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Rasmussen: Newt Stands Alone

By: Neil Stevens (Diary)  |  December 1st, 2011 at 02:30 PM  | 

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Gingrich

I’ve been going crazy since Thanksgiving. We hadn’t gotten any polls over the long holiday weekend, and then no polling was conducted over the weekend itself, so we went 10 days with no major national polls in the field.

Rasmussen broke the dry spell and the read is simple: Thanksgiving was very, very good to Newt Gingrich.

This now makes five consecutive national polls led by Gingrich, a span lasting two weeks. For comparison, Rick Perry’s best stretch lasted six weeks, and Romney’s best stretch this year lasted sixteen weeks, going back to April, before Rick Perry was in the conversation, and when no other current candidate was in double figures.

The facts: 1000 GOP Primary LVs, land lines mixed with an online panel, conducted yesterday, MoE 3.

Appropriately enough this current poll shows a result reminiscent of too-early polling. Newt Gingrich at 38 has a huge lead, ahead of Mitt Romney in second at 17, and no other candidate in double figures.

I said if Herman Cain got Newt Gingrich’s voters, then Rick Perry was in big trouble. Well, it looks like Newt Gingrich got Herman Cain’s voters, so now Herman Cain and Rick Perry are both in big trouble. Perry at 4 is a total non-factor, and completely irrelevant now, if this poll is accurate. Cain at 8, the Pauldoza line, is on life support.

It’s now December. The Iowa Caucuses are scheduled for January 3, the New Hampshire Primary for January 10, according to Green Papers. There’s only a month left, and candidates who want to have an impact are running out of time to make a move.

Crossposted from Unlikely Voter

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COMMENTS

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  • tailfins1959

    While I don’t really have a preference, I basically trust the process. I turned against Romney when he stiffed the Thanksgiving Family Forum. It’s an indicator that he won’t appoint pro-life judges. It shows a RECENT disdain for evangelicals. Newt needs to explain why he would not appoint someone similar to Dede Scozzafava to the bench.

  • clintonformccain

    His position in the polls is a real black mark for the Republican Party, in a year when the GOP had the terrific opportunity to rebrand as the party of fresh new ideas.

    It’s really quite depressing to think the Republicans are going to let Obama off the hook this easy in 2012.

  • Marcus_Traianus

    Unless there is a major gaffe by Newt or another candidate walks on water, you are looking at the next POTUS.

  • dagnyt

    I was a Perry supporter and am now all in for Newt. I think he’s been made very aware of his past transgressions and I think the collapse of his campaign earlier this year affected him.

    I don’t think a commercial with Pelosi and support of Dede (which he recanted and apologized for) is a reason not to support him. Why doesn’t restructuring welfare as well as balancing budgets count more? The fact that he’s worked with democrats is a fact of life for any successful national politician. The net overall on Newt is he is a conservative. His lifelong
    Conservative Union rating is 90%!

    I think his experience as Speaker, his command of policy, his reverence for history and his willingness to identify openly as a conservative makes him
    a great choice.

    The primaries are not a vacuum.. He is getting the tea party / conservative message directly from primary voters and I find it impossible to believe he’s going to turn on us.

  • tailfins1959

    He needs to make more than a simple apology. He needs to explain what he was thinking and WHY he now considers it a mistake and why it won’t be repeated.

  • tomatin

    Newt is the only other candidate I’ve been about to sink my teeth into.

    The truth is Perry and Newt are the only candidates with hefty conservative records in office.

    Yes Bachmann has a very conservative record but is a light weight against Newt or Perry.

    Ron Paul has a very conservative voting record but he is terrible on national security.

    Huntsman well is slightly right of Mitt in office.

    While Romneys only record is that of a centrist Dumbocrat. How did conservatives ever consider him in the first place is beyond me.

  • Change Jar Conservative

    From his answers page:

    This has always meant supporting the most conservative nominee possible as selected by Republican primary voters.

    Therefore, Newt will almost always back the nominee of the Republican party and not back an independent candidate in a race against a Democratic candidate.

    Newt still believes in this principle, however, he has admitted it was a mistake to back Dede Scozzafava, the Republican nominee in the 2009 NY-23 special election. Although she was the Republican nominee, the problem was that Republican primary voters did not pick her, the local party leaders did, otherwise her liberal views would have prevented her from becoming the nominee. The Conservative Party candidate whom Scozzafava was running against, Doug Hoffman, recently remarked about Newt’s endorsement of his rival, “I would advise other conservative republicans: Don’t hold this against him.”

  • tluvgolf

    I still believe Perry is coming back as he is still raising bunches of money. Congress is fearing his proposal of letting them work in Washington less and work or do town halls in their respective districts. That scares the devil out of them. He is a true conservative with true conservative ideas for limited government. He has done a wonderful job in Texas and will do a better job for our country!

  • streiff

    for endorsing the GOP nominee? I don’t agree with him but I understand his POV completely and respect it.

    http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/gingrich-explains-scozzafava-endorsement-slams-right-wing-critics.php

  • Change Jar Conservative

    My list remains:

    Mitch Daniels (brokered convention)
    Rick Perry
    Newt Gingrich
    Michelle Bachmann
    Rick Santorum
    Chris Christie
    Mitt Romney

    But when voting rolls around (Super Tuesday), the highest ranked on my list who is polling in the top two will get my vote.

  • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

    come up with an explanation that meets your minimum standards?

  • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

    nt

  • zappace

    I have stopped reading the polls with any seriousness since the 1st bush election. The sole purpose of a poll is to manipulate midget minds. To say Perry is out of the race is laughable. Newts record which isn’t electable will all be presented, and he will go to the back of the back of the class along with Cain. Don’t select the next president by wetting your finger and sticking it in the wind to see what everyone else is doing!

  • bzip

    Is Newt Gingrich a conservative sellout?
    http://www.therightscoop.com/is-newt-gingrich-a-conservative-sellout/

    That is the question and our his supporters guilty of the same thing?

    I don’t care what anyone says, Newt is worse then Romney. Both support the mandate, Newt supported global warming, Newt has ethic violations, Newt who enjoys crony capitalism and insider lobbying has more baggage then a 747 – is so far off the beaten path of conservatism it makes Romney look like a Prince.

    Sure, I’ll vote for Newt if he is the nominee but you can count on me holding my nose. The two worst people, Romney and Newt and unless something happens we are stuck with one of these pseudo conservatives.

  • rkcurtin

    He is a conservative, and my gut tells me it is not over until it’s over, and it’s not over!

  • reggie182

    If there is a more proactive thinker among conservatives out there, I’d like to know who he is.

  • bzip

    I willing to forgive almost anyone for most anything but…..when they have a track record of consistently being wrong then it isn’t right to keep accepting these excuses (and that is what they are, excuses).

    Nancy Pelosi, supporting TARP, Supporting the Mandate, ethic violations, lobbying ties, the list goes on and on. It is a broken record with Newt and anyone that keeps excusing these problems and allowing him a free pass based on constant apologies is just as guilty of selling out as Newt is.

  • clintonformccain

    I just shake my head and think, “what a joke”. Of course I was around for the Newt show two decades ago.

    For Pete’s sake, why no go all-in with tired ol’ retreads and run Bob Dole again.

  • clintonformccain

    with Newt Gingrich. People who were around in the 90s are just going to say, “Ewwwwww…..”

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    .

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    And before. I can see how a Clinton supporter would feel this way though. They were at odds much of the time. The thing is, Clinton should be thankful to Newt. If it wasn’t for Newt forcing Clinton to the middle, he would’ve been a one-term President.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    ..

  • Russ Martin

    What is his executive experience? This a quality that I value highly when considering someone for President. There are a lot of smart people who can’t lead their way out of a paper sack. Most successful Presidents have a strong background in executive leadership (governors, military officers) and given the size of the government, properly leading the country will require someone who can surround themselves with great people and lead/manage them well.

    I think Newt was a good Speaker, but what executive experience does he have? He founded American Solutions and the Gingrich Group. He is an historian and a prolific writer and speaker, but does he have anything on his resume that would lead me to believe that he can manage something as large as the federal government?

  • Common_Cents

    Gingrich lays out several specific things he will do as President. He’s got all the signing statements on his site, listed.

    Take a minute and look at that before you say its all ideas. Do your own homework then make up your mind.

  • tomatin

    nt

  • tomatin

    but face it since he could not name that third agency he would cut, he’s been left for dead in all the polls. I just can’t ignore that reality.

  • Common_Cents

    The IA caucus will be interesting.

  • Common_Cents

    .

  • tomatin

    You set the schedules. Set up the house budgets. Oversee writing the legislation. You are briefed on national security daily. Oversee firing and hiring of key staff. Whip up the caucus. Even set up the rebuttals to the SOTU. All things an executive does.

