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Gingrich’s Speech — How to Make a Bad Night Worse
The National Review ^ | February 5, 2012 | Victor Davis Hanson

Posted on 02/05/2012 3:49:00 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife

Newt Gingrich’s post–Nevada caucus speech included about three minutes of inspired moments about issues and ideas in his usual imaginative and intellectually robust style. So why does he not just stay with that — given that he often seems more dynamic and glib than Romney in his attacks on Obama, and not long ago gained ground despite the attacks against him? Instead, he now turns ad nauseam to the tired reasons why he loses — yes, including lots of Mormons in Nevada — and ends up as Richard Nixon not going to get kicked around any more.

But whether he knows it or not, Gingrich is becoming a caricature of petulance: no concession in Nevada, no call to Romney, no awareness that his inability to raise money at levels of a political rival or to match a competing campaign organization is not necessarily unfair. That’s politics, and Gingrich knows it. I don’t understand why he thinks now losing to Romney in 2012 is solely due to Romney’s innate deviousness in a way McCain beating Romney in 2008 was not — given that Romney was about the same in both 2008 and 2012. Gingrich seems oblivious to the fact that McCain’s style and history gave him advantages over Romney’s money and hardball in ways Gingrich’s own proven liabilities apparently do not.

Gingrich should carefully play a tape of his post–Nevada caucus performance, and then he would quickly grasp that it was little more than a litany of excuses, whining, and accusations — characterized by stream-of-conscious confessionals and rambling repetitions. And, I think, will hurt him more than anything yet in the campaign.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: gingrich2012; gopestablishment; gopprimary; msm; nevadaprimary; newt
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To: Josh Painter

Your double post goes double for me.


141 posted on 02/06/2012 12:06:10 AM PST by dixiechick2000 (This hobbit is looking for her pitchfork...God help the GOP if I find it.)
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To: CatherineofAragon

Don’t hold your breath waiting for a Rush endorsement of any candidate. He has never, and he will never, endorse a candidate in the primary. If he did, it would make it impossible for him to promote the eventual candidate.

Instead, listen to what he says. And, I mean, REALLY listen.

You will hear who he feels would be the best candidate.


142 posted on 02/06/2012 12:12:42 AM PST by dixiechick2000 (This hobbit is looking for her pitchfork...God help the GOP if I find it.)
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To: PhilDragoo; Cincinatus' Wife

I love that graphic almost as much as I love the Twelfth Imam from Chicago graphic!

A picture is worth a thousand words, and you always provide the best words.

I think VDH is a product of his environment...National Romney Online.

Was there a public announcement that Mitt called Newt after he won SC? If so, I missed it.

Thank you for the post, CW. With this crowd, that took guts. ;o)


143 posted on 02/06/2012 12:15:13 AM PST by dixiechick2000 (This hobbit is looking for her pitchfork...God help the GOP if I find it.)
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To: trebb; DesertRhino

From what you heard?

I hope you can back that up with a link. I can’t find anything anywhere that says Mitt called Newt after the SC primary to congratulate him.

In fact, I remember watching Mitt’s speech, and was not impressed with it at all. He sounded bitter, and angry to me.

“...it’s good manners to congratulate your opponent, not after each individual battle.”

Not true.


144 posted on 02/06/2012 12:20:49 AM PST by dixiechick2000 (This hobbit is looking for her pitchfork...God help the GOP if I find it.)
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To: dixiechick2000

I know what you mean; if you listen hard enough, you get the gist of his candidate preferences. But that’s the thing-—I’ve lost patience with the game. Mark Levin is coming out hard and strong against Romney, but he says he will back him if he’s the eventual nominee. I won’t back Romney in that case, but I understand Mark’s reasoning. I don’t think Rush would be any less credible if he was more openly honest now.


145 posted on 02/06/2012 8:52:57 AM PST by CatherineofAragon (I can haz Romney's defeat?)
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To: JLAGRAYFOX

“I watched the entire Newt Gingrich press conference!!! It confirmed in my mind that Newt Gingrich is not the “one”, not even close”

I was gone all day Saturday. I stopped by my parent’s house late and they said “did you hear what Newt Gingrich said? he was just awful”

I didn’t ask her to elaborate.

I didn’t hear any of it. LOL What did he say that was such a turnoff?


146 posted on 02/06/2012 9:08:05 AM PST by dforest
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To: CatherineofAragon

“I don’t think Rush would be any less credible if he was more openly honest now.”

