I don't think that's what is happening.
It seems much more likely that Gingrich showed his liberal side and a conservative is calling him on it.
In this most important election, we don't need a clever echo to the Bambi agenda, an that's what the author is pointing out.
If Newt has eliminated himself (I hope so), his departure and that of Huckabee (and the "stumbling" by Romney as well) simplifies the field by removing some of the faux conservatives.