Newt Gingrich: Walking dead out of Alabama, Mississippi

The Washington Times ^ | March 14, 2012 | Jim Picht

[Cincinatus' Wife]

NATCHITOCHES, La., March 14, 2012—It was a good night for Rick Santorum. It was not a good night for Mitt Romney. Newt Gingrich is a zombie.

President Obama might want to celebrate tonight’s election results in the morning with a nice bowl of grits for breakfast.

Gingrich’s southern strategy is dead, and so is his campaign. The only southerner in the race, he’s said all along that the South would help him to the nomination. ... He came in a close second in both, results that would be respectable if he had more wins to his credit. But he doesn’t. There’s no way Gingrich can spin the night’s results into victory.

Nor can Romney, but his campaign remains very much alive. The mathematics of the delegate race didn’t demand that he win – if he and Santorum traded results, the effect would be a gain of only seven delegates for Romney – but a victory in either state would have been a definite boost. He won some delegates, and if he wins Hawaii and American Samoa, as is widely expected, his delegate lead will grow, but the losses still hurt, and they illustrate a serious weakness.

Romney could have won in Mississippi, and even Alabama wasn’t out of reach. He had sufficient support on paper to win, and the spread between him and Santorum was actually quite narrow. Between him and Gingrich the gap was even narrower, and second-place would have been just fine. But his supporters weren’t sufficiently supportive to actually go out and vote. He showed, if anyone needed showing, that his support is a mile wide and an inch deep. His supporters preferred to stay home and watch CSI, and so Romney came in third.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

First the pundits tell us Newt isn't a Southerner! He only settled there as an adult and taught in an Atlanta "suburb" (saying - of all things - that Atlanta isn't really "southern") and that he's lived in the Beltway for a long time.

But now that he's placed 2nd in Alabama and Mississippi (and 1st in South Carolina and Georgia ) he's a "rejected" Southerner who has "failed miserably" and must slink off in shame.

A picture of a zombie character is posted with this OpEd, just in case you needed a visual to get your thinking straight.

Newt Gingrich is right.

If the GOP Primary was a "two-man" race, Mitt Romney, the GOP-E, the MSM and his super PAC would turn all their guns on Santorum and take him out.

_______________________________________________________

The Delegate Count:

"NOTE: The "soft" delegate count is this website's estimate of the potential delegate support for each contender based on key delegate selection events already held and is subject to change as we get closer to the National Conventions; the "hard" count is the tabulation of delegates already formally pledged or bound by law and/or Party rules."

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Gingrich campaign says gas plan has gotten 'in the president's head' "....Press Secretary Jay Carney said Tuesday that he was wrong to have ascribed "motivations" when saying Gingrich was "lying" about his energy policy lowering gas prices to $2.50 per gallon.

"I shouldn't have gone to motivations," Carney said. "I should have said that anybody who said that doesn't know what he's talking about."

......."What [President Obama] is not willing to do is to look the American people in the eye and claim that there is a strategy by which he can guarantee the price of gas will be $2.50 at the pump," Carney said yesterday. "Any politician who does that is lying."

Gingrich spokesman Joe DeSantis said Carney's pivot was evidence the Speaker was "in the president's head."......

[Christie at the beach]

Thanks for sharing. Newt is right and he is a fighter. He said tonight on Fox that he was not going to move aside so Romney could be anointed. They treated him very badly as though he was under some cross examination of a serious crime. The disdain for him was not even covered up. Newt feels the country cannot withstand another moderate liberal so close to Obama. Newt wants to save the country. I am in on the ride as his email states tonight. He is taking on the establishment.

[Principled]

Three in the race is better than a Mitt win. Newt out catapults Mitt instantly. Majority of Newt's voters vote on economics - and Rick loses that one easily.

Three in the race keeps pounding the conservative message and keeps pounding obama.

If not for the continued primary, the gas price message may only have been coming from one person or not at all. If not for the continued primary, the healthcare debate would be quite different - obamacare or romneycare vs private or gov't run insurance.

Me, I'm glad for the primary like this. It really keeps the pressure on to satisfy primary voters. I think a brokered convention is fine.

