[rocky88]

I have supported Rick Perry and also liked Rick Santorum, but I do agree with Newt here. It's time for them to go quietly and unite behind Newt who each day seems to be the only one who can stop Romney, IMO.

[cuban leaf]

In a nut shell, Newt is right about that. But the type of people that go this far in a presidential election campaign (Newt included) are not “quitters”. They are the type that go into the fourth quarter, behind by three touchdowns, believing they can still pull off a win.

And sometimes they do, which just encourages them.

[Sacajaweau]

I think it’s grossly stupid for Paul to be in this race. I have to believe followers are all really Dems....doing a job....and I’m almost betting that they’re getting paid one way or another.

[ontap]

They won’t drop out in SC but they will be dropped out for lack of funds and votes after SC.

[RoosterRedux]

Yur right, Newt.

For the sake of the country, Santorum and Perry should drop out. Otherwise, Romney may still win.

[kabar]

Rather arrogant of him. If he were truly serious, he shouldn’t be saying this publicly, but meeting with Perry and Santorum to discuss it. He is putting public pressure on the others to drop out so he can advance. We can all agree that we should unite behind a Conservative, but Santorum is the most conservative left in the race. Who appointed pro-amnesty Gingrich as the lead conservative?

[Beagle8U]

I agree with Newt on this, Romney and Paul should drop out.

[Kenny]

And then what? Newt was willing to drop after SC if he didn’t win as recently as Sunday. So we’ll have one candidate and he might bail if the going gets rough, giving it to Romney by default?

Levin said last night to take “a first look” at the other candidates. Said it’s early, that FLA lost half its delegates and past patterns mean “butkus”. I’m with him, get over this pressure for our guys to drop out and take care of your own campaign.

[vortigern]

Newt is correct. Consolidating support would push him over the top. I trust he is negotiating privately with the other candidates — not just making boastful noises in public.

[nhwingut]

While I agree with Newt. I think it is better left unsaid from the candidate himself. I think the voters are smart enough to understand the dynamics.

It just comes off as arrogant. And could backfire with soft Santorum backers.

[mel]

I heard someone say if Perry would have waited until he fully recovered from his back surgery he would have done better in debates.
He was probably dealing with pain and medication issues

[Bobalu]

The only possible path to victory is with Newt, warts and all.

If Newt is not the nominee then someday soon all of us will be watching the first presidential debate and saying to ourselves “If only Newt was up there instead of this turkey”

This is the time to push forward a man who can fight and win.... it simply does not matter that he is flawed. At this critical moment it only matters that he can defeat the enemy.

Make no mistake, Newt is the one they live in fear of. He cannot be controlled, he cannot be restrained, he will say the things they dread to hear and at the worst possible moments.

When Newt exercised power what did he do? what were the results of what he did? Were you pleased? These are the true measure of the man.

[Future Useless Eater]

* Before Monday's debate, Mitt was losing ground, and his debate performance was weak / below average
* Before Monday's debate, Newt was GAINING ground, and his debate performance was fantastic
* Rick Perry gained into upper single-digits but his debate performance was mediocre
* Rick Santorum was losing ground rapidly, AND his debate performance was mediocre
* Jon Huntsman's support was ONLY 1% in the latest poll, and that support won't ALL go to Romney so don't sweat him

SC voters: If you liked Rick or Rick, THINK ABOUT THIS before voting....

Each congressional district will have 2 delegates given to the winner-take-all within the district (that's 14 delegates total)

And Statewide, there will be 11 delegates given to the winner-take-all at the state level

So let's assume Romney is still barely in 1st place in the polls just before the vote.
Let's assume there is only ONE close NON-Romney in 2nd place (Newt).

Maybe YOU would prefer Rick or Rick....

But, IF YOU Vote for Rick or Rick, you have most likely helped award ALL delegates TO ROMNEY because it is WINNER TAKE ALL!!!!

The ONLY way to NOT hand your delegates to ROMNEY is to consolidate all conservative votes behind the LEADING NON-ROMNEY

[trisham]

Newt is right.

[Elle Bee]

At this point Santorum is only in the race so that he can get several cable news 'contributor' gigs on cable tv

Much the same way Herman Cain had from the beginning

We've just cast our early ballots for Newt here in Florida

.

[ohioWfan]

Rick Santorum rightly asked Hannity yesterday, why should Newt ask him (Rick) to drop out when he had beaten Newt in both Iowa and New Hampshire.

While I definitely think it's past time for Paul and Perry to drop out (Paul because he's a joke, and Perry because he hasn't done well), I think it is completely wrong for Newt to ask others to drop out.......especially Santorum.

