Why Romney lost

Here is the best analysis I've seen as to why Mitt Romney couldn't capture the nomination:

What Romney didn’t account for is that it would take more than being a CPAC, or Agenda Conservative to win the nomination. Country Music Conservatives — and frankly, most voters outside the Beltway swamp — don’t listen to your words; they listen to your tone of voice as you’re delivering those words. Do you get angry when you should? What’s your sense of humor like? For social conservatives, are you grounded in faith? And ultimately, are you the real deal?

This has nothing to do with being right on issues. It has everything to do with being authentic.

I liked Romney and thought he was fairly authentic, but then I am an Agenda Conservative, as Patrick Ruffini puts it.