New Gallup tracking poll shows Santorum crashing after his week long focus on culture wars

[Constitutional Paulicy]

we didn't make any gains? oh my lord that is bad.

I was under the impression that these polls reflect activity that was recorded many days prior to the release of the results. If that truly is the case, then perhaps the debate hadn't really reflected upon the results in this poll. Anyone know how this pans out?

 

[Brett85]

I still don't believe Ron is actually unpopular.

He's not unpopular with Americans as a whole, but he's unpopular with the GOP base.

 

[freneticentropy]

The main problem is and always has been foreign policy. He never effectively communicated on this issue, and therefore has always had a ceiling no matter what else he's done. Sadly, he's not going to change now, and it's probably too late anyway. It's quite frustrating.

 

[WD-NY]

One ad won't change months of not-electable/fringe/racist/old indoctrination.

One speech could/would.

 

[Brett85]

The main problem is and always has been foreign policy. He never effectively communicated on this issue, and therefore has always had a ceiling no matter what else he's done. Sadly, he's not going to change now, and it's probably too late anyway. It's quite frustrating.

But if that's the case, then how did Pat Buchanan ever get so close to winning the GOP nomination? Buchanan's foreign policy views are essentially the same as Ron's.

 

[cmo4ever]

The main problem is and always has been foreign policy. He never effectively communicated on this issue, and therefore has always had a ceiling no matter what else he's done. Sadly, he's not going to change now, and it's probably too late anyway. It's quite frustrating.

I don't agree. I think he HAS communicated properly, but the GOP establishment has rejected his argument. I'll say it again, he could have had the most perfect, articulate argument in the world against it, and these people are so bloodthirsty and blind it won't matter. A decade on indoctrination from Fox and other sources has killed their critical thinking skills.

 

[cmo4ever]

But if that's the case, then how did Pat Buchanan ever get so close to winning the GOP nomination? Buchanan's foreign policy views are essentially the same as Ron's.

That was before the party / nation lost it's goddamn mind after 9/11.

 

[WD-NY]

I still think a big part of it is that Ron is 76 years old, doesn't really look Presidential, is seen as "unelectable," and isn't the smoothest debater and speaker. If Mitt Romney were to run on Ron Paul's platform, I guarentee you he would be getting more than 10-15% of the vote. I still don't believe Ron's platform is actually unpopular.

And yet, he continues to speak off-the-cuff at every rally he hosts.

(I agree 100% that it's not Ron's platform that's unpopular - it's how he delivers it. The great thing about speeches are that they allow you put your 'best foot forward')

 

[SamuraisWisdom]

But if that's the case, then how did Pat Buchanan ever get so close to winning the GOP nomination? Buchanan's foreign policy views are essentially the same as Ron's.

9/11 and ten years of pro-war conditioning by the GOP.

 

[Brett85]

9/11 and ten years of pro-war conditioning by the GOP.

That's true. The GOP is much more pro war than it was in the 90's.

 

[freneticentropy]

oops. screwed up and double posted.

 

[freneticentropy]

But if that's the case, then how did Pat Buchanan ever get so close to winning the GOP nomination? Buchanan's foreign policy views are essentially the same as Ron's.

1. He didn't really get that close. After his win in Iowa, he fell pretty quickly.
2. 9/11 completely destroyed any sense the republican party ever had.


Captain Hindsight says Paul should have come out swinging on foreign policy early. I wish he'd have given a major 'Paul Doctrine' speech laying out a positive vision for defense and destroying all the nonsense people have been saying about him concerning being weak, concerning Israel, and so on. Unfortunately, the campaign decided the best route was to focus on domestic policy and ignore foreign policy except to give the blowback argument in campaign speeches, which mainstream republicans don't glom too.

If he goes on the offensive on fp right now, there is still an outside chance of turning it around. But he has to throw a hail mary. Slow and steady is not going to win the race.

 

[Peace&Freedom]

I don't agree. I think he HAS communicated properly, but the GOP establishment has rejected his argument. I'll say it again, he could have had the most perfect, articulate argument in the world against it, and these people are so bloodthirsty and blind it won't matter. A decade on indoctrination from Fox and other sources has killed their critical thinking skills.

More precisely, the neo-con-influenced public's framework on the issue is dominated by the "they threaten us" construct of fear and vengeance, for which the knee-jerk posture of "so let's get 'em, before they get us!" is considered the only relevant response. Paul never counters this emotional mindset, he just repeats logical arguments for non-intervention and blowback. As long as the "they threaten us, they started it" framework is not challenged, the pro-peace message will fall on deaf or slumbering ears, no matter how well articulated. Paul's position is based on non-interventionism, but by conceding "they threaten us" from the start of the dialog, he cedes the very basis for foriegn intervention that he is arguing against.

 

[walt]

Anybody but Santorum.

 

[jemuf]

Here's the rub. There are still, alot, of warmongering Republicans we probably are never going to convince that Ron doesn't have a "crazy" foreign policy. For them it makes him a nonchoice I think even next to Romney. You guys are asking the campaign to change the minds of a bunch of VERY entrenched dogma about the War on Terror that Fox News and NeoCons have perpetuated. The Paul campaign ......

......bounce back and forth between Gingrich and Santorum. So our best interest is to see a see-saw going between these 3 till August, while we quietly aquire a mass amount of delegates. 400-500 commited would be good, hopefully enough stealth delegates to win outright after first rounds of voting.

Barring some kind of economic catastrophe Paul to force people out of their comfort zones, and get people off their couches, it's going to be what it always is. A tireless minority.

Great post. I've been and am optimistic, but not naively so. I believe Dr. Paul is still ahead of his time but just by one decent sized catastrophe (like 12% unemployment).

In about 10 days things should be pretty clear. If the Paul campaign loses every state between now and Super Tuesday but doesn't change course then you have to wonder about the campaign managers and advisers.

 

[Emperius]

WA is a must win. It can really push us over the edge or get us close to wins in VT, Alaska, Idaho, Oklahoma, and maybe edge us closer to some strong seconds elsewhere.

 

[parocks]

The problem. We didn't get anything.

Why. Because although Ron admits the biggest misconception is 'he's unelectable'.. There is nothing the campaign has done to counter those misconceptions by ads. Until they do that Santorum and Gingrich will just seesaw with the anti-Romney vote. This is plain and simple fact.

There is nothing the campaign has done to counter those misconceptions by WINS.

 

[RonPaul101.com]

Great, so now Romney has a clear and easier path to the nomination, and my donations help provide it with ads in MI...

 

[PolicyReader]

As in the other thread I don't think it's accurate to say Romney is a lock in the current state of the race (but since I went over it there I won't reiterate here)

 

[ifthenwouldi]

I'll say it again, he could have had the most perfect, articulate argument in the world against it, and these people are so bloodthirsty and blind it won't matter.

Ron Paul said as much at the last debate, saying that he *would* win the economic argument. Personally, I think the "we can't afford these wars" tact should've been the preferred one for the campaign from the beginning.