Posted on 02/19/2012 3:36:10 PM PST by VinL
Just after the South Carolina primary, Newt Gingrich--or his minions--put considerable public pressure upon Rick Santorum to stand down, to get out, to leave the race.
Santorum's response was simple. If he began to come in last in any series of races, he would do so. Santorum went on to explain that he had won as many states as Newt had at that point, so there was no need to go anywhere.
That was five states, 3 Santorum victories, and several instances of bottoming out by the Gingrich campaign ago.
The Gingrich people will not like what I have to say next, but it is resolutely true, and there is no argument against it, so here goes...
"If Newt Gingrich believes Mitt Romney is a worse choice for nominee than a real conservative would be, then he must leave the race now. Staying in the race until Super Tuesday hurts the conservative cause, aids Romney, and ultimately will re-elect Barack Obama."
There, it is said. It had to be. It is all true.
This week Billionaire Casino Magnate Sheldon Adelson announced his intentions to continue to sink money into the Gingrich SuperPAC "Winning Our Future." This newest round of $10,000,000 would roughly match the $11,000,000 that allowed Gingrich his one state win in South Carolina. But even that is money poorly spent.
Gingrich had the chance to build on his win, but was unable to capitalize in Florida, and his absolute stubbornness in refusing to organize for the three state caucus strike-out that catapulted Santorum to front-runner status demonstrated some old inclinations about the former speaker that had been voiced by many former colleagues. Newt is flagging in polls nationally, ranking behind Ron Paul at times, and does not show a path to victory even if he were to break through on Super Tuesday using massive SuperPAC money to land somewhat mediocre media presence. (After all $10,000,000 across seven states won't even begin to touch a fourth of the penetration rate he had with $11,000,000 in South Carolina.)
Debates are now being universally panned, and the free media will not add up to give Newt new opportunities to "un-re-define" himself from himself.
I asked a few columns back if Gingrich was Churchill, for 2012, the answer seems to be "no!"
But that doesn't render him insignificant.
If Gingrich were to leave, and especially if he were to endorse Santorum, Mitt Romney's campaign would truly be on the death's door. Romney is trailing in Michigan, where he couldn't seem to connect with voters even before Santorum's sweep, and according to Rasmussen--the most accurate pollster in the past six cycles--he trails Santorum by 12 nationally, and by nearly 20 in the swing state of Ohio. Despite what her "right-to-be-wrongness" Ann Coulter says about Mitt's inevitability, Republicans--if they are smart--should always elect the man for nomination who wins Ohio. Because in the general election, it is the best indicator of who will be President.
Santorum has thicker skin than Newt and Mitt combined, and next to Newt, he's the best debater left in the bunch. But most importantly he is the sharpest contrast to Obama--in nearly every imaginable category.
Newt is steadily polling at 14% in the polls. Santorum has exploded in Michigan and Ohio, is nearly within the margin of error to Romney in Arizona, and almost the same within Gingrich in Georgia. Meanwhile in some states Gingrich finishes last, Santorum never does. But if you add 2/3's of Newt's total to Santorum's, Rick Rollin' would become the new GOP past time.
If Gingrich is a man of principal, he will allow the consolidation and much-more-baggage-free candidacy of Rick Santorum to zoom into an even further all-out lead nationally. If Gingrich stays in, it is obvious his feelings about Romney's danger and likely losing proposition as nominee will come true. And the former speaker would have only himself to blame.
If Romney is the nominee, Obama will be President for a second term. (His inability to take Obama on--on his biggest weaknesses, the target of his faith's racially questionable history and the twisted way the mainstream media will exploit that, his inability to not say things from an entirely silver spoon perspective, and his lack of distinction from Obama on many social issues--like subsidizing abortion, and creating "gay" marriage.)
The GOP's job at the moment is to pick the best candidate they can to beat Obama, and the one who is most-different-than him presents the best possibility.
Especially if that candidate wins Ohio.
I support Newt and I have NOT one time hinted, suggested or yelled for anyone to get out. Hyperbole much, yes you do!!!!
(Newt, of course...) :-)
I absolutely agree with you. Just ponied up another donation to the Newtron Bomb today. Unfortunately, everything will be done before I get to vote, living in L.A. County. It actually doesn't bother me that CA is irrelevant to the presidential race. Most of the state's voters are liberal, even the GOPers, outside of the central valley (with hat tips to Jim Rob!)
The libs and moderates (the Establishment) are going scorched earth on Rick NOW.
How’s that working out so far?
“Bain is to free market capitalism as The Westboro Baptist Church is to Christianity.”
