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Lisa, PLEASE tell me that you are wrong again. Please!!!
Look, a year ago I was definitely no McCain fan (even though I supported him in 2000 over Bush), but I was not dead set against him. I thought I might be able to concentrate on his stalwart support for the surge in Iraq and his stance against pork, and ignore everything he has done for eight years to stick his fingers in the eyes of conservatives. Then he pulled his classless act at CPAC. Then he started running as if he were a Bush, i.e. an establishment candidate who could throw his weight around. Then he didn't just go for flat-out amnesty (I was in the middle on that, as a supporter of the Pence bill), but he insulted conservatives in the process and yelled expletives at the gentlemanly and hard-working John Cornyn. Then he continued to embrace that weasel Lindsey Graham even after it came to light that Graham called amnesty opponents "bigots." Then he ran a campaign where he repeatedly twisted his opponents' stances to criticize them for things they had not said or done, while twisting the truth on his own stances -- and, in criticizing the opponents, did it in a nasty and personal way all while claiming that he was running a positive campaign.
But, Lisa, you put your finger right on the problem when you write this: "Unless Romney starts to substantially connect with the conservative base..."
That's the problem. Romney has not really connected with anybody. There's just no emotional connection. And there's no consistency to his message. And he really hasn't, even yet, said what he is FOR. We just know that he wants very very badly to be president and that he is a smart guy. That's not enough. On messaging as well as delivery, his campaign has been pathetic. And that's the problem: Thompson ran a pathetic campaign. Giuliani ran a pathetic campaign. Romney has run a technically proficient campaign but with pathetic messaging. And good old, earnest Duncan Hunter never figured how to get past the media's bias against mere House members.
Yes, conservatives now need to hope Romney catches on. Meanwhile, though, look for my column tomorrow for the last-ditch way to save the day -- a plan that will work only if Romney himself also keeps on fighting....

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Iraq