LA Times OpEd: Those mudslinging Republicans

[pampango]

Santorum's next up, but the negativity is turning independents against all the GOP candidates.

At this point, the GOP looks more like a collection of warring tribes than a cohesive political force. Fiscal conservatives don't have much use for social conservatives. Libertarians and moderates don't get along with either camp. "We are factionalized now as a party," lamented Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.). "We have to come together."

She's right. (First time for everything, right? ) Why? Because the long and relentlessly negative campaign is making all the GOP candidates less likable to independent voters, who will probably determine the outcome of this fall's general election.

An ABC News-Washington Post poll released this week measured the phenomenon, asking voters: As you learn more about these candidates, do you like them more, or like them less? In the case of Romney, 52% of voters said the more they knew about him, the less they liked him. That's not surprising after a month of unflattering revelations about Romney's business career and his investment accounts overseas, but it's not a good sign.

Republican strategists, weighing the candidates' strengths on the map, in campaign organization and in funding, believe Romney is still likely to outlast his opponents. But it will take him longer, cost him more and do more damage to his standing than a short campaign would have. Millions of independent voters are tuning in to this campaign and learning about the potential Republican nominees — in some cases, for the first time. And many of them don't like what they see.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-mcmanus-santorums-rise-20120209,0,7790789.column

[SunsetDreams]

1. K&R what's to like?

They continue to damage themselves and it's fun watching.

[zbdent]

2. Knowing today's "liberally-biased media", the LBM is probably legally obligated to

scrub their websites and any copies of the print editions and destroy the tapes/digital copies of the "infighting" once a GOP candidate is selected.