Newt's recent gains is the result of people like us, slowly realizing that Newt is serious about this. But our very nature, has cautiously watched Newt, as he kept presenting what he has to offer and we started to accept that he truly means what he says.
It's also clear that the Cain phenomena was based on this “Perfect Conservative” stigma, totally lacking experience and substance, which has also begun to wake many up to becoming more realistic in our support or choices.
Maybe in hindsight I’ll think differently (and a lot will depend upon how Cain performs from here on out), but my own sense is that Gingrich would never had gotten a second look for the top spot had the course of Cain’s campaign not given him that opening.
The fact is Cain and Gingrich offer two completely different persona: the Happy Warrior, pure outsider CEO who exuded optimism and the frumpy somewhat politically absent-minded professor and ultimate D.C. insider who was never quite inspirational in the personal sense.
This also gives me pause. The country is hungry for that kind of authentic optimism of a Cain, and Gingrich just doesn’t have that kind of personality or persona. And what people are drawn to now is actually Attack Newt — “wowzer, just can’t wait to see Obama humiliated” (as if he’s not humiliated every waking moment).
Attack Newt won’t be able to live in the White House. It would be stupid and highly unpresidential for President Gingrich to snap back at reporters the way he is now (to the utter delight of many).
(Plus, when he says “reach out to the Dems,” we all know that he knows what we know, that is, the the Dems INCLUDE THE MSM. Um, so where does that leave those who voted for Newt because he whupped up on Maria Bartiromo?)
So again . . . in addition to the not-inconsequential risk that we’re actually getting the “old boyfriend,” not the “guy who’s changed,” perhaps this is another way in which we’re setting up a severe failure of expectations. Sort of like buying a Porsche in Germany, then getting it home and realizing there really is nowhere you can drive it 200 mph.