With respect to Rick Perry, once he said he was going back to Texas to reassess, he already acknowledged his own doubts and defeat. He has already lost most of his support by saying what he did in his speech.
It appears to me that Newt’s advisors are telling him that he can outdo Santorum one-on-one and this will be apparent if Newt can really take on Romney. Morris made an interesting analogy from baseball that you have to win your division and pennant before you go to the World Series. Newt’s rise came from the excitement that conservatives had when they heard and saw and believed he can beat Obama. Romney stands in his way, not Rick Santorum. If anything Newt has been a mentor to Santorum. So I think Morris is incorrect. We need to first pick the conservative who can beat Romney.
Romney has very powerful support from the establishment. The fact that he is embracing John McCain is the clearest sign. The establishment was what he had to take out BEFORE he could take out the Democrats in ‘94. The establishment never forgave him for that and were behind forcing him out in a phony baloney ethics scandal in ‘98.
The establishment is terrified of Newt because he has a history of taking them out as well as the Democrats. The establishment senate will never forgive him for pushing Clinton’s impeachment because it forced them all to make a stand against Clinton and their moderate wimpiness wouldn’t do it. Without Newt Gingrich we would have had President Gore. He left with a strong economy and strong republican base in both houses of congress. The moderates pi**ed it away.
So if we can help Newt get Romney out, Newt will be the evident choice and his positioning relative to Santorum will work itself out. Santorum is an ally but he is not a match politically for Newt - very few people are.
Excellent Post and bang on, all counts!! Great read. YOU are a master pol, and Newt would be lucky to have you on his strike team. Hope you are! I like a concise speed course on the facts. You just gave one.