Posted on 01/17/2012 8:42:14 PM PST by VinL
— Newt Gingrich says he thinks Sarah Palin’s remarks on Fox News that she would vote for him in Saturday’s primary if she lived in South Carolina may just be what puts him over the top.
That’s what he told Todd Palin, the former vice presidential nominee’s husband, who outright endorsed him ahead of the New Hampshire primary. Continue Reading Text Size
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“We’re thrilled — I just talked to Todd and we’re just thrilled,” he told POLITICO as he headed into his hotel here for the night. “It’s a signal to every conservative that the one conservative vote that’s effective is to Newt Gingrich and that’s very helpful.”
Gingrich’s campaign immediately cut a YouTube video of the Palin remarks and tweeted it out to supporters.
Palin, Gingrich said, is part of a rush of support he believes will power him to victory on Saturday — and from there, into the candidate who will beat Mitt Romney to the GOP nomiantion.
“Lots of different things are working together to help us,” Gingrich said.
But Chip Saltsman, former campaign manager to Mike Huckabee, cautioned that with the election in only a few days and the support likely stopping with her remarks on Hannity, the news may have come too late to make a difference.
“For it to make an impact she needs to come to support him,” Saltsman said. “Is it a game changer where it turns everything around? My thoughts are probably not.”
In an appearance on Fox News, Palin stopped short of endorsing Gingrich. But she didn’t leave any doubt where her preference was.
“I would vote for Newt and I would want it to continue,” she said of the campaign. “More debates, more vetting of candidates.”
Palin is a well-known figure in the conservative movement and her endorsement has been considered one of the biggest gets in this year’s campaign cycle. She used her support strategically in 2008, weighing in on midterm elections that in turn produced large fundraising prowess and surprise primary victories.
Gingrich has been traveling the Palmetto State trying to make the argument that despite disappointing finishes in New Hampshire and Iowa, he is the best candidate for conservatives to rally around.
Without a victory on Saturday, Gingrich could see his campaign come to an imminent end. He’s called the state a “must win” and said it would be “very hard” to keep going after another defeat.
Palin said she was among the many Republicans impressed by Gingrich’s debate performance Monday night.
“I do think that Newt is the one that won the debate if you will, because Newt came out like South Carolina’s own Smokin’ Joe Frazier,” she said on Hannity. “He came out there swinging, talking about work, talking about jobs and work ethic and how government needs to get out of the way in order for all Americans to have a sense of opportunity to work, and I think that’s what a lot of voters have been craving to hear.”
This toe dipping she is known for always comes up short of the mark, but nationally she hurts Newt with any kind of endorsement for him for awhile, and she knows it. Thus, the toe has to suffice. Thankfully, she does know this.
He was a helluva lot better then the Democrat- Scuzzyflava.
Matt,
All the talk shows are coming to Newt today—but I think only because they think Romney has it sewn up.. As “Deep Throat” in the X-Files series said— “Trust No One!”
-:)
Rush has never been in the tank for Romney.
Well, let me ask you this: how did you feel about Santorum supporting Murkowski in her changeling victory in Alaska?
I’m glad you do.
Thanks.
Nice job Ben. You support that?
How dare you? Your candidate not only supported a RINO squish, but a full out traitor and future democrat henchman. Congrats.
:-)
You are so right. Ever since the Alfalfa dinner in 2009, and hooking up with the McCain money men, and then endorsing him-— she has tied herself to the wrong horse. And if that is what’s holding her back, it’s a shame— because McCain is taking her no where,
Good to find it out now.
Obiwan, Palin just helped your boy Santorum by doing this. Keeping the race going, helps Newt, Santorum and Perry by not letting Romney walk away with this thing yet.
Are you that dense, or is your PDS coming out on full display?
Like I said, I’m really disappointed in her endorsement.
I’m absolutely appalled by the response here of the Newt supporters.
To me it demonstrates that I made the right decision not to support Newt, even if that means going against Sarah Palin.
Every one of our candidates is flawed, and frankly Scuzzy's not going to make or break the case for me, nor should it for you considering who your candidate supported.
Hi Onyx!
Haven’t Sarah’s analyses on FNC been fantastic? MM
FFS - PDS?
I really, really like Sarah Palin.
I’m very disappointed that she would support someone who has backstabbed a tea party candidate to back a democrat.
If I didn’t care about who she endorsed, why on earth would I be disappointed.
Whoa, not a good sign Ben.
You might want to change the subject now........
You are aware that Santorum got his start in ‘94 because Spector helped him out?
I don’t agree with his endorsement, but I can understand that he wanted to repay the dues that he owed him.
What did Newt get for the Scuzzyflava endorsement? Can anyone here explain that one to me?
I listen, on podcast, to Rush every single day and in no way have I perceived he’s “in the tank” for Romney.
He’s said, as have most conservatives like Levin, etc., that IF (nice little word with so much power) Mitt is the nominee they’d vote for him over Obama. Or an orange juice can. Or Mickey Mouse.
The fact it sucks and we, yet again, have to hold our nose between the lesser of two evils is our own problem for not getting out there and defeating the RINO’s and libs that screw everything up.
I find it strange that you cannot forgive Newt for a bad endorsement, but you can forgive your candidate for two.
Is the force weak with you?
This is 2012. Wake up. The political realities have changed.
Even your boy Rick S, is not pure as the driven snow, so knock it off already.
Palin just threw your boy a lifeline, and you don’t like its color.
Sheesh!
If all you have to say is b*llsh*t, it’s best to just keep it to yourself.
Scuzzyflava was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Newt has a ton of baggage. I’m not happy with what he did with his wives, even more unhappy to find out that only the second was annulled.
A fact, that was helpfully brought up to me in May. I had assumed, along with others that both had been annulled, then I found out that he wasn’t.
I’m not happy with his flip flops on O-Care and on global warming. I just don’t trust the man to do the right thing when the crunch is down.
Like I said way back when. 90 percent is good, 10 percent is absolutely baffling. I’m not going to accept that 10 percent unless there is simply no one else.
Santorum, has been very consistant. You don’t see him swinging all over the place like you do with Newt. I like that in a candidate. I’d rather have someone that was the same when he came in at the start of 4 years as when he leaves.
Newt - just isn’t that type of person. I should like Newt - he’s got the same background I do, he taught history, and I do too. He’s an idea man more than someone who gets stuff done, so am I.
But because I am one, I know why I wouldn’t trust him at the helm if that makes a lick of sense. VP - yes. President, no.
And I’ll stick by that, even if everyone here makes fun of me for doing so.
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