Romney as our nominee will have a hard time b/c he doesn't move the base.

Santorum as our nominee will have a hard time b/c he is only socially conservative [and is a big gov't man.]

Newt as our nominee will have a hard time b/c our base doesn't like his personal history.

But keeping them all pushing for conservative ideals is working to the benefit of conservative ideas.

If only Mitt were in the race, the debate would be lost on abortion, homo marriage, and health care.

If only Rick were in the race, the debate would be lost on small government/lower taxes.

If only Newt were in the race, the debate would be lost on family values.

Pick your poison. But all three in "keeps them honest". JMO

[Principled]

Yeah I just sent more money to him that I don’t have.

I think he’s the best one to lead the fight.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

.....Newt feels the country cannot withstand another moderate liberal so close to Obama. Newt wants to save the country. I am in on the ride as his email states tonight. He is taking on the establishment.

He is holding the line. CONSERVATISM will be THE issue in Tampa!

Making the GOP-e hear our voices: Newt $2.50 gallon.

[Make that number more than 175,000 small donors!]

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Three in the race keeps pounding the conservative message and keeps pounding obama......................

And it's smoking out the RINOs in the party establishment and the media.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Take 30 minutes. Expand the video to fill the screen and listen to Newt on American Energy Independence [also a transcript].

[The Working Man]

I wish Newt had done better, but with that being said he shouldn’t get out of the race.

[Jim Noble]

The idea that 33-32 is “winning” and that the guy with the 32 is a “loser” who should drop out is absurd.

The purpose of the primaries (does anyone remember) is to elect delegates to a deliberative body (the convention). What the deliberative body is supposed to deliberate about is who has the best chance of beating Obama in November.

Right now, that is as clear as mud. AND, after a long hot summer of OWS and black violence, with war perhaps underway and oil at $250, and unknown consequences of pending court cases, who knows? The correct answer on August 31 may be very, very different than what seems correct now.

If Gingrich had the 33 and Santorum the 32, that would not make Gingrich a “winner”.

The one thing that’s absolutely clear is that a strong and consistent MAJORITY of GOP voters don’t want Romney.

Not that that matters.

[Christie at the beach]

-> He is holding the line. CONSERVATISM will be THE issue in Tampa!

That is what he told us in Florida-he said he would have everyone in the media on his bad side-we told him that we would have his back and to go for it. He has had it with the establishment/ I think he blames them mostly for the negativity towards his record.

[Diogenesis]

Romney cheated as usual.

“35 Romney endorsers received contributions first”

---

[txrangerette]

Newt is running like our nation’s life depends upon it.

Which he believes, and I believe, and millions of fellow Americans believe, it literally does.

That makes this, and his, not a typical campaign.

The Media Elite don’t get that, including this article and others, and including Faux News which not only stands for Romney, but also stands for despising Newt.

It goes without saying the GOP E don’t get it.

[Happy Rain]

If it were a two man race all the conservative support and money would go to Rick Santorum and he would stomp Romney into mush.

These rose-colored glasses Newt people are wearing won't filter out Mitt winning the nomination because of him and then Mitt losing to Obama and then all of us losing America.

Gingrich has lost—he fought well but he came up short—now he must choose between his ego and the United States.

I will not relish an “I told you so” when it comes from a “reeducation” camp.

[Happy Rain]

If it were a two man race all the conservative support and money would go to Rick Santorum and he would stomp Romney into mush.

These rose-colored glasses Newt people are wearing won't filter out Mitt winning the nomination because of him and then Mitt losing to Obama and then all of us losing America.

Gingrich has lost—he fought well but he came up short—now he must choose between his ego and the United States.

I will not relish an “I told you so” when it comes from a “reeducation” camp.

[bert]

——Three in the race keeps pounding the conservative message-—

The money sentence or as Rush says the pull quote

[petercooper]

I still can’t believe people are voting for Preacher Ricky. What a phony. What a Rino. What a clown.

[Christie at the beach]

It is their obsession. They worship Preacher Ricky. GOP has to take this clown down.

[joesbucks]

Newt has become to conservatives this election cycle’s Alan Keyes.

[DH]

It’s all very simple:

If Romney wins, we lose.