  • tnguy

    …how ignorant and uninformed American – even conservatives – are.

    No one, with the exception of Romney, better represents big gov’t status quo than Gingrich. It’s stunning that he could poll ahead of someone like Ron Paul, much less be the nominee. There isn’t going to be any real consolidation behind Gingrich. A bunch of tea party types will have serious buyer’s remorse next summer, and they’ll have no one to blame for their ignorance but themselves. Were, by some miracle, he to win, republicans all over the map will be feigning righteous indignation when he repeatedly consults with Pelosi and Reed on what big gov’t legislation is needed next.

    This isn’t just going to fracture a conservative coalition, it’s going to shatter it.

    Hopefully, conservatives can win more seats in the senate to mitigate further damage from the bolsheviks.

  • Common_Cents

    You have to earn an “electorate look”. People just don’t say, “ok, its been X weeks, time to look at another candidate”.

  • clintonformccain

    His own party tried to dump him he was so bad. His picture in in the dictonary next to “arrogance”.

  • streiff

    is out of the race until after SC.

  • clintonformccain

    that they win the Senate. At least with a Republican Congress, President Obama won’t be able to do too much damage in his second term.

  • wbf

    nt

  • randgeek73

    he can say this on his website, and DO the exact opposite should he be elected. The electorate as a whole is weary of these shenanigans.

  • wonkish1

    GOPAC
    1994 Campaign(he wasn’t NRCC chair, but his level of involvement he might as well have been.
    Speaker of the House
    American Solutions
    The Gingrich Group
    The Center for Health Transformation
    Gingrich Communications
    The Americano(which may or may not been under Gingrich Com.)
    Renewing American Leadership(which may or may no been under Gingrich Com)
    (He was Chief Executive of the last 6 simultaneously while writing books, delivering hundreds of speeches, being a Fox contributor, etc.). I seriously wondered where he had time for sleep.

  • streiff

    he was not a “complete failure as Speaker.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newt_Gingrich#Legislation

    He did, however, display some personal traits, other than the whole adultery thing, that makes me dubious of his ability to be a really good president.

  • tnguy

    …Gingrich was able to distinguish himself by deftly manuevering his way through debates conducted by the liberal media. Certainly sounds like the way that conservatives should be selecting their nominee.

    Park bench. Nancy Pelosi. Individual mandate. Reagan era over.

    That’s all anyone really needs to know about Newt Gingrich.

  • streiff

    and the candidates agreed to. If you have a beef it isn’t with the “liberal media” it is with a stupid party and stupid candidates

  • Common_Cents

    Hastert
    Pelosi
    Boehner.

    Now how does Gingrich stack up amongst the latest speakers?

  • serpounce

    I understand *why* this is happening, but I still can’t really believe it. Now, I like Newt Gingrich, I’ve seen him speak live twice and been impressed each time. But the guy is not up for a presidential campaign, and his record (both personal and political) is going to grind him down.

    A modern presidential campaign is not a book tour. It requires tremendous personal stamina and drive to win. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it here, Gingrich will poop out, and people won’t vote for a guy who can’t be bothered to campaign the way they expect.

    They guy got in the race to sell books, so let’s all buy one of his books and nominate someone who is up for the task like Perry or Huntsman.

    Heck, at least Romney is a good campaigner, the guy can kiss babies and shake hands like a machine.

    Being a clever debater is nice, but voters size up a man and judge whether he is up for the job, see e.g. Dole, Dukakis, Kerry. If we nominate Gingrich, we’re going to be adding his name to the list of “what where they thinking?” failed nominee.

    Now maybe Obama has screwed things up so bad that any idiot can win, but why take the risk with a washed up, flip flopping divorcee?

  • Common_Cents

    and let’s have an afternoon dose of reality.

    The debates are reality. Perception is reality. Debates are an opportunity for media exposure worth MILLIONS. That is either good exposure or bad exposure.

    You can complain all you want about debates.

    You can complain all you want about the uneducated electorate.

    It still does not change reality.

    Many decisions are would you rather be rich or be right. Would you rather be right or be elected. Sometimes being “right” is awfully lonely.

  • tnguy

    ….a huge beef with the party and the candidates. Erick has complained about it on the front page several times. At some point, conservatives have to wrest leadership away from establishment types, or look for another home.

    Holding our nose every election is another step down the disastrous road we’re on. And you know that’s the truth.

  • Russ Martin

    I know he served as Speaker for 4 years and the gives me a better understanding of the responsibilities.

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    at least as far back as mid-October before Cain hit his top numbers.

    There were several pro Newt diaries around then, including mine here.

  • streiff

    and Cain is on the way out I anticipate being able to vote without holding my nose.

  • clintonformccain

    who owes half a million dollars to Tiffany buying baubles for his trophy mistress,…er… wife.

  • tomatin

    -For the first time government actualy shrank under Newt
    -He got rid of the worst part of the Welfare State
    -He got rid of terrible banking regulations
    -He almost balanced the budget
    -He got the biggest capital gains tax cuts in history.

    You simply can’t argue with those facts and he did it with a Dumbocrat president wrapped around his finger.

  • Common_Cents

    that gets you nowhere. Every candidate is going after the same exact group of voters.

    Can you imagine Nike or some national company blaming customers for not buying their product?

    If it ain’t workin, maybe you should try somethign different.

  • tomatin

    in office.

  • tomatin

    He did not do it with money or media hype. He did it on performance in the last few debates.

  • Common_Cents

    Any of the candidates could have called out the moderators for dumb questions, dumb rules.

    The only candidate that called out the lame stream moderators, was Gingrich.

    I wish all the candidates joined gingrich. I wish all the campaigns would have actually got together before the debates and set their own rules and not agree to the lame stream media formats, especially the early debates.

  • tomatin

    Why because he has good hair. He’s as plastic as my tooth brush.

    A good campaigner is authentic and makes each voter feel like they are talking to them. Romney is neither of those.

  • streiff

    and there were way too many debates and they’ve let Huntsman and Santorum stay in way too long.

  • clintonformccain

    they can come up with is a choice between Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney.

  • 1bunny

    The legacy of Newt has caused the republicans in congress to run scared. They don’t want to be seen as the group that shuts down the govt (or just accused of trying to shut it down). I look at all that has happened since Newt did his “thing” and was booted out as his real legacy to republicans. He has essentially neutered the republican party as they always run scared and don’t stand up against the dems. He may have done a few things “right” while in DC but the results of his legacy has brought us to where we are now, scared to take a stand republicans against the liberal, socialist democrats. Thanks, Newt!

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Or are you just whining?

  • tnguy

    ….I won’t vote for Gingrich or Romney. A lot of conservatives won’t either.

    And will continue not to vote for non-conservative republican candidates. Republicans can’t look wishy washy or moderate types in the eye and then try to convince them that we need to elect conservative small-gov’t candidates, when that person knows a Gingrich/Romney campaign sign was proudly staked in their front yard. To quote Rush Limbaugh after Gingrich scolded him for hoping Obama fails, “I wish he’d just go away.” Too bad Rush has abandoned conservatism in his desire for Obama to lose.

    I’d rather be right all day, every day. Frankly, I find your suggestion not only immoral, but wrong. We can and must change what we’re doing as a party if we expect the country to reverse course. The financial ruin we are facing can’t be overstated, and rolling up our sleeves while still maintaining the same old gov’t does nothing to address it.

    Put an (R) pennant on your wall and celebrate if your guy wins. Personally, I’m more concerned about the future of the country than the republican party. Choosing the lesser of two evils has depreciated the difference between the two parties to the point that many Americans can hardly tell the difference between the 2 now. I’m done being a part of that.

  • tomatin

    starting to wonder where your alliances are.

  • clintonformccain

    You would like to think that this would be the cycle where the Republicans offer a fresh new alternative to a horribly failed Presidency.

    I don’t think I’m the only one shaking my head in disappointment at the way the Republican race has shaken out. The fact that New Gingrich is the prohibitive front-runner just highlights the lack of strong candidates.

  • radicalrighty

    Nobody but diehard GOP voters will go to the polls. Newt will go down hard (how many women will vote for him?), and say goodbye to the house majority – and the good ole USA . . .

  • streiff

    because we are conservative in the primary and GOP in the general and if you express that opinion after we choose a nominee you will be banned.

  • tnguy

    ….but it’s “they” for me from henceforward. My alliances aren’t to a party. They’re to my country and my principles. I see nothing from any of the campaigns discussed in this thread but re-worked versions that put us on a road to perdition to begin with. Gingrich got wealthy and famous off that system, he isn’t going to dramatically change it.

