On Sarah Palin, Caucus States, and Latino Voters

The Weekly Standard ^ | January 22, 2012 | William "Bill" Kristol

[2ndDivisionVet]

Courtesy of one friend, an old pro, three perhaps overlooked points in the sea of analysis of South Carolina and beyond:

“I notice that everyone’s citing all kinds of reasons for S.C.: Romney overconfident, Perry's endorsement, Romney doesn't connect, Barnes’s argument that Romney needs a ‘big idea.’ Lost in all this it seems is one name: Sarah Palin. First time she has expressed herself in the race and her candidate wins by 12. If she really comes out for Newt, look out.

“Second thought: Paul has potential to give Romney lots of trouble in caucus states.

“Final point: Some argue that Newt won't play well in Latino parts of Florida. Why? Unless Jeb or Marco go for Mitt, I would argue that Romney's actions on immigration will matter here. Many Florida Latinos vote Republican, and may not like Mitt’s tone on the issue. As Jeb apparently didn’t, for that matter.”

[FlingWingFlyer]

I’m an unhyphenated American. Hyphens are a tool used by communist DemocRATS to divide Americans.

[jmacusa]

Thank you. My people left Ireland 150 years ago and I’m damned glad they caught the boat. I’m not Irish. I’m an American and damned proud to be one. I should be. Better men and women than myself have fought and died to make me one!

[fightinJAG]

It was clear to me from the get-go that the only reason Newt won was the Palins. You can thank/blame them for this, 100%.

The problem is that Sarah’s comments (though not Todd’s outright endorsement) sounded more like a strategery rather than an actual desire to see Newt elected.

If that’s the case, and they unleashed Bad Newt, well . . .

[ak267]

They’d rather cut off a pinkee finger than admit she has major influence.

---

Sounds like the Japanese mafia. Every time Sarah scores, they lose a knuckle.

[fightinJAG]

Free Republic is supporting Newt Gingrich

What in the world is that supposed to mean?

JimRob is supporting Newt Gingrich and, yes, he can zot whomever he pleases, for any reason, and I support him in that.

But that's a far cry from claiming that "Free Republic is supporting Newt Gingrich."

[oneamericanvoice]

Paul will hang in there for the cash that he gets to keep after the race is over. He will not win a caucus. Hasn’t so far. If he couldn’t get New Hampshire, then he’s not going anywhere but down. Paul, like all Libertarians, are detractors. He has a strong base, but can’t win, and he knows it. It’s only his base that doesn’t. Libertarians and third-parties are spoilers. If by some ill-fate he were elected president, half his ideas wouldn’t be implemented because the foreign policy would be a disaster for the US and the free world. Obama got a wake up call when Bush escorted him into the Oval office. Look at the before and after pictures.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Bill Kristol. I didn’t think people paid much attention to him.

[DJ MacWoW]

For your edification.

Post 66 - Jim Robinson

[oneamericanvoice]

I too am unhyphenated. But it isn’t always a tool by our common enemy. It was used to shorten the sentence, “I’m and American of ______ heritage.” I think we should be just Americans, but there are some, who aren’t Democrats or Communists who use it. Same way as some women keep their maiden name and add their husband’s to it.

[fightinJAG]

Gingrich has gotten where he is only because of the actions of others.

First, Cain dropping out. Although Cain probably would not have gone the distance, there would have been no opening for Gingrich in time to make a difference had Cain not been forced out when he was.

Secondly, the endorsement/strategery of the Palins. Credit or blame, I see them as almost 100% responsible for the leap Gingrich made in the polls just prior to the primary.

Gingrich was in the toilet until Cain dropped out, and no amount of razzle-dazzle debate performance changed that one dime.

It was only when it became clear there was going to be no "new" alternative to Romney that Gingrich got his opening. There was absolutely NOTHING that he did to attract people or money to his campaign -- and until recently (like yesterday), he STILL was not attracting grassroots donations to his campaign.

