海角大神

I鈥檝e spent the past few days debating right-wingers 鈥� among them, Grover Norquist and Ann Coulter. This isn鈥檛 my idea of fun. I do it because apparently many Americans find these people persuasive, and it seems important to try to show why they鈥檙e profoundly wrong.聽

There are two major theories about why Romney is dropping in the polls. One is Romney is a lousy candidate, unable to connect with people or make his case.

The second is that Americans are finally beginning to see how radical the GOP has become, and are repudiating it.聽

Many Republicans 鈥� including some of the right-wingers I鈥檝e been debating 鈥� hold to the first view, for obvious reasons. If Romney fails to make a comeback this week, I expect even more聽complaints from this crowd about Romney鈥檚 personal failings, as well as the inadequacies of his campaign staff.聽

But the second explanation strikes me as more compelling. The Republican primaries, and then the Republican convention, have shown America a party far removed from the 鈥渃ompassionate conservatism鈥� the GOP tried to sell in 2000. Instead, we have a party that鈥檚 been taken over by Tea Partiers, nativists, social Darwinists, homophobes, right-wing evangelicals, and a few rich people whose only interest is to become even wealthier.聽

These regressives were there in 2000, to be sure. They lurked in the GOP in the 1990s, when Newt Gingrich took over the House. They were there in the 1980s, too, although Ronald Reagan鈥檚 sunny disposition gave them cover. In truth, they鈥檝e been part of the GOP for more than half a century 鈥� but never before have they held so much sway in the party, never before have they called the shots.

The second view about Romney鈥檚 decline also explains the 鈥渘egative coat-tail鈥� effect 鈥� why so many Republicans around the country in Senate and House races are falling behind. Scott Brown, for example, is well-liked in Massachusetts. But his polls have been dropping in recent weeks because he鈥檚 had to carry the burden of the public鈥檚 increasing dislike of the Republican Party. The same is true with regard to Republican senate races in Florida, Virginia, and every other battleground state.聽

Romney鈥檚 failing isn鈥檛 that he鈥檚 a bad candidate. To the contrary, he鈥檚 giving this GOP exactly what it wants in a candidate. And that鈥檚 exactly the problem for Romney 鈥� as it is for every other Republican candidate 鈥� because what the GOP wants is not at all what the rest of America wants.聽