I see where Dick’s coming from. Aside from Newt’s opening question, I do think Santorum won the rest of the debate. Santorum has been remarkably inconsistent, and was pretty lousy in Monday’s debate, but I think Thursday was his best debate. He landed a whole lot of blows on both Mitt and Newt and they both kind of had to dodge with their answers. Of course he didn’t win it nearly as decisively as Newt won Monday’s debate. In the post-debate interview, my read on Newt’s demeanor was that he was slightly disappointed he didn’t reproduce the same knockout performance from Monday.
Santorum’s post-Iowa speech on caucus night was his next best moment of the campaign. I also think he probably won the Huckabee forum last Saturday. Before that he’s had scattered isolated questions in the debates where he also did very well, but a lot of inconsistency in both his presentation and content.
Still, I don’t think this performance from Santorum will be enough to gain him much in SC. Newt and to a lesser extent Mitt dominated the conversation this week and it’s not like Newt’s Monday performance will be forgotten.
I do think Santorum’s looking better and better as a V.P. pick for Newt, although I’ve been saying he would be the best pick for a month or two now. He can shore up support from social conservatives and spend a lot of time campaigning strongly in the rust belt industrial states. I also like the idea of a President and V.P. who actually have a lot in common, not these awkward pairings of conservatives and moderates like Reagan/Bush and McCain/Palin.
I am worried about the path to Super Tuesday for Newt. These states seem mostly like blue states, which not being an expert, I would assume would be more favorable to Mitt just like New Hampshire was, but could be wrong. Newt’s best state in this list, Missouri, is that non-binding primary which Newt didn’t get on the ballot for.
February 4, 2012
Nevada (caucus)
February 4–11, 2012
Maine (caucus)
February 7, 2012
Colorado (caucus)
Minnesota (caucus)
Missouri (primary)
February 28, 2012
Arizona (primary)
Michigan (primary)
March 3, 2012
Washington (caucus)
Dick thought Santorum scored well enough to really dig into Newts vote and maybe even beat him. I totally disagree. Yes, I know Santorum got some digs in, but those don’t necessarily help you. I don’t think they helped him.
Sometimes, if you are torn between two candidates, the one who does the attack ticks you off and you end up siding the one who was attacked. And the rules in these things is that you attack, and then the person responds. Well, Santorum kept butting in and wanting a third bite at the apple and it was all so unseemly.
We’ll see. If he gets around 16%, he did ok. Much above that, and he had a good debate. Much below that, and his debate was a loser.
Dick thought Santorum scored well enough to really dig into Newts vote and maybe even beat him. I totally disagree. Yes, I know Santorum got some digs in, but those don’t necessarily help you. I don’t think they helped him.
Sometimes, if you are torn between two candidates, the one who does the attack ticks you off and you end up siding the one who was attacked. And the rules in these things is that you attack, and then the person responds. Well, Santorum kept butting in and wanting a third bite at the apple and it was all so unseemly.
We’ll see. If he gets around 16%, he did ok. Much above that, and he had a good debate. Much below that, and his debate was a loser.