[Future Useless Eater]

FReeper patriot08 had an interesting list of why Santorum is NOT a strong conservative anymore ...LONGER LIST HERE

I chose just a few of those to look up, and she's right!
Here is what I found on those (my findings indented)

Santorum: Voted to impose a uniform federal tax mandate on states to force them to allow convicted , rapists, arsonists drug kingpins and all other ex-convicts to vote in federal elections.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=2&vote=00031

Luckily, this amendment FAILED because only 31 senators supported it, but LOOK at the company Santorum kept:

Akaka (D-HI), Yea
Bingaman (D-NM), Yea
Boxer (D-CA), Yea
Cantwell (D-WA), Yea
Cleland (D-GA), Yea
Clinton (D-NY), Yea
Corzine (D-NJ), Yea
Daschle (D-SD), Yea
Dayton (D-MN), Yea
DeWine (R-OH), Yea
Durbin (D-IL), Yea
Feingold (D-WI), Yea
Hollings (D-SC), Yea
Inouye (D-HI), Yea
Jeffords (I-VT), Yea
Kennedy (D-MA), Yea
Kerry (D-MA), Yea
Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Leahy (D-VT), Yea
Levin (D-MI), Yea
Lieberman (D-CT), Yea
Lincoln (D-AR), Yea
Mikulski (D-MD), Yea
Miller (D-GA), Yea
Murray (D-WA), Yea
Reed (D-RI), Yea
Reid (D-NV), Yea
Santorum (R-PA), Yea
Sarbanes (D-MD), Yea
Specter (R-PA), Yea
Wellstone (D-MN), Yea

Santorum: VOTED AGAINST HIRING AN ADDITIONAL 1,000 BORDER PATROL AGENTS, paid for by reductions in state grants.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00179

HERE is just a subset of the most well-known DEMS that Santorum sided with...

Biden (D-DE), Nay
Boxer (D-CA), Nay
Clinton (D-NY), Nay
Corzine (D-NJ), Nay
Dayton (D-MN), Nay
Dodd (D-CT), Nay
Durbin (D-IL), Nay
Feinstein (D-CA), Nay
Harkin (D-IA), Nay
Jeffords (I-VT), Nay
Kennedy (D-MA), Nay
Kerry (D-MA), Nay
Lautenberg (D-NJ), Nay
Leahy (D-VT), Nay
Levin (D-MI), Nay
Murray (D-WA), Nay
Obama (D-IL), Nay
Reid (D-NV), Nay
Rockefeller (D-WV), Nay
Santorum (R-PA), Nay
Schumer (D-NY), Nay
Specter (R-PA), Nay

Santorum: Voted AGAINST increasing the number of immigration investigators:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00201

Santorum sided with the DEMS and RINO's here too. Here are just some better known names...

Biden (D-DE), Nay
Boxer (D-CA), Nay
Cantwell (D-WA), Nay
Chafee (R-RI), Nay
Clinton (D-NY), Nay
Collins (R-ME), Nay
Dayton (D-MN), Nay
Dodd (D-CT), Nay
Feinstein (D-CA), Nay
Graham (R-SC), Nay
Harkin (D-IA), Nay
Jeffords (I-VT), Nay
Kennedy (D-MA), Nay
Kerry (D-MA), Nay
Lautenberg (D-NJ), Nay
Levin (D-MI), Nay
Lieberman (D-CT), Nay
McCain (R-AZ), Nay
Murray (D-WA), Nay
Obama (D-IL), Nay
Reid (D-NV), Nay
Rockefeller (D-WV), Nay
Santorum (R-PA), Nay
Schumer (D-NY), Nay
Snowe (R-ME), Nay
Specter (R-PA), Nay

[Bringbackthedraft]

Newt as a debater is tops. Obama would be floored if the debates were open and not rehearsed. I can see Newt as causing Obama to stay away from an open debate. But the Newt baggage will be pounded into us ad-nauseam by the MSM. I’m sorry to say that the GOP has no one that will drive the Independents to the polls. IMHO, its not a mater of ABO, its just that there is no fire there to motivate a large turn out. I’m seeing a lot of 2012 Obama stickers here in a largely Republican area. When Palin and Cain were forced out the fire disappeared. What is left is Blaaaaaah. Blaaaah won’t win. Romney, Newt et.al., won’t do it, and the Dems, know it. I would go with Newt though, because he knows how to answer Obama in an open debate. (If he is allowed to. I’m sure Obama’s handlers will try their best to only allow a controlled debate.)

[altura]

I like a lot of things about Newt, but this whining for everyone else to get out and give him a clear shot is annoying.

Rick Santorum said the same thing recently. Everyone get out, waaa, waaa, you’re taking my votes.

At this VERY early stage in the game, this is premature.

Why are we so sheeplike that we let the media determine that South Carolina or any one state choose our candidates.

The number of electoral votes earned so far is miniscule.

Rick Perry is gaining favorables, while Santorum has shot himself in the foot, groin and every area he can reach as far as I’m concerned.

I like Newt but he’s more than capable of doing or saying something really stupid that will cost him support.

To decide this now with three conservatives left, you want to kick out one of them ??

If you don’t like Newt, and a whole lot of people Do NOT like Newt, do you want to have to settle for Mr. Rogers Santorum with his stupid ideas on social security, pandering to felons on guns and his iffy record in congress?

I don’t.

[jersey117]

And if Newt falls apart in the subsequent primary states who will we be left with? I don’t think that’s a good strategy at all.

[Hoodat]

So the guy who finished fourth in the Iowa caucus want the guy who finished first to drop out. Yeah, right. I for one will continue to support conservative candidates. I will not be supporting government-is-the-solution moderates like Newt Gingrich.