Please take 5 minutes to read an incredible Post

[JohnnyRingo]

146. You make my point completely.

I posted this, in part, to point out how important public perception is.

Your perception of democrats is one of hot or cold. You see people like yourself as a "non conservative", and anyone to your right as "conservative". In between is apparently a void. "Moderate" is obviously not in your lexicon.

I can assure you, if you speak your views to people in public, they will most assuredly perceive you as a far left liberal. Indeed, that's the handle I get from everyone I talk to, and I'm almost definitely more of a moderate than you. One person I know from the Tea Party even ducked once after he called me that, like he fully expected me to take a swing at him for what he perceived such a foul name.

I believe there's a far right, a far left, and a very wide center in this country (or what you call conservatives). It's this majority somewhere in the middle that actually elects our presidents. Not everyone absorbs news like people here in DU. In fact, I dare to say the biggest majority of Americans scan the headlines, check the sports & weather, and get on with their day. If you don't believe me, go to a bar and start discussing your specific political concerns with any random person and see how long that seat stays occupied.

When you speak about your unwillingness to compromise your personal issues, you throw down a gauntlet that I consider a weak bluff. I'll never for a minute believe you'll cast a vote for someone like Paul Ryan just because you didn't get the candidate you wanted, nor do I think you'll sit out the election.

If you demand the party nominate someone like Warren, you have to understand the majority of the country will perceive her as a liberal and see what the GOP is offering. A candidate like the self defined socialist Bernie Sanders is even worse in the eye of centrists. Many just ignorantly hear the word "Communist". Republicans thought they had a middle of the road candidate in Romney until he opened his big mouth at a taped fundraiser. Many have pinpointed that as the beginning of his downfall. He foolishly exposed himself as a representitive of the extremely wealthy, and Americans don't like extremists.

If you want to see such candidates as Bernie or Elizabeth meet with success at the national polls then you have your work cut out for you. It took republicans decades to sully the word liberal to the point that many have to use the word "progressive" or "populist", and you have to change that perception to one of a positive image. You have me sold, but there's the huge middle of the country you have to convince that wants a president that does little good, and hopefully no harm. That's quite a PR job you have ahead of you.

Perhaps you thought you can just put up a candidate with the slogan "It's time for a liberal America!" and walk away with a victory. With public perception of what that means, I wouldn't bet an election on it, and I'm confident the party won't either.

I made my point (again) about how public perception is key to winning elections, and I'm not going to bicker with you about it in endless replies. Besides, the two fingers I type with are getting sore.