Posted on 02/15/2012 11:09:33 PM PST by VinL
Just three weeks earlier, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was sailing high. He won the South Carolina primary and seemed headed for Florida with the wind at his back. That was before Mitt Romney ripped him apart with the toughest and nastiest ads I have ever witnessed. To Romney's great credit, he buried Gingrich with ads and two strong debate performances in one week.
After the next three states to vote chose Rick Santorum over Romney and Gingrich, it appeared the race was an open battle once again. But then came the conservative CPAC gathering in Washington. Gingrich gave a speech that received standing ovation after standing ovation, but when the straw poll of "attendees" was taken, the lack of resources and organization slapped Newt in the face again.
Romney is nothing less than a political animal, equaled only by Barack Obama. And that is perhaps why "establishment" Republicans support him ... he is disciplined and politically tough enough to take on President Obama.
The national press is working overtime to pronounce Gingrich a dead duck. And, if he and his separate super PAC don't get their separate efforts under control, Super Tuesday could be a "Super Disaster" for Gingrich.
So what is a fading speaker to do? Newt needs to take what money he has left, ditch the plane and the policy wonks, choose one pre-Super Tuesday primary and attack Romney and Santorum with everything he has. The "Good Newt" strategy has proved to be a bust. No one wants good this year. He can't compete in Michigan because the other two major candidates have resource and natural-base advantages. Furthermore, since he is lagging in the polls, Romney will be forced to go all-out so as not to be embarrassed in one of his "home states."
Newt must be wondering what happened to all the money in his super PAC. The PAC was overwhelmed by Romney television ads in Florida, and reportedly, it wasted huge amounts on radio in the Sunshine State, while Gingrich was being savaged by Romney on TV. And remember, folks, TV always trumps (no pun intended) radio.
His campaign and PAC better come out swinging. Gingrich needs to explain why Santorum (whose votes on issues related to big labor and the minimum wage are highly vulnerable) and Romney are from moderate-to-liberal states where political survival required some pretty non-conservative actions. And he needs to say it in ads and in debates.
And no, I am not Newt's Kellyanne Conway. He put his money down with her as his "dream team" pollster, and he's stuck with the results. I just know that you cannot limp into Super Tuesday with no wins and no second place awards.
It will be a miracle if Newt's band of "Merry Men and Women" can invent a springboard strategy that could salvage the next few weeks. If he were to put all of his resources in Arizona and blew the other two major candidates up at one decibel level meaner than them (and that is pretty mean) on television, Gingrich could not only pull an upset, but turn momentum around just before Super Tuesday. Arizona is home to the next major televised debate, scheduled just a few days before the vote.
But for Gingrich to survive, he will have to shed the "grandfatherly" approach to life he has applied and become the relatively ruthless, tough, unforgiving person I used to know and love. If he does that, then Lord help Mitt, Rick and the rest of this rather questionable field of GOP candidates who currently seem to be assuring President Obama's re-election. When Gingrich has money and a taste for political blood, he can upset anyone's applecart. But when the Three Stooges are running around the cart and he has no apples, the story is not funny, nor has it a happy ending.
Newt did attack Romney hard in Florida. The problem was that he attacked him from the left instead of focusing on Romneycare.
Not sure going negative works for Newt.
But, what do I know?
Myself, I like his direct approach. The others do the same. but they smile while they stab the other opponent. That seems to make a difference.
Only one thing he can do- He parks himself in Arizona, and hopes that there’s a “blood feud” between Rick and Mitt in Michigan that brings them both down. That’s sort of what Rick did- he let the other 2 duke it our in Fla— and he slipped off to the other states and flew in under the radar.
I’m not sure anything will work for Newt at this point unfortunately. Fact of the matter is, I think we’re going to nominate the candidate that has the least chance of beating Obama in a general election. I don’t even care anymore.
I fear it was all predetermined.
We didn’t have a chance. :(
“Fact of the matter is, I think we’re going to nominate the candidate that has the least chance of beating Obama in a general election. I don’t even care anymore.”
No, we’re not going to nominate Ron Paul.
Ron Paul doesn’t even figure into this.
Going negative is the wrong way to go.
He needs to focus ENTIRELY on speeches explaining his positions and strategies for the country. This hurts Rick since Rick doesn’t really have an impressive platform. This hurts Romney because it shows that Newt can campaign without giving in to the Hate Machine.
Newt has all the media fighting him, the ‘company’ want romney
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OynCgwmD-HM&feature=share
you need to watch this
Who was convicted of doing what?
Mr. Gingrich is going to have to do better than he did here in Colorado last week in the days leading to the caucus.
Few, if any TV or radio ads.
Few, if any mailers.
Few, if any robocalls.
Newt’s campaign stop was very short, and was confined to the more liberal part of the state.
All off the other candidates were down here in Conservative/Tea Party central.
On Caucus night, no one wanted to hear his name. It was Santorum all the way. I was frankly shocked, but understood. If the candidate doesn’t show up, people think he isn’t engaged in the race, or that he isn’t serious.
There is still time of engage the voters. People do not want Romney if there is any other possible option, from what I saw.The opportunity is there. Newt needs to grab it.
very true, but it is the national broadcasting that sways the people
the ‘company’ has been arranging this kind of stuff for a long time ..
http://www.kennesaw.edu/pols/3380/pres/1948.html
George W. Bush was considered by many to have been "selected" by the Supreme Court, not elected by the people.
Yet his party made no move toward election reform.
I believe the electoral process is a hoax, both parties are in on it, and we are living under a tyranny far more vast than almost anyone imagines. We won't get out of this mess by way of the ballot box.
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