I expect much agreement on #4 that now “Gingrich is toast.” Many blogs and news outlets are saying the same thing. Even Rush had said that Newt is weighted with loads of baggage. The money and momentum will now shift to Santorum If he beats Romney either in AZ or (especially) MI on February 28 this will be a seismic shift and there will be a tsunami of pressure for Gingrich to bow out of the Super Tuesday primaries.
I see Newt as a flawed yet heroic sort of character, who generates lots of energy and excitement when he’s hot and hitting on all cylinders (like when he tore John King a new one). But then there’s the whiny, grumpy Newt that isn’t very appealing, and there’s the reality of his “baggage”, such as it is.
For me, the two tend to balance out, after the debate is over and the excitement of the moment has faded and I’m reading the news and trying to decide why Newt isn’t doing better. Maybe last night showed that others who are evaluating Santorum see a more favorable balance than they are left with in Gingrich.