Posted on 03/13/2012 10:17:32 PM PDT by Steelfish
March 13, 2012 Gingrich Is in No Hurry to Bow Out Even After Falling Short of Double Wins in Deep South, Former Speaker Still Sees a Way to Push Fight to the Convention
By JANET HOOK and DANNY YADRON
BILOXI, Miss.—Even as pressure mounts on Newt Gingrich to drop out of the Republican presidential contest, the former House speaker is preparing to stick it out—with a new short-term goal of keeping Mitt Romney from securing the nomination.
Mr. Gingrich faced crucial primary tests Tuesday in Alabama and Mississippi, states where he campaigned hard to jump-start his flagging campaign. He lost both to former Sen. Rick Santorum, though he appeared on track to finish a respectable second in both. Even if he had realized his dream of winning both, though, some Republican officials doubt that would have generated enough momentum to win the nomination.
Still, Mr. Gingrich and his advisers say he isn't going anywhere. In a concession speech, Mr. Gingrich was gracious to Mr. Santorum, while calling the results an indictment of Mr. Romney, widely seen as the front-runner. "I believe that after the primaries are over it will be obvious the so-called front-runner in fact didn't get there, and from that point we will be in a whole different conversation," Mr. Gingrich said.
As those remarks suggest, Mr. Gingrich and his campaign have embraced a new goal, which is to block Mr. Romney. "He believes the long haul is to get enough delegates to stop Romney from getting the nomination before the convention," said campaign chairman Bob Walker, a former congressman. "If Romney is stopped, I don't think he gets the nomination at the convention."
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
If Newt wants to help Santorum beat Romney, then his smartest move is to STAY IN and gain more delegates while proportional representation continues. If Newt got out and endorsed Santorum now, nearly half of his supporters would support Romney over Santorum. But if Newt continues to gain delegates, forcing Santorum to offer him the VP position in exchange for withdrawing, and then withdraws right before the winner-take-all states begin, far more of his supporters would switch to Santorum.
Newt has repeatedly stated during the debates, indeed it has been his overriding claim that "Any of the candidates on this stage would be vastly preferable to four more years of Obama."
So if he ever were to support Romney, a man whom Newt clearly dislikes and does not respect, I would see that as a heroic stand on his principles, not an act of villainy.
How so? All of his negative ads are focused already and have been since it came to light that Santorum really did win IOWA. From that point forward Romeny has been scared crapless over Santorum stealing his thunder. You honestly think Mitt would be wasting his money giving negative ads towards Ron Paul or Newt? Either one of them has a snowball’s chance in hell of even being competitive.
This is correct and worth repeating here. I can;t believe there are Freepers still willing to give Romeny the nomination on a silver platter by prtopping up Newt even when he has no chance in hell of winning this. Even his speech after 2 losses you could see the people clapping in the backround like they'd rather he went home and got out of the race. They were clapping politely but contrasted with Santorum in Loisiana speaing you could see the crowd was really passionately behind Santorum since he is gaining momentum. THIS IS THE TIME FOR NEWT TO SUPPORT SANTORUM AND GET OUT OF THE RACE.
He’s a serial betrayer in every aspect of his life.
If you are realistic as a Newt supporter, you know this is not the remote possibility that it should be.
I think your astute observations are correct. I'm surprised more FReepers don't see the obvious here as you pointed out so clearly. I see exactly the same thing as Newt is a faux conservative. Sure back in 1994 he made a difference, but now it's all for the sake of BEING THE PRESIDENT that is his interest in this, not for the people of the US.
“So if he ever were to support Romney, a man whom Newt clearly dislikes and does not respect, I would see that as a heroic stand on his principles, not an act of villainy.”
So only Newt can support Romney without being labeled (rightly so) as a leftist RINO?
This is an interesting development.
do you have the assurance of knowing Newt will really do this? I can honestly see him pulling a Judas and stabbing Santorum in the back while shaking Romeny's hand.
The false assumption is to actually attribute Newt as being a true conservative. He has been more of an establishment figure than a true Tea Party Patriot in any sense of the word.
So if he ever were to support Romney, a man whom Newt clearly dislikes and does not respect, I would see that as a heroic stand on his principles, not an act of villainy.
