Timing of Gingrich exit from GOP race has observers scratching their heads

http://thehill.com/ ^ | 04/25/12 | Justin Sink

[samtheman]

Newt Gingrich will exit the presidential race — but not until next week, raising eyebrows about what exactly the former Speaker hopes to achieve in his final days on the campaign trail.

The conventional wisdom is that Gingrich is taking some kind of strange victory lap, gathering family and supporters in North Carolina for a final hurrah before exiting stage right.

[samtheman]

Secretary of Energy Gingrich

Secretary of the Interior Palin

[Bigtigermike]

Palin for sure will never be an Interior or Energy Secretary — those departments are gateways to the graft and cronyism going on with campaign blunders, congressmen and companies. Thatch something that Sarah has been speaking out against and I doubt Mitt would allow her to change the “status quo” -— He has to pay his cronies too that donate to his campaign

[TexasFreeper2009]

Gingrich is leaving just as we were getting to May with Gingrich friendly states everywhere... just as Santorum left right before Santorum friendly Penn.

...

we have all been had! This was a freaking setup from the start.

[corlorde]

Newt’s probably more surprised than anyone that he did as well as he did.

[kabar]

Newt is $4.3 million in the hole. He needs money.

[TomGuy]

we have all been had! This was a freaking setup from the start.

Duh!

It was an almost-identical pattern of 2008. Numerous 'conservatives' splinter the conservative vote, while the one elite preferred sidles to the nomination.

Huckabee hung on to insure that Romney never got momentum in 2008. Santorum and Gingrich played the role in 2012.

[wyowolf]

His MASSIVE EGO

[TomGuy]

Newt’s probably more surprised than anyone that he did as well as he did.

If that IS true, then he wasn't the smartest man on the stage.

He floundered at 10% or less from the time he announced, until Cain dropped out. He swooned to the top. He flubbed BOTH Florida debates, even though he had momentum coming out of South Carolina. After FL, and except for GA, he returned to his mid-teens and lower numbers, primary after primary.

Collusion? or the worst campaign since Fred Thompson?

[Old Retired Army Guy]

I am sure their is a monetary reason he is waiting till Tuesday.

[rarestia]

Collusion? or the worst campaign since Fred Thompson?

More to the point, why did I support both Thompson in 08 and Newt this time around? Seems like I have a penchant for picking losers.

[Peter from Rutland]

It’s about $$$, pure and simple.

[Longbow1969]

Sounds like Newt is going to enjoy this last week as a still official presidential candidate, but use the time to transition towards becoming one of Romney’s biggest champions. Gingrich wants a prominent role going forward and if Romney will have him as a major surrogate, then that is exactly what Newt is going to do - starting with a big endorsement next week.

[corlorde]

Yeah, I hear you and its hard to say. The whole affair has got me quite depressed actually. Obama or Romney? Good god.

[Fiji Hill]

We have all been had! This was a freaking setup from the start.

There was no conspiracy. Gingrich's ineptitude finally did him in.

[X-spurt]

Read recently that Thompson was slimed in 2008 similar to but not to the degree poured upon Newt by the now presumptive nominee.

Never believe it when they say negative ads don't work. Any candidate can only overcome so much distortion and lies.

Mitt had the capacity to slime more than anyone could overcome. One attribute we have to agree on is that Mitt is tenacious when he fixes his sights on what he really wants. Unlike mclame, he earned it, even if was by methods we do not like.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Secretary of Energy Gingrich

Yep. If it walks like a deal, quacks like a deal, and smells like a deal...

[McGruff]

Stick to something you are informed about. Like music maybe.

[drjimmy]

Newt has another zoo to visit and a few more books to sell on the campaign dime.

[samtheman]

I think you are right.

[EternalVigilance]