Krugman

The Bush Bubble (behind select wall)

"What we need to realize is that the infamous “Bush bubble,” the administration’s no-reality zone, extends a long way beyond the White House. Millions of Americans believe that patriotic torturers are keeping us safe, that there’s a vast Islamic axis of evil, that victory in Iraq is just around the corner, that Bush appointees are doing a heckuva job — and that news reports contradicting these beliefs reflect liberal media bias.

And the Republican nomination will go either to someone who shares these beliefs, and would therefore run the country the same way Mr. Bush has, or to a very, very good liar."

Not to beat a dead horse, but the 28% who still support Bush are fundamentally the authoritarian-tendencies who firmly believe that force is the only method of communication. They are Dobson's Dare to Discipline kids where love comes through discipline and order. It doesn't matter what Bush does, or what anyone of the candidates do, as long as they are hard and tough and very fatherly. Not like that preening Edwards and other effeminate democrats. Mitt and Guiliani understands that now and also have to overcompensate for their social positions. This hard core tough guy trumps all the other issues. But thats them. And thats now a small part of the population. The rest of us aren't so dang fearful and realize that there are other things that do trump obedience, like competence. Thats why so far my vote is for Richardson in the primaries.