As debates resume, Gingrich prepares for a shot at the top
The latest meme in the GOP presidential primary is: “Newt is back!” They are not making the point I made after the last debate: namely, that Newt Gingrich was poised to be next in line should the current leading-Republican-not-named-Mitt-Romney, Herman Cain, stumble. They are making the case that Gingrich is earning his shot as the challenger to Romney’s aura of inevitability:
Dorothy Rabinowitz of the Wall Street Journal:
Newt Gingrich’s rise in the polls — from near zero to the third slot in several polls — should come as no surprise to people who have been watching the Republican debates, now drawing television viewers as never before. The former speaker has stood out at these forums, the debater whose audiences seem to hang on his words and on a flow of thought rich in substance, a world apart from the usual that the political season brings.
Byron York of the Washington Examiner, reporting from Iowa recently on Gingrich’s “wonkish, unconventional” presidential bid:
[T]he former Speaker, whose mother spent the last years of her life in a long-term care facility, has devoted a lot of time over the years working on Alzheimer’s issues. But now he is in the middle of a presidential campaign. He’s in Iowa, with 60 days to go before the caucuses that could decide his future. He is hours away from a crucial speech to the Iowa Republican Party’s annual Reagan dinner. And he is spending nearly two hours of his day, behind closed doors, with three doctors, a couple of aides, and one reporter, talking about brain research. The topic of the approaching caucuses does not come up.
Wonkish, unconventional and substantive as Gingrich’s campaign may be, a stumble by Cain was certainly necessary, too — and it is being delivered. In his press conference yesterday, Cain made clear that he would take his stand on the claim that he has “never acted inappropriately with anyone, period.” He is staking his candidacy on the idea that his accusers cannot prove, with actual evidence, that he did otherwise; that it will simply be his word against theirs; and that voters will decide he is more credible.
There’s a potentially high reward in a Republican primary for Cain’s positioning of himself as the outsider who’s standing up to the ruthless politics of false accusations. But he can hardly afford for anything to go wrong, and it’s not clear that voters are buying it anyway: Rasmussen Reports this morning released a poll showing that “51% of voters nationwide say it is at least somewhat likely the allegations against Cain are both serious and true.” And his campaign has made a couple of embarrassing mistakes in trying to blame someone for old accusations’ coming to light.
It is hard to see how this ends well for Cain.
So, Gingrich’s number may be up. This is probably happening a little earlier than his campaign would have preferred — a mid-December rise in the polls might have translated more easily into primary and caucus votes, without affording as much time for scrutiny to return to his campaign and track record. For the Machiavellians among us, that may be one reason why Gingrich has been content to play nice with Cain in recent appearances: He doesn’t want Cain to slip just yet.
On the other hand, we’re about to enter another weeks-long period during which debates figure heavily in the race. Pretty much everyone concedes that debates are one of Gingrich’s strong suits. If a little buzz leading into these few weeks affords him more face time in those debates, that almost certainly couldn’t hurt him.
If you want confirmation that Gingrich is preparing the foundation for a campaign resurgence, check out his willingness last night to repudiate the climate-change advertisement he infamously filmed with Nancy Pelosi (the relevant part of the clip begins at the 6:39 mark):
Before that, his daughter sought to set the record straight on the details of her father’s first divorce. (H/t: Instapundit)
Scoff at Gingrich if you want — and I’ll admit to having dismissed his chances months ago. But he, at least, is