    Conservatives continue to bend over and vote for Bush/Bush/Dole/McCain/Romney/Gingrich. In other words, a slew of inside-the-beltway elitists who typify what Rush Limbaugh – until recently – referred to as the “ruling class”.

    Frankly, I find it idiotic for conservatives and republicans to obsess over whatever the latest Obama quagmire is, when they’re unwilling to address the mammoth issues in their own party.

  • clintonformccain

    It seems to me that both political parties are pretty much bankrupt in the leadership department. Hopefully, some the young guns in the Republican party will develop and give us something to get behind in 2016.

  • streiff

    don’t keep us in suspense, tell what the next Congress looks like.What’s the electoral vote count?

  • clintonformccain

    going down in flames at the top of the ticket. But, the lack of excitement will cost them seats.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Im not interested in Clintonian anti-Newt talking points.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    This is a GOP matter.

  • Whacker77

    The Republican party and the conservative movement are about to commit electoral suicide and no one seems to notice or care. I cannot believe any of this. It defies logic we might nominate a disgraced former speaker who was forced to pay a $300,000 fine. Maybe the Democrats ought to replace Obama with Jim Wright?

    Make no mistake, Newt is Christine O’Donnell and Sharron Angle on a national scale. But it’s not just him, it’s the entire field. Cain, Bachmann, Perry, Paul, they’re all terribly flawed candidates And so is the thin skinned Mitt Romney. The whole process is a joke. Is this all there is?

    Dan Henninger had a really interesting piece in the WSJ today. He complained we’re running the B Team while the A Team sits in the locker room. Because of this, he thinks it might be time to go back to the smoke filled rooms. Based on what I’ve seen so far, he’s probably right, but I do disagree on one point. We’re running the D Team right now.

    Honestly, why must we accept the premise it’s too late for someone else to jump into the race? Are you telling me Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, or Chris Christie couldn’t get in today and win? The groundswell of support for any of them would be so high, they might win on write in votes in the states where they’re not on the ballot and they’d sweep to wins in the states where they were on the ballots.

    No matter what, I’ll be there to vote on election day, but we can do better and we ought to demand it while there’s still time. Right now, I’m hoping for a brokered convention.

  • streiff

    they guy who will generate the most excitement is, oddly enough, Gingrich. Probably followed by Rick Perry.

    Romney will kill us completely on the down ballot races. And there is no one else.

  • lucasblack

    But Newt did this before. He laid out exactly what they would do in the first 100 days with the Contract for America. And then he did exactly what he promised. He actually wanted to do more and go with a Contract for America II but the rest of the GOP wasn’t behind him on it.

  • streiff

    I don’t see how he wins a GOP primary ever. He’s like Rudy Giuliani without the adultery. Rubio has been in the Senate for 2 years. I like Jeb Bush but he’s not running.

  • clintonformccain

    in November? This election is there for the taking. It’s teed up for the Republicans, but they’ve got to give people some reason to vote. From my perspective, this nomination process has been a disaster.

  • clintonformccain

    I’ll be happy to “butt out”.

  • Whacker77

    I’ll be blunt. I’m not interested in voting for a compromised candidate like Newt. The man’s a windbag who will drag down the entire party. Unfortunately, everyone else is so bad, they’ll all probably drag down the party.

  • tailfins1959

    This shopper is looking for Romney, Huntsman and Gingrich to “sell” what their judicial appointments will look like, from Perry and Cain to show competence, from Santorum to show electibility (as well as competence), Paul to show pragmatism (brainstorming the silly is acceptable), and Bachmann to show she can work and play well with others.

  • donald_24

    The electorate is sick of Bushes and Jeb would be unelectable in a general election.

  • anonymousbosch

    she wouldn’t be confirmed by the Senate

    The Miers episode proved once and for all that the days of the Souters and Kennedys are over. Only solid conservatives with track records will be confirmed now.

  • Whacker77

    In comparison to this crowd, those three would smash the competition.

    As for Christie, I’m tired of hearing how he’s some sort pro-abortion liberal. I would take him over Newt any day of the week and twice on Sunday’s. Christie’s a damn good Republican. He might have a flaw or two, but he’s not completely compromised like the current choices.

    Rubio is young, but don’t you trust his judgement? In the end, isn’t that what this is all about? Judgment. I think he would make a fantastic president and I think if he decided to run today, he might end up with 75% support in the coming polls. People are yearning for a real choice.

    As for Jeb, I am a big supporter of him, but I am pissed off he has decided it’s better to let Obama win in 2012 and then run in 2016 for an open seat. What kind of leadership is that? It’s just terrible, especially when you consider what he and Rubio and Christie have left us with.

    I just don’t know how men of good conscience can leave the party in such a lerch when the country is facing such terrible times.

  • tea4me

    And the 80s
    And the 70s

    Newt is the best possible candidate. He’ll be thought of as Reagan was when it’s all done 9 years from now…

  • Whacker77

    But Newt, Perry, and Mitt aren’t unelectable?

    Sorry, but Jeb would mop the floor with Obama. No one would ever confuse him with his brother and he has a fabulous track record in Florida.

  • tea4me

    but bend over and take it.

    He has no choice now but to accept the inevitable. His one vote won’t make a bit of difference

  • acat

    he’s utterly dreadful on immigration. Makes Perry and Gingrich look like hardliners.

    I could see {name}/Jeb Bush being successful, though. For certain values of {name}…

    Mew

  • keysconservative

    Newt supported Dede because he thought she had the best chance of winning. Isn’t that why most people are supporting Romney? Isn’t that what conservatives are told to do in every election? “Forget about who the most conservative candidate is, we need to support the candidate who can actually win” Sure Santorum is conservative, but he can’t win. Sure Bachmann is conservative, but she can’t win. Vote for Romney, at least he’s got a chance.

  • donald_24

    Of course Newt and Mitt are unelectable. They are toxic assets who both can’t keep a position for more than 1 week. Jon Huntsman is the most electable candidate in a general election. No flip flopping. No marital problems. No ethics problems. He is the textbook candidate.

  • tea4me

    …

  • anonymousbosch

    Rubio hasn’t even been in the Senate 1 year. I like the guy, but we’re going to nominate a guy with less than a year in the Senate for President? Unlikely.

    Christie is also like Rudy without the 9/11 leadership and the long track record of accomplishments and effecting real and lasting change on a large scale. If Christie was really that popoular, you’d think his endorsement of and strong support for Romney would have helped him more than it has. IN fact, Romney has gone down poll-wise nationally and in every state since Christie endorsed him.

    A brokered convention would be fun, though.

  • tailfins1959

    Voting has a small impact compared to manning phone banks, putting up yard signs, maintaining contact lists, writing letters to the editor, etc., etc., etc,

  • vaaztx

    At least that’s what he told Jake Tapper this afternoon: “I’m going to be the nominee. It’s very hard not to look at the recent polls and think that the odds are very high I’m going to be the nominee.”

    Arrogant SOB. Can you at least wait until at least one person has actually cast a vote?

    Remind me, why doesn’t anyone like Rick Santorum?

  • tailfins1959

    I just read over your last several posts: Snark after snark after snark,
    Are you Barney Frank?

  • radicalrighty

    Apologies for the suspense . . .

  • tomatin

    They agree on the majority of the issues.

  • tomatin

    nt nt

  • Whacker77

    Seriously, I’m tired of the immigration only voters. Nominate Sherriff Joe.

  • tomatin

    The fact is the GOP has people in government that encompass 90%+ of my principles so I don’t shy away from calling myself Republican. President is one office albeit a hugely powerful office but there are thosands more around the country.

    If I could not find the vast majority of my values in the GOP THEN I would go elswhere.

  • donald_24

    Huntsman was a very conservative governor. People forget that. Obvivously the people of Utah agree since he was re-elected with 77% of the vote and had an 80% + approval rating.

    How many GOP Pres. candidates have those kinds of numbers?

  • donald_24

    Huntsman is also the only one who has put forth a meaningful plan to end too big to fail. This could appeal to a lot fo independents in a general election.

  • red_oakster

    Let’s see how he does in the hot seat for 30 days. Maybe he can do it, but he often finds a way to foul his nest.

  • red_oakster

    Newt came in with immense support; he led the GOP out of the wilderness. Then he squandered everything. Have you noticed how few endorsements from his former colleagues he has? That’s not leadership.

  • wonkish1

    Thanks for providing the link.

    Honestly I’m playing this clip over and over and over again. I know him so well and something is bothering me here.

    I can just see it in his face and it plays right into my biggest concern about Newt.

    Ultimately that is only a feeling and we’ll see if anything comes of that going forward.

