Feb 08 Dialog, Part II: Your Plan B

A few weeks ago, I did an article about the tense-to-nonexistant relationship between conservatives and the media.  Any media.  Even media that strives in its own way for detachment.

Conservatives just don’t trust the media.

The context, of course, was a conversation I had with Melody Ng, who works for the “Public Insight Network” at American Public Media, the national/syndicated programming arm of Minnesota Public Radio.   She’s found the attempt to engage conservatives – one of her job goals – for feedback and as sources is frustrating.

My theory – conservatives distrust the media on a level that’s become ingrained in core conservative thought.  And that distrust, as a rule, is utterly warranted; with many in the media the perspective on events, politics and life in general is so different, it makes basic communication difficult.  Here was a recent example that points to the statement “they don’t get us, and we don’t get them”.

Now, for the entire life of this blog one of my theses has been that conservatives need to engage in the larger culture; everything from sports to art to the media.  There can be as many reasons for this as there are conservatives; to promote better communication, to learn more, to teach the rest of society that conservatives are not the stunted caricatures that so much of the media describes to the rest of society today, or to co-opt and neutralize the media.

Which isn’t making Melody Ng’s job any easier.

So I offered Melody something I rarely offer anyone – a shot at reaching the SITD audience directly by posting something here on Shot In The Dark.

As it happens, Ms. Ng is curious about the same thing I am; what is everyone’s “Plan B”, should “your” candidate not get the nomination. (For a variety of reasons, it came in just a tad late for pre-caucus discussion; I figured it was still plenty timely).

Is the (primary) party over? Or is the Republican Party just getting started? 

It’s barely February. Super Tuesday is still to come, and it’s a long way to August in Tampa. Yet some seem ready to call the race for Republican presidential nomination.  This after a month of fairly unprecedented and brutal finger pointing among GOP hopefuls over who best represents conservative values in America.

What’s a non-Romney Republican to do?

This blog’s host, Mitch Berg, suggested that I find answers by going directly to you, his readers, and asking: “What’ll you do if your candidate doesn’t win the nomination?”

So where do you stand?

Fill us in on your Plan B here. 

This question was inspired by lively conversation here on Shot in the Dark, and Hot Air around Mitch’s post advising “‘Anybody But Mitt’ Republicans” to vote Romney should he get the party nod.  But discussions about this are happening in all kinds of venues, physical and virtual.

I decided also to check in with our sources at the “Public Insight Network (PIN), 140,000 people like you who share their expertise to help reporters across the country cover the news.  In recent months, many have been telling us how their life experience influences their preference to presidential candidates.

I tapped PIN sources whose candidates of choice have dropped out or refused to run.  Among them, supporters who favored Bachmann, Rubio, Perry, Cain, Palin, Pawlenty, Christie, Ryan and Huntsman.

Their responses varied, but there was a strong current of Republican over Democrat, even if it wasn’t their favorite Republican.

This from Jay Maynard, of Fairmont, Minn., who backed Herman Cain, but now says he’ll vote from Romney: “The duty of the Republican Party is to nominate and work to elect the most conservative electable candidate. … The goal is to limit Barack Obama to one term in office.”

James Murphy, a Libertarian from Austin, Texas, and Rick Perry fan, will strive to get the GOP nominee, whoever he is, into office:  “Of the candidates who remain, not a one of them is worse than Obama.”

Another Texan, Jackie Thompson of Longview, agrees.  Perry was her favorite as well – she’s “as conservative as a person can be about wanting a small government and in all fiscal matters.”  But now that Perry is out, she says, “I’ve known all along that I will vote for whoever is the Republican nominee.  I am not going to vote for a Democrat for president, period.”

As strong as that sentiment is, it doesn’t seem to be universal. Two respondents – both Huntsman supporters – declared they now might vote for Obama.  Said Chris Eriksen, a self-described “Federal Libertarian-State Socialist” from Arden Hills, Minn., it’s about deft foreign policy, the skill he values most in a president.  He finds Obama the most “statesmanly” candidate now that Huntsman’s gone.

A third Plan B is to shift efforts away from the presidential campaign and to other power positions in support of one’s beliefs.  Example:  Richard Mulholland, a Perry guy.  Well before his state’s presidential primary, he had already moved on.

“The Congressional races are more important,” Mulholland said. “At this point I am indifferent about the remaining presidential candidates. Would I have preferred someone else? Sure. But all of my preferred candidates have withdrawn. … In the fall, I will be happy with anyone my neighbors will have chosen from the remaining field.”

How about you?  Is your first choice for president still in the race?  If not, how will you remain involved?  Is there a line between getting a Republican in the White House and your own values?

Please share your story here.  Reporters across the nation want to know what’s driving your vote.

By responding, you’ll help them tell the story of this election, voter by voter, and you’ll become one of our expert sources in the PIN.  Then we’ll contact you from time to time about topics you know and care about – all for news coverage.

By the way, if you haven’t decided yet who you’re supporting for president, give Minnesota Public Radio News’  ”Select A Candidate a whirl.

The interactive, GOP primary/caucus tool doesn’t tell you whom to vote for – Would you follow advice from public radio? – but after asking you a series of questions about issues from abortion and immigration policy to the tax code, it tells you which GOP candidate your views most closely align with.  I got Newt Gingrich.

Happy caucusing tonight, Minnesotans and Coloradans!  And a good rest of your primary to you, Missourians!  I hope to hear from you soon.

Many thanks to Melody.

So - discuss!