Conor interviews Phil about his new e-book, Conservative Survival in the Romney Era, which argues that the right must give Mitt Romney the close scrutiny it failed to give George W. Bush. Phil believes Romney only won the GOP primary because of the failure of the conservative base to settle on a credible alternative. Conor wonders why Republican primary voters refused to even consider Jon Huntsman as a candidate, despite his conservative record. The two disagree about whether Tea Partiers confuse being principled with being combative. Phil argues that when it comes to the deficit we have a spending problem, not a revenue problem. Conor insists that a commitment to limited government ought to include restraining the national security state, and criticizes the GOP for being unconcerned with civil liberties.