We here at PP&B are not swayed by Rick Santorum's Feb. 7 wins in Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado. This is just the latest chapter in the book about the 2012 GOP nominating process.
It's a book that's taking longer to read than we initially anticipated.
People go crazy over each tiny little election in this cycle because it's the one that just happened. Remember the frenzy over Iowa? Both Mitt Romney and Santorum could claim victory because it was so close.
That momentum, however, is long gone. What's important now is that Santorum picked up two states where delegates will get distributed and a third state that was a beauty contest. Missouri still helps, though. It's all about showing that you are electable and you can raise money.
And it's all about showing you won the election that just happened.
This will help Santorum raise money, no doubt. But the guy can't be elected president, and Republicans are fooling themselves if they say he can.
Every presidential election is about the swing states. The GOP needs a candidate that can get the swing voters in those swing states to vote for him. Romney has the best chance of doing that. Santorum and Newt Gingrich don't.
Some Republicans realize this. This inter-party strife doesn't matter at all. What matters is winning in November.