  • acat

    Remember, at one point Al Gore was a conservative democrat because, in Tennessee, ya cain’t be a lib.

    Mew

  • sunshinek67

    nt

  • oldlady

    Newt’s arrogance and nasty streak are going to do him in. Just like it always has done before.

  • tricianc

    Repeat post from another thread.

    Verum Serum put out a story today, A quote from it: ?Newt is acknowledging that his position on the viability of GSEs was strongly affected by the collapse?.

    Gingrich responded.

    ?Gingrich says the difference between Fannie/Freddie Gingirch and today?s Gingrich is the collapse itself, which has caused him to rethink the viability of the government-sponsored entity model, at least as regards mortgages and home-ownership promotion.?

    Now Newt is saying he changed his view after the collapse of Freddie Mac that he didn?t know was coming.

    EXCEPT:

    We heard many times recently from Newt that he was telling them they were highly flawed and in deep trouble but that they didn?t take his advice. This proves Newt knew yet still publicly defended and used his influence to change conservative Congress Critters? minds.

    THEN THERE?S THIS:

    http://www.verumserum.com/?p=34681 The video is here, as well.

    From Verum Serum:

    More Newt: As a Professor of History I Knew Freddie Mac was Headed for Collapse (As I Accepted Cash to Publicly Defend Them)

    Newt really has some explaining to do over this, because there is no getting around the fact that he leveraged his credibility to publicly defend Fannie Mac and the government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) model in general, at a time when he now claims it was ?clear? to him that the market was headed for trouble. It would be bad enough if had done this as an independent commentator, but we now know he received over a million dollars in consulting fees for services he provided to Freddie Mac.

    Either he knew Freddie Mac?s lending practices were contributing to an unsustainable housing bubble headed for collapse, as he now claims, and yet accepted money to publicly defend them anyway. On their web site. Or he is now stretching the truth about his assessment of Freddie Mac?s problems at the time, and the advice he privately gave to their management.

    Neither of these scenarios are very good. And I want to make it clear, I am not anti-Newt. What I am is pro-victory in 2012 and as far as I am concerned all of these types of things need to be fully aired and addressed now.

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    –no–text–

  • tricianc

    Unearthed: Gingrich Makes the Case for GSE?s on Freddie Mac?s Web Site in 2007/2008

    http://www.verumserum.com/?p=34603 Go to their site to see what Newt wrote on the Government Sponsored Enterprise’s website

    Here’s the intro:

    “I?m a little late with this ? it?s been at least a couple of weeks since Bloomberg broke the story that Newt Gingrich received $1.6 million in consulting fees from Freddie Mac over a decade or so. With Gingrich currently rocketing up the polls it?s safe to say he survived the initial controversy over this, but I think questions over this are going to continue to dog his campaign. Gingrich has defended the work he did for Freddie Mac claiming that he was hired only to provide strategic advice as a ?historian?, and that he had warned upper management that their lending practices were ?insane? in the years leading up to the housing market collapse. But former officials from Freddie Mac described his role quite a bit differently, according to the Bloomberg story.”

    “Former Freddie Mac officials familiar with his work in 2006 say Gingrich was asked to build bridges to Capitol Hill Republicans and develop an argument on behalf of the company?s public-private structure that would resonate with conservatives seeking to dismantle it.

    He was expected to provide written material that could be circulated among free-market conservatives in Congress and in outside organizations, said two former company executives familiar with Gingrich?s role at the firm. He didn?t produce a white paper or any other document the firm could use on its behalf, they said.”

    How is that not lobbying? And at Taxpayer expense?

    Now, go read the rest of the story and find out what he wrote on their website. It sure doesn’t say what Newt said he’d been telling them all along. We heard many times recently from Newt that he was telling them they were highly flawed and in deep trouble but that they didn?t take his advice.

  • sunshinek67

    :(

  • bzip

    It is funny. Perry managed to get the flip-flop label to stick to Romney (if anyone actually remembers correctly and will to give Perry credit for something).

    Ron Paul is tryingh to do the same thing and personally I think it will work. Note: I was watching CNN and they had stated that internal Romney data shows that many voters either do not know or don’t remember Newt’s baggage. I completely agree with that. There has been too many new voters that have come of age, party changers, people who don’t remember well, etc.

    So we have another factor, the large percents of voters who haven’t decide yet couple to those % who are going to be learning about Newt for the first time – not good for Newt given enough time.

    It is shock in a 24 hour period that Ron Pauls ad on Newt has gotten over 200,000 hits.

    Now I saw/read this on a comment page for a blog. It is something that hasn’t been mention much before but worth thinking about:

    “With congress approval 7% we are supposed to nominate a former house speaker who was for an individual mandate, supported cap and trade, and thinks the Ryan plan is right wing social engineering. was a lobby csar ,and has more personal baggage than anyone to ever run for president . AND THIS IS OUR SAVIOR?? all you gingrich loons are nuts if it comes down to gingrich or Romney I will be voting for Romney because Romney has an excuse ..look where he came from.. what is gingrench’s excuse ”

    It is the 7% approval of congress coupled/link to Newt as house speaker that should draw much concern.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    After a certain point our primaries go WTA for a reason.

  • Common_Cents

    ;)

  • JSobieski

    Look at Romney and Newt as businesses.

    When Newt is “on” he is extremely effective. He also screws up more than anyone else.

    Say he brings in $1000 in revenue and incurs $250 in costs.

    Romney has a lower Beta. He brings in $500 but only $100 in costs.

    Who is more profitable? Newt will make you turn off the stock ticker at times, but Newt has caused more conservative change to occur than Romney has ever dreamed of. Yes, Newt has the “no unexpressed thought” disease and that is why his costs are so high.

    Romney’s economic plan is incredibly tepid.

    I support Huntsman over Romeny.

    Huntsman has a great economic plan.

  • lucasblack

    He promised to pass the contract and he did. That was the point I was making. And I’ll take the results of the Gingrich Congress over the GOP leaders that came after him. Livingstone was a porker and Delay was worse.

  • federalfarmer1

    He’s more like s boxer that knows how to keep punching and day on his feet in any situation.

    And romney was a flip flopper four years ago too, if you had paid any attention.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    to do?

  • federalfarmer1

    If it wasn’t for the whole working Obama thing, he might have been my number one.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    I consider Perry the most reliable conservative running and wish he would be the next President but he has to do something big against Mitt and Newt to get a second look from the voters, ie use that money to go negative.

  • writescribe

    appears to be waning, if these polls are to be believed and hold up into next year.

    The TP had an outsized influence on the 2010 midterms, no doubt. However, if this two-man race stays this way, look at who is being nominated to represent the party in which the conservative movement has hitched itself. Newt Gingrich, a guy whose principles seem to be dictated more by whoever is paying him rather than anything innate, and Mitt Romney, a guy who seems devoid of principles except to get elected (which he’s been failing at as well). Seriously, we are counting on these guys to carry forward into action the conservative mantle for the next four years? Do I need to say any more?

    I’m sorry to have to say this, but just as the TP succeeded in 2010 in translating grassroots activism into electoral results, it is to the same degree, maybe even greater, failing just as much so far in the run-up to the 2012 election. It gives me no pleasure to admit that, but from where I’m sitting it’s still a true statement. I suppose even anger and frustration temper over time.

  • JSobieski

    He reminds me of Michigan’s Governor Snyder.

    I was anyone by Snyder in the primary, but he has been very effective.

    Erick Erickson and the WSJ have sung the praises the Hunstman economic plan—and I totally agree with that assessment.

  • bzip

    I am so happy to see gamecock has regained his footing again :-) . Lets hope Perry can regain his footing too :-) .

    I think something has to happen to Newt, personally I think all the baggage over many weeks will take a toll.

    I think Perry has to be careful with too much negative ads, he needs to keep positive right now. The Ron Paul and Romney ads against Newt will help bring Newt down. In the end I don’t think Romney will be too much of a hardship for Perry or anyone to bring down.

  • wonkish1

    I mean I guess it made sense when you see the right line up in numbers and the only person coming from the center is Mitt, but lets face it Huntsman had a considerably more conservative record in Utah than Mitt. He could have run more from the right and done much better, oops!

    I guess when your kind of a typical Republican who’s pretty conservative, but not very and your an unknown its probably not a good idea to cast yourself as a centrist in the primary especially when you weren’t thaaat centrist when you were governor.

    Just my 2 cents on Huntsman’s oopsy!

  • donald_24

    Huntsman is a strong candidate to defeat Obama. If you look at his record as governor of Utah, it will be hard to find any liberal policies. When Oama stands on the debate stage this fall, the last person he wants to see at the podium next to him is Jon Huntsman.

