Posted on 11/20/2011 8:28:57 AM PST by BarnacleCenturion
A Smart Politics content analysis of the last seven nationally televised debates since Rick Perry entered the race finds that Newt Gingrich is the only candidate yet to be on the receiving end of the more than 150 verbal attacks that have been levied by the Republican field.
Smart Politics first pointed out the lack of criticism Gingrich was receiving from the other candidates in a report published a month ago after the first four debates with Perry.
Now - three debates later - the numbers are even more stark.
After more than 11 hours of debate time and 158 barbs traded back and forth across the stage, not one (politically) poisoned dart has been thrown in Gingrich's direction.
Mitt Romney has now overtaken the fading Rick Perry as the most common target of criticism during the debates, receiving 59 verbal jabs, or 37.3 percent.
Romney is followed by Perry with 55 (34.8 percent), Herman Cain with 22 (13.9 percent), Ron Paul with 10 (6.3 percent), Jon Huntsman with five (3.2 percent), Rick Santorum with four (2.5 percent), and Michele Bachmann with three (1.9 percent).
And then there is Gingrich with zero.
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.lib.umn.edu ...
I suspect that’s about to change. We know Bachmann and Santorum are not afraid to challenge the front-runner. Cain is Newt’s buddy, so he probably won’t. I saw Romney hit Newt hard on the individual mandate a while back. Perry can’t string three words together so forget him.
One of the reason Newt is doing so well is he is the one candidate that carefully avoids ever directly attacking any of the other candidates.
GOP voters want candidates that keep the focus on the real enemies, not on each other.
I think they are finding it hard to attack him because generally he praises the rest of the field. Attacking him would make them look “mean”.
As time goes on that will change though.
Newt has also been good about not attacking the others. He has scolded the media when they wanted him to go after one of his fellow debaters. If he is the front runner, the attacks will start. Bachman has already gone after him on abortion.
A vote for Gingritch is a vote for Obama.
“he is the one candidate that carefully avoids ever directly attacking any of the other candidates”
The proverb about the man who lived in a glass house comes to mind..
The next debate will be interesting to watch.
you see that on this forum:
the newties get insulting and indignant if anyone criticizes
his godship, newt.
ala obama 2008.
How correct you are. How about the writer also applying the same to how the media and establishment have stayed away from the obvious warts (figuratively) on Romney’s face. This I see as another attempt to get the candidates to start eating each other alive while doing so will stray away from criticizing the record of the Obama administration and the gawd awful record on legislative history of Romney.
As far as going on the attack against Newt, what rational person would try to disingenuously start ad-hom attacks against a man that can shred them without requiring the intellectual energy to blink?
They can raise credible issues that he has already addressed and is also addressing at this time and each of us can make their own determination as to the veracity and honesty of his answers, which I have made none at this time. The forum last night in Iowa was very good and it shows those who did attend (missing was Romney and Huntsman) are more interested in addressing the issues rather than attacking each other. Each can make their own decision as to why those who missed attending did so.
When you point out the flaws in the cult figure, the cult followers attack the person pointing out the flaws. You cannot reason with a Cult of Personality you can only laugh at it.
McCain started gaining ground in the polls in August 2008 when they ran ads mocking 0 as "the one". Unfortunately McCain inner RINO surfaced and he backed off running the ads because they were driving the MSM nuts
Mockery is the only way to effectively fight a Cult of Personlity.
They are mindful that he hasn’t attacked them.
They also do fear how sharp his barbed response might be.
The trick is to differentiate yourself from the other candidates without looking selfish by attacking them directly. Newt does that very well.
The moment when Romney slapped Newt down has really gone unnoticed for the most part. It was pretty bad from a substance standpoint.
I think Newt is fixin to get the original Perry treatment and he wont be able to handle it.
Romney is a good a debater as Newt if not better and he has a cooler demeanor. I have seen him pissed in the 08 debates when everyone was praising McCain and he was trying to win while going after McCain and when Perry got in his face. Perry looked worse but Romney lost his cool a bit.
