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| All content taken from The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News Channel. Each weeknight by 6 PM EST a preview of that evening's show will be posted and then updated with additional information the following weekday by noon EST.
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| "I thought Mitt Romney was a good choice to run against President Obama because of his economic experience; the Governor is a free market capitalist and offered a stark contrast to the President who wants the government to drive the economy. I knew very early that the debates would be the real test. The first debate was a major victory for Governor Romney and instantly made him competitive, but he did not seize the day. His campaign played it conservatively, managing Romney's appearances and tightly scripting his media response. Then, in the third debate, Governor Romney made a mistake by not bringing up Libya. He should have confronted the President over Libya because the media would have then been forced to cover the story, which is a major embarrassment to the President. Still, Romney had some momentum, but it was suddenly blown away by Hurricane Sandy, which took him off the front pages for five days while President Obama dominated the news cycle. Exit polling showed that 42% of those who voted said President Obama's response to Hurricane Sandy was an important part of their decision. Talking Points believes that by not emerging aggressively after Sandy, Romney cost himself the presidency. Going forward, some folks are despairing, but the truth is that the USA is a rapidly changing country and the Republican Party has to rethink strategy. In hindsight, Senator Marco Rubio would have been the best choice to run with Mitt Romney because the GOP needs to send a powerful signal to Hispanic voters that the party respects them. The good news for the Republicans is that the pressure is now on President Obama and the Democrats; if the economy does not improve dramatically over the next four years the Democratic Party will evaporate. What is more complicated is the mindset of the American people. About half of all American homes are now receiving some kind of government entitlement, so any effort to reform or cut back on entitlements is a tough sell. President Obama won because he put together a coalition of voters who had something to gain by keeping him in office, but with the nation heading towards financial insolvency, that kind of 'where's mine?' attitude will eventually bring economic ruin. Mitt Romney had to convince voters there's danger in the President's policies, he needed to bring urgency, but he did not, preferring to campaign the old-fashioned way. As far as moving the Republican Party further into conservative precincts, the numbers simply aren't there. While the right is still powerful, ideology is not going to win a national election any longer. The President's acolytes pushed the far-left nonsense, he didn't. However, behind the scenes Mr. Obama has embraced just about every far-left cause and that is cause for concern. In his final term, only the House of Representatives stands between Barack Obama and a far-left ideological administration. Thank God for that check and balance. Americans who voted for Mitt Romney are understandably disappointed, but should accept the situation, setting themselves up as the loyal opposition. President Obama won fair and square and we should all respect the vote." |
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Guests: Larry Sabato and Scott Rasmussen
The Factor asked political scientist Larry Sabato and pollster Scott Rasmussen to assess the election. "What surprised me most," Rasmussen said, "is how precisely the Obama campaign projected the white turnout. Mitt Romney got nearly six out of ten white voters and most people thought the Obama campaign was being wildly optimistic that they could get the minority turnout to 28%, but they did just what they said." Sabato, who had predicted a narrow Obama victory, agreed that the race was decided by ethnicity and demographics. "Everybody said it would be 'Ohio, Ohio, Ohio,' but now what we ought to be saying 'demographics, demographics, demographics.' That explains what happened in this election and why we're on a new path now." The Factor reemphasized the pressure now placed on President Obama: "The American people have been very generous to Barack Obama, they're giving him another chance. But if the economy does not turn around you can just forget about the Democratic Party." |
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Guests: Dick Morris
Political strategist Dick Morris ambled into the No Spin Zone, tail between his legs after predicting a Romney landslide. "I plead guilty," Morris conceded. "I undercounted the turnout of minorities and young people and single women. I thought the 2008 turnout was a fluke, but it turned out not to be an outlier, it turned out to be a trend. I got the demographics wrong and the permanent conclusion is that America has changed." Morris, who formerly advised President Clinton, maintained that his own reputation will survive. "I got a President of the United States elected. As far as I'm concerned, I live in a world with Axelrod and Rove and Caddell and Carville, because we're the only ones that have done it." |
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Guests: Bob Beckel
The Factor was joined by former Democratic strategist Bob Beckel, who was far more ebullient than Dick Morris. "I knew President Obama was going to win about a week ago," Beckel said. "It was clear to me that the demographics of this election were going to have white voters down in the low 70's, and at that point Republicans can't win. Romney did not excite a whole lot of the base of the Republican Party." The Factor advised Beckel and his fellow Democrats to embrace the center: "I would caution the far-left loons in the party that President Obama didn't win by very much and far-left politics hurt him more than helped him." |
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Guests: Bernie Goldberg
Bernie Goldberg assessed the media's effect on the election. "Were there a lot of reporters who were actively rooting for Barack Obama, absolutely!" Goldberg declared. "But did Mitt Romney lose because of that? No, with an asterisk. The media played down the Benghazi story and if they had played it up it could have swayed the election. But Mitt Romney didn't play it up either. Here's where the asterisk comes in and here's where the media did affect the election: When Barack Obama decided to run for president, the media fell in love with him and created an image of someone who was bigger, better, and smarter than any other politician. The public relations campaign worked and Obama got reelected. When you have this messiah-like figure who is also handing out goodies, that is a tough candidate to beat." |
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Guests: Dennis Miller
Wednesday's post-election post-mortem concluded with Dennis Miller. "Mitt Romney is a very good man who cares greatly for this country," Miller said, "and he has been run through the wringer over the past year. Joe Biden said he wants to 'put people back in chains,' but that's not the case. Mr. Romney, I'm proud of you. I think you're a good man and I don't care what the other side says about you being the problem with America." Miller lamented that America has been inalterably transformed. "Some people think this is America's proudest moment, but I disagree. I like a country where people bust their tuchus and I think this country has gone a long way towards becoming a European model. If you are out there making $45,000 a year busting your hump because it's in your hard drive to do the right thing, the right thing changed in this country yesterday! Do I think I'll ever see it go back in my lifetime? No, I don't." |
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Whitney Beatty, Camarillo, CA: "Mr. O, you could not have been more right when you said the country is changing. I am wondering why I am working so hard just to be taxed more so more entitlements can be handed out."
Paul Stoneburner, Burke, VA: "Mr. O, you were right when you said folks who want free stuff voted for the president."
Stuart Marsh, Fairport, NY: "I watched some young Obama supporters cheer his reelection. I just don't get it."
Mike Bryant, Lake Forest, CA: "Bill, you said Governor Romney playing it safe might backfire and you were correct!" |
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