    Huntsman not only has the most conservative economic policy, but he has laid out a strong financial policy to end too big to fail. If you want to ensure there is not another TARP in the future, then Huntsman’s Wall St. proposals should be supported.

  • reggie182

    I assume that you mean that the plan you refer to isn’t all HIS ideas. Well I didn’t say that all he proposes to do are his ideas. But he is a man of a great many ideas. He’s an extremely innovative politican.

  • Scope

    From what I’ve read some of Newt’s support is because he hasn’t gone after his fellow opponents, either on the debate stage, or anywhere else that I am aware of. Isn’t Newt’s reputation that he always attacked fellow Republicans, that disagreed with him, very viciously? This must be a part of his new found discipline. I read a headline today that he instructed his staff to not attack Romney.

    Now, OTOH, I also read that Mitties campaign is planning an all out onslaught against Newt, because they are now scared to death because of Newties rise in the polls. Wasn’t it Leon that posted a diary about how Mittie uses third party surrogates to attack his opponents?

    Oh, and one of Romney’s aides is sad that Cain may not last in the campaign long enough to keep Perry down. I turned totally against Cain when he bought into the rock story, and as much as called Perry a racist, on a few different shows, even though the Politico story had no teeth. I read somewhere that Newt had appointed Cain to some kind of tax commission years ago. Cain must be feeling like a bean bag at this point with conflicting support for Romney and the Grinch. Then again he has other worries, like wife worries.

    Ron Paul is hitting Newt with ads, which is great, and will do nothing to gain Paul any more support. I suspect that every Romney supporter will go after Newt so big time it isn’t funny. By the end of the day, Newt will be standing on the stage completely naked. Ewww what an awful thought. Most on Fox, that I’ve heard, have not gotten on Newt’s bandwagon. I suspect that in the Fox debate, he will be treated as Perry was in the early Fox debates. They will not make it easy for him. I suspect that within a few weeks, Newt will have such a colonoscopy that his colon will be shoved up into his throat.

    Huh, Bachmann is hitting Newt hard. The attack dog should be on full display against Newt in the debate. Fingers crossed.

    Perry will be ready and waiting for his second wind which will be coming very shortly. And think about it, it won’t take rocks or ooopps moments to eliminate the Grinch, there is a loooong record, speeches, books, articles that can be brought forward to show what a disaster Gringrich would be as Pres. Like Fred said in 08, the media takes up as high as they can, only so you have that much farther to fall.

  • donald_24

    Newt and all of his bagge make him unelectable in a general election/ Today Gingrich was, for the SECOND time, talking about having kids cleaning toilets in their school. Exactly who is he trying to appeal to? What percent of the electorate thinks that kids should clean toilets? Gingrich is wiriting his own attack ads for the Obama team.

  • Tbone

    The only person that is unelectable is Obama.

  • donald_24

    How many toilets did you clean in your school when you were a kid?

  • vaaztx

    And I still try to avoid cleaning toilets (til my wife makes me).

  • vaaztx

    Why isn’t Rick Santorum getting more traction in the polls?

  • reggie182

    I’m sorry but I just don’t get it. A lot of us did yard work, washed cars, etc. to earn extra money as kids. There was nothing wrong with it then, and there is nothing wrong with it now.

  • donald_24

    Because kids should be learning, that’s why. Plus Gingrich has not said whether toilet cleaning would be optional or mandatory.

  • Tbone

    dig a new pit and move the house over it. Does that count?.

  • bzip

    He put a mandate in for cleaning toilets followed up by some exercises in lobbying for global warming.

    Oh where has the conservatives gone, maybe cleaning toilets I guess.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    partier dreams come true.

    I don’t want any more Repubs tearing down other Repubs and don’t think Perry can make a comeback at this late date (late because of all the exposure in debates) absent making a major contrast with Mitt/Newt.

    But I would say that i also don’t fear that the GOP in-fighting will matter much against Obama and might even be good as insulation against future attacks.

    I think the R will beat Obama due to Great depression II.

  • bzip

    This should go over real well or have we even lost sight of more conservative principles:

    Study Says Gingrich Amnesty Bigger Than ’86 Blanket Amnesty — Seems to Reject ‘Attrition Through Enforcement’

    https://www.numbersusa.com/content/nusablog/beckr/december-1-2011/study-says-gingrich-amnesty-bigger-86-blanket-amnesty-seems-reject-at?

  • reggie182

    Besides, work itself is instructional. It teaches a work ethic and appreciation for money.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    makes him the better choice over Mitt if that is what we have to settle for.

    My comment re “shooting Mitt” was based on the previous commenter that said Perry had already shot Mitt. Whereas I think Mitt shot himself long ago. But Mitt also may have dealt himself a fatal blow with is frenetic interview with Baier.

    more later

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    I’m mad at Cain for his laziness on policy and that he thought he could run for President on the fly.

  • carolina

    this idea to be very offensive, demeaning, and insulting. He could have made the same point in a positive manner – describing an opportunity for young people that they don’t have now. Instead he came across as punitive and downright ugly. I don’t understand how he could be so stupid. Newt sounded as insulting as BO has so often – by applying negative comments to a large general group with many folks who identify, but rightfully resent the unfair generalized insult. Newt totally lost my vote (just as I would never vote for BO).

  • carolina

    this idea to be very offensive, demeaning, and insulting. He could have made the same point in a positive manner – describing an opportunity for young people that they don’t have now. Instead he came across as punitive and downright ugly. I don’t understand how he could be so stupid. Newt sounded as insulting as BO has so often – by applying negative comments to a large general group with many folks who identify, but rightfully resent the unfair generalized insult. Newt totally lost my vote (just as I would never vote for BO).

  • vaaztx

    ?with Rick Santorum? He’s a solid conservative yet he gets treated like a fat chick wearing glasses.

  • bzip

    If Gingrich is the answer, Tea Party has failed
    http://bostonglobe.com/opinion/2011/12/01/gingrich-answer-tea-party-has-failed/kzwmWew9EqZxiIFXEWNmZM/story.html

  • donald_24

    If we are going to have kids work, then let them do productive work. I would rather have them do some sort of internship or co-op and get real world working experience. They could shadow a prosecutor for instance and sit in the courtroom while he argues cases. The kids could even do minor clerical work for the prosecutor, like filing documents and typing letters. It would all be optional and require the consent of parents.

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    Until I was 9 and my parents built the home they still live in today, we lived with my grandparents in a double-barrel shotgun house and managed to get by with a double outhouse. And no, I’m not that old (54).

    When my son decided in elementary school that he didn’t want to study, I made him clean our toilets and told him that’s what he might be doing the rest of his life. That attitude didn’t last long.

  • writescribe

    with your cogent comment. I posted something similar above about 90 minutes ago.

    If we as conservatives allow Gingrich to be the nominee, then the conservative movement, whether you think that’s embodied by the TP or not, deserves what it gets. Sure, Obama may be out of office, but we’re going to get worse than George W. in Gingrich. The saddest part is Gingrich isn’t even really hiding it. He’s relying on the fact that he can run out the clock, and we have no choice but to back him. Well, there’s Romney…like I said, no choice.

    How did the party manage to botch it so badly here? *sigh*

  • bzip

    Can we say arrogant too:

    Gingrich: Let?s face it, I?m going to be the nominee
    http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2011/12/01/if-gingrich-is-the-answer-the-tea-party-has-failed/

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    I know own janitorial companies. They clean a lot of toilets and make a lot of money doing it. Since when isn’t that productive work?

    Maybe if a few more of the 99% OWSer’s had had to clean a few toilets in their lifetime, they wouldn’t have left the mess they did in the parks.

  • intensity

    Obama is the most left-wing, radical, socialistic, president we as a nation have ever had.

    Newt will be much better than Obama.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine

    is the template. And I want a tea partier as the nominee because I think only way America saves itself is via one man with courage making a majority. We can’t wait for 5 election cycles to fix Congress because the humans that come to DC as tea partiers are co-opted with regular frequency.

    But the task of us tea partiers is great after 70 years of liberal rot.

    But I do think that America will have a great recovery no matter which R beats Obama, but tea partiers will have to keep the whip on the President and Congress to instill the courage to fire federal employees and cut middle class entitlements.

    We really need a President that is willing to speak the hard truth of the consequences of the debt.

  • Ausonius

    Has it been happening yet? IS he being treated like another old, white-haired, grandfatherly kind-of sort-of somewhat Conservative like their favorite Republican of 2008?

    In any case, I will vote for him, if he is the nominee: I await the results of the revolving and evolving gears of History in the spring and summer.

    See this CBS/Slate report: rather fair-handed!

