ROVE: THE LESSONS OF DEFEAT FOR THE GOP

Whatever you do, don't believe the triumphalist hype flowing like raw sewage out of the mouths of Kool-aid intoxicated, Left-wing concern trolls these days.  Instead, Karl Rove makes some good points:

Republicans need not jettison their principles. But they must avoid appearing judgmental and callous on social issues. Offensive comments about rape by GOP Senate candidates in Missouri and Indiana gave the media an excuse to put social issues at the election's center in a way that badly hurt the entire party, as well as costing Republicans two Senate seats.

The GOP must reduce the destructiveness of the presidential primaries. In the first place, activists can withhold support from candidates who make reckless assaults on competitors, which happened too often this time. Also, the Republican National Committee should limit the number of debates and, by showing wisdom in picking debate moderators, limit the media's ability to depict the party as a fringe group.

Another idea: Holding the convention in late August made sense when candidates relied on public financing for the general election. That will never happen again. The Romney campaign had tens of millions it couldn't spend for months until he was officially nominated on Aug. 28. Future conventions should be held as early as late June.

And I also have an idea, which is that the RNC should not only reduce the number of primary debates, insist on objective debate moderators and hold the convention two months earlier but should also go back to having winner-take-all primaries so that the process of winning delegates will be completed sooner.  And if the GOP does win the White House in 2016 it would also be extremely helpful if the VP nominee is someone who will be willing and able to make his or her own run for the White House in 2024.  This kind of continuity can help avoid the primary bloodletting of 2008 and 2012.