Posted on 11/05/2011 2:39:42 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
While Mitt Romney has remained a constant in polling for the Republican presidential nomination at around 25-28%, inconstancy has been the constant among his opponents. Michele Bachmann became the first to ride a wave to Romney’s relative polling position, only to fade when Rick Perry entered the race. Now Perry has faded after a series of awful debate performances and Herman Cain has taken his place for the last six weeks. If Cain can’t maintain his momentum, who will be the next Not-Romney? Byron York reports from Iowa that it may well be Newt Gingrich:
For days, there’s been talk of a Newt Gingrich boomlet in the Republican presidential race here in Iowa. After Friday night’s Reagan Dinner at Hy-Vee Hall in downtown Des Moines, that Gingrich boomlet talk might turn into talk of a Gingrich boom.
Five candidates — Gingrich, Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, and Ron Paul — addressed a crowd of about 1,000 GOP faithful at the state Republican party’s biggest fundraiser of the year. In brief interviews after the dinner — the only question was which speaker did the best job — audience members were unanimous: Gingrich, Gingrich, Gingrich.
“It was Newt,” said Chad Kleppe of Waukee, Iowa. “I think he’s the smartest one in the field.”
“Gingrich knocked it out of the park,” said Earlene Nordstrom of Fort Dodge, Iowa.
Byron talked to twelve people at the event, and all twelve scored it a knockout for Gingrich. Neither Romney or Cain made an appearance at the Reagan Dinner. Romney sent his son, who confessed that he had no idea where his father chose to be rather than the Iowa GOP’s big fundraiser. York also wondered why Cain, who said this week that he must win Iowa and is conducting a money bomb specifically for that purpose this week, chose to stay in Washington DC rather than try to keep momentum with an appearance. Both are attending AFP’s Defending the American Dream conference, and Cain has been a regular on AFP’s circuit, and presumably committed to that event long in advance of his sudden rise in the presidential polls.
Why is Newt poised to catch fire? York credits Newt with a counterintuitive strategy, at least for the former Speaker and his public reputation: he is on a charm offensive. No, really:
Gingrich won the night in large part by doing one simple thing: He lavished praise on his fellow candidates. Perry has been “my mentor on the 10th Amendment,” Gingrich said. Bachmann deserves credit for efforts to stop the Dodd-Frank financial regulation bill. Rick Santorum has worked to “rouse America to understand the challenge of radical Islam.” Ron Paul has been “consistently correct” about a sound dollar. Gingrich did not offer praise for the two frontrunners, Herman Cain and Mitt Romney, who skipped tonight’s dinner. But had they attended, Gingrich said, “I would have said nice things about them, too.”
“I am here with very fine competitors, but no opponents,” Gingrich concluded. “We only have one opponent, and that’s Barrack [sic] Obama.”
Gingrich has figured out that voters in this primary want to be inspired, rather than choosing which candidate to despise least. Herman Cain has campaigned the same way, and his optimism and vision has been a key to his ascent to the top tier. If that seems odd considering Gingrich’s well-earned reputation as an infighter, it’s another indication that Gingrich is a master at politics and campaigning. He has another advantage that some of his opponents — excuse me, competitors — do not in this regard. Unlike Tim Pawlenty, Cain, Romney, and everyone else currently or formerly in this race, Gingrich has earned his reputation for hard-nosed battles inside the Beltway. He can afford to be gracious now, but no one thinks for a moment that Gingrich would insist on a rainbows-and-flowers campaign in a general election.
Gingrich’s polling has begun moving upward in the last couple of weeks. Who would have guessed in May that Gingrich would have the second-highest positive intensity score in the field in November, tied with Romney behind Cain? Plus, even though Cain was the immediate beneficiary of Perry’s debate performances, the lesson may well redound to Gingrich’s benefit in the longer run:
“He is so good,” said Becky Ervin of Urbandale. “I want to see a debate between him and Obama.”
We’ll see more of that tonight in Gingrich’s Lincoln-Douglas style debate in Texas with Cain. If Republicans want a proven substantive fighter who can out-debate Barack Obama, they may come to Newt Gingrich — even if it’s just by default.
Update: The Right Scoop gives us the video of the speech itself, and it’s just as York described:
Not unless we’re particularly gullible.
“Hotair”
‘nough said.
Gingrich had his turn. He’s a Democrat in RINO clothing. Conservatives don’t vote Democrat.
Newt has the experience. But, brother, all that baggage over the years.
I'd really have to be at my wit's end to vote for Newt in the Primary.
He's just got too much baggage, too much Political smugness and is like a chameleon in a crayola box. He knows how to sing the the choir. His song changes depending on what church he's in on any given day.
Newtus Agustus is part of the problem, not the solution.
And this is what some in the GOP think will save the Country?
Get real.
NOPE !
TURN? Lord save us from candidates’ “turns”
Conservatives dont take money from Rainbow Push and conservatives do not donate money to democrats in Nebraska AFTER they have joined the republican party.
Conservatives DO work for a balanced budget...than you Mr Speaker:) hope everyone watched the Newt/Cain debate tonight. 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.
He has a lot of dirty laundry to wash out before I get on board.
The question isn't so much can Cain maintain his status as a top tier candidate; it's whether the self-proclaimed experts can maintain THEIR status if he does.
Newt Gingrich has his attributes but he is not the conservative choice for president. Vice President? Maybe. A Cabinet position in a Republican administration? Perhaps. It’s not just the infamous ‘baggage’ that concerns many FReepers but Newt’s apparent lukewarm conservatism. Still, should the decision come down to Romney or Gingrich, most of us would vote for Gingrich. Were it Obama and Gingrich, well, no contest. However, like many, I remain a staunch Herman Cain supporter, although, depending on the final primary vote, Newt might be seriously considered for VP, when the smoke clears at the nominating convention in Tampa next summer.
Nope. Because Conservatives know Gingrich is merely the GOP Establishment’s mole.
Please let it be Gingrich. This country has some SERIOUS problems that call for serious people. The clown twins Romney and Perry don’t have the intellect. Cain is the only other reasonable choice. Who will deal with Iran? Who will deal with the emerging caliphate? Who will deal with the socialists stirring up the young skulls full of mush. Romney? Don’t make me laugh.
Donated to Cain’s senate race...can you say LIBERAL RACIST ORG....http://www.rainbowpush.org/
HotAir’s mission: to elect Mitt Romney by any means. They have slammed Cain relentlessly for the past 3 weeks, and failed. So now it’s time to pimp Newt, who has no chance. ANYTHING to protect Mittens’ right flank.
So are you saying that Cain is a liberal racist.
Surely you have the courage to come out and say so if you believe it.
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