Posted on 02/29/2012 12:46:39 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Nashville, Tennessee (CNN) -- NewtGingrich zeroed in on RickSantorum as a "big-labor Republican" Monday, and said the GOP presidential race is "going to redefine itself again" one week before crucial contests on Super Tuesday.
The longtime Georgia congressman praised his opponent's successful early state strategy but predicted on February 28 Santorum will lose to Mitt Romney in Arizona and Michigan, two states Gingrich ceded so he could focus on March 6 primaries that include his home state and Tennessee,..
"You will see things start to clarify if, as people expect, you end up with a Romney victory in Michigan. I think you'll see Santorum getting a very different look," Gingrich said. "He has had two weeks of being the alternative. The fact is, I think there are profound reasons that Rick lost the Senate race by the largest margin in Pennsylvania history in 2006 and I think it's very hard for him to carry that all the way to the general (election)."
…….Gingrich raised some potential red flags for Santorum in the South, pointing to Memphis-based Federal Express as an example.
"And when he comes South - take the case right here - he voted for the unions over FedEx. I suspect most folks in this state don't know that. But in fact, he was a big-labor Republican in Pennsylvania, and I suspect when you get to Memphis and you say to people 'Gee, this is a guy who wanted to guarantee that FedEx gave into the unions,' Santorum won't be quite as popular the following morning," Gingrich said.
…..Santorum leads with 33% among registered and likely voters surveyed. Romney came in second with 17% and Rep. Ron Paul had 13%. Gingrich picked up only 10% but he could benefit from the 27% surveyed who were still undecided.
He barely pulled it out and he knows it. Check out the expression on his face:
Mitt Romney averts disaster in Michigan primary
_____________________________________________________
And then there is this Romney exchange from yesterday:
"When pressed by reporters, Romney acknowledged he had hurt his campaign with a series of comments in which he seemed to casually flaunt his wealth. Over the past several days, Romney mentioned his wife drives “a couple of Cadillacs” and told an Associated Press reporter he has friends who are NASCAR team owners.
A reporter asked if these remarks had hurt him.
“Yes,” Romney said. “Next question.”
Quite true, but a mistake the country recently proved eminently qualified to make.
Makes me think of Ronald Reagan and how he fired 11,000 Air Traffic Controllers that went out “sick.”
I watched for about 5 minutes early into it, they couldn't hide it.
At somepoint, does the EGOP wake up to Romney's vunerability and look to Newt as the only acceptable Mitt replacement?
Time will tell...
I heard that pollsters in MI saw a trend to Santorum as the vote neared, among people who had not already voted and were deciding late.
But it was said that early votes Romney had already bagged were an unknown, but possibly a decisive, factor.
Looks like that’s exactly what played out. To project a Santorum win you had to discount early votes which favored Romney.
However, if enough people had responded to the robocalls and other incentives to vote Santorum, he could have still pulled it out, when you look at the margin.
That he didn’t, means he was extended to the edge of his potential, that he was maxed out, so to speak, which could mean he had problems of his own that held his own vote a bit in check.
Both of the candidates have serious weaknesses.
Newt has the strengths they lack.
Overwhelmingly.
Getting that “out there” is the challenge.
My brother lives in TN.
Newt’s personal baggage will hurt him in that traditionalist state.
Otherwise he, and not big labor RS, would be leading there.
It PAINS me.
The E would rather lose than back Newt Gingrich.
That’s my money quote.
You can bank on it.
You are probably right, how silly of me to think they would give up the Shrimp Bar at the K street get togther for Vinyl Siding Manufacturers and their desired tax credit when Newt would offer an optional 15% Flat Tax.....
How dare you give your opinion, don’t you know that this forum is for yes men only!
heh
My prediction is that Tennessee will not look at that baggage as the ultimate piece of information. We (native Tennessean here) also believe in forgiveness.
True. Romney went to Harvard. Newt went to Emory and Tulane. End of story.
Whaaaaaaaaaah. LOL
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