Postmortems rarely solve the mystery of political deaths.  Yet we tend to search for clues that suggest why some wannabes fall by the wayside while others manage to keep in the race. Money matters, of course, though elections are harder to buy in a cyber-world.  And it is a mistake to assume that voters necessarily cling to a rigid political philosophy like life rafts in a turbulent sea.  Too much time is spent among Republicans, for example, arguing over who is more "conservative" than whom, and who said what about which issue when and where.   Make no mistake: a contender's position on the issues is important.  People relate best to those who think as they do.  But they also tell pollsters that they want someone who can find common ground.  These two virtues are often at odds, since the longer candidates serve in public office, the more vulnerable they are to have their compromises misconstrued as inconsistencies.  Purists...(Read Full Article)