This is why I am so hard on EE’s suggestion that The Newt fold his tent.

There is far too much focus on horserace-type discussions, and far too little on issues-focused analysis.

The SCUM [So-Called Unbiased-Media, per "Flagstaff"] has been propping-up Santorum as the non-Mitt because he’s so vulnerable [regarding the social issues], thereby shutting-out The Newt.

As Rush noted four years ago, the GOP should not allow the non-GOP to choose our candidate, and it would appear no one learned that lesson [or, rather, Mitt allegedly influenced the rules to maximize his ability to block the capacity for others to apply that lesson].

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As I wrote [comment #3] in reacting to EE’s analysis of this alleged-”mess,” the Perry Posse [on other websites] considers him to have aided/abetted its creation. His motives may have been noble, but he ripped the rug from underneath a quality-candidate. Whether the definition fits “insanity” or “stupidity,” the concept of avoiding repetition of a proven-error must dominate.

The lamentation among those in the Evangelical, Constitutional-Conservative, and TEA [Taxed Enough Already] Party movements is that he has consistently eschewed this level of support. It can be argued that Santorum has become the beneficiary of this vacuum–for whatever reasons that others know better than I [e.g., Vander Plaats]–but the result has been an enthusiasm deficit.

This effort of “Wall St.” to crush “Main St.” is lamentable, but it was avoidable; it is difficult to appreciate how the wound will be healed within 1/2 year. Perhaps the epitome of this dichotomy was articulated on “The Five” on Monday, when Barbara Bush [1]–lamented negativity, and then [2]–fervently expressed the desire for Mitt to win ASAP, despite the fact that he created the negativity.

All the gloating by Mitt’s Minions on RS won’t alter these fundamental observations, shared via ‘phone in far more graphic language than has been typed in blogs. People are trying to accommodate themselves to Santorum’s excess-verbiage [particularly sexual, as Dick Morris ticked-off...and that makes others ticked-off], but it’s difficult to achieve a comfort-level. This is for good reason, as is listed on my Diary, and these problems with his reasoning are amplified by review of his extended remarks on Church/State relations [from the Catholic...but not the "catholic"...perspective] in a speech from 2010.

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As BHO continues to destroy America [domestically and overseas], one need only compare/contrast the sound-bites from The Newt with those emanating from Mitt and Santorum [during the past few days]. Santorum went to AIPAC, while the others spoke via video-’phone, but there is no question that–given the obvious forced-militarism in all three–The Newt articulated the broad-scope of what’s wrong with BHO’s overall approach to Foreign Policy.

http://togetherwithisrael.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/full-text-israel-political-brief-republican-presidential-candidate-rick-santorums-speech-remarks-to-aipac-american-israel-public-affairs-committees-policy-conference-2012/

http://historymusings.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/full-text-campaign-buzz-march-6-2012-republican-presidential-candidate-mitt-romneys-speech-remarks-to-aipac-american-israel-public-affairs-committees-policy-conference-2012/

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/03/06/gingrich-to-obama-deliver-red-line-ultimatum-to-iran/

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Mitt is banking on forced-unity, a shotgun-marriage, if you will. We can envision unifying flyover-America against BHO, but his destruction of competitors yielded destruction of the verve/vitality of the supporters of these competitors. This did not have to have occurred.

When noting erosion of support for Mitt [after revelation of his overt hypocrisy on Romney/ObamaCare this past weekend, as an example] and for Santorum [as backlash against his social stances solidifies among women], The Newt again is rising. Next week will be instructive, as he noted in yesterday’s speech [video & transcript].

–http://newtgingrich360.com/video/watch-newt-gingrich-s-full-super-tuesday-speech-we-survived-every
–http://historymusings.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/full-text-campaign-buzz-march-6-2012-newt-gingrichs-super-tuesday-speech-remarks-after-winning-in-gop-republican-presidential-primary-georgia/

It was phenomenal to note how the SCUM panned it [allegedly, too self-referential, despite the fact that he tied-together the chronology with the campaign themes], particularly because it reflected both [1]–straight-talk, and [2]–precise-rhetoric. He would look forward to splicing/dicing the “delicious” “incoherent” quotes proffered by BHO, such as the “algae” solution.

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The Newt speaks so eloquently, so precisely…when up against Mitt and Santorum…and it would be desirable if EE [and others] were to amplify this obvious-fact. Curiously, perhaps in reaction to the reaction to his contraception/religion satire, he chose to praise The Newt’s comments unabashedly [regarding energy independence] without even attempting “balance.” He has set an example for others [including EE] to emulate, rather than to countervail.

Perhaps FNC reacted negatively to his speech because it lasted ~23 minutes, because it required the listener to concentrate on its content/images, because it dared to touch-upon issues. Regardless, when listening to those who would have him cease attracting delegates during the next three months, it is vital to attempt to appreciate what this stiffling effort actually entails, for each delegate [as we know from Ron Paul] carries a policy-message to the Convention, as well as a [potentially-pledged] first-ballot vote.

Perhaps I respond to these events more aggressively because EE chose to entitle his comment “The Nominee”…even as he is fully-aware of ongoing/justifiable resistance to Mitt. If this indeed is a battle for delegates and if this indeed has not portended a sudden landslide for Mitt, then there is no reason to abandon efforts to promote a laudable alternative. People can worry about a foreshortened campaign-season [2 months to unify and implement], but they forget the ability for the party to fill this attention-gathering process during a summertime of intrigue.

http://www.redstate.com/erick/2012/03/07/the-nominee/#comment-176050

Illustrating why The Newt [and, by extension, Perry] should not self-silence a unique voice, one need look no further than his having appeared on Sunday-a.m. on ABC/NBC/CBS/CNN/CSPAN.

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I close by quoting a posting on EE’s parallel-commentary site, edited slightly by “center77″:

“I guess when Romney is the nominee, the valid reason to support him will be he is not Obama, but I cannot defend him against the flip flop, the dirty campaigning, or the rich guy out of touch charges. I?ll defend what he says he will do, but if someone says, you don?t know he will, I?ll have to say your right. If I was an moderate independent, I?d never support Romney, but I?m not, so unless Gingrich?s humbled himself like Perry did for him, this is over, and Romney is it.

“My name is Timothy Bladel. I?m from Davenport, Iowa. I am a Undergraduate, Double Majoring in Journalism & Mass communication, with my other major being political science. I am conservative in nature, sometimes a tad bit libertarian; the Tenth Amendment is vital to changing this country for the better.
http://www.timothy-bladel.com/

“I?m a proud supporter of Rick Perry. God Bless everyone.

? ‘We the people’ tell the government what to do, it doesn?t tell us. We the people are the driver, the government is the car. And we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast.? Ronald Reagan?s farewell address (January 11, 1989).

http://www.redstate.com/erick/2012/03/07/the-nominee/