Newt grabs himself a South Carolina lifeline. Gingrich wins debate as Mitt Romney stumbles

Mail Online ^ | 17 Jan 12 | Toby Harnden

[xzins]

Newt Gingrich's fluent, policy-rich performances in the early debates, laced with derision for the media's attempts to question the Republican candidates, propelled him to the front of the GOP pack in early December.

His command of the stage here in Myrtle Beach for the 16th (yep, there have been that many, and the next is in Charleston on Thursday) could just be the lifeline he needs to achieve the task he has set himself - overcoming Mitt Romney's clear lead in the South Carolina polls to win the state on Saturday.

Romney was under pressure over releasing his tax returns (he eventually said that he would "probably" do so in April), on why he had not objected as Massachusetts governor to felons on parole having the right to vote and he gave an awkward, fumbling response to a softball about whether he had been hunting since 2007, even mixing up moose and elk.

Gingrich, however, ... scored quite a few points against Romney and the former Speaker's fluency with policy and ability to dissect questions and make a big-picture conservative case against Obama made him the night's big winner.

There were two standing ovations for Gingrich in the hall, where 3,000 Republicans roared, cheered ...

Gingrich said that in the debate room "there was a strong sense that somebody finally just had the courage to tell the truth about how we've got to go about helping people".

"...it's clear if you look at the polls the only conservative who can beat Romney in South Carolina is Newt Gingrich... we have five days to win South Carolina. I think we will win South Cariolina."

A lot of conservatives are queasy about Romney and unconvinced that he could beat the President in November.

[GOPsterinMA]

I’M IN PAIN, SWEET RICK IS GONE!!!

“TEARS”