The Republican Machine Backfires
Per the link Josh provided on the front page:
64% of GOP voters support Palin '12
"Ninety-one percent (91%) of Republicans have a favorable view of Palin, including 65% who say their view is Very Favorable. Only eight percent (8%) have an unfavorable view of her, including three percent (3%) Very Unfavorable. When asked to choose among some of the GOP's top names for their choice for the party's 2012 presidential nominee, 64% say Palin."
It just hit me like a ton of obvious. The Republicans at the top have worked very hard to cultivate followers. That's the Republican base now: followers. But these followers are not necessarily loyal to the folks who brought them together. They just want to follow. And followers tend to prefer a charismatic leader.
So these folks at the top were right about being able to build a powerful, gullible constituency. But they overestimated their ability to control such a beast. Easily led just means easily led, not easily led BY THEM.
Good luck with that.
64% of GOP voters support Palin '12
"Ninety-one percent (91%) of Republicans have a favorable view of Palin, including 65% who say their view is Very Favorable. Only eight percent (8%) have an unfavorable view of her, including three percent (3%) Very Unfavorable. When asked to choose among some of the GOP's top names for their choice for the party's 2012 presidential nominee, 64% say Palin."
It just hit me like a ton of obvious. The Republicans at the top have worked very hard to cultivate followers. That's the Republican base now: followers. But these followers are not necessarily loyal to the folks who brought them together. They just want to follow. And followers tend to prefer a charismatic leader.
So these folks at the top were right about being able to build a powerful, gullible constituency. But they overestimated their ability to control such a beast. Easily led just means easily led, not easily led BY THEM.
Good luck with that.
