Newt in Autumn

Haley understands why many politicos interpret Gingrich’s maneuvers as a retreat. Haley’s job, as he sees it, is to keep the campaign in survival mode until then — out of debt, in the news, and prepared for a floor debate.

“We clearly have an opportunity to win,” Haley says. “Now, it’s clear from the delegate math that we have an almost impossible hurdle. But we also believe that Romney will have a very difficult time reaching the necessary 1,144 delegates he needs to be the nominee. If the Republican National Committee follows its rules regarding Florida and Arizona, Romney will probably not be able to get there by June.”

As Romney and Santorum sling arrows at each other, “Newt will continue to make his case to the public,” Haley says. In the coming days, he will unveil more “policy solutions,” hoping to catch fire on a variety of issues, much in the way his “Newt = $2.50 gas” has generated enthusiasm from conservatives and scorn from the White House. Haley predicts that delegates will be paying close attention even if the Beltway press largely ignores Gingrich’s agenda.

It won’t be easy, Haley acknowledges, but he refuses to accept the conventional wisdom that Gingrich is finished. “In an environment where Newt is seen as the leading voice of the conservative movement, as the only candidate who wants to offer a true alternative to the president, he could rise,” Haley says.

“I see this as a Moneyball scenario,” Haley says, comparing the tumultuous, drawn-out primary to the Michael Lewis best-seller about managing a major-league baseball team. “Over the course of a 162-game season, you do the stats and you can predict a likely outcome. But when the postseason comes, it’s a smaller sample size,” he says.

It was impossible to take the midnight ride of Don Quixote Gingrich seriously, the lone knight on his trusty steed followed by the longest caravan of baggage carts in the history of the round table.

“Oy, there be a windmill” he would say “I should tippeth thee, and I shall tippeth thee verily. Then I shall tippeth the same windmill day after day until I have tippeth all of them!”

Months later, tired and haggard he continues his quest nontheless.

“Yes, I have lost 28 of 30 battles but I shall never fail. I will be victorious in the end”

A massive crowd of four listened to his speech, when upon completion a child asks “So, this isn’t a circus then?”

“Onward to victory!”

As the lone knight Don Quixote Gingrich vanishes over the horizon into the sunset and the long long long caravan of baggage carts continues to pass the village the little girl looks up at her father “I don’t get it?”

“Nobody does any more, sweetheart” he answers

A neighbor takes off his hat and scratches his head and comments “I heard he was once the leader of men, but kept getting swamped in trivial details”

“Ah, yes.” the father answers “He once won a great victory, long ago, but little came of it but fanfare”

The baggage carts continued to roll by.

“Now he goes, leader of donkey carts” the little girl says

“That is sad” her father says

Just like Rick’s support collapsed in Louisiana with his winning by a 22 point lead, huh? Newt lost the south big. He took from Santorum, not the other way around.

Newt recently had the gall to say that Santorum couldn’t even pull off Ohio and Michigan, when it was Newt who split the conservative vote.

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