Two candidates from two different places...Fishtown vs. Belmont: A tale of two suburbs

Fishtown vs. Belmont, a tale of two suburbs...

Michael Barone has a very interesting article on the changing dynamics of White America and where these two candidates, Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney, are coming from...

In Fishtown, he reports, one-third of men age 30 to 49 are not making a living, one-fifth of women are single mothers raising children, and nearly 40 percent have no involvement in a secular or religious organization.The result is that the children being raised in such settings have the odds heavily stacked against them. Santorum made this point vividly, and Mitt Romney chimed in his agreement.These findings turn some conventional political wisdom on its head. They tend to contradict the liberals who blame increasing income disparity on free-market economics. In fact, it is driven in large part by personal behavior and choices.They also undermine the conservatives who say that a liberation-minded upper class has been undermining traditional values to which more downscale Americans are striving to adhere. Murray's complaint against upscale liberals is not that they are libertines but that they fail to preach what they practice...

This may explain why Rick Santorum is surging with conservative women...   Here are four different theories on why Rick Santorum is surging with women:  Theories 1-3 are generally correct, theory 4 is a warning on not letting the Democrats brand Santorum in this way (no one likes a nanny scold).  Here is Stacy McCain, who is a Rick Santorum supporter, on the fight and the figher.  
Update:  Creative Minority on Rick Santorum and JFK.  Of course what Rick Santorum is right--religious people should have a voice on policy, but:   "The problem Santorum faces is that although he's absolutely right, it's not something that can be explained to folks in ten second sound bytes. So his words are taken out of context and shown in the worst possible light." And yes the left will twist this (so be prepared).  


Update II:  This is just great advice on pivoting a gotcha media or debate question from DaTechGuy (good advice for any GOP candidate in the general, but especially for Rick Santorum now):  

Valley of the Shadow raises a great point concerning election 2012:

Stay on message. Remember the Surber Rule: The economy alone will get a Republican elected president next year. Talk about nothing else.

Surber himself gives this example:

Reporter: Is homosexuality a choice or genetic?

Answer: That’s above my pay grade, as the president likes to say. But unlike the president, the economy is not above my pay grade. I can promise you a lower unemployment rate when I am elected president and the economy is allowed to grow.

Me I’d answer a different way:

Reporter: Is homosexuality a choice or genetic?/Do you believe in evolution/should the church pay for contraception/ etc. etc etc..

Answer: Are you serious? Unemployment is over 8%, Millions have given up on looking for work, Gas prices are skyrocketing and that’s the question you’re asking? Is that really the question your viewers/readers want asked?

Reporter: It’s a topic on people’s minds

Answer: No it’s the topic you and the media want to talk about because you understand that a conversation on the economy is a loser for the left.

Reporter: So you are refusing to answer the question?

Answer: Look if a voter in a town hall asks me a question I’ll answer it, my views are not a secret, but if you want to get fodder for your talking points you’ll just have to do the legwork.

Surber is right in the sense of not playing the reporters but if the voter asks, you answer, unabashedly, unashamed and without reservation.


Update III:  Rush:  Don't fear the social issues

Of course both Rick and Mitt will not win over all women.  But that is okay, they were lost a long, long, time ago.