The PR battle was lost before it started, and Newt had to call off the fight to avert even greater political ctastrophe.
Ask the next ten people you meet, Who caused the gov shutdown back in the '90s? If they even know it happend, 8 or 9 will say "Republicans."
I disagree with your premise.
The rat infested newsrooms only REPORTED that the ignorant chattering class was "blaming" Republicans for the shutdown. In essence, the scumbags merely "reported" a conclusion that they wanted to see all along. It was nothing less than high-tech push polling by the scumbag Democrat newsrooms, so naturally it didn't take long for outside polls to support the conclusion they wanted. (They have always engaged in this kind of operation for their party, and the practice continues today.)
Gingrich and the cowards didn't have to cave. In fact, I believe that if Gingrich and the Republicans had steeled themselves, continued to forcefully make their case, and even upped the ante a little, they could have ultimately swayed public opinion in their favor.
I honestly fell over backward when I heard the news that the Republicans had folded like a cheap suit. I remember feeling at that time as though the tide was just beginning to turn in our favor. I was head-shakingly disappointed, and I will never let Newt off the hook for that.
FRegards,
LH