican schemes and failing to provide effective leadership. The sectarian violence appears below. > > **Progressive Democrats** > European-styled social democrats. In the House they are organized in the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), the largest in the House of Representatives. Some are descendants of the New Left: > Sherrod Brown > Howard Dean > Keith Ellison > Russ Feingold (the only Senator to vote against the original manifestation of the PATRIOT Act) > Barney Frank > Dennis Kucinich > Barbara Lee > Jim McDermott > Cynthia McKinney > Bernie Sanders (self-described socialist; not a Democrat, but caucuses with them) > Pete Stark (the first openly atheist member of Congress[4]) > > **Traditional liberals** > Constitute half of the voter base, and take pain to avoid infighting between the separate Democratic coalitions. Centre-left, and don’t share many differences with the progressives anyway: > Joe Biden > Barbara Boxer > Kirsten Gillibrand > The Kennedys > John Kerry > Nancy Pelosi > Jay Rockefeller > Elizabeth Warren > Anthony Weiner > > **New Democrats** > The Third Way moderates. They’ve increased their clout since the Dems’ neoliberal exploits since the 90s. Roughly equivalent to the British New Labour. Represented by the New Democrat Coalition (an affiliate of the Democratic Leadership Council): > The Clintons > John Edwards > Dianne Feinstein > Al Gore > Joe Lieberman (independent since 2006) > Some random black guy[5] > Harry Reid > Debbie Wasserman Schultz > > **Blue Dogs** > Here’s where the shit starts to break out. Those in the Blue Dog Coalition are often accused of being DINOs, siding with conservative thought whenever they wish, most commonly on social issues and deficit hawkery. Officially they are a coalition in the House but a few ideologically aligned Senators are listed as well. They’re typically elected in Jesusland, and are considered flaming lefties there: > Joe Donnelly > Mary Landrieu > Gabrielle Giffords > Joe Manchin > Ben Nelson > Collin Peterson > Heath Shuler > > **Dixiecrat leftovers and boll weevils** > To the right of the Blue Dogs. Not a significant feature in the party anymore, although occasionally one will turn up here and there as a failed Senate candidate, or a centrist Democrat will go haywire and swing far to the right.[6] > Virgil Goode (left the Democrats in 2000, was the Constitution Party presidential nominee in 2012) > Zell Miller > > **Random populists** > These often vote with the progressive and traditional liberal wings of the party, but have their conservative quirky bits. Not easily categorized elsewhere: > Jon Tester > Jim Webb > > **The libertarians** > Yes, they exist too, probably upset about Dubya’s stance on civil liberties and the Republicans’ constant juggling between pro-business interests and the Religious Right: > Mike Gravel > There is also an erstwhile “Democratic Freedom Caucus” influenced by Georgism whose actual influence in the party is negligible ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1505 "2013-07-16T20:18:19Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The Republicans only lose when they screw up. All things being equal, they win. > > This thread is aptly titled. THe Democrats didn’t win. The Republicans lost. The Republicans were the first runners-up and the Democrats came in next to last.:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1506 "2013-07-16T20:50:54Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The Republicans only lose when they screw up. No. McCain lost mainly because W had screwed up, but Romney lost mainly because Obama had not. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1507 "2013-07-17T00:59:56Z")
Romney lost because Obama ran an intensively negative and personal campaign, with media assistance. I’d also note that twice Obama got bailed out by a change in subject just as the Republican was finally starting to lead in the polls. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1508 "2013-07-17T01:19:35Z")
Yeah, those damned changes of subject will kill you every time. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1509 "2013-07-17T01:26:46Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Romney lost because Obama ran an intensively negative and personal campaign, \*\*with media assistance. > \*\* > I’d also note that twice Obama got bailed out by a change in subject just as the Republican was finally starting to lead in the polls. You mean the times they revealed his stupid remarks? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1510 "2013-07-17T01:36:50Z")
No, the financial crisis and Sandy. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1511 "2013-07-17T01:38:26Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > No, the financial crisis and Sandy. The financial crisis dates back to 2008. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1512 "2013-07-17T01:39:59Z")
And Romney was never leading, even at his highest peak after the first debate he was behind in the polls in enough states to lose. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1513 "2013-07-17T01:40:32Z")
In the 2008 campaign, the sudden collapse of well, everything, undid all of McCain’s work to overcome his Bush baggage. McCain experienced a genuine bounce after the GOP convention and took the lead. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1514 "2013-07-17T01:43:06Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > And Romney was never leading, even at his highest peak after the first debate he was behind in the polls in enough states to lose. Sort of. However, it is historically very unlikely that someone could win the popular vote and lose the electoral vote. Plus since states are polled less frequently than the nation, which is polled every day several times, they lag. Minus Sandy, Romney maybe wins the popular vote. Which probably means he wins the electoral vote, but even if he doesn’t, we at least don’t have this thread.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1515 "2013-07-17T01:43:56Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > In the 2008 campaign, the sudden collapse of well, everything, undid all of McCain’s work to overcome his Bush baggage. McCain experienced a genuine bounce after the GOP convention and took the lead. And then Bible Spice opened her mouth and everything went kablooey. And THEN Wall Street went kablooey, intensifying the Palin kablooey. There were multiple points of fail in 2008 for the GOP. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1516 "2013-07-17T02:06:29Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Sort of. However, it is historically very unlikely that someone could win the popular vote and lose the electoral vote. Plus since states are polled less frequently than the nation, which is polled every day several times, they lag. Minus Sandy, Romney maybe wins the popular vote. Which probably means he wins the electoral vote, but even if he doesn’t, we at least don’t have this thread.🙂 Then God really must hate you guys. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1517 "2013-07-17T02:08:23Z")
And even then, McCain reacted to the financial crisis like a chicken with its head cut off. I’m surprised there wasn’t more mention of the Keating Five scandal in the wake of the 2008 crisis. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1518 "2013-07-17T02:11:40Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > No, the financial crisis and Sandy. If you mean the 2008 one, then, no, that was **not** an irrelevant, distracting change in subject that fortuitously swung the election towards Obama. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1519 "2013-07-17T02:21:50Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > And even then, McCain reacted to the financial crisis like a chicken with its head cut off. I’m surprised there wasn’t more mention of the Keating Five scandal in the wake of the 2008 crisis. That’s because McCain was innocent. There were three guilty members of the Keating scandal, and they were all Democrats. Since politics often comes into Congressional investigations, they added McCain’s name to the investigation so it would seem bipartisan. They also added John Glenn, so that the adding of McCain wouldn’t seem political, since McCain and Glenn were about equally innocent. In the end, three Democrats were implicated, the only three that should have been from the start. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1520 "2013-07-17T02:28:07Z")
He still behaved like a chicken with its head cut off… [http://seattletimes.com/html/politics/2008157607\_mckeating04.html](http://seattletimes.com/html/politics/2008157607_mckeating04.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224.md?page=75) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224.md?page=77)