    CBS/Slate On Gingrich

    And from the New York Times on his immigration plan:

    Gingrich Immigration Plan

    (In case those links do not work automatically, see below. And allow me to state openly: REDSTATE sucks when it comes to ease of use!!! It is the most PRIMITIVE site I visit on the Internet!)

    http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/01/gingrichs-immigration-plan-could-benefit-millions-study-finds/

    http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57334667-503544/gingrich-knows-what-hed-actually-do-if-he-won/

  • papabear

    Kids that can’t handle jobs tend to do poorly in school. Your assumption that they would actually use the time to learn doesn’t match what I have seen.

    I used to employ high school kids in my business (90s). When the kids worked for me, they tended to do well. Some stayed with me through graduation. The lowest GPA that the kids got while working for me was significantly better than 3.0 (my requirement was 3.0). I never had to fire them for grades. Some of the kids quit to “spend more time on academics”. Several of the quitters didn’t graduate from high school on time. None of them improved their GPA.

    They worked their butt off for me on the weekends. They got good grades. They learned discipline.

  • donald_24

    How will Gingrich be mch better than Obama? Not that long ago, Gingrich, Pelosi, Al Sharpton, and Obama were all buddies.

    The new odd couple: Sharpton and Gingrich visit Obama

    http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2009/05/66506923/1

  • daveoconnor

    n?t

  • avgjo

    waited out a pres run last time was he saw the disaster coming down the pike in Obama (or any dim who would overreach, believing that teh evil BOOOOSH would give him/her the right to do so) and that if there was ever a real chance for him to win with all his past problems, it would be following such a disaster.

    Well-played, sir.

  • reggie182

    Trust me, they really really really don’t like Newt Gingrich

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oj2FFtDVqw

    (Yeah I know you’ve probably seen it, but I never tire of watching it.)

  • Common_Cents

    Perry is just above the threshold.

    Santorum at/just below.

    Huntsman is below.

  • avgjo

    Mitt had better tread carefully. Gingrich is a helluva lot smarter than him, and he knows ALL the tricks. He’s prepared and Mitt may end up with a mouthful of blood and teeth (figuratively speaking, of course.)

    Paul is a nut who thinks that Iran and Israel should be treated the same by America; most of the primary voters know this and what he says will be ignored. That said, if I were Gingrich, I’d tell him that if he drops out, I’ll make him chairman of the Fed. His supporters would vote for me, and he’d be a nightmare for that craphole institution.

    Fox will be careful with Gingrich, and likely show him more respect. Aside from his having worked there, the man is not as nice as Gov. Perry. (IMHO, Perry was way too tolerant of all the gotcha crap from FOX, Mitt, Bachmann, et al. He should have dealt with them in a Gingrichesque way. But I’m not sure it’s in him. ) For all their idiocy in ‘going towards the center’, FOX knows where it’s bread is buttered. The lefties hate it, so they are stuck with center-right and conservatives. If they go after Gingrich the way they did Perry, he’ll deal with them in a way that will turn many of their viewers against FOX, instead of turning the viewers against him. FOX knows this – at least, I hope they’re that smart. As much as they’ve irritated me, they’re better than nothing.

    Bachmann has no credibility. She played filthy politics with her ‘little girls’ rhetorical crap towards Perry, who is an unquestioned conservative. I am also beginning to think there’s something to what has been said about her staying in the race to help Romney in exchange for either a VP, or payment of her campaign debt or whatever. Also, as much as she likes to run her mouth about standing up against issue X, she has no record of success. Gingrich does. (Her going after the big candidates reminds me of that chihuahua nipping at the heels of my 110-lb. bloodhound. My bloodhound could kill it with a single step, but he doesn’t take it seriously and ignores it. She only manages in caricaturing herself.)

    Gingrich has said and done some incredibly dumb things, esp. for a man of his intelligence. But he’s got a record of ACCOMPLISHMENTS that few of our conservative heroes can match.

  • Common_Cents

    A great strategy.

    This is for keeps, for the most powerful position in the world. Time for everyone to put on their big boy/girl pants because this is for keeps.

    What makes me throw up?

    “golly gee, I’ll be your candidate if you really want me to.”

  • avgjo

    Because he knocks Rick Perry for Gardasil while touting his ‘achievements’ in helping form the (at-minimum equally) invasive DHS.

    Because he lost his senate seat by 18 points.

  • intensity

    Obama will be beaten by Newt next year.

    Obama’s health care plan being deemed unconstitutional next year will be the icing on Newt’s victory cake.

  • intensity

    …we’re talking policies.

    Granted, Newt is less conservative than Perry, but will be much more than Obama.

    He can smoothly, effortlessly express his ideas to the rest of the country.

  • vaaztx

    But it should be up to parents to give kids chores and odd jobs until they reach an appropriate working age, not the government (in the form of Newt Gingrich) turning kids into a slave labor pool for our public schools.

  • donald_24

    But Gingrich supported the same mandate as Obama.

    And your placing your hopes on winning the election on Anthony Kennedy. What happens if SCOTUS doesn’t find it unconstitutional? What’s the plan for beating Obama?

    In U.S. v. Lopez, Kennedy wrote “Congress can regulate in the commercial sphere on the assumption that we have a single market and a unified purpose to build a stable national economy.”

    That doesn’t sound like someone ready to rule against ObamaCare.

    http://uk.news.yahoo.com/supreme-court-justice-anthony-kennedy-rule-obamacare-211300169.html

  • texabama

    Obama proves that who a President nominates has a very good chance of being confirmed.

  • texabama

    I say that “tongue in cheek”. I really don’t get the fixation with Perry’s brain freeze. It only proves that he truly was working on his debating skills and as a result overloaded the circuits. It’s a very normal process and he had the misfortune of doing it on national TV. I’m much more concerned with the record of executive experience and the genuine desire to limit the power of the federal government. I’m convinced that Perry leads the pack when it comes to that. I absolutely do not trust Gingrich to limit the power and scope of the federal government and especially the executive branch.

  • greyeagle

    Perry has competence and has been running the State of TX for 10 years. Texas is large than many of the countries the world He has by far the best plans to get the country back to work and to cut spending. He has a strong record that is available for anyone to see. He has more executive experience than anyone running for office. Plus he is a staunch conservative.

  • texabama

    and the fact that he was pretty much booted out doesn’t scream “SUPERLATIVE” either.

  • sunshinek67

    From the National Journal today:

    “Is Newt Gingrich Just a More Bombastic Mitt Romney?

    But as Gingrich’s current surge enters the closer-inspection phase, many conservatives may discover their infatuation with him is based on equal parts bluster and mythology. In the words of conservative guru Erick Erickson, the RedState.com founder: “The conservative warrior people tend to think Gingrich is, often is not.”"

    It will be a long month of December~

  • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

    Was a US Senator. Not a particularly good thing on a POTUS candidate resume. Sold out to Snarlin Arlin rather than supporting Toomey. Couldn’t get reelected against a mushy Dem. Is a fiscal disaster.

  • texabama

    I, too, don’t want to win if all we do is change uniforms and run towards the same goal as the opposition. I’m not convinced we will win if we don’t run a true conservative. Unless people believe the federal government (and especially the executive branch) will really shrink and emphasis will be on policies that encourage job creation they won’t support our candidate. I don’t support any third party candidates, but there are always third party candidates on the ballot and they stand a good chance of siphoning away votes.

  • tailfins1959

    Tell me what comes up first. It reminds me of Santorum wearing a big “Kick me!” sign.

  • kamiller42

    And that is sad.

    Sure is hard to be a conservative these days.

  • goformitt

    He acts like someone who wet the bed till he was 18. He has all the gravitas of a cub scout leader. He has absolutely nothing about him that looks even remotely presidential. He seems like the kind of guy that would bring his mom in as Secretary of State so she could take care of him when he got sick. If someone like Ghaddafi said Boo, he would cream his pants, and fall onto the floor in the fetal position.

    He’s like a male Bachman.

    Is that enough?

  • JSobieski

    People do want an effective communicator. W showed us how inarticulate politicians end up losing far too many political battles.

    So mischaracterize what other people see in Newt, but that doesn’t really help you or your candidate.

    Given how great 2010 was, our crop of candidates is quite disappointing. I had no intention of even LIKING Newt this time around, and I find him currently number 2 on my list.

    Its hardly because of debating Obama.

    Newt is about communication and ideas. The guy has moved conservatism in some important ways. How about not insulting his supporters, and acknowledging his strengths? All of the candidates have real gaps and flaws.

    Perry has never had to deal with a truly difficult legislature as far as I know

    Newt is physically linked with “Bad Newt”

    Romney has attempted to position himself one too many times on one too many issues.

    Bachmann and Paul have no record of accomplishing anything.

    Huntsman seems determined to appear less conservative than he is.

