Romney accomplished his mission. He put the words “resigned in disgrace” in people’s heads.
Gingrich did nothing to remove it. “Resigned in disgrace” is not a label you can flick off your sleeve.
Again, I disagree.
“Resigned in disgrace” is obviously not so, since Newt Gingrich is standing there the winner of the S Carolina debate.
He did not resign in disgrace, he resigned as part of political gamesmanship and a group of near-sighted republicans.
Now, is it best to get in the weeds defending your speakership, or is it best to deflect it and respond via education?
I choose the latter in THIS case.
If this charge came from someone with any degree of credibility, it might have more effect. But coming from Romney, it will have no effect whatever. It won’t slow Newt down or deflect him from his course, and it is unlikely to change anyone’s mind.
On the other hand it does make Romney look even smaller and pettier than before, if that’s possible. I didn’t see the debate but I have seen Romney leveling charges at Newt in other recent fora, and he looks like a ninth grade weenie who has been turned down for a date by a girl who is going out with his best friend instead.
IOW, like a loser with a big “L” tattooed on his forehead.
There's much time to counter that jab. Like maybe how come Romney isn't still governor of Mass? Don't misunderestimate Newt. He's in the zone right now.
Newt has another debate to remedy the deficiency that you see. Romney, however, failed to name names while Newt did (which Congressmen did Newt approach, Romney?), so Romney came off as making unsubstantiated accusations.
I agree with you that many, if not most of the viewers are ignorant. Absent being spoon fed a rebuttal, they'll have to go with their gut, if they are choosing between Romney and Newt. In other words, to those people, the facts really don't matter at all - all that matters is their impression.
If Mr. Romney brings that “resigned in disgrace” line up again, Mr. Gingrich can answer him with:
“People tell me that YOU, Governor Romney, “resigned in disgrace” from the Governorship of Massachusetts. You knew you couldn’t win reelection because your popularity had dropped to less than 40%. So you “moved on”, just as I did after Republican “big spenders” in the house formed an unholy alliance with the Democrat “big spenders”.”
“Which is more disgraceful? That my team of patriots brought the GOP to a majority position in the House? Or that your “big spending” ways nearly destroyed the Republican Party in Massachusetts?”
You know I never even remembered that tacky thought of Romney’s until I just read it here.