Gingrich: Some 'Brand New Players' Might Emerge At GOP Convention

WWNO ^ | Marcj 22. 2012 | NPR People: Mark Memmott

[Cincinatus' Wife]

6:51 Audio

Saying that Mitt Romney may not be able to "grind his way toward the nomination" despite a huge fundraising advantage, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told NPR today that he sees no reason to exit the Republican presidential race and that there's a chance of a new contender emerging at the party's convention in August.

"I'm not so sure you wouldn't get a series of brand new players" stepping forward during a brokered convention, he told Morning Edition co-host Steve Inskeep.

Or, he said, he might emerge as the convention's choice. Gingrich said he expects to end the primary season with the third most delegates — with Romney at No. 1 and Rick Santorum at No. 2.

Gingrich also repeated criticisms he has leveled at Romney throughout the campaign. First, that "conservative voters are deeply worried about Gov. Romney." Second, that if the former Massachusetts governor is heavily outspending his GOP rivals and "is barely winning" in the battle for the nomination, there's "no reason to think Romney is going to with the general election" against President Obama.

More from the interview is due on Thursday's broadcast of the show. We'll add the as-broadcast version of Steve's conversation with the former House speaker to the top of this post after it airs. Click here to find an NPR station that broadcasts or streams the show.

[Still Thinking]

How dare you say that I heard O’Reilly himself tells us we were idiots if we thought that FOX was rooting for Romney.

But since he claims we ARE idiots half the time, is that his coded way of confirming that they are?

[butterdezillion]

So who do we need to vote for in Nebraska, Wyoming, etc in order to make sure that Mitt doesn’t win? Santorum? How many states has he won so far? Gingrich has won one?

And how do we get the R’s to admit that Santorum won Iowa, like he did?

[Still Thinking]

I’m starting to think that Sarah and Newt have a plan, or, maybe, have had a plan all along.

Here's what I posted in another thread, plus a couple additional thoughts:

I've been developing a suspicion/fantasy that the plan is to keep WrongMee from getting over the top during the primaries, so there is some degree or other of brokered convention. Then Newt proposes a Palin/Gingrich or Gingrich/Palin ticket, and asks uncommitted and newly unbound (assuming they make it past round 1) delegates to vote for that ticket. A number of things are making me wonder about this:

• When Palin withdrew in October, she predicted an unusual nominating process, even using language some interpreted as alluding that she might be back in the running at convention time.
• When she bowed out, it seemed as if her objections were more to the rigors of campaigning rather than serving.
• She consistently refuses to endorse WrongMee, compliments Newt's strengths, and says he should stay in the race.
• None of the current candidates inspire the base like she would, so she might be very appealing to some of the delegates, given the distasteful alternatives
• If this is the plan, it might have begun as a contingency. When she withdrew (didn't run), there were a number of conservatives in the running. If one of them took the ring, fine, but this plan might have been the backup for the kind of catastrophe that faces the GOP now.
• From this very thread: This morning Gingrich said: "I'm not so sure you wouldn't get a series of brand new players stepping forward during a brokered convention" to Morning Edition co-host Steve Inskeep.
• Gingrich comes across as strangely untroubled, given the apparent disaster his campaign is suffering, as though he knows everything is proceeding at least reasonably according to plan.

[carjic]

She is really the only choice. She will at least try to change everything. Not saying she can get it done. But i don’t believe anyone else will even try.

[Still Thinking]

The GOP needs an enema.

NO!! They're more than enough $hit NOW.

[Still Thinking]

Oops! Mean to say they EMIT more than enough now.

[Still Thinking]

Imagine liberal heads exploding on live tv.

Sounds messy, but I'm willing to make that sacrifice.

[comebacknewt]

I am willing to roll the dice.

I can't stand any of the current guys.

[SarahPalinForPresident2012]

Sun Tzu

[lag along]

Reading the rules previously posted, it would seem that there could be a motion made to suspend the rules at the very start of the convention. If that passed, then these 5 state requirements would not be in force.
As for Mitt, a good 1/3 of his delegates now come from states where he will lose to Obbabbabama and those coming up such as California are sure losers. Mitts delegates do not reflect at all the electoral votes he might have a shot at.

[USARightSide]

You might have something there - - -

One thing now seems sure - - it won’t be Jeb Bush popping up at a brokered convention - - -

[Gene Eric]

>> Newt doesn’t know what he is talking about here.

LOL, and there you are, the lone voice of doom in the middle of a bodacious Newt thread... Nonetheless, good to have you here, FRiend.

[Gene Eric]

My tag, eh, eh? I know something...

[plenipotentiary]

Obama will be outed as not qualified, not a natural born citizen, then so will Santorum and Romney, leaving Newt as the only constutionally qualified candidate in the primaries, so he will have won all of them. He will be the nominee, and Sarah Palin the VP. A dominant Repub majority for the Senate and House will follow.

[Joe the Pimpernel]

Guess you’ll have to settle for Myth, then.

[dt57]

I will vote for Rick Santorum in the general election if I have to. But if Newt Gingrich dropping out will help Rick Santorum be the nominee, then NO way. He would lose badly. Now, I understand how important it is to stop Romney, but not with Rick. It is either Newt or an emerging candidate from the convention for me.

[dt57]

I am indeed a Sarah fan, but I truely believe she needs some work.

I will vote for Rick Santorum in the general if I have to, but he will lose.

A Rick Santorum loss would be better than a Romney win for me. Romney might win the general election be would be an God awful president.

This is where I am with Rick Santorum’s recent statement: Mitt Romney would be worse than Obama. Go Rick!

But Newt is the one.

[Amntn]

On Super Tuesday I was watching the coverage on CNN and they had someone in Alaska at Sarah's polling place. They stopped her and asked her a question about being at the convention. I wasn't paying attention and I don't know exactly what the question was but Sarah answered “you never know” with one of her sly grins.

The interviewer seemed to think there was something newsworthy there and the people in the studio said something to the effect that maybe Sarah had something up her sleeve but then they dropped it for some kind of breaking news and never brought it up again.

I wish I had been paying closer attention and knew what the question was but I have a hard time watching CNN without watering it down by doing something else when its on.

[itsahoot]

Newt Gingrich dropping out will help Rick Santorum be the nominee, then NO way.

Newt dropping out of winner take all primaries would not change his delegate count one bit, but it might deny Romney the delegates. How is that not a win, win?

Newt is barely beating Ron Paul, and in some case not, you need to accept that, else we put Romney against Zero, and I really, really doubt he could win.

[garjog]

“I doubt they would improve it. They have too many moderates —who were afraid to jump into the fray — waiting in the wings.”

OK, what about Ryan?