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Democrats See a Two-Horse G.O.P. Race, Adding a Whip
The New York Times ^ | 12-7-2011 | JEFF ZELENY and JIM RUTENBERG

Posted on 12/07/2011 9:08:15 PM PST by bimboeruption

WASHINGTON — The White House and its allies are starting to turn their sights to Newt Gingrich, invoking his tumultuous history as House speaker to brand him as the “godfather of gridlock,” a testament to his new viability and the sudden realization that he could be President Obama’s Republican opponent.

Democrats have made it clear they have no plans of letting up on Mitt Romney. But they are hoping to help stretch the Republican nominating contest into a longer and bloodier battle — meaning they are eager to define Mr. Gingrich for voters in unflattering terms without necessarily wounding him fatally and assisting Mr. Romney, whom they still view as a formidable general election opponent.

The White House is not conceding that by focusing on Mr. Romney, it aimed its initial attacks at the wrong opponent. But in taking on Mr. Gingrich as well, it is underscoring its determination to play an active role in the opposing party’s primary.

“Look, for the longest time, Gingrich was not really a factor in this race, he was left for dead at the checkout counter at Tiffany’s,” said David Axelrod, a chief adviser to the president’s re-election bid. “Now he is resurgent and he could be the nominee.”

The jabs at Mr. Gingrich are one part gleeful mischief-making and one part serious due diligence. Democrats have dusted off old opposition research files on him and are digging deeper into his time in Congress and the private sector, even as they study how his candidacy could resonate with voters in important battleground states.

For the president’s team, it is a careful calibration.

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


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: axelrod; gingrich; obama; romney
"Careful calibration"?...Hmmmm....This is going to get REALLY interesting.
1 posted on 12/07/2011 9:08:17 PM PST by bimboeruption
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To: bimboeruption

“Democrats have made it clear they have no plans of letting up on Mitt Romney”

Hmmmmmm, I must have missed the attacks. There have been some token ones but compared to what has been unleashed on Newst in the last few weeks pales in comparison. This is the nyt of course.


2 posted on 12/07/2011 9:10:56 PM PST by Parley Baer
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To: bimboeruption

Nothing will UNITE the gop voters behind Newt more than the attacks by the demonrats. The more they detest Gingrich..the more we endorse him


3 posted on 12/07/2011 9:10:56 PM PST by katiedidit1 ("This is one race of people for whom psychoanalysis is of no use whatsoever." the Irish)
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To: bimboeruption
They do know that adding a whip to a horse race makes the horses run faster, right?

Fine by me if the nomination process lasts longer than 3 states. Especially since both candidates are attacking Obama more than each other.
4 posted on 12/07/2011 9:14:02 PM PST by Question Liberal Authority (I also think that Obama should be defeated.)
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To: bimboeruption

I am not a big fan of Gingrich, but after 5 years of Dems running the show, we could use a little gridlock.

That is what the founders had in mind.


5 posted on 12/07/2011 9:22:21 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: bimboeruption

So, does this make that dumb as a post guy in the White House the lawn jockey?


6 posted on 12/07/2011 9:25:58 PM PST by OrioleFan
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To: bimboeruption

Democrats are nothing but a hate machine. They have nothing else to work with. It is pervasive in the liberal/progressive culture. Pelosi, Wright, Reid, Frank, Feinstein, on and on. Must be a bleak world shrouded in self-righteousness and faux superiority.


7 posted on 12/07/2011 9:27:35 PM PST by bossmechanic (If all else fails, hit it with a hammer)
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To: Parley Baer

“Democrats have made it clear they have no plans of letting up on Mitt Romney”


I agree, what attacks on Romney? zilch, zero, hmmm, makes you wonder. attacks on all the GOP candidates but Romney


8 posted on 12/07/2011 9:33:42 PM PST by make no mistake
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To: katiedidit1
I was just going to write the same thing. lol

This is war now...... "The more they detest Gingrich..the more we endorse him""""""

9 posted on 12/07/2011 11:11:57 PM PST by annieokie
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To: bimboeruption
This is the Clinton '96 strategy.

Use your war chest and attack the candidates all year long, from the primary on, until the nomination.

Attack the candidate that you expect to face the least (or at least the one you want to face), and then unload on him, with everything left.

Its like a boxing analogy, work the body, and then finish off by going for the head.

Its pretty simple, they'll go after Newt, and if he makes it to the nomination, they 'll just keep at it expecting the attacks to eventually sink it (like death by a thousand paper cuts), if its Romney, they'll just hit him with both barrels.

This isn't all to unique, but if the GOP nomination goes down to the convention, it becomes a whole new ballgame, and anything can happen, and that turns the election from being a marathon, into a sprint. You could wind up with an entirely different candidate (i.e. Palin, Daniels, Christie, all bets are off).

Candidates who look like they are out of it, i.e. a Perry or a Bachmann or whomever, suddenly have a shot all over again.

10 posted on 12/08/2011 3:07:27 AM PST by Sonny M ("oderint dum metuant")
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