    Rick Santorum approved a lot of pork spending.

    IT IS ALWAYS HARD TO BE A CONSERVATIVE. Being a conservative is hard, because it means facing reality.

  • goformitt

    Its really great to read all these heart warming stories about how hard you all worked and just how tough you all are with your kids. Really. Thats great.

    But, all that fascinating stuff aside, Gingrich is flat out unelectable.

    It doesn’t matter if YOU think Newt is groovy. What matters is how the independents and disaffected Dems feel about him. And guess what? They hate him. (I’m basing this on informal polls of my extended family and friends).

    So lets just settle in for a nice comfy Christmas and get ready to watch the GOP self destruct. Iowa kicks it off in 4 weeks.

    Pretty sad.

  • goformitt

    Who cares? The point is, do you want Newt dictating how we raise our kids? Makes me wonder if he will be so concerned about how illegal immigrants pouring over our border will raise their kids too?

    What happens when we find all the toilet cleaning jobs have been taken by kids of illegal aliens?

    Oh yea, I forgot, now he says he going to build that darn fence! Apparently to keep the illegals here. :-)

  • RichmondG30

    How ’bout Kagan and Sotomayor? If Romney nominates a “moderate” to the bench and R’s control the Senate, the confirmation process will be a rubber stamp.

  • goformitt

    With Newt as the nominee, you can be certain the GOP won’t win the Senate. Anyone over 40 years old remembers him too well.

    His personal life is a non-starter for many women. I’ve related his personal problems with a couple young republican women and they made it clear they not only wouldn’t vote for such a guy, they would likely kick him in the nuts if they ever saw him.

    I can see the TV ads now – devastating. He’ll crash an burn at just the wrong moment – right before the January process begins here.

  • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

    then please consider that in informal polls of my extended family (very large), friends and fellow church members, Romney remains at the bottom of their list. I’d be willing to bet that is true of the vast majority of redstaters, not to mention that he still just can’t break that 25% mark in actual polling averages. Apparently, there’s a pretty strong contingency of not Romney voters. If that holds, I’ll surely have a nice, comfy Christmas and a Happy New Year to boot.

    By the way, your post at 11:04 pm is offensive to say the least.

  • goformitt

    I think I just heard this on the news. Christie heading for Iowa. But maybe just to campaign for Romney?

  • lineholder

    is part of what builds a person’s character in the long run, especially in regards to work ethics.

    I have a ten-year-old grand-daughter who is determined that she is going to learn how to sew and start her own business. I could tell her until I’m blue in the face that sewing is a tough job, that she’ll be beat out by foreign competition where price is concerned…just be honest and truthful with her. She’s determined to do it anyway. Why? Because she’s heard me talk about “American-made goods”, and taking pride in what we make, and having high standards of workmanship and strong work ethics. All of that appeals to her, so she’s determined to succeed in it.

    Think I’m going to try to stop her? Not a chance.

  • goformitt

    I heard something recently that made me laugh -

    “Newt is what dumb people think a smart guy sounds like”

    Very true…

  • lakeshore

    I can’t believe this is happening. Newt is every stereotype of a GOP boss that we don’t want to be stuck with. I still don’t know who I will vote for, but Gingrich should have been eliminated months ago, then the rest. Conservatives are being blinded by his conservative talk and “ideas” they hear in the debates. Indie voters just see a face and decide who they like the best, and who they want to look at for 4 years. And it won’t be Newt Gingrich. His declaration that he WILL be the nominee is another turn off. He also said he doesn’t think there will be any more past issues about him come up. Hardly reassuring.

  • lineholder

    But then again, given your obvious bias to Mitt Romney, chances are this is just another “narrative” + “belittling” type of narrative to try to make Romney look good by comparison, isn’t it?

    Seen plenty of those narratives this primary season, so I know what it looks like by now.

  • goformitt

    I’m not sure which part of my post you found offensive.

    The poll I’m referring to – the one we’ll find depressing come January, is the one that shows Obama beating Newt in a head-to-head by double digits.

    After the rest of the GOP is done with Newt, he’ll be rags. And thats before the Dems get a hold of him.

    Mark my words – Newt will flame out. I just hope he does it very soon so there is at least an ice cubes chance of someone rising from the ashes before Jan 3.

    If there is a God, he or she sure ain’t shining on the GOP!

  • toothpick

    You may be right, but Harriet Myers would seem to be a counter-example.

  • goformitt

    I think it is funny because we hear endlessly what a GENIUS he is when in fact he possesses a rather pedestrian intellect.

    He got a degree. He landed a job teaching at West Georgia College. Big whoop.

    Nothing says mediocre like West Georgia College.

    Amusing aside: I talked to him a couple years ago before he gave a talk. As he turned away I muttered under my breath, “What an a$$hole”. Unfortunately, I muttered it directly into the videographer’s microphone :-)

  • texasref

    I can support that wholeheartedly if only because he has a pulse and his initials aren’t W.M.R.

    But we still have some time to make sure he’s the right one and not Perry or Bachmann.

  • texasref

    I was going to type the same thing in my comment that you typed, you know, the thing you typed quoting yourself about what you think about Newt, but then I thought, nah, I don’t want to get in trouble. So I’ll just call you arrogant for bragging that you are calling a perfectly good college mediocre, diminishing a learned man’s accomplishments, and for calling him an _______ on camera.

    Jeepers.

    Signed,
    Don’tGoForMitt

  • texasref

    Loud and Thunderous!

    P.S.: I’m undecided, but Newt is the smartest of the bunch.

  • acat

    How do you get from “Jeb Bush is not strong on immigration” to “immigration-only voters” ?

    Taken too many whacks to the head, Whacker?

    Mew

  • trevorb

    support whoever the nominee happens to be, even if I have to get a nose plug and barf bag in order to vote for Romney. The reason is simple: I know what the alternative is. I’ve heard people threaten that they will refuse to vote if their favorite candidate isn’t elected. I highly doubt that, because when the chips are down, it’s either the republican candidate you may not especially like or another 4 years of Barack Obama.

    If it’s necessary, I can overlook, if not forgive, his personal life. My concern is for our country. The Fannie Mae payments are my biggest problem i have with him.

    When it comes to our current candidates, I think Gingrich has one of the best records. He managed to balance the budget and enact welfare reform in spite of Slick Willy taking credit for it. He’s extremely intelligent, well-informed, and in a debate, will chew Obama to tiny little pieces. (I’d pay to watch that)

    Another with a strong conservative record is Perry; he’s just having difficulty getting his message out due to his gaffes and previous debate performances. Texas looks much more inviting than my state, which happens to be California. They’ve created about 40 percent of the jobs in this country and people are flocking there. I’m also grateful he had the guts to come out and saw Climate Change is nothing but a scam. Still, he’s got to figure out to stop sticking his foot in his mouth; that’s his biggest problem, more than anything else. I can’t believe he proposed a no-fly zone over Syria. It’s nice to know he’s got a strong foreign policy, but saying that was just stupid.

    I haven’t officially thrown my support behind anyone, but Gingrich and Perry are the two I can vote for without feeling sick to my stomach.

    When it comes down to it, though, I will vote for whoever I have to in order to hear the magic words: “Former President Obama”.

  • kamiller42

    “People do want an effective communicator. W showed us how inarticulate politicians end up losing far too many political battles.”

    He won the maximum allowed terms of presidency. Haven’t the Newtonians stressed, overly IMO, the importance of communication in an effort to win the presidency? W proved it’s not true. Granted, someone like Perry needs to find his national voice, and I think he’s getting there. See that address to the NH legislature?

    I make a judgment call on what I have read from Newt supporters on the internet. Beating Obama in a debate is priority #1.

    “Perry has never had to deal with a truly difficult legislature as far as I know”

    Perry had to deal with his own Gov Scott Walker like moment in 2003 when 50 reps ran away to OK and some senators left too. Then there are the numerous democrats who have hounded him to raid the rainy day fund. It hasn’t been a cake walk.

  • tomatin

    At least he’s not Mittens and can’t answer a yes and no question on immigration during an interview with Fox News.

  • tomatin

    It seems like his buddies at Fox News are not gonna hold his water anymore. After watching Fox the last few days they have obviously moved onto Newt.

    I don’t blame them Mr. 25% was never going to get Republicans going anyway.

  • tomatin

    Smooth move, obviously you have dented your own credibility.

    Then again if you like Romney you must be a liberal.

  • tomatin

    There is no doubting Newt’s intellectual horsepower.

  • tomatin

    That requires communication and most importantly negotiation skills.

  • JSobieski

    Spending went out of control. The domestic agenda pretty much hit the skids after the 1st two years. Couldn’t even get SS reform into a committee hearing.

