So the Establishment GOP wants a coronation? - Granite Grok

So the Establishment GOP wants a coronation?

Crown Tilted cartoonLet’s see how this attempt at a pre-set coronation works out here in “retail politics” New Hampshire:

Although the specifics are still hazy, The New York Times reports that a group of deep-pocketed Republican donors and bundlers has hatched a plan to clear the GOP field of all insurgents to make room for a favored “establishment” candidate—preferably Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, or Mitt Romney. But there can only be one.

For the first time in decades, the Republican Party is facing a wide-open primary with up to a dozen serious candidates representing virtually every branch of the party. Republican leaders, hoping to minimize damage to their eventual standard-bearer, have already sought to compress the formal primary season and reduce the number of candidate debates.

So once again, does the GOP want to alienate its activist base?  I keep saying it but will they listen: we may not win but you will lose.  How can one expect to win when the strategy is to cut out the most motivated voters in the Party?  And do it well in advance in such a way that the “now on hair trigger” Conservatives can truly say “See!  We were right”.  And rather than “You have made them not care“, they may well turn it into “You have made them fighting mad”. 

Here in NH, you may have money but it is mostly trumped by having to come here multiple times to shake the hands and have folks stare you in the eye.  A lot.  I may rail that the First In The Nation Primary takes the emphasis on growing the NH GOP “farm team” with the onslaught of attention paid to the Prez wannabees and the inflowing money (and the possibility of the outbound Brass Ring for New Hampshirites throw themselves at the right candidate).  But this I know, the folks of NH (the ones with no stars in their eyes and not looking for a place to stand to have their shadow showing from the “luminaries” coming in-State) take this vetting process very seriously and they do work hard at it.  And they tell their families and they tell their friends.

And they will be more influential than a ad blizzard.  If they also get the feeling that they are being over schmoozed for the sake of a win, they’ll spot the phony right pretty quick.

Now, will they have success in the Big Media Markets where the sound bite rules and the big mass meetings hide the true character of a candidate?  Maybe.  It has happened before (e.g., Obama).  However, the mystic, the aura, and the narrative there will not be applicable to any of the Rs that have been seen throwing a damp finger into the political breeze.

(H/T: Reason)

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