This really should have been the Rs' year.

[Deep13]

The economy, the outside money, the racism, the economy, a health insurance law that will not be effective for the most part until 2014, $3.70/gallon, the economy, the 2010 election, the constant hate-mongering.

The Republicans really should have owned this election. So how did they blow it and how the hell did we take it from them?

[bayareamike]

1. Hard work, a superior ground game and GOTV system

The more I read about Team Romney, the more amateur they seem. Project ORCA seems to demonstrate how disorganized that campaign was. President Obama outclassed them by a mile.

[tblue]

2. They were selling an inferior product.

Obama couldn't help but seem superior.

[Deep13]

13. That's it, isn't it?

You can say whatever you want in a paid ad, but recording devices now exist everywhere and you get 47%, legitimate rape, pro-rape God, different kind of conception, let Detroit go bankrupt, self-deportation, she's not an Indian--just look at her, airline windows, emergency rooms, I'll get back to you on that etc. etc. etc.

[RobertEarl]

3. They opened their mouths

How can you tell a republican is lying or trashing another human being?

Their mouth is moving.

[DFW]

4. "Trust me" without any reason to trust them only goes so far

Romney said to vote for him because he has houses, horses and lots of fancy cars.

It was like one of those silk-suited televangelists telling people to send money so that they could one day be rich, too.

Only so many people fall for that so many times.

[hollysmom]

5. ha ha that reminds me of a talk I had with a young girl

She wanted Romney to be elected so he could teach her how to be rich. I asked her if she knew what the president did for a living. Ha Ha

[Amonester]

6. One poor 'illegal' service maid captured the stupid pRince's contempt...

on 'candid camera' when he was over-confident his incompetent team kept the press off-limits!

There.

David vs. goliath.

[davidpdx]

7. They screwed the pooch in so many ways

Too many to talk about. No only did Obama get re-elected, we picked up seats in the Senate, we picked up House seats.

[DCBob]

8. Number one, Romney was a terrible candidate.

I think Jeb Bush or someone similar would have made it a much more competitive race.

[Malikshah]

9. Because we're just so damn sexy.

sssst! Hot!!!

[Deep13]

12. Can't argue with that. nt

[Sunlei]

10. a bunch of liars and not one with the spine to be truthfull to stand up to the others

[ncteechur]

11. Republicans have flawed policies and flawed candidates

[Deep13]

14. There aren't as many angry, white men as there used to be either. nt

[cui bono]

15. Don't forget voter suppression...

although that most likely ended up as a negative for them.

[Awsi Dooger]

16. Massive situational advantage to Obama

Incumbents don't lose when their party has been in power only one term. Carter in 1980 is the only failure in that scenario since 1896. I posted during the 2008 campaign that it was essentially a 2-for-1 if we prevailed.

Four years later, voters aren't tired of the party in charge and they well remember all the faults of the other side. It's natural benefit of a doubt to the incumbent.

I'm always amazed that situational influence isn't allowed more weight. I guess it's more satisfying to obsess over one spur of the moment variable after another as opposed to declaring the foundation was in place years ago.

Granted, the unemployment rate and economic indicators were potential land mines. Obama needed an approval rating near 50% and he wouldn't get there unless the fundamentals cooperated. Once the right track/wrong track ratio quietly showed signs of recovery, with right track finally edging into the 40s, I was very confident. In late 2008 that right track number was below 15%.

I've got to say it was hilarious on sports sites as one right wing SAM (Simplistic Angry Male) after another was certain that this would be 1980 again and Obama would be crushed. They still believed it on election eve, never impressed with the devastating fact that whites were 90% of the voters in Reagan's era and certain to be either 72 or 73% this time. It wound up 72%.

The GOP runs midterm messaging regardless of the cycle. That's more situational ignorance. They get away with it in midterms because single women don't show up and the female vote is only 51% of the total. In general elections that percentage is normally 53 or 53.5, and apparently it moved to 54 this year.