Sheldon Adelson Meets With Romney Backers, Says Newt Gingrich Is ‘At The End of His Line’

Washington Post ^ | March 29, 2012 | Felicia Sonmez

[Steelfish]

Sheldon Adelson Meets With Romney Backers, Says Newt Gingrich Is ‘At The End of His Line’ By Felicia Sonmez

Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire Las Vegas casino mogul who has played a prime role in funding Newt Gingrich’s presidential ambitions, now thinks the former House speaker may be “at the end of his line” in the race for the GOP nod.

And not only is Adelson openly speculating about Gingrich’s political future, but he’s also been meeting with allies of former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.

In remarks Monday to about a dozen people on the sidelines of the Jewish Federations of North America’s annual TribeFest conference in Las Vegas, Adelson said that when it comes to the GOP delegate race, the math is not in Gingrich’s favor.

“It appears as though he’s at the end of his line,” Adelson said of Gingrich. “Because, I mean, mathematically, he can’t get anywhere near the numbers, and it’s unlikely to be a brokered convention.”

Video of the remarks was published online Thursday by the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles.

The statement by Adelson is the latest sign of Gingrich’s dire straits in the Republican nominating contest. Earlier this week, news broke that Gingrich was dismissing one-third of his campaign staff and scaling back his schedule on the trail. The candidate has also begun charging $50 to supporters who wish to take a photo with him at events, National Journal reported.

[Steelfish]

Sheldon Andelson's real intent may well have been to derail Santorum by helping Gingrich split the anti-Romney vote in the crucial elections in MI (where Romney won by 3% and Gingrich siphoned off 7% of the vote) and in the major bell-weather state of OH where Romney beat Santorum by under 1% and Gingrich garnered a paltry 14% of the vote. These defeats stalled Santorum who otherwise would have changed the momentum in his his direction and would almost certainly have transformed the trajectory of this campaign. There is internal polling data from PPP that suggest that 57% of Romney voters would have voted Santorum had he not been on the ballot in MI and OH.

[Cicero]

Well, I think he’s right, that Gingrich doesn’t have a chance at this point. But why would he want Romney to win?

[Parley Baer]

Conspiracy theories aside I want to thank Sheldon Andelson for the help he gave Newt in his quest for the Presidency. IMHO he backed the right man. This country needs a man like Newt.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

I take what ever comes out of the wahington compost with a grain of salt.I think I will wait to hear that straight from Mr. Adelsons people.

[Christie at the beach]

-> There is internal polling data from PPP that suggest that 57% of Romney voters would have voted Santorum had he not been on the ballot in MI and OH

Lololol..from a liberal left poll. Newt is not getting out.
Can't you accept that. Newt is our only hope that conservatism survives in the conversation.

[Theodore R.]

So this Sheldon was really funneling all this money to make sure Santorum was denied momentum that would have led to victories in MI and OH? Makes sense; it’s our little Republican primary voters who make no sense.

[txhurl]

Adelson wants online gambling to remain illegal (as do I) and both Newt and Mittens support that.

[Jonty30]

Why do you suppose that a gambling magnate might be wanting to support specific politicians?

Do you think that Padre Santorum would legalize offshore gambling?

[Bobbisox]

Something stinks in this story. I get the feeling that Adelson is pulling some strings behind the scenes, for Gingrich or against him? I have a good eye for bulls$$t when I see it and this stinks to high heaven. Is Adelson on Gingrich’s side, or for his own best interests?

There is more to this story than meets the eye, I just don’t know what it is. The establishment and their boy Romney are really getting desperate. Just who are they trying to take out? Santorum or Newt? I feel there is a slight of hand going on here and I thought you all might have some answers.

[itsahoot]

Conspiracy theories aside I want to thank Sheldon Andelson for the help he gave Newt in his quest for the Presidency.

No Need for Conspiracy Theories here, facts will do just fine. Newt pulled enough votes to keep Santorum from damaging Romney. Mission accomplished.

[Diogenesis]

We will NEVER vote for backstabber RINO Romney

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Romney for Obama in 2008

Late in October, The American Spectator's The Prowler revealed:
"Former Mitt Romney presidential campaign staffers…
have been involved in spreading anti-Palin spin to reporters, seeking to diminish her standing after the election.
'Sarah Palin is a lightweight, she won't be the first, not even the third, person people will think of when it comes to 2012,'
says one former Romney aide…
'The only serious candidate ready to challenge to lead the Republican Party is Mitt Romney.
"Some former Romney aides were behind the recent leaks to media, including CNN, that Governor Sarah Palin was a 'diva' and was going off message intentionally."

---

The Palmetto Scoop reported: "One of the first stories to hit the national airwaves was
the claim of a major internal strife between close McCain aides and the folks handling his running mate Sarah Palin."
"I’m told by very good sources that this was indeed the case and that a rift had developed, but it was between Palin’s people and the staffers brought on from the failed presidential campaign of former Gov. Mitt Romney, not McCain aides."
"The sources said nearly 80 percent of Romney’s former staff was absorbed by McCain and these individuals were responsible for what amounts to a premeditated, last-minute sabotage of Palin."
… aides loyal to Romney inside the McCain campaign, said The Scoop, reportedly saw
that Palin would be a serious contender for the Republican nomination in 2012 or 2016, which made her a threat to another presidential quest by Romney.

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"These staffers are now out trying to finish her off ….hoping it would ingratiate themselves with Mitt Romney."

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"Who's the Palin Leaker from the McCain Campaign?
National Review Online The publication of a Vanity Fair profile of Sarah Palin
appears to have opened old wounds in the McCain campaign.
... the source of the “Diva” leak was Nicolle Wallace’s husband."

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"Peeking Out From the McCain Wreckage: Mitt Romney"

"Someone's got to say it: IS MITT ROMNEY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBAMA'S VICTORY?"

"Vanity: Team Romney Sabotaged Palin and Continuing to Do So?"

"Romney Supporters Trashing Palin"

"Romney advisors sniping at Palin?"

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