“We continually crank out moderate loser after moderate loser,” said Joshua S. Trevio, a speechwriter in George W. Bush’s administration who now works for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative group. He said Mitt Romney was part of a “pattern” of Republican nominees, preceded by John McCain, Bob Dole and George H.W. Bush, who were rejected by voters because of “perceived inauthenticity.”

Er, what? George H.W. Bush was a popular president IIRC. He just had the misfortune of running a lousy re-election campaign and having a well-funded opponent from his right (Ross Perot) siphon off enough votes for Clinton to win in 1992.