Newt if far too message focused to fall into that trap.
Newt is smart enough to realize that these food fights among the GOP candidates at debates do nothing but help 0.
Instead Newt would simply side step the attack and stay on his message.
One of the reasons he is doing so well is he specifically avoids ever directly attacking any of the other candidates.
But I know, don't bother the Newtbots with basic facts. Having to actually think about these this is far too difficult. They would rather spend the time worshiping at the shrine of St Newt.
How many anti-Newt threads can you post in a day?
Romney, Cain, Huntsman or Perry could get rid of Newt, Santorum and Bachman with one question: Why have you who have served in congress not ever tried to get rid of the insider trading rule?
Romney is a good a debater as Newt if not better and he has a cooler demeanor.
I agree with this. That's what's coming next. The other interesting thing is that now that Newt is a player, is he going to stick to his 11th commandment, anyone up on this stage is better than Obama routine, or is he going to get in the mix?
And I predict that person will be Ron Paul. Of all people Newt has openly disagreed with, respectfully mind you, is Paul on some of his views. Unless desperation rears its ugly head by one of the others, they will stay away from attacking him personally. All the same, Newt has no problem with addressing issues and one’s record and he will conduct himself accordingly.
Newt is not my favorite but he is close. I have more vetting to do in regards to them all and as I have said all along, the only time for setting your decision in stone is right after you put the gear selector in PARK before going into the precinct.
Just hit Newt on the individual mandate. If it’s a disqualifier for Romney, why not for Newt?
I think it has more to do with the other candidates wary of taking on Newt. Of all his flaws, being quick witted and the ability to think on his feet is not one of them. He does not have to rely on talking points.
When you point out the flaws in the cult figure, the cult followers attack the person pointing out the flaws. You cannot reason with a Cult of Personality you can only laugh at it.
We’re not talking about Herb Cain cult here. Are you on the wrong thread?
As many as his mom will let him...
I am sorry but considering your posting history it is impossible to take your commentary seriously. You have yet to make a single rational post.
Newt has really prospered being the media critic and the nice guy on stage. Romney will bring up Newt’s past transgressions. It will be fun to watch those two duke it out and I’m here to say Romney will win that fight.
And you’re not a Cain Cultist?
I believe the others KNOW they can’t lay a glove on Newt in a legitimate debate of an Issue.....and don’t want to be slapped silly with his debate skills.
In addition to that, Newt can keep his focus off of Romney because he can plainly see, through decades of experience, that Romney is going nowhere. He has remained stagnant since the candidates started running.
Sooner or later, it will come down to these two and Romney will attempt to go after Newt. That will be his final failure in American Politics. Newt will send Romney back to the minor leagues and solidify his reputation as the Home Run King.
Here’s the exchange:
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/romney-gingrich-individual-mandate-was-your-
It starts with Santorum hitting Romney. They get into a small shouting match. A lot of folks here thought it made Romney look bad, complaining that it’s his turn to speak. But in the end, he does get to speak, and at the end of his remarks, he gets a big round of applause. He’s looking over, smiling at Santorum who’s left sighing in the corner.
Then Newt gets his turn, and takes a shot at Romney. And Romney hits back at Newt, that Newt supported an individual mandate. It reminded me of Joe Pesci in “My Cousin Vinny”. He gets Newt to admit he supported an individual mandate and it’s like, “I’m through with this guy.” Newt tries to hide behind the Heritage Foundation, and fails.
At that point, the clip ends, but Romney was actually having fun and continued to crush Newt and get applause.
Now, does this make me a Romney-supporter? No. But that’s what I saw at that debate. Newt is going to have to answer for the individual mandate, his eco-policy ideas, and many other things. I don’t think he’ll survive it.
At that point, the base can either decide to put all their chips on Cain, or live with Newt, who is not that distinguishable from Romney on policy or debate skills.