That makes no effing sense. How is supporting Romeny EVER a heroic stance. Romeny the RINO we are talking about here. Are you sure you can recognize the RINOs still left in this race?
Thanks. I try.
Amen to that!
Go Newt Go - Go - Go!!!!!!
People forget so easily...never underestimate Newt...and especially never underestimate God...
That's right...Santorum has not presented anything of substance outside the moral issues, which he was known to be staunch about throughout his political career and where he focused his career path. Even when he's wrong and proved so.
Newt on the other hand Knows how to incorporate his religious beliefs to the core of which points to the founding fathers and this nation UNDER GOD....and he intends to give that Glory back to God.....not as being self-righteous himself as Santorum does.
cute story about your daughter ..can tell you raised her right
Thank you, caww.
This is a MOVEMENT and it IS going forward and we DO have a strong leader.
He describes himself as Aesop’s tortoise, with rabbits running all around.
He’s in this race to the finish, thank goodness.
That some religious leaders have “chosen” Santorum and ignored or rejected both Governor Perry and Speaker Gingrich has given cover to those who tout religion as the be all and end all of politics.
It isn’t, nor should it be, nor can it be successful in the broader society.
Newt gets it, because he understands history and philosophy and the Founders and the Constitution.
It isn’t about singling out a “holier than thou” individual.
I give no quarter to anyone here as to my own religious beliefs and practice.
But here, I have been sickened by the very strong implication that Santorum is God’s candidate, none others need apply, and by extension, Santorum backers are backing God’s annointed.
There was only one of those, and his name was Jesus, and he WAS without sin.
The Bible says that if you violate a single law, you are guilty of the whole. The Bible says all have sinned and fallen short. The Bible says that all are dependent upon the sinless Son of God or else they would be lost in a forever burning Hell.
Kinda levels the playing field.
Thanks for your post, CAWW.
Ditto on your #66 dear txrangerette
.
Yours is spot on too, dearest exit82.
I think last night in my state and also in Alabama, proved that it’s a little too late for “the ultra conservative Christians to see that we are not electing an altar boy, we need a fighter this go around, and that is Newt” (as you put it).
Newt gave it his best, and he fared very well, given that he got no local endorsements. Santorum got the endorsement of AL’s governor, whereas mine endorsed Romney!
I’m still silly happy that Romney came in third in both states! LOL.
Newt has to stay in all the way to the convention. It’s all about delegates and having a voice. Nobody is going to reach the magic number. All this talk about coalescing around one is just that: talk by the rival campaigns.
There’s no guarantee where Newt’s voters would go. Newt’s name would remain on the ballots, just like Governor Perry’s Michele Bachmann and others were on my MS ballot.
Paul is staying in. Newt is staying in.
If anyone drops out, make it Romney.
He’s poisoned this primary from the get go with his money and vicious attack ads.
I’ll never reward him with my vote.
God speed Newt Gingrich.
You have to be out of your mind! LOL.
Gingrich hates Romney! It’s Romney who destroyed him with his $20 million and counting worth of vicious attack ads.
Thank you so much.
Newt is not led by ego, but by vision and purpose.
Reagan’s plaque on his desk said that a man can accomplish anything if he doesn’t care who takes the credit.
Newt’s ideas may get usurped but they’re being heard, every word - now, more than ever.
“KRISSEN SHOULDERS!!!”
How darling!
God bless her and you, sweetest b9!
She’s your grandaughter for sure!
I’m smiling now!!!!!
Where have you been...Romney spent vast sums of money firing ads against Newt in Florida.....Romney had 13,000 ads opposing Newt on TV, between their super PAC and their campaign, to Newt Gingrich’s 200. And all Romney's Get out the vote fliers were anti-Newt.
They 'all' know that in order to keep Newt back they have to go straight for his jugular or he keeps on going.
From... Rep. party elites, to Romney, the Obama machine, and media, are all opposing Newt.....they fully know that if he gets center stage and wins...he'll be a formidable force in Washington and the comfy cozy ness of many will no longer be so
Florida was "bought out" by Romney...it sure wasn't because he won it by any merit of his own. It was a complete attack against Newt from all sides.
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