Newt moves to spoiler role to force deadlocked convention

http://www.americanthinker.com ^ | March 15, 2012 | Rick Moran

[BO Stinkss]

Even in an open convention, Gingrich wouldn't have a prayer of getting the nomination. But that seems to matter less to him than blowing up Mitt Romney.

Gingrich no longer says he can capture the 1,144 delegates required to wrap up the Republican nomination. Instead, he now speaks frankly about a new plan: Keep Romney from getting to 1,144 by the end of the GOP primary season in June, and then start what Gingrich calls a "conversation" about who should be the Republican nominee. That conversation, the plan goes, would lead to a brokered GOP convention at which Gingrich would emerge as the eventual nominee.

"Our goal first is to keep Romney well below 1,000," Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond said an hour before Gingrich addressed a small crowd of disappointed supporters gathered at the Wynfrey Hotel. "It doesn't have to be 1,000, or 1,050 -- it has to be below 1,100." If Gingrich succeeds, Hammond continued, "This will be the first time in our party in modern politics that we're going to go to the convention floor."

[Jane Long]

Newt is THE candidate who BHO fears most. BHO is out ridiculing the $2.50/gal. gas price. Newt's the ONLY one taking it to BHO.

[wolfman23601]

You are assuming Santorum gets a majority of Newt’s votes. A lot of people don’t support Santorum because they are uneasy with the religious right, but they might support Newt because he is a little more populist on social issues. It might be closer than you think.

[Theodore R.]

It does not appear that the Newt people are willing to give in, as Newt has the potential to hand the Louisiana primary to Romney. But he can’t win the state himself. There is likely to be a low turnout.

[Pollster1]

But that seems to matter less to him than blowing up Mitt Romney.

At least Newt has the right priorities. Romney is an unacceptably liberal candidate, and blowing him up will be Newt's good deed for the year. We cannot do worse than Romney, and we might do a lot better.

[katiedidit1]

LOL! lawsy that would be a dream or is that nightmare team

[annieokie]

See, you can teach an old dog new tricks after all. SMART MAN your friend.

There is just nothing like Southern hospitality to ALL, until one of that ALL thinks he can bamboozle a southerner.

At which point a southerner will simply say "Well, bless your heart". rofl, (the north don't know what that really means when they are told that, so shussssssh)

[W. W. SMITH]

At what point will Newt Gingrich gain standing to challenge the eligibility of those who are not natural born citizens?

Obama, Romney, Santorum, McCain, Rubio and Jindal, none of them have produced paper work proving themselves to be natural born citizens.

[Theodore R.]

I think they should team up now as Santorum/Gingrich. I'm not sure how many votes would defect from Gingrich if he accepted VP to Santorum. But if they teamed up now, they would stop Romney from getting any more Winner takes all states.

Neither is willing to yield. That's why Romney remains unbeatable. Romney knew it would work out this way from the start; so did Ann Coulter.

[annieokie]

"Bless your heart" from a southerener, is you have just been Dissed with a smile, we are very polite people.

After it is said to you, you will walk away with a smile as well, scratching your head thinking "what just happened". Just wait, it'll dawn on ya. Too late.

[Theodore R.]

Obama fears no one, it seems to me. He knows the American people want him to succeed and will reward him even if he doesn’t. Millions cannot admit they are in error.

[altura]

Trying to like Romney better ... just in case. Heard the head guy of the gun people (not NRA) say that Romney was the only one who refused to answer their questionnaire about stands on gun issues.

Not good.

(think it’s Gun Owners of America)

[Vigilanteman]

Jeb Bush won’t support Newt because Newt bucked Bush 41 on tax hikes.

A more likely reason is because this country just isn't big enough to for both of their egos.

[conservativebabe]

LOL I’m not from the south but have a good friend who is an Atlanta southern belle. I know what it means. :-p

I usually use it in another context but I think I should start using it the correct way with the idiots I deal with on a regular basis, living in IL AND working in retail.

[magritte]

It’s only a spoiler to the establishment, because he’s spoiling their plans

---

Gingrich is as “Establishment” as a politician can be...he’s spent most of his life there.

[OneVike]

but Nixon was perceived as a conservative at the time. Ditto for 1976 with Bob Dole.

You need some remedial straining, neither Dole nor Kemp were ever considered conservatives. "96" was an election that was given to Clinton the day Dole was told by the establishment that he was next.

I remember the day he announced he was running. My wife and I were in Reno, and CNN was on the motel room TV.

I told my wife then, that if Bob Dole gets the nomination Clinton will be re-elected. I was right.

I did support him, and I did fight to get him elected once he won the nomination, but I knew in my heart that he was a feeble choice.

I was in the audience when he fell off the stage here in Chico. When a Presidential candidate comes to Chico to campaign, you know he is TOAST!

Unlike "92", the exit polling showed that even if the hand grenade with a bad haircut (Perot) was not running, Clinton still would have won.

Also, while Kemp was Reagan's point man on fiscal matters, he was a socially liberal. I remember him attacking us in California for wanting to crack down on the illegal aliens collecting government handouts. Kemp bashed us as being too extreme.

The "96" Republican ticket had two Establishment Rinos that lost to a man a true conservative would have defeated in a landslide.

[katiedidit1]

Santorum is an egomaniac himself and a pious one at that..Newt should be proud of his great accomplishments.

on the other hand...RS record is not that of a true conservative...http://www.redstate.com/erick/2012/01/06/what-a-big-government-conservative-looks-like/

[Nik Naym]

“I see there’s a ready-made running mate for Myth out there. She’s retiring from the Senate. Olympia Snowe.”

It wouldn’t surprise me in the least.

FUMR!

[BO Stinkss]

“Newt has the potential to hand the Louisiana primary to Romney.”
Yeah, and the polls all said Romney would win Alabama.

Romney will never win Louisiana.

[Theodore R.]

Oddly in 1976, the Republican presidential and vice-presidential choices had officially opposite stands on abortion. This was allowed at the time, as Dole in 1974 had campaigned against an abortion doctor in KS.

[RoosterRedux]

Absolutely it's healthy for the party...and the country.

Romney cannot win against Obama and must be stopped at all costs.

To have a prayer against Obama, we will need someone who can energize the base (conservatives) and attract independents.

That ain't Romney (and t'ain't Santorum)!