Posted on 11/04/2011 6:31:27 PM PDT by presidio9
Newt Gingrich predicts the race for the GOP nomination will come down to two weary candidates: "This will end up being Mitt and Newt."
Gingrich, the former Georgia congressman and speaker of the U.S. House, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday that his campaign is now where it needs to be and that by December he'll have the resources to compete head to head with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
"And Romney is the real competitor," Gingrich said in his Buckhead campaign headquarters, where he rallied two dozen volunteers before heading to Duluth for a town hall meeting sponsored by the 7th District Republican Party.
An obviously upbeat Gingrich said he survived June and July, which he called the darkest two months of his 53-year political career, and is poised to make a serious run at the nomination.
It's a remarkable turnaround for a candidate many pundits and news outlets had declared out of the race earlier this year. And while polls have shown Gingrich inching into sole possession of third place -- including a Quinnipiac poll released Tuesday that had him distancing himself from fourth-place Rick Perry -- he's still at least 10-12 percentage points behind Romney and Atlanta resident Herman Cain.
But Cain has suffered through four days of brutal news coverage over allegations of sexual harassment from when the former Godfather's Pizza CEO was head of the National Restaurant Association. Polls have yet to reflect any impact of the charges, and it's unclear whether Cain will slip from the top tier as have past challengers, such as Perry, the governor of Texas, and U.S. Rep. Michelle Bachman, R-Minn.
Gingrich, who suffered through his own bouts of scandal earlier in his career, said Cain needed to hole up somewhere and figure his way out of this mess.
"My first advice is what he hasn’t done, which is say nothing until you sit down with your lawyers and with the people who know the facts," Gingrich said. "You thoroughly and completely understand them and you go through a period where everybody asks you -- in your team -- every possible negative question so you thoroughly understand what will happen."
Gingrich said Cain is going through "a rough patch" and whether or not Cain survives Gingrich said he is ready to eclipse Cain.
"We just had the two best days," Gingrich said. "We raised more money Monday than we ever had before and we raised more money Tuesday. Those two days we raised 50 percent more than we raised in July."
As for critics who say he lacks the resources or organizational strength to compete in Iowa, whose caucus will be held Jan. 3, Gingrich said there's more than enough time.
"That’s part of what’s funny all summer," he said. "I work back from victory. Victory in Iowa starts about the 10th of December. Everybody else was saying, ‘Oh my gosh, look at August, look at September.' I’m like, well, it’s not the 10th of December."
The American people, Gingrich said, are tough and expect their leaders to be tougher.
"The job of the political leader is to reach past the distractions and to continue to communicate what they think matters, and to try and do it in a way that the American people decide they offer a better future," he said.
In Duluth, before about 300 local Republicans, as well as several local tea party leaders, Gingrich unveiled plans that he said could save the federal government trillions of dollars. His plans include turning Medicaid into a block-grant program that would allow states to tailor plans for its needs.
Questions from the audience dealt with national security, federal spending, concerns about the Environmental Protection Agency and border control.
And you voted for John Kerry in 2004 because the WMD that Bush had talked about were never found. Correct?
I’m guessing Paul Ryan is going to endorse Mitt Romney, so.... will Paul Ryan then have thrown the conservative movement under the bus? I hope I’m wrong, but his recent statements lead me to believe he will back Romney.
“If Gingrich can maintain his trajectory I think a 50/50 chance exists that a “former” Democratic president could end up supporting Gingrich... not officially, but essentially.”
I have said the same thing! Bill Clinton will take little shots at Obama here and there, and throw some praise to Newt Gingrich on occassion. Will be interesting.
Trash talking the other candidates while posting emotionally hyperbolic hymns of praise to Newt will not change Newt's record.
Newt is McCain 2.0.
In a head to head match up against Obama Newt polls worse even then Paul.
Why? Because rightly, or wrongly, the perception in voters minds is he is just another DC Establishment suit. They see Newt as part of the same political class that created our current problems.
Be stupid politics in the current political environment for the GOP to nominate someone 0bama can credibly paint as "part of the Wall Street/GOP Political Establishment that wrecked the economy" in voter's minds.
I might have,but the box I checked read”George W, Bush-Republican”
Excellent opportunity to watch Cain and Newt in action TONIGHT...take and compare notes. Airing on C-Span and hosted by the Texas Tea Party
It sounds like you have no interest in voting for anyone capable of beating Obama in 2012. Someone constantly making jokes during debates won’t cut it.
varina...great opportunity to watch Newt and Cain debate tonight. Even if neither one is your man...it will be held in the Lincoln Douglas format and with a lot less interruptions. Hosted by the Texas Tea Party in Gov Perry’s backyard. I like it because some journalist wont come on every min and spin....The long-form format of the Cain-Gingrich debate will consist of only three or four basic questions, a moderator who will try to stay out of the picture and a great deal of crossdiscussion.