    So yeah, communication matters.

    You accuse some of just wanting to beat Obama in a debate. Well, I accuse you of just wanting to win the WH but not accomplish anything.

    I want the conservative agenda to move forward. That requires someone who can persuade which is a communication skill.

    Campaign finance reform–all crap
    No Child Left Behind—too much Kennedy, no vouchers
    Prescription Drug Benefit–too much Kennedy, not enough HSA
    SS reform–dead in its tracks
    Spending—through the roof

    If you want to replay 2000-2008, I want out.

    I say all of that having the deepest personal respect for President Bush. He is a man of fine character.

    His presidency was no conservative prize.

  • tomatin

    And let’s face it the social agenda was reversed by Obama because it was all XO’s and the faith based initiatives are going nowhere under Obama

    Newt actually passed a more conservative agenda that lasted in the nineties.

  • wonkish1

    People are going to start thinking that I have a man crush on you.

    LOL! Mega 5′s!

  • onionman

    “nothing says mediocre like West Georgia College”

    Who cares where Newt taught. He earned his doctorate and he was instrumental in the 1994 GOP Congressional victory. You know, the same electoral cycle that Mitt Romney swore eternal fealty to abortion “rights”.

    If it comes down to Newt vs. Mitt I trust people know where to go.

  • bzip

    I don’t care what anyone say, the record of Newt shows a far less conservative person then almost anyone else in the race.

    Newt with his record is far more a flip-flopper then Romney, has far more baggage then Romney.

    Conservatives and the Tea Party need to wake up before it is too late.

  • Tbone

    he is a two faced, lying putz and there are not enough fools to vote for him.

  • aesthete

    It doesn’t look like we’ll be running out of two-faced, lying putzes in Washington anytime soon — or the fools who voted for them, incidentally.

  • avgjo

    that far, but yeah, I think you’ve got the gist of it.

  • Common_Cents

    Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com

    He discusses hand-ups instead of hand-outs.

    How its up to the voters to decide but he is confident.

    He will not start attacks on GOP opponents and if they attack, that’s their perogative. He will attack Obama.

    He will move half of the 23,000 homeland security people, that are located in DC area alone, to the border. The fence will be built by 2014, he will remove all federal red tape requirements that prohibit fence building.

    He is now capitalizing on his knowledge of how DC works. This is absolutely critical and should be used more in his campaign as a differentiator between other candidates. Something that people are ignoring. He knows how to work the system in a highly partisan DC if the R’s don’t regain control of the senate.

  • iidvbii

    you people are trying to act like you aren’t just picking the best debater. Trying to wrap your BS in a little legitimacy. We all know who the real conservatives are. We all d@mm sure no who has the best record of delivering on those conservative ideas and it isn’t Newt or Romney. If your so convinced that the American people are looking for a spokes model and not a real leader than at least have the courage to say so and quit hiding behind the BS.

  • iidvbii

    its strikes me as odd though that while we are selecting him based on his “performance”. It would seem most of his supporters only want to consider his performamce as it realtes to 2011 anything else is old news, out of context or just not who he is anymore. Wonder if the independants will agree when they are considering 2012 Newt?

  • audax

    …He trashed Joe Miller in Alaska, Santorum thinks that Bethleham is in Gaza….

  • barleycorn

    Is this the best you can do? A politician confidently proclaims he’s going to win an election? That’s news?

    The politically correct indoctrination over the last thirty years has succeeded in that even professing conservatives buy into the touchy feely “whatever you do don’t act like an alpha male” crap.

    Newt Gingrich is the one guy we have who can out SOB the Democrats and beat them at their own game.

    Do we want Alan Alda to be our nominee?

  • audax

    ….says the sticker on the back window of my SUV…gets lots of HATE when I drive over to France to visit my dual-citizen daughter in Grenoble. The Swiss love it though!

  • Change Jar Conservative

    I know it’s unlikely, but really, who knows what will happen.

  • barleycorn

    Excellent answer!

    I bet you were darn careful to not fall in the old pit during the move.

  • acat

    I’m still waiting for you to explain this one.

    Mew

  • acat

    Gov. Huntsman went to work for the Obama administration, Gov. Perry went to work against it.

    Gov. Huntsman went to China to explain why we need to borrow money. Gov. Perry went to China to explain why they should consider buying Texas products.

    Gov. Huntsman started his campaign against Barak Obama while still working for him. Gov. Perry started his campaign after getting his wife’s approval.

    I really don’t see the advantages to Huntsman here.

    Mew

  • donald_24

    There is no evidence that Huntsman started his camapign while working for Obama. As a federal employee, that would be illegal.

    Yes, a PAC was set up while Huntsman was in China, but he had nothing to do with it, as PACs can’t coordinate with canddiates.

  • acat
  • donald_24

    I read Erick’s piece and, while it makes some good points, there is no evidence that Huntsman plotted a campaign while in China, other than some anonymous sources. Yes, Huntsman was most likely plotting a run while still governor fo Utah. There is nothing wrong with that. And yes, his friends set up a PAC for him while he was in China. And there is nothing wrong with that as long as he was not coordinating with the PAC. But that is much different than physically plotting a run while in China.

  • acat

    Huntsman thought about a POTUS run before he accepted the ambassadorship. Nothing wrong with that.

    Huntsman put the POTUS idea *completely* out of his mind while in the ambassador role. Right thing to do.

    You, however, ask me to believe that Huntsman did this *despite* anybody from the PAC calling him (to make sure they get his name right…) and *despite* any media calling him about the PAC (you’d think they’d notice it) and Huntsman did not think *at all* about running until he quit his job.

    I do not see this as realistic. And, evidently, neither did Erick.

    If you’re going to insist on pumping Huntsman, at least do so without insulting the intelligence of the audience.

    Mew

  • westcoastpatriette

    Perry did not need Anita’s approval to run. She was the one that urged him to run before he decided. Convinced him the country needed him now. Can’t remember where I read it, but I did.

  • donald_24

    Ok, let’s assume that Huntsman THOUGHT about running for president as ambassador. As long as he did not take any actions toward a run, I see no problem. Brian Sandoval filed papers to run for governor of Nevada literally the same day he resigned as a federal judge. If Huntsmna can’t be president because he thoguht about running for president as an ambassador, then Sandoval should not be governor because he thought about running for governor while serving on the bench.

    Did Huntsman take different actions as ambassador to increase his chances of winning as president? Did he fundraise? Did he hire staff while still an ambassador?

    If an ambassador thinks about running for president, there is nothing wrong with that.

  • acat

    .. just by thinking .. he did anything that, had he not been thinking, he would have done.

    As for Sandoval, at least get your facts right. He announced he was stepping down as a judge in August and didn’t file papers to run until September. Your statement is untrue. Further, unless you’ve got a cite to the contrary, I’ll assert that Sandoval recused himself from all cases between the announcement and the effective date, and spent his time writing references for his clerks.

    Had Huntsman’s PAC not formed until the day his retirement became effective, it would not present as a conflict of interest. As it is, I have a hard time liking such an opportunistic weasel.

    Mew

  • anonymousbosch

    What do Kagan and Sotomayor have to do with anything?

    they’re liberal judges nominated by a liberal President and of course the liberal Dems in the Senate confirmed them both.

    My point was about if Newt was President with a GOP Senate. We saw in 2005 what happens when a GOP President nominates someone who doesn’t have a proven track record towards being conservative. If even someone like W who in 2005 still was very highly thought of and who still had Rove running the show couldn’t get someone like Miers through, even though he, Cheney, and Rove all called around and all personally vouched for her…well, that just shows you that we won’t settle.

    Only judges with track records like Roberts and Alito will get through from now on

    I’m just saying judges are the least of my concerns with Newt

  • JSobieski

    I haven’t heard such an impressive (both substantively and stylistically) presentation from a Presidential candidate in decades.

    I think any Republican can beat Obama. I think Huntsman could absolutely crush Obama if he fired his campaign guys and let that person at the Brookings Institute come out more often.

  • wonkish1

    I had that on my list of speeches to check out and forgot about it.

  • JSobieski

  • wonkish1

    He really needs to learn how to drop the corporate/bureaucratic conversation style though. It doesn’t attract much attention, it doesn’t actually convey how smart he actually is, it really creates little contract, etc.

    You can tell once he got into things after the first 7 minutes or so his style changed and all of sudden instead of overgeneralizations he begins to draw on a very large head of data that is quite impressive(something I’ve seen from Huntsman before, but he should be doing it in public much, much more).

    Also he has a Jack Welch’ian way of saying something very, very intelligent(not known by many) in such a general way where most people wouldn’t think much of it, but if you what he’s talking about leaves you very impressed.