It doesn't take "guts" to run for President, especially when you're an old-hand at the political gristmill, like Gingrich is. In fact, running for President can be very lucrative. The Gingriches have cleaned up on book and DVD sales and Newt's speaking and "consulting" fees would have increased considerably after raising his profile.

He's probably pinching himself that he might actually get the nomination. And it seems to me that Callista is probably highly uneasy that things have gotten this far along.

[Eva]

Winning one or two caucuses won’t do anything for Paul. He would have to come in first or second in all five to force a brokered convention.

[fightinJAG]

P.S. --

The Good Wife: Can Callista Gingrich Save Her Husband?

Eight days before Christmas, on the last non-holiday weekend before the Iowa caucuses, the Republican candidates for President darted across the state, dropping in at factories and shopping malls and pizza parlors, like birds surveying a beach and swooping down for food. But not Newt Gingrich. He was sitting in front of a portrait of George Washington and his horse in the gift shop at Mount Vernon, drinking a Diet Coke next to his wife and a man in an elephant costume. “I’m Callista, and this is Ellis the Elephant,” Mrs. Gingrich told one person after another. About two hundred people had lined up to have the wife of the former Speaker of the House sign a copy of “Sweet Land of Liberty,” a children’s book she wrote about a patriotic elephant who travels through American history, delivering lessons in rhyming couplets: “Independence was not so easily won. / It would take years of fighting and fighting’s not fun.”

[Old Sarge]

Newt is an amnesty supporter and so is Palin.

[RasterMaster]

Newt clearly hasn’t made up his mind on the subject, but the one thing he has been consistent in, he will not enforce the law (build a border fence, deport illegals, sanctions against companies hiring illegals), but the latest rhetoric has been all over the map.

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/politics&id=8442444

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2011/11/23/newt_says_let_illegals_stay_drawing_raves_from_cnn_liberals_for_having_a_heart

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2011/1126/Did-Newt-Gingrich-just-flip-flop-on-immigration

That’s the same reason I could not and would not EVER support Slick Willard Romney, so why should I give Newt a pass. Instead of crying to Jim or the mods, how about taking a peek into his actual statements on the subject before you flame the messenger.

[DJ MacWoW]

Immigration - Newt.org

Try reading it.

[fightinJAG]

Are you claiming that any comment that can be perceived by someone to cast a negative light on Newt is “trashing” him and that is not allowed?

Are you claiming that no discussion about Newt is allowed, only praise?

Or do you think maybe the idea is that people are more determined to fight back against what they view as “trashing” their candidate at this point?

There’s no way to claim that “Free Republic is supporting” a particular candidate. JimRob can speak for himself, which he does ably, and he can zot anybody he wishes, for any reason, and I support him in that. But neither he nor anyone can claim or mandate that “Free Republic [i.e., freepers as a whole] supports so-and-so.”

Also, it’s very different to talk about not supporting someone because he is not conservative versus not being enthusiastic about a conservative because he’s got other political liabilities.

In any event, as JimRob said, “don’t tread on me!” Don’t speak for me, either. Don’t claim that I, as a freeper, support or must support or must only praise anyone on this forum. All I have to be committed to here is respecting JimRob’s authority over his forum, which I do.

[RasterMaster]

I don’t read campaign propaganda, even from a candidate’s own website. I look at what they have said, both present and past, then decide for myself rather than adopt everything they say now as 100% gospel. Sorry if you don’t approve, but I’m not a sheep.

[Windflier]

“Latino voters’’. Jeez. We’re just never going to be “Americans’’, are we?

I hear ya, friend. If I get called an 'African-American' one more time, I think they'll have to call the cops on me.

[DJ MacWoW]

Are you claiming that any comment that can be perceived by someone to cast a negative light on Newt is “trashing” him and that is not allowed?

Ask the guy that wrote it.

[DJ MacWoW]

I don’t read campaign propaganda, even from a candidate’s own website.

But you'll accept twisted quotes from the MSM?! HaHaHaHa!