The debate will focus on federal entitlement spending — on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Gingrich will be specifically required to defend his criticism — later retracted — of U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan’s plan to reduce a $14 trillion deficit.
Cain will be required to explain the intricacies of his “9-9-9” plan — a measure that includes a 9 percent corporate tax rate, a 9 percent personal income tax rate and a 9 percent national sales tax.
Newt has been very vocally against, say, the “super committee”. The super-committee is embraced by the establishment. Have you heard anyone come oout in such a blunt, brutally honest way against this whole idea of a “super-committee” than Newt Gingrich?
Newt’s not perfect, but he cleary the best running.... by far. To compare him to John McCain is ridiculous. McCain could connect with people at all. He read speeches prepared by others, with no passion at all. Watch Newt address a crowd or give a speech. Hate Newt all you want.... but his message/vision resonates with people based on the substance of what he says.
This is what Newt did accomplish and you can’t take it away from him. Yes, I have heard Newt speak on his policies on solutions and on his site..on the news and all over the place. As a co-author of the 1994 Contract with America, Gingrich was in the forefront of the Republican Party’s dramatic success in that year’s Congressional elections and subsequently was elected Speaker of the House. In 1995, Time magazine named him “Man of the Year” for his role in leading the Republican Revolution in the House, ending 40 years of the Democratic Party being in the majority. During his tenure as Speaker, he represented the public face of the Republican opposition to President Bill Clinton. Under his Speakership, Congress passed and Clinton signed the 1996 reform of welfare, a capital gains tax cut and the first balanced budget since 1969.
Oops.... meant to say “McCain COULDN’T connect with people at all” in the above post.
Thanks for the explanation. I learn something new everyday. Now if I could only figure out how this new Windows 7 computer works and how to print from it I would be happy. I miss my XP. It was so simple.
Thanks Katie, I plan to watch it.
Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2011 11:50:22 AM by casinva
Heads up all ye who want change from another Obama term in 2012. There’s only one man for that job: Rick Perry. Voters said so in Wisconsin.
Perry topped Obama 46% to 42% in a Rasmussen poll. Should Obama run against Mitt Romney, Obama would win 45% to 41%. Should Obama run against Herman Cain, Obama would win 47% to 41%. The poll makes a case for Perry if Americans really want to see Obama out.
The Rasmussen poll surveyed 500 Wisconsin voters by phone, not a sampling of voters nationwide. But the trendline is up for Perry and a bellwether as the GOP candidate who can ‘take it away’ next November.
The rest of the GOP field is losing its glitter. Meanwhile, Perry continues his ascent toward the top; this, amid purported poor performances at debate. What’s going on with that?
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
If the ‘lady’ you’re referring to is Sarah Palin, don’t hold your breath waiting. Ain’t gonna happen. He wouldn’t offer it to her and she wouldn’t accept.
IF Cain wins the nomination, he will need someone like Newt who complements his own experience, which on the federal level is severely limited. Cain has no experience in governing. Once elected, the team will have to govern. And that is certainly something Newt knows about.
He might choose Gov. Kasich, someone like that, who’s had important Washington experience as Budget Committee Chair. Not to mention that OH would be handy, tho I’m not so sure Kasich would accept, either. A successful governor might do; I’m going to assume Perry wouldn’t be on Cain’s short list.
Not entirely true, I was totally down for Sarah, now I am heavily leaning Newt. I like Cain but he does not strike me as being a serious candidate. Great guy, much to admire in him but not yet ready for the job of president. Oh and the Sexual harassment charges against Cain, piss me off. Total media BS, someone from politico needs to serve time.
I’ve thought about this a long time. Newt was my congressman for all the years he was in Congress. If you ignore the totally unacceptable personal flaws he has with respect to a figure’s personal life choices on a political career, you are left with his on-task thought process.
On the one hand he is brilliant in a policy-pushing perspective kind of way. Hit hard, hit intellectually with reason and logical argument. On the other hand, there is an academic arrogance that defies the basic tenets of this country’s founding “You don’t know what’s good for you so I’ll tell you.” His arrogance in some instances is breathtaking: global warming and eco-nut-ology, amnesty, and his penchant for “Contracts with....”......
I’ll not be voting for him in the primaries; I’ll have to wait to see how I come down on the general election if he’s on the ballot. Right now, I’m not inclined, thank you.
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