Santorum’s star is fading.
I believe Perry’s endorsement of Gingrich might start others looking at Santorum’s 11% behind Paul and have them begin movement toward the Gingrich camp.
They know Palin is right. The conservative vote in S Carolina cannot go to big government liberal, Mitt Romney.
No one says they cannot pick Santorum back up again in Florida, but Romney must not win S Carolina.
Iowa, though, should cause caution. Romney apparently managed to influence the precinct procedures (cheating) in Iowa. Gingrich needs to get some of his people in every precinct to insure an honest vote.
and thus the very reason for Marrianne's interview airing tonight.
Newt won big the other night, has all the positive momentum and the combination of Palin's psuedo-endorsement and now Perry's endorsement all point toward Conservatives coalescing around Newt.
TPTB both Obama and GOP-E know that Newt is in position to grab all of Santorum's support and put Romney away, so they are firing the biggest shot they can right now in an attempt to scare away the evangelicals that are the core of Santorum's support. They also are hoping the interview will take any additional air out of the room that Newt might get from another dominant performance tonight.
I fully expect that CNN will try and be cute and will hit Newt full force with stuff about fidelty etc in an attempt to pile on and get him off his game.
In that regard tonight is THE pivotal night of 2012 - PERIOD! If Newt comes out firing and fights off the Marrianne interview and then dominates the rest of the debate it will be game, set, match on Romney.
Tonight will decide the Republican Nominee and the path of this country forward as a Constitutional Republic or a Socialist cesspool -- the vote Saturday night will just cement it.