As I said, LISTEN to him.

Frankly, I think he is as unhappy about the candidates as I am. However, he knows there are one or two in the race who are superior.

I love Mark, and understand his reasoning, too. He’s hit Coulter particularly hard, and I am thankful to him for that.


147 posted on 02/06/2012 11:58:43 PM PST by dixiechick2000 (This hobbit is looking for her pitchfork...God help the GOP if I find it.)
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To: dixiechick2000
From what you heard? I hope you can back that up with a link. I can’t find anything anywhere that says Mitt called Newt after the SC primary to congratulate him. In fact, I remember watching Mitt’s speech, and was not impressed with it at all. He sounded bitter, and angry to me. “...it’s good manners to congratulate your opponent, not after each individual battle.” Not true.

I heard it on talk radio when folks were trying to ding Newt for not reciprocating - never said I saw it where it could be linked. My point was that the MSM thought they could make it an issue about Newt's "lack of manners" because they're so in the bag for Romney. You cherry-picked my other comment about congratulating your opponent and I'm still not sure what the issue was. As long as the battle is being waged, it's nuts too reach out a friendly hand. Once the war has been won/lost, it's petty to hide and sulk. My original in ful:From what I heard, Mitt did call Newt when Newt won SC. Suposedly that set the “standard” which makes no sense to me. Once the overall contest is over, it’s good manners to congratulate your opponent, not after each individual battle.

I've enjoyed your astute posts for some time and usually whole-heartedly agree - having trouble digesting why you even bothered to retort to mine; it's not your usual M.O.

Let's get back to the real task - replacing Obama with a conservative. At this stage, Santorum seems to be catching fire and I hope either he or Newt (or combo) keep bleeding Romney's support from him.

148 posted on 02/10/2012 2:04:35 PM PST by trebb ("If a man will not work, he should not eat" From 2 Thes 3)
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To: trebb

Ohhhh...I see what you meant. I apologize that I misinterpreted your post. My bad.

“My point was that the MSM thought they could make it an issue about Newt’s “lack of manners” because they’re so in the bag for Romney.”

Okay...I cherry picked this post because you make an important point. ;o)

“Let’s get back to the real task - replacing Obama with a conservative. At this stage, Santorum seems to be catching fire and I hope either he or Newt (or combo) keep bleeding Romney’s support from him.”

Cherry picking again because you are dead on right.

“I’ve enjoyed your astute posts for some time and usually whole-heartedly agree - having trouble digesting why you even bothered to retort to mine; it’s not your usual M.O.”

You are very kind, and I do apologize for not “getting” what you meant. I give you a tip o’ the hat. ;o)

Thank you for your kind response. When I make a mistake, I like to be called on it because I want to be accurate. Not all have been as kind as you have been.


149 posted on 02/11/2012 12:44:12 AM PST by dixiechick2000 (This hobbit is looking for her pitchfork...God help the GOP if I find it.)
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To: trebb

I want you to know that I had shut down my computer, and had gone to bed. But, there was something about this exchange that troubled me.

When I asked you if you had a link to back that up, I didn’t mean it as a challenge...as in I didn’t believe you.

I wanted the link! lol

I’m sorry for my poor choice of words.

BTW, though...it is good manners to congratulate your opponent after each battle. It’s good form. However, when the war is won, it’s up to the losing opponents to congratulate the victor.


150 posted on 02/11/2012 1:16:12 AM PST by dixiechick2000 (This hobbit is looking for her pitchfork...God help the GOP if I find it.)
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To: dixiechick2000
BTW, though...it is good manners to congratulate your opponent after each battle. It’s good form. However, when the war is won, it’s up to the losing opponents to congratulate the victor.

And for the victor to say a few meaningless kind things about the loser (unless you're Abe Lincoln - then you honor their valor).

Here's to waiting expectantly for the loser Obama to say something nice about our guy next November....

151 posted on 02/11/2012 3:08:41 AM PST by trebb ("If a man will not work, he should not eat" From 2 Thes 3)
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To: trebb

“Here’s to waiting expectantly for the loser Obama to say something nice about our guy next November....”

Ha! I guess we can all look forward to conservatives collectively turning blue. ;o)


152 posted on 02/11/2012 11:46:53 PM PST by dixiechick2000 (This hobbit is looking for her pitchfork...God help the GOP if I find it.)
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