Posted on 01/31/2012 12:46:02 PM PST by Maceman
As I reported this morning, Newt Gingrich is pleading with Florida voters not to "waste" their votes on Rick Santorum, asserting that he alone is the only conservative alternative to Mitt Romney with a chance to win. Given the state's polling picture, that's not an entirely unreasonable argument to advance, but Newt has taken his rhetoric a step further by calling on Santorum and Ron Paul to drop out of the race and unite behind him. Newt floated the same suggestion in South Carolina, which went over about as well as his latest attempt to clear the field:
Rick Santorum on Tuesday morning pushed back against calls to drop out of the GOP presidential race in order to unite the conservative vote. Santorum told Fox News that people like fellow GOP candidate Newt Gingrich shouldn't tell other candidates to "get out of my way." Gingrich, earlier in the morning, called for conservatives to unite behind one candidate. In the past, he has suggested other GOP candidates drop out of the race in order to avoid splitting the vote. "My message is everybody should run," Santorum told Fox News. "I don't think people should be telling other folks to get out of the race and get out of my way. If you want to run a race, run a race. You don't ask someone to quit just because you think you're the better candidate. I think I'm the better candidate but Newt has every right to run."
If Santorum had really wanted to twist the knife a bit, he could have mentioned the latest data from Gallup, which shows that Gingrich is the Republican nominee worst suited to compete with President Obama in crucial swing states. According to the survey, Mitt Romney narrowly leads Obama among registered voters in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Santorum and Ron Paul each poll within single-digits of the incumbent in these states. What about Newt?
But Obama leads Gingrich, 54%-40%. The president's standing against him has risen nine points since early December; Gingrich has fallen by eight. Gingrich fares less well than Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who trails Obama by seven points, 50%-43%, and former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, who also trails by seven points, 51%-44%.
Based on this snapshot, Santorum could make the case that if conservatives want to defeat both Romney and Obama, Newt should be the one getting out and backing him -- although the former Senator's quote suggests that he'll do no such thing. Also mentioned in my piece this morning was the indignant carping from Gingrich and his surrogates about "profoundly false" attacks and "gutter politics" emanating from Camp Romney. How would Newt characterize this robocoll from his own campaign, targeting elderly and Jewish voters in Florida?
Santorum’s chance of becoming President is equivalent to my being able to teach a pig to sing.
Raebie to Rick: If you would do the right thing and drop out, he would stop telling you to.
Of course they lied. They want Romney. Newt is totlaly up against it. Between Romney’s money and the media distortion, it’s a wonder Newt is still in the thick of it. Most would be destroyed by now. That tells you something about Newt.
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Too lawyerlike. Too self-absorbed. Too holier than thou. Perhaps comes off as too judgemental of others maybe?
And the family ...nice and all, but not ALL of us have seven kids and can homeschool, and live that wonderfully blessed existence.
I just think Rick would come in my house and perhaps give my life the white glove test. Yikes.
Newt — well, you could have him for dinner — nah, we’d go OUT to dinner — to somewhere elegant — (because he could care less about what’s in my house), and the conversation would be absolutely fascinating, whereas Santorum would just talk about himself a lot.
I like Rick too but look at the national poll. Newt is the one tied with Romney and it’s been that way for a while. He already has more support for the long haul. He also has the resources to compete for the long haul. If Rick would drop out, I’m sure Newt would have a job waiting for him. Sooner or later, you have to look at the big picture.
The “not Romney” vote totals are very telling.
But Newt needs to pull votes from the others, not be donated votes to lose.
Okay. To be fair if this article is using this morning’s FOX interview with Newt, he didn’t really call for Santorum to drop out.
After Gretchen was done with Newt, they brought on Rick, and Gretchen said “what do you think about Newt calling for you to drop out?”
See how that works? She kept asking Newt if he was calling for Rick to drop out. Newt said something to the effect that “I think Rick should do what he wants to do, but that we are splitting the vote to give Romney the win”.
Of course Rick could also ask Newt to drop out! Fair is fair. LOL
La Enchiladita to Newt: “I find it despicable that you would imperiously demand another candidate to drop out of the primary race, as though you are a dictator and can deprive the voters of their choice. You are not only a delusional out-of-touch egotist, you are anti-democracy.”
Leave it up to the voters to decide who should stay in and who should get out. Btw, did Newt also demand that Wrong Paul drop out?
I like Santorum on a personal level, but I’ve never cared for his candidacy. He always seems to come across as the child that doesn’t get enough attention.
Might’ve been his attacks on Perry in the debates that first turned me off, but him staying in the race taking votes away from Newt isn’t helping change my opinion.
I like Santorum on a personal level, but I’ve never cared for his candidacy. He always seems to come across as the child that doesn’t get enough attention.
Might’ve been his attacks on Perry in the debates that first turned me off, but him staying in the race taking votes away from Newt isn’t helping change my opinion.
I feel the same way, I can't put my finger on it.
It's obvious he has ZERO charisma. After watching many debates he comes across as a bit arrogant and "better than the others."
Reagan was a master at spreading Conservatism and a belief in the greatness of America. He made you feel good about America. With Reagan it was about his ideas, not about himself. He was a great leader.
It seem Rick is trying to make it about "Rick" while trying to sell Conservatism. He needs to be more humble. He rubs me the wrong way.
OK. You are not one of the foaming-at-the-mouth-in-hatred-of-Santorum folks I’ve seen all day. My biggest issue is not that Rick drop out or stay in, it is the over-the-top vitriol that is poisoning the discussion today.
Hey Santorum.... DROP OUT.
I have, he plays the martyr roll.
I agree. And I now support Newt. But, at least, if Newt is going to make this statement, he should do so privately to Rick. It just does not look polite or good, even if he is right. It makes him look like the bully his opponets claim that he is.
Santorum is not stupid, nor are any of the candidates. They all know what Newt is saying is a consequence to face, and he is not telling them anything new about campaign votes. But for Heaven's sake, let the man make his own decision and be patient. The results will be what they will be, but Newt could lose Santorum's supporters by beating on the guy. He could have turned them to his favor by keeping quiet.
If Newt has found religion, let him prove he has also found faith!
Can’t you GOPe, Mitten voters get some original talking points? The “sitting on the couch” quip has flooded FR today by Romneybots. Boring.
If Santorum wants to play with the big dogs, then it is time for Gingrich to start advertising against Santorum. He has gotten a free ride so far.
IBTZ!!! The Viking Kitties have been summoned.
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