Gov.Perry was perfectly right when he described Bain as “vulture capitalism” - buy companies who have no debts with borrowed money from banks, to reduce their own risk, gut the companies dry, increasing their debt and reducing the costs by firing the workers, pay the CEOs and personnel from Bain huge salaries and benefits, and 3 or 5 years later resell the companies, after making 150% profit per year. 30% of the companies bought by Bain, filed for bankruptcy, after Bain left. (The average percentage of bankruptcies for other venture companies being 5 to 8%)
No wonder that Romney could make in this way $250 million in 25 years.
“you must not have been on fr that much...every newtie on here was yelling get out ricky”
Maybe his supporter were, but you didn’t respond to the actual statement, that Newt himself didn’t tell Santorum to quit.
That’s called a “straw dog” argument.
We in Orange County, overall are as conservative as they come.
Go Rickabee!
“You tell me, your not an enthusiastic Santorum supporter (only by default you say)”
Yes, that’s what I said. Of course you are free to glean conspiracy if you wish.
“but the only thing you have against Newt is his apparent whining?”
Oh no.....I’ve been pretty brutal on why I don’t like Newt in past threads. If you know your candidate, you know his weaknesses - and I think you’d admit, if you’re honest, that Newt has some issues to deal with.
“I don’t see this ‘whining’” First words out of his mouth this morning on Fox News Sunday was whining.
“You have nothing to argue against the ‘smartest guy in the room’ or ‘best debater’ labels so they must be true at least in your eyes.”
He’s not getting my vote. Apparently he isn’t getting many other peoples votes. That’s what you Newt supporters always seem to say. I’m accepting it as fact - and wondering “Why aren’t people voting for him if it’s true?”
“It’s clear his ideas are well thought out and not just talking points just look at his solutions page on his website. He has a 54 page paper on getting the judicial under control alone”
Yet he’s in 3rd place. Why?
Why is your candidate not winning?
“Newt himself didn’t tell Santorum to quit.”
Yeah, he did.
Hey moonhawk, Rick’s had some good breaks- but as Newt said- Rick played a very clever strategy- and Newt gave him props.
There’s a long way to go. I support Newt because he would be the best president for our times— he would reverse the socialism. I have absolutely no doubt of that— I can’t say that as to the others.
This clown isn’t talking about public sentiment. He was referring to Newt or his minions (campaign personnel) Media was wanting blood and they kept baiting Newt, Santorum was using it for all it was worth. Truth is, Brother Love should have stepped aside long ago and if he continues this pious, I am a better parent, I am a better husband, I am more religious, I can teach my kids better, I know best about birth control, I am the only one that can beat Obama crap, he will be faced with the same dilemna. He continually carped about not getting questions in the debates, not getting interviews with the press, blah, blah, blah. Now he has his day in the sun and all he can do is talk about birth control, religion, women in the military and homeschooling. No wonder he lost his senate seat by 18 pts. No one wants a politician telling them how to live, that is why we are getting rid of Obama.
“If you are still annoyed, try an aspirin between your knees.”
If only Newt had kept an aspirin between his knees instead of staffers, he’d not have quite the baggage he’s got and might be a better candidate.
You must be on a sarcasm lark. Ha! Ha!
If Santorum is the President he will ensure that Americans are free from the Government imposing its will on our Constitutionally protected freedoms. It is the MSM who has made this an argument about birth control when it is an argument about freedom that is being trashed by Obamacare. Santorum will repeal Obamacare.
It is the Catholic Church that has historically put forth a moral code that is necessary for freedom to exist. And it is the Catholic Church that affords Christians, under the institution of the Cross; as protected by the 1st Amendment, that protection from government.
Dittos Brother!
Why the heck do you keep talking about this as though it impacts you? Your profile page shows you are French. And you sound like a screaming liberal bashing anyone who dares question libertine philosophies as being nihilistic and destructive.
Ditto.
No he didn’t.
All good answers.
And the trends sure are telling, even Stevie Wonder can see.
Rick Santorum 36% (35%) {34%} [32%] (31%) {30%} [30%] (27%) {24%} [22%] (20%) {17%} [16%]
Mitt Romney 28% (29%) {30%} [31%] (33%) {32%} [32%] (34%) {34%} [34%] (36%) {37%} [37%]
Newt Gingrich 13% (13%) {14%} [14%] (15%) {16%} [16%] (16%) {17%} [18%] (20%) {21%} [22%]
I hear that! New Mexico’s primary is June 5th, I think.
But don’t give up hope, the way this thing is going we may get a vote that matters yet.
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