And who do you think the total GOP electorate will choose? Romney or Newt, once Newt has been thoroughly raked over the coals? Just sayin’.
Since he got into the food fight with Perry at that debate, his polling numbers have been trending constantly downward.
Newt has avoided that "eat our own" trap and his poll numbers have trend consistently upward.
What ever your opinion of Newt's merits as a candidate, you cannot fault his political skills this fall. He has hit all the right PR notes while avoiding any serious missteps.
What you have to wonder is when the other shoe is going to drop, when "bad Newt" will rear his head.
Newt like Romney, is a target rich environment, both of them have long documented history’s of being on the wrong side on many issues.
ROFL.
I suspect it’s not that all Gingrich’s competitors are afraid to criticize Newt.
I strongly suspect they’re afraid Gingrich will answer in kind. More effectively, leaving them jabbering in stunned humiliation.
That’s what I think. Gingrich has an awesome way with words. And he’s been around college students enough I’d bet he’s capable of a seriously effective verbal beat down in a pinch.
I’m sorry but in your role as the chief priest of the Cult of Newt it is impossible to take anything you post seriously. You are so far gone in bot worship of Newt, you have lost all contact with reality.
I am sorry but considering your posting history it is impossible to take your commentary seriously. You have yet to make a single rational post.
I agree with you.
Offusation, personal attack and diversion. SOP posting for you Cult of Personality bot posters.
Yes sir.
“A vote for Gingrich is a vote for Obama”
Uh no. Gingrich will shred Obama in a head to head campaign. Most of the other contenders won’t have the guts to say what needs to be said. Newt will say it and say it well.
LOL! Congratulations, you have not only invented a new word for the World to ponder, but you also gave the momentary illusion that you are highly intellectual, have great writing skills and are seriously objective.
Well, at least in regards to your opinion of yourself, that is.
You’ll find - if you dig a little - that I’ve posted some negatives comment on most of the other candidates - to include Newt.
What I’m not going to do is dredge up old news. Why? Because it’s old news - especially Newt’s past. Who doesn’t know about it by now? If and when, Newt - or any other candidate - does or says something new, disagreeable, and worthy of comment, I won’t hold back any punches.
I been critical of the whole bunch and have labeled to whole field as a crap sandwich.
So no... Cult follower not I...
At about minute twenty-one, IIRC: http://sheya.com/2011/11/08/newt-gingrich-on-special-report-center-seat
When all else fails, they simply start lying
Romney has tried obliquely to bring into focus Newt’s three marriages (two of his wives still support him, politically) by asserting when the opportunity arose his long marriage to the same woman. Romney has a left-liberal heart. That means he’s the sneakiest one on the stage. Romney and his supporters try to focus minds on a contrast of his marital history jutaposed with Newt’s marital history. It keeps those minds off of Romney’s leftist history.
Underline “recent”. Man, what a lying weasel he is. Didn’t I just hear the other day that Newt supported an individual mandate on Meet the Press this year? And anyway, his whole justification—everyone was doing it—is pathetic.
Thank God we also have you around to define everyone else’s opinion. We certainly could not function with out it.
“A vote for Gingritch is a vote for Obama.”
One would have to be intellectually and morally bankrupt to make a statement like that. That is something the msm and the dimoKKKRATS do on a daily basis. Plus learn how to spell the man’s name correctly.
Newt’s other recent comments:
““I agree that all of us have a responsibility to help pay for health care. And I think that there are ways to do it that make most libertarians relatively happy,” Mr. Gingrich told the host David Gregory. “I’ve said consistently, where there’s some requirement you either have health insurance or you post a bond or in some way you indicate you’re going to be held accountable.”
From May, 2011.
Um, of all people, you should not be accusing folks of lying. You tried to float a lie about my posting history yesterday. You were caught out and have yet to go through my posting history to try and prove your lie that I have been runnning around trashing all the other candidates. You lied boldly, and have run away from it until foolishly calling Newt supporters liars. Do I need to post the link to your big lie from yesterday?
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