Posted on 12/27/2011 7:23:50 PM PST by TBBT
A few weeks ago I said I wasn’t sure I could get comfortable with the idea of supporting Newt Gingrich. I laid out my case then and there is no reason to go back into it now.
I still find it incredibly hard to believe that the two guys at the top — excluding the 9/11 truther nut — both support the individual mandate.
I continue to hope Perry surprises in Iowa and Huntsman surprises in New Hampshire. At least then we’d have a pretty awesome race with two governors with conservative records we can all be proud of.
But as between Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, I have to take this one moment away from my first vacation from RedState in four years (I have 4,335 emails I have not looked at that have come in since Christmas morning) and my cigar and rocking chair to say I am comfortable with Newt Gingrich now if I must choose between Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich.
Put simply — as Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney moved the state left, socializing its healthcare system and doing nothing to stop gay marriage until he knew it was too late to do anything about it.
As Speaker of the House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich moved the nation right with a balanced budget and welfare reform.
Maybe the poll trends in Iowa are real and Rick Perry is going to surprise people with a respectable finish. But if not, I’m not as bothered as I once was.
I could and would go with Gingrich over Romney. But I’m still kind of hoping I won’t have to.
(Excerpt) Read more at redstate.com ...
Redstate is Rick Perry territory. I like Perry for what it's worth, but I don't think he is going anywhere. Even if Perry does better than expected in Iowa, will that translate down state? The current polls don't provide any support for such an outcome...
Huntsman? Conservative? Did I read that wrong?
Gingrich could get conservatives and some swing votes to beat Obama. Although sometimes lackluster, Perry could also do that, so I have little doubt either could beat Obama. What worries me is Gingrich’s trustworthiness. He is a policy wonk and could easily get caught up in another couch thing with Pelosi. Since Cain is out, Perry is now my first choice. Perry has one of the best jobs plans out there (American energy in America) and is more trustworthy.
the issue is not newt v mitt v paul(though paul may be a special case) v ....
Its my dead cat v obama or bambi as I call him since he is a babe in the woods, singularly unqualified to lead from the front or his favorite position the back (ask the 3 gay men from his church that were murdered prior to his ascension to the dem nominee for potus)
I would vote for hillary, and I think she should be shot.
The bigger issue is taking the senate.
And if the Republican nominee is Mitt, it's four more years of Buckwheat.
Erick has awaken! Praise the Lord!
Not a Huntsman fan but if you are going on actual record he is definitely far more conservative than Romney or Gingrich.
-—A few weeks ago I said I wasn’t sure I could get comfortable with the idea of supporting Newt Gingrich.-—
Maybe in a few more weeks he’ll go for Romney.
People change. Newt was conservative in the 1990s. Since then, Newt has supported not just global warming scam and cap-and-trade, but also individual mandate, ethanol subsidies, amnesty with detailed plan how local amnesty boards can do it etc. Newt was the number 1 enemy of the emerging tea party movement: endorsing Dede Schozzaleva over conservative in ny23 and lecturing how gop must support liberals, and attacking medicare spending reforms “radical rightwing social engineering” line..
In the last 10 years Newt had been radical leftwing social engineer. No different from myth, except religion.
Perry, Santorum or Bachmann would at least be conservatives and superior over NewtRomney.
Brilliant analysis.
He is making the case that a lot of folks have accepted or reached on their own - that given the available options, Newt’s moving Clinton and the nation right during the 90’s (along with the idea of him debating the teleprompter) are why many consider him the best option.
I would imagine many Newt supporters would like to support Perry, but just cannot get over the cringe factor of another guy from Texas who gives us ulcers on debate days. And the upcoming debates will likely be incredibly important, moreso than ever before.
I am betting there are a fair number of folks who are Newt and Perry in that order - folks who actually may agree more with Santorum or Bachmann but don’t buy either as prime time material.
Just a tea leaf reading based on Erickson’s comments.
>> Not a Huntsman fan but if you are going on actual record he is definitely far more conservative than Romney or Gingrich. >>
If you are judging Newts legislative record, you are wrong.
If you are judging Newts various comments, you are right and wrong.
If you are judging their platforms, you are partially right.
But if you’re judging who will take a hard line conservative message right at Obama and the media, that Jon won’t Hunt(sman). Period. Sorry, just won’t. And this is damned important this cycle.
Versus Mitt, you’re probably right.
I keep seeing people say this over and over and can't figure out why. Since when do we believe what the liberal and/or GOP-Elite (i.e., biased) press says?
Why pay attention to polls? Why can't we think for ourselves? I'm just saying...
Bingo on all counts!
I keep seeing people say this over and over and can't figure out why. Since when do we believe what the liberal and/or GOP-Elite (i.e., biased) press says? Why pay attention to polls? Why can't we think for ourselves? I'm just saying...Because... Like it or not... They tend to be very successful at predicting the outcome. Especially when the actual vote draws near.
Maybe. Maybe not. I think one could make a legitimate case that carefully-crafted polls guide the outcome, particularly when the actual vote draws near.
Why? Because no one wants to waste their vote. If we're constantly told that our favorite person isn't "polling well," what are the odds that we'll still vote for him/her when we step into that booth?
What comes first? The polling data or people's opinions? I say the only polls that matter are exit polls.
I would like everyone who knows me to understand this.
With Sarah Palin out of the picture, and Cain’s body proverbially drug behind the MSM’s news truck, I am a Rick Santorum supporter. Unfortunately he has not been able to get past the snub of the MSM, which has basically blackballed his campaign. The MSM has not covered Rick, other than mentioning his name in passing as a contender.
As my second choice, I am supporting Newt Gingrich. To me, Gingrich’s record speaks for itself. Very few politicians have a more conservative voting history than he does. In my 55 years on this planet, only a handful of politicians have done as much for the conservative movement while in office as Newt has.
There will be those of you who will inevitably bring up a time or two when Gingrich supported a leftist belief WHILE he was in a position of power. To you i will just counter with a time when Ronald Reagan himself had similar moments while in a position of power when he supported, or signed into law, legislation that would make many Freppers demand he not get the nomination today.
I will readily admit that Newt has made a full out ass of himself in the last 10 years with some of his leftist comments and or stances. However, if I am to believe that Romney, Paul, and Perry have all had an epiphany about what is right for America and saw the light about their questionable past, then I must also believe Newt has come back to his senses also. At least Newt has a VOTING track record we can all proudly support.
That being said, I pray that Rick Santorum has a surprising win in Iowa. As for Michele Bachmann, I believe she needs to back off and run against the leftist, Amy Klobuchar, for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota. She will do more good for America and conservatism there than she will by running a losing campaign for the Republican nomination.
However, if Rick cannot pull out a win next Tuesday in Iowa, then I will begin to unabashedly support Newt Gingrich with a vengeance come January 4, 2012!
Yep, you nailed it.
Which is why I’m not focusing on the Presidency. It’s going to be awful, unless Santorum can start getting better numbers. I’m focusing on Congressional races.
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