The dynamic is that Mitt throws mud, because that’s all he can do (he certainly can’t run on his record), the recipient has to fight back, and then BOTH parties look like pigs in mud. And that’s how a squeaky clean Santorum was able to rise to the top.
But now Mitt is slapping some mud at Santorum, making both Mitt & Ricky look like pigs. And Newt, looking clean again, plays the elder statesman and performs performs 3rd comeback :-)
Someone on the CNN panel said Newt might find his way back to frontrunner status now, I believe Donna Brazile. This prompted extremely nervous-sounding mock-mocking laughter from the RINOs and libs on the panel.