If Romney can't beat Rick Santorum, how the hell could he possibly beat Obama?

[TheWraith]

Really--if with a MASSIVE funding advantage, and an opponent who is pretty close to certifiably insane, and he still can't win any of the states that are remotely hard for him, how in the HELL is he supposed to compete with a popular president and one of the best campaigners in recent memory?

[bigwillq]

1. Romeny can't.

At least I don't think he can.

[sadbear]

2. That's the $10,000 Question

I mean, if we want to figure out how Romney can beat President Obama after tonight, call me stumped. Even if I were a rosy-eyed republican, I still couldn't figure that one out.

[still_one]

8. In order to win the nomination in today's republican party, you have to be an extreme right winger.

In order to win the general election you need to be a moderate

At least that is what the common wisdom is, and they hope if romney gets the nomination then he will move to the center for the general

Of course he will have to explain why he is contradicting every thing he said during the nominating process, which will hopefully make him look like a fool

[emulatorloo]

12. What will happen when he names Rand Paul as his VP?

Will people come out to vote against Rand the male Palin?

Or will the alienated youth who are so enamoured with crazy Ron Paul be enamoured with Rand as well?

[abolugi]

15. I've thought of that myself

but came to the conclusion ( not that its right, mind you) that the "Establishment" isn't very fond of the Pauls and obviously Romney will pick whoever THEY tell him to pick.
I'm pretty sure he doesn't have much say in this election.
He will do or say whatever they tell him to.

[emulatorloo]

18. good analysis, thanks!

[still_one]

3. Because the idiots in the republican party are different then the other idiots elsewhere. What

the repug party has become they believe is different then the rest of the populous where they believe romney could attract independents

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

4. He can't! He's a smug, arrogant asshole!

[Mira]

5. Yes - to your excellent question.

And let's not get complacent to voter fraud.
Been there - done that.

[JI7]

6. cheating

[jillan]

7. Citizens United.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

9. Buying a home in every state so that every state is his home state?

[FarLeftFist]

11. Imagine Newt wasn't in this, Santorum would have a HUGE delegate lead over Romney.

[BlueIris]

13. He can't. Go, Mittens, Go!

I don't want President Paul!

[JoeyT]

14. +1

I think Romney will be easier to beat than Santorum.

The Republican base hates Romney with a burning passion, and they'll hate him even more when he knocks all the people they like out. I'm not sure "Getting a white guy into office again" is going to be enough to even get the hardcore racists out for a guy they hate that much.

I haven't heard a bad word about Obama out of any of the right wingers around here (deep south) in months. They're too busy being pissed off that Romney exists. And if the Republicans lose the south, they're screwn.

[fujiyama]

17. I agree

Santorum may actually connect better with working class whites and Catholics, potentially making him the stronger candidate in OH and possibly VA. He at least has Edwards-esque backstory about a father and grandfather that were working class.

What can Mitt say? I grew up in a bubble of immense wealth and power, went to the most elite educational institutions and then formed an elite management consulting company? Oh and by the way that management consulting company went around and raided companies screwing their workers of pensions and even jobs altogether.

I've been watching the polls and it's never been clear that Santorum was the easier of the two. I also think it's a hell of a lot easier for evangelicals to vote for a Catholic than a freakin' Mormon.

[Cali_Democrat]

16. He can't. n/t

[Enrique]

19. if he can't beat Santorum, then he won't be the nominee

so of course he can't beat Obama.

[HopeHoops]

20. He can't.