GOP Primary Megathread!

[MadImmortalMan]

It's extremely difficult to imagine a scenario in which Santorum beats Obama.

[The Minsky Moment]

I wouldn't vote for him, but I think Santorum is credible.

Name one useful thing he did in 16 years in Congress.

[katmai]

I keep getting the impression Shelf is out of touch with reality.

[Sheilbh]

It's extremely difficult to imagine a scenario in which Santorum beats Obama.

But I struggle to see Romney winning either.  I'd probably say Romney's the stronger candidate but I'm not convinced.  In recent polls they both do about as well as each other against Obama.  Romney's approval among independents is plummeting and I don't understand who his base is yet, maybe they'll emerge.  Santorum will also do poorly against independents as time goes on.

But I think they're two reasonably credible candidates unlike, say, Newt or Ron Paul.  They're not great but it's like the difference between Rick Perry and Michelle Bachmann. 

The only right-wing politician who looks like beating Obama right now is Merkel.  At this point I think the economy needs to take a severe beating, or there to be some sort of dreadful disaster for either of them to win.

[Admiral Yi]

What do you mean by credible Shelf?

[Sheilbh]

I wouldn't vote for him, but I think Santorum is credible.

Name one useful thing he did in 16 years in Congress.

Wasn't he in the gang of seven?

But I don't actually think that's how voters decide.

[Sheilbh]

What do you mean by credible Shelf?

A believable, plausible candidate.

[The Minsky Moment]

I wouldn't vote for him, but I think Santorum is credible.

Name one useful thing he did in 16 years in Congress.

Wasn't he in the gang of seven?

Rephrased and bolded for emphasis.

[Admiral Yi]

A believable, plausible candidate.

I still don't follow.  You mean he speaks the truth or if GOP announced at the convention that Santorum were the candidate you would believe that he was in fact the candidate?

[Jacob]

Only if he is socially inept.

While I agree - it is a little more than that.  It is why you get David Sedaris joking about Princeton students having a class telling them how to avoid mentioning where they went. Why many Stanford grads will say they went to a small school in California...in the bay area...near San Francisco.

I think that kind of illustrates the point.

I mean, someone might be super smart but if they keep showing that off all the time - you know mentioning that they went to Princeton or Stanford and expecting people to be impressed, or raising their hand in class and answering all the teacher's questions while everyone else is struggling with the material - then it's not too surprising that people might resent it.

Being unable to manage that - being unable to communicate that you don't consider yourself a better person because of your achievements - could be construed as a kind of social ineptitude.

[Ideologue]

I keep getting the impression Shelf is out of touch with reality.

I keep getting the impression he doesn't recognize Americans as humans, and more like props in some sort of elaborate show put on for his amusement.

[Ideologue]

A believable, plausible candidate.

I still don't follow.  You mean he speaks the truth or if GOP announced at the convention that Santorum were the candidate you would believe that he was in fact the candidate?

I think it's the former.  By Shaun's standards, I would be a very credible Democratic candidate, apparently even at the national level.

[Sheilbh]

I still don't follow.  You mean he speaks the truth or if GOP announced at the convention that Santorum were the candidate you would believe that he was in fact the candidate?

No I mean he comes across as someone who could be candidate.  The difference between Kerry and Dean (alas), as I say Perry and Bachmann, or Gingrich and Santorum.  In 2008 both parties had a number of credible alternatives, in 2012 I think the GOP's got far fewer. 

Basically candidates who you can imagine, with the right circumstances and if the other party nominates someone incredibly weak, could win.

[Razgovory]

I keep getting the impression Shelf is out of touch with reality.

I think he simply like the drama and show of politics rather then actual governing.

[garbon]

I think that kind of illustrates the point.

I mean, someone might be super smart but if they keep showing that off all the time - you know mentioning that they went to Princeton or Stanford and expecting people to be impressed, or raising their hand in class and answering all the teacher's questions while everyone else is struggling with the material - then it's not too surprising that people might resent it.

Being unable to manage that - being unable to communicate that you don't consider yourself a better person because of your achievements - could be construed as a kind of social ineptitude.

In both examples (which are actually the same with the David Sedaris tale being a humour take on it) it comes up when someone asks you pointedly where you went to school.  Rather than seem elitist by mentioning where they actually went - they try to stall and hopefully whoever it is loses interest.  Sort of similar is not actually wearing a branded college shirt in public because it may be perceived as an attempt to show off.

I think it is closer to what PDH said:

It is hard to be the everyman when you are rich and/or well educated.