Posted on 01/29/2012 8:01:41 AM PST by TBBT
Five weeks ago, this might have been a game changer. Is this a case of too little, too late?
Atlanta businessman and former presidential candidate Herman Cain endorsed Newt Gingrich Saturday night at a West Palm Beach Country Republican gathering after two months of wavering on whether he would offer his support to a fellow candidate.
The endorsement comes just three days before the crucial Florida primary, by far the largest state to vote so far in the GOP sweepstakes, and could help Gingrich energize tea party support. Gingrich campaign has flagged since his upstart, double-digit victory over front-runner Mitt Romney in the South Carolina primary a week ago.
“I had it in my heart and mind a long time ago” to endorse Gingrich, Cain said in a surprise appearance at the dinner. “Speaker Gingrich is a patriot, Speaker Gingrich is not afraid of bold ideas, and I also know that Speaker Gingrich is … going through this sausage grinder. I know what this sausage grinder is all about. I know that he’s going through this sausage grinder because he cares about the future of the United States of America.”
(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...
Cain endorsement doesn’t matter....Sarah’s one state endorsement of Newt will help close the gap but it might be too late to overcome Romney if this is accurate
One consolation for Newt in a loss in Florida will be that (please correct me if I’m wrong) Florida is only getting “half its delegate count” from this primary because it was penalized by the RNC for moving up the primary date without RNC approval.
Newt can still fight on, and I don’t think that a win for Romney in FL will secure victory for him — not yet.
It may be back-and-forth right into Super Tuesday....
If Romney wins the nomination there will be a Tea Party candidate on the ticket in the General. After refusing to do the debate, Trump is not a happy camper with Romney. If Newt loses, look for Trump to run.
I am in Florida and all the people I know are voting for Newt. We won’t be looking for polls to determine who we vote for.
IMO it is vital only for mittens.
There is too much anti romney around for him to coast anywhere. He's paddling upstream always.
That doesn't mean he'll lose - but it means he'll have to blow the money out forever.
He's put 16m in fla. What's he got left to fight the anti-romney current?
Newt said yesterday that he’s in it all the way to the Convention even if he loses Florida.
Oops. I meant that that the statement about being a fiscal conservative would be false.
Neither is a true fiscal conservative but both are social liberals.
Why do I say that about Newt? Anyone who agrees that there is global warming and that the global warming is caused by man’s activity and that man’s activity needs to be controlled by the government in order to stop global warming, is not a fiscal conservative. That is the belief of someone who wants to hamstring the free market and individual behavior that grows an economy.
Is this for real or just Ed Morrissey flying blind? Newt seems to be running a bad campaign and had two weak debates back to back. Then there are the Florida voters which are transplanted Yorkers and Jerseys, mostly ill informed elders, with a remainder of diverse emigrants and native population. A moderate and liberal paradise. The problem is most of the south is being invaded by people trying to escape liberalism and then create the same problems from which they wanted to escape.
Florida is one state...and Newt will pick up steam.
Exactly. This is far from over.
Florida is a purple state. Closer to N.H. that S.C.. However, it is a closed primary state. The question becomes, how will Newt do in other conservative southern states? That seems to be Newt’s only prayer at the moment.
Right now... You have to concede that Romney has a large advantage going forward - almost everything is on his side. The most disheartening aspect of this is the so called conservative media going to bat for Romney.
I think the Cain endorsement is meaningless, too...except that Cain was popular with the Cuban community, so maybe it will pay off to some measure. The endorsement that would help would be that of Rubio, but Rubio is clearly not going to support Gingrich (which I think is a big mistake for Rubio) so that’s out.
The Tea Party did a lot to get votes for Rubio, but I guess even his brief stint in DC has been enough to turn him into Establishment GOP.
I don’t understand why Newt doesn’t just keep hitting Romney in his liberal record. That’s Romney’s glass jaw in the primaries: His record as governor of Massachusetts is to the left of Obama’s record as President.
Yes...we can do this! Florida is ONE state. Let’s roll! Send Newt $20 $50 $5 or whatever!
I’m betting you also think all blacks have rhythm and Jews are miserly. Tell me, do all Texans have longhorns as hood ornaments and oil wells in their backyards?
So what changed in two days?
Please watch Paul Ryan today on Fox News Sunday. While not endorsing a candidate, he re-emphasized the Conservative economic principles that are sorely needed to save this country. Who do you honestly believe most represents and understands those principles ... and has the abiility to work with Congress to ensure they are implemented?
| Poll | Date | Sample | MoE | Gingrich | Romney | Paul | Santorum | Perry | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final Results | -- | -- | -- | 40.4 | 27.8 | 13.0 | 17.0 | 0.4 | Gingrich +12.6 |
| RCP Average | 1/18 - 1/20 | -- | -- | 33.5 | 28.5 | 13.8 | 11.8 | 2.5 | Gingrich +5.0 |
| PPP (D) | 1/18 - 1/20 | 1450 LV | 2.5 | 37 | 28 | 14 | 16 | -- | Gingrich +9 |
| Clemson Palmetto Poll | 1/18 - 1/19 | 429 LV | 4.7 | 32 | 26 | 11 | 9 | -- | Gingrich +6 |
| PPP (D) | 1/18 - 1/19 | 836 LV | 3.4 | 35 | 29 | 15 | 15 | -- | Gingrich +6 |
| Insider Advantage | 1/18 - 1/18 | 718 LV | 3.6 | 32 | 29 | 15 | 11 | 3 | Gingrich +3 |
| Rasmussen Reports | 1/18 - 1/18 | 750 LV | 4.0 | 33 | 31 | 15 | 11 | 2 | Gingrich +2 |
| PPP (D) | 1/18 - 1/18 | 379 LV | 5.0 | 34 | 28 | 15 | 14 | 5 | Gingrich +6 |
| Politico/Tarrance (R) | 1/17 - 1/18 | 600 LV | 4.1 | 30 | 37 | 11 | 10 | 4 | Romney +7 |
| NBC News/Marist | 1/16 - 1/17 | 684 LV | 3.8 | 24 | 34 | 16 | 14 | 4 | Romney +10 |
| Rasmussen Reports | 1/16 - 1/16 | 750 LV | 4.0 | 21 | 35 | 16 | 16 | 5 | Romney +14 |
That’s what I am thinking. Things could look a whole lot different soon. It truly is like a Shakespeare political drama, with characters’ popularity waxing and waning with no warning.
Anywa, biggredd1 points out the issue burning in the back of my mind, could Romney have sources of cash infinitum like Barry does?
So Romney wins FL, so what. I’m sure if Newt won FL the media would tell us it is meaningless and that they only have 50 delegates anyway.
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