Sorry to beat a dead horse

I've meant to post on this article by Pat Buchanan since it came out Friday. I know I've talked a lot about the whole Ferraro incident but I feel like this article is the epitome of the misunderstanding of this entire issue.

What Geraldine Ferraro said is palpably true, and everyone knows it...John
F. Kennedy would not have gotten 78 percent of the Catholic vote had he not been
Catholic. Hillary would not have rolled up those margins among white women in
New Hampshire had she not been a sister in trouble. Mitt Romney would not have
swept Utah and flamed out in Dixie were he not a Mormon. Mike Huckabee would not have marched triumphantly through the Bible Belt were he not a Baptist preacher and evangelical Christian. All politics is tribal.

I agree with the last bit, but this does not imply that what she said was true. In fact, it helps illustrate that it is false. Buchanan is exactly right that Romney ran away with Utah because he was Mormon and 'flamed out in Dixie' because he was a Mormon. Would Buchanan maintain that being a Mormon was beneficial to Romney? The fact is it wasn't. If you're running for governor of Utah I bet it helps but on a national scale there are many more people who are uncomfortable with the idea of a Mormon president than there are Mormons who would unfailingly vote for a Mormon. That is one of the reasons there aren't many nationally successful Mormon politicians.

All of the cases he mentioned were/are running against the odds. Why was it such a big deal when JFK got elected if being catholic was such an advantage? Why haven't we had a black or female president if they are such advantages? It's because they help in certain demographics but hurt overall. All of these traits may make a politician unique and stand out but it does not help them win elections and history bears that out quite completely.

You know what is an advantage in American politics? Being white, male, and protestant.

Come on now, Pat Buchanan. You have been on the political scene not to believe this Ferraro nonsense. It makes absolutley no sense and I'm surprised anyone didn't laugh when they heard it.