If Romney wins, the Democrats will rejoice for they have the fool that they have been waiting to take apart before the public’s eyes.

If Romney wins, the “good ole boys” in the establishment GOP have safe jobs once again.

If Romney wins, the common citizen is guaranteed the fact that they will no longer be represented by anyone in the GOP. Only the rich and famous will.

IF GINGRICH WINS the “little” people will have a chance at a brokered convention to actually choose the candidate to represent them for the first time in many, many election cycles.

IF GINGRICH ceases his election run.....WE ARE ALL DOOMED, for we may not ever get the chance to take our country back.

True patriots can’t fire guns at the opposition but they sure as hell can fire donations to the Gingrich campaign.

[Above My Pay Grade]

It is time for Newt to show that he cares about America by dropping out and getting behind Santorum. Mit
t cannot be allowed to win.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The U.S. economy, along with international events, (both pushed to the brink by Obama’s policies) will increasingly become a drag on Barack’s re-election odds. We have an excellent opportunity to extend the 2010 conservative uprising to the 2012 election.

[Ozymandias Ghost]

Good Morning CW-

Thx for the graphic ...helps to put the focus back on the reality of the situation vs the media and Santorum camp induced “drumbeat” for Newt to drop out.

Rather than go thru the entire litany of what is wrong w/both Romney and Santorum w/regard to their positions on various issues or how the suggested “two man race” would fail from a tactical perspective; I will leave those “dead horses” to be flogged by whomever else chooses to do so.

I will just say that Newt is the only candidate running that I feel I can happily and intellectually support. The other two are merely default candidates for me; to be used “only in case of emergency” in order to achieve the “prime directive;” which is to defeat Obama at all costs; which I have already pledged to do.

Newt said he would stay in the race; no matter how he performed in Alabama/Mississippi and he is maintaining that pledge. I will continue to support him as long as he remains in the race. It is, quite simply, a matter of principle to me.

GO NEWT!!!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It is time for Newt to show that he cares about America by dropping out and getting behind Santorum. Mit t cannot be allowed to win.

If Newt did drop out, calls would immediately "surface" for Rick to drop out.

[Dudoight]

Newt is our Winston Churchill. Obama is our Chamberlain (only worse). I sure wish I could vote FOR Newt in the presidential election rather than ‘anybody but Obama’.

Santorum is a good man but he just doesn’t compare to Newt, who is a statesman. Romney is a good man but he is just a dud. (not a dude, a dud LOL!)

[Jim Noble]

then Mitt losing to Obama and then all of us losing America

Yes, that would be bad.

The only thing worse is nominating Santorum, who will not only be crushed by Obama but who will lose SO badly that it may cost the House.

Deciding the nominee at the convention, AFTER the events of the upcoming hot summer, is the only way out of this mess.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

......Right now, that is as clear as mud. AND, after a long hot summer of OWS and black violence, with war perhaps underway and oil at $250, and unknown consequences of pending court cases, who knows? The correct answer on August 31 may be very, very different than what seems correct now. If Gingrich had the 33 and Santorum the 32, that would not make Gingrich a “winner”.......

Conventional "wisdom" is spinning for Mitt. They are wrong about "inevitable" Mitt and should realize (we sure do) that by continuing to advance that lie, they are looking like paid, in-the-bag shills for the Establishment - the K Street to Wall Street crowd - who do NOT want power returned to the states or to shrink federal government because they are still profiting and sticking us with the bill.

As Newt rightly explains. Powers that be on the Hill will not voluntarily change. It is up to Americans to make it happen.

[Right_in_Virginia]

You’re a Santorum supporter (not that that’s a bad thing) ... so I’ll ask you.

The economy is positioned to crash ... with or without Obama in the White House. What is Santorum’s plan to deal with this? Specifically.

I really would like to know.

[joesbucks]

God is in control. What’s Newts’ specific plan?

[ncalburt]

Your usual personal smear and cheap shots against Rick are based on a Romney AstroTurf campaign and the Dem media machine .
Your tired cheap shots are pathetic .

[Happy Rain]

So in other words you want Mitt to win.

If Newt stays in that will happen and then Obama will win.

But then delusional fantasies fueled by sour grapes are not uncommon...

...but the stakes have never been higher and rational minds must win out.

[Right_in_Virginia]

God is in control.

So can I assume from your answer that Rick's going to pray our way out of economic collapse?

Good to know. Thanks.

[Jim Noble]

Newt is our Winston Churchill. Obama is our Chamberlain (only worse)

And Santorum is our McGovern.

[McGruff]

Don't go wobbly on me now Newt. I'm all in.

[Jim Noble]

So in other words you want Mitt to win. If Newt stays in that will happen and then Obama will win.

Can't you read?

No, I don't want Romney to win. It is my considered opinion that nominating Rick Santorum is a guaranteed loss to Obama, PLUS the loss of many otherwise winnable House seats.

Why on Earth would I, believing as I do, support what I believe is a lemmings off the cliff movement?

[arasina]

So in other words you want Mitt to win. If Newt stays in that will happen and then Obama will win.

Boolhockey. You don't know that. As for me, I agree with a true conservative, Sarah Palin, who wants all of the candidates to stay in up to the convention.

[joesbucks]

And Newt’s strategy is?

[Jim Noble]

God is in control.

Scary thought.

[joesbucks]

Sarah Palin, who wants all of the candidates to stay in up to the convention.

Have never quite figured out the strategy of this?

[Right_in_Virginia]

Answer my question: What is Santorum's plan to stop and reverse the coming economic collapse that Obama and his adminnistration have put in place? Don't divert with questions about Newt's plan ... he's got one. A good one.

Tell me Santorum's. Really, I'm begging you. Tell me how Santorum will lead us back to prosperity.

[Happy Rain]

We will see, and when Newt drains enough conservative votes that allow Mitt to win you will accept responsibility when Mitt loses to Obama and America dies, right?

...course, won't matter then will it?

[sodpoodle]

The media has controlled the GOP primaries from the beginning - pushing ‘front runner’ Romney. After each candidate gained some traction the media pummelled them into obscurity. Reflect on Bachmann, Cain, Huntsman and Perry. Romney was supposed to be the last man standing, but Newt would not drift away - so the media pushed a ‘surge’ for Santorum.

The voters have been had!!!!

[Jim Noble]

Have never quite figured out the strategy of this

Become the obvious choice without enduring fifteen months of LSM destruction?

"All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near. Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him." - Sun Tzu, the Art of War

[Above My Pay Grade]

You either want Romney or Obama to be POTUS for the next 4 years. I was fine with either Newt or Rick, but now it is clear that Newt can’t win.

Either Obama, Romney or Santorum will be elected. Which one do you want?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

........It goes without saying the GOP E don’t get it.

But it's beginning to sink in!

[arasina]

Sarah Palin, who wants all of the candidates to stay in up to the convention.

Have never quite figured out the strategy of this?

There are plenty of explanations here at FR and all over the internet.

One reason I like the thought that all of the candidates will be in the race is that I won't be disenfranchised as I was in 2000. The Republican presidential candidate essentially had already been chosen by the time I got to vote in my state's primary.

[dforest]

The voters haven’t been had. The voters are voting for who they wanted to vote for.

The media tries to steer it for Romney, but the media also doesn’t care for Rick or Newt.

If you have a problem, blame the people who decided to stay home rather than vote.

[ncalburt]

Romney is the weakest option who will be crushed in a general election .
The Dems need Obamacare to be a non issue in 2012 and Mittens guarantees that .
Mittens is pro abortion ,pro global warming ,pro cap and trade , and pro
Govt .
The base will stay home thanks to his fire bombing of the other primary options .
He ran the most destructive hate filled primary campaign in my lifetime .
This guy hates the GOP voters .
He is John McCain part ii without the military story

[Cincinatus' Wife]

If it were a two man race all the conservative support and money would go to Rick Santorum and he would stomp Romney into mush.

You're dreaming if you think this is reality.

[MuttTheHoople]

Gingrich has lost—he fought well but he came up short—now he must choose between his ego and the United States.

Good luck on that. The most dangerous place in America is no longer between Chucky Schumer and a camera....it's between Newt Gingrich and his ego.