PALM BEACH, Fla. – Rush Limbaugh, the popular voice of the political right, says he’s genuinely perplexed by the re-election of Barack Obama to the presidency.

“I went to bed last night thinking we’ve lost the country. I don’t know how else you look at this,” Limbaugh said today in his post-race analysis.

“Small things beat big things yesterday. Conservatism in my humble opinion did not lose last night. It’s just very difficult to beat Santa Claus. People are not going to vote against Santa Claus, especially when the alternative is being your own Santa Claus,” he continued. “In a country of children where the option is Santa Claus or work, what wins?”

“Every Obama voter may not be religious, but they believe in Santa Claus. And you know what else they believe about Santa Claus? That Santa Claus doesn’t judge anybody. You’re gonna get your stuff no matter how you behave. You’re gonna get your stuff whether you’re a good guy, bad guy, or a non-entity. Santa Claus isn’t judgmental. In fact, Santa Claus loves you because you have the deck stacked against you.”

Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly proffered a similar comment Tuesday night when he was asked why the race was so tight between Obama and the Republican nominee, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

“Because it’s a changing country. The demographics are changing,” O’Reilly said. “It’s not a traditional America anymore. And there are 50 percent of the voting public who want STUFF. They want THINGS. And who is going to give them things? President Obama. He knows it and he ran on it. Whereby 20 years ago, President Obama would have been roundly defeated by an establishment candidate like Mitt Romney. … The voters, many of them, feel that the economic system is stacked against them, and they want STUFF. … People feel that they are entitled to things, and which candidate between the two is going to give them things.”

Limbaugh said there is no rising to responsibility among the majority of the current U.S. populace.

“There’s just a demand that the gravy train to continue, and we have an administration that’s promising an endless gravy train,” he said.

“Until people understand how big government reduces prosperity for all, they’re going to be fooled by little things, by marketing, by smooth talkers, by faux compassion.”

Limbaugh noted conservatives have to face some truths.

“We are outnumbered and we are losing ground. This was not a glitch, this is the trend,” he said.

“We’re four years into tyranny winning. And guess what. No matter what happens, it’s Bush’s fault. Obama’s getting a Mulligan. Obama’s getting a do-over.”

But while some have suggested the Republican Party abandon some of it principles to appeal to a wider audience, Limbaugh disagreed.

“If there’s one option that hasn’t been tried in a long time, it’s called conservatism with a capital C,” he said. “This was not a conservative campaign.”

“We’re gonna have to go back and redefine how propserity happens in this country. And conservatism and the Constitution are the best way to make it happen.”

Limbaugh also offered praise for Mitt Romney, calling him “one of the best human beings that I’ve ever met.”