Never a good idea to have the word "suck" in a sentence with Dick Morris...
Posted on 02/01/2012 1:50:45 PM PST by newgeezer
For students of American politics, following the way the Romney campaign played Newt Gingrich in Florida is a lesson to learn and to keep. Romney’s people must have realized that Newt does best when he is positive. His bold ideas, clear vision, revolutionary insights and extraordinary perspectives resonate with voters and win him millions of supporters.
Romney, less compelling but more consistent, doesn’t need stellar debate performances or bold vision to win. The case for the former Massachusetts governor is more circumstantial: He can reach out to independents by virtue of his past apostasies on healthcare and abortion. He looks, talks and acts like a president. His record of job creation is exemplary.
But Newt needs the bold sally, the breathtaking moment of rhetorical clarity, to prevail.
So Romney’s people set out to mire Newt in negatives so he couldn’t and wouldn’t get out the positive message he needed to project to prevail. They tormented him with negative ads in Iowa. While the ads were generally accurate — the allegation about backing China’s forced-abortion policy aside — they presented only one side of the story and were stinging in their impact. Without funds, Gingrich couldn’t answer the negative ads. He fumed but watched, in impotence, as his vote share fell away.
In Spanish bullfights, the picadors torment the bull by sticking darts into his shoulders. Enraged, bleeding, frustrated and in pain, he lowers his head, snorts, paws the ground and charges straight at the matador, oblivious to the sword awaiting him behind the red cape. That’s about what Romney did to Gingrich in the January primaries.
Enter Sheldon Adelson, a Vegas billionaire who loves Newt. His affection runs so deep that he gave Gingrich the funds to destroy himself. With Adelson’s reported contribution of $5 million-plus, Newt had the weapons to fight back with his own negative ads. In a rage, he put them on TV and devoted his time in the debates to throwing accusations. RomneyCare. Abortion. Gay rights. The taxes Romney paid and the ones he advocated. Massachusetts moderate. No, make that Massachusetts liberal. They tripped off his tongue and his super-PAC put them on the air. Sheldon paid the bill. But Newt paid the price.
I'm looking forward to the 'Mitt's Magic Underwear' expose (so to speak) on an upcoming episode of 'The Daily Show'.
Well yes - and no. He's proven that when you can run 65 ads to every 1 your opponent can run, you can buy elections. He's also proven that he can't win nationally, since no one has the money to buy 65 to 1 across an entire country. So you can buy a state, but at that rate, he cannot buy a country.
Show Romney to be the liar he is, THEN it's safe to get your message through.
Morris paints the picture well enough, but he doesn't provide the solution.
I think Newt’s biggest mistake was going after Romney for investing in Freddie and Fannie when he had done the same. That was embarrassing.
Never a good idea to have the word "suck" in a sentence with Dick Morris...
The only way Romney can win elections is by totally demolishing and smearing an opponent who can’t answer back, and who has few establishment supporters to defend him. Obama is not going to be such an opponent. If the playing field is level, Romney will get crushed. Newt blew the Florida race in the debates..he should have kept attacking.
Not too profound. So Morris points out Romney went negative. Yawn. Negative ads work.
That one didn't ring right with me, either. Romney didn't make the case that his Bain Capital is a turnaround company, not a vulture capitalist. I think they were vulture capitalists, myself, until someone proves better.
As for "talks like a president", uh, no -- not quite so much. If anyone, when Mittens is up and animated, he reminds me of The Gorebot, actually.
For that, you have to hire him. At the monthly rate. With a minimum.
This argument falls on deaf ears because no politician ever created a job without destroying more jobs.
If we continue to accept the premise that politicians create jobs we are sunk forever.
Who was that kid who was so two-faced? Eddie something?
Willard's like him. So, for that matter, is Dickie Morris.
I think you might be right. I am in florida and worked my heart out for Newt. I was expecting to feel totally awful when the returns became apparent last night - only I didn’t and I don’t. Newt gave a very inspiring and noble speech, and he touched our weary hearts.
What did Willard Your Worst Nightmare do in Fla? He made everyone with even just a glancing like of Newt more disgusted, more determined, more turned on for Newt than ever... and that will pay dividends in the future for Newt. No one on Newt’s side will ever forget what it was like in Florida because of Willard Your Worst Nightmare... it was like a blanket of darkness and evil enveloped the entire state because of him... at the last, people, even neutral ones, couldn’t stand the sight of Willard Your Worst Nightmare, or the sound of his voice...
Typical RiNO faves -- social liberals who make the close calls for Big Business when there's money on the table. Give 'em "same-sex marriage" but get us the dough.
Anthony Kennedy, Stevens, Souter, guys like that.
****when Mittens is up and animated****
He reminds me of Eddie Haskell - without the charm. He really does need a speech coach - to slow him down - his mouth is in 4th gear and his brain is in neutral.
I don’t remember any inspirational policy or mission statement that he has articulated - only a resume of past experiences....none of which are very impressive for a supposedly Conservative visionary.
His intellect is dwarfed by Newt’s and without any sense of humility or humor. There is no ‘there’ there.
Have you ever looked at how Obama got to political office? By removing his opponent with devastating smears. He never had to run against anyone because he wiped them all away. Politics is war people. That is exactly what is coming from the Dems. They don't want to run against any Republican; they will try to destroy them first.
Somebody better be ready for this and obviously it is not Newt since he is still whining and had no idea what hit him.
That’s weird - I left a few minutes ago after googling Leave it to Beaver for the characters....and didn’t notice your post on Ward and Eddie.
Very spooky;) LOL!!!
http://www.leaveittobeaver.org/gang.htm#Wally_Cleaver_
Sununu Gave Souter to Bush 1. Sununu will be picking judges for Mitt.
“Somebody better be ready for this and obviously it is not Newt since he is still whining and had no idea what hit him.”
Conservatives liked Newt because they saw him as a fighter and tough debater but he wasn’t.
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