Well, that's one explanation.
Looks to me like Rove is trying to 'explain' why his polling numbers were wrong. I'm guessing the lower-than-expected Repub turnout was where he obviously went wrong.
Also looks to me like he's laying the blame on the Romney campaign itself. I.e., Romney got busy and increased spending too late allowing the Obama campaign to paint it's picture of Romney, and Romney's campaign was never able to sufficiently overcome that.
He may be correct, but then again maybe not.
Before the election many wondered aloud if Romney's Mormon religion would hurt him. Would it keep the RR/social conservatives home and away from voting? I'll be looking forward to any polling info on this question. This and many other questions need be answered before the Repubs will know what went wrong and how to fix it.
Fern
Rove's numbers were wrong because they had to be for him to get a slice off the top from Repub billionaires who were paying him to win the election for them. Do you think they'd have given him $300M+ for a lost cause?
As it played out, he ended up believing his own bullshit, like Hitler in his Berlin bunker.
Romney never really led, never had more than an outside chance, and even that was mostly due to brand loyalty. The gulf between the primary voting Repub base & the rest of the electorate is currently such that winning the nomination precludes winning the election. When and if Repub leaders can undo what they've taken 30 years to accomplish & de-radicalize that base, they'll be able to field a competitive candidate.
Fat chance of that when radical billionaire funders can channel their money around the RNC, fluff up the Tea Party, anchor the right flank of the Party somewhere out in La-la land.
Those who live by the sword shall perish by it, and in this case, not at the hands of their enemies, but rather their friends...