Introspection and reevaluation — and even a bit of circular firing squad — are necessary after an electoral loss.
But I’m not buying the end of conservatism argument immediately being peddled by pro-Obama media types. It’s just a variation on Operation Demoralize.
There is a full blown attempt to cement in the popular consciousness what data and reality do not necessarily support. This post by Ben Smith at Buzzfeed Politics is typical, Welcome To Liberal America:
The Romney campaign, in fact, bet its last weeks on modeling showing a more Republican, older, and more white electorate — the reversal of the younger, diverse crowds which propelled Barack Obama to the White House four years ago. But in fact the share of 18- to 29-year-old voters increased by a percentage point, while the number of white voters declined by two. Their votes were more balanced this time, but the change has been unmistakable and irreversible.The groups on whom Obama depended are the ones that are growing; white men, the core Republican constituency, are a shrinking minority. For the first time In 2011, minority births surpassed white births in the United States, and the longer demographic trend places white Americans in the minority by 2041.The Republican Party will spend much needed time in the wilderness after this election, even as the open race for 2016 unofficially kicks off today. The future of the Grand Old Party will be determined by how well it adapts to the brand-new Liberal America — indeed the Obama America — that is now here to stay.
This is the Operation Demoralize Post-Election Edition. I’ll be posting more in the coming days and weeks, but I don’t see anything right now to suggest a rejection of conservatism, as much as I see a rejection of a particular candidate, very effective use of class and race politics, and the embrace of nanny statism in hard economic times.
The exit polling is far from clear that this was a victory for liberalism, as many groups moved towards Romney relative to 2008 voting for McCain. For example, young people moved right not left:
Notable was a movement towards Obama by Hispanics and Asians, but was that an embrace of liberalism or an embrace of a very effective Obama race narrative?
Addressing those groups which should be natural allies for conservatives must be a priority, but simplistic conclusions about abandoning conservatism are dangerous, and I would urge caution.
I think Noah Rothman, who does great work at Mediaite, is instructive on the “concern trolling” going on in the liberal media:
Beware liberals peddling advice for conservatives.
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