[nathanbedford]

Handicapping winners and losers:

The reality is that there are only three candidates in the running: Romney, Herman Cain and Gingrich. Because the author and a couple of posters include Gov. Perry, I will throw him in.

Of these candidates only one is on an upwards trajectory, the other three are on a down slope. Rick Perry is unquestionably crashing, his performance simply was not good enough to redeem him from his disintegration. Cain has fallen dramatically and, as the author points out, his performance only aggravates that trend. Mitt Romney seems to be holding his own but that is only because his former rivals have failed so dramatically and his standing looks improved on a relative basis.

Only Gingrich is on the upswing and his improvement is absolute not just relative. He augmented his positive trend in this debate as he has in every debate.

If Newt can withstand the onslaught which will come not just from the left but from here on FreeRepublic as well, he will be well on his way to the nomination. Now that he is the front runner from a momentum point of view, he will of course become the target du jour. I cannot conceive of a candidate better able to cope with what is to come and it is well that he is because he will have much to respond to. It will take a full-time scorekeeper just to sort out the baggage which is real and that which is urban legend.

If Gingrich has the stuff, and I think he does, he will inoculate himself now for the campaign.

We shall see.

[nikos1121]

You and I have been on this forum a long time. I think without checking, this would be our forth election together.

I agree with what you say. My only thought is what I posted a few moments ago. Romney has energy. He’s a young man. What he says is spot on regarding dismantling the huge bureaucracy of cushy gov’t jobs.

I think he will be a good president, maybe a great one.

Newt in my mind, can hold his own with anyone.

Right now, my ticket is Romney/Gingrich

[xzins]

I agree.

[Jim Noble]

Newt has, I think, grown up.

I am, of course, a sinner, and I have a few sins from my younger days that are similar in kind (not frequency) to those of Newt Gingrich.

Having passed through repentance, all I can say if and when those sins are thrown in my face is that the person you are talking about has died and been reborn.

Newt should be more popular on FR, and maybe he will become so.

We have not heard from JimRob on this topic, I don't think, so the jury is still out.

[Guenevere]

I vehemently don't agree!

Gingrich has a lot of baggage.....sure he can sound good, slick even.....and substantive....

...the next day he can slide around to the other side...

..he's done it before.....I don't trust him to not do it again.

Cain is strong....neither you nor the MSM will dilute the strength of his character or abilities just because you want him out of the game.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Good analysis!

Newt is very capable of combating the Press and the smear campaign they are sure to launch against him. It’s time we had a candidate like that, frankly.

I think this election is headed that way by the looks of it. Newt has very a clear vision of the status of International Affairs as well as how to handle immediate crisis. His stance on the border was also very logical and made sense.

If Gingrich wins, I would feel comfortable that he would do the right thing. He seems to have learned not to sleep with the enemy and forever has cast away, his moderate tendencies. Time will tell, but I remain cautiously optimistic.

[shield]

Newt believes the Constitution is irrelevant today. So yes, the onslaught against a very dangerous man who should never be President and must be stopped.

Contract With America: The Betrayal Begins

Creating a New Civilization: The Politics of the Third Wave

Newt Gingrich Rides the Third Wave

"In 1994, Newt Gingrich described himself as a... fan of the ideas espoused in the book, The Third Wave by Alvin Toffler, in which homosexuality, promiscuity, adultery, divorce, and abortion are all viewed as perfectly normal and even desirable. He said that in order to understand him, you should read the book, The Third Wave by Toffler. This book is written from the perspective of someone who is writing a letter to America’s Founding Fathers, in which he describes the Constitution and the principles of limited government that guided our Founding Fathers as becoming increasing irrelevant, and obsolete, and hence in need of being radically redesigned and replaced!....When Newt Gingrich became the Speaker of the House in 1994, he recommended The Third Wave as required reading for all of his Congressional colleagues!"

‘Newt’worthy or Not?

Newt: Too Green for 2012

Reminder: Newt Gingrich Teamed Up With Hillary Clinton, Wanted Government MANDATED Health Care

Flashback: Newt Took $300,000 From Freddie Mac to Stop Congress From Making Much Needed Reform

Newt's record is as bad if not worse than Romney.

Newt is for amnesty and in June 2011 Debate Newt Gingrich called Americans Heartless for wanting to deport 20 million illegals.

"GINGRICH: No, but let me say this, John. No serious citizen who's concerned about solving this problem should get trapped into a yes/no answer in which you're either for totally selling out protecting America or you're for totally kicking out 20 million people in a heartless way. There are -- there are humane, practical steps to solve this problem, if we can get the politicians and the news media to just deal with it honestly."June 2011 Debate Transcript

[pgkdan]

The reality is that there are only three candidates in the running: Romney, Herman Cain and Gingrich. Because the author and a couple of posters include Gov. Perry, I will throw him in.

Cain's campaign is dead, they just haven't lain down yet. His performance last night was abominable. Without being able to grin and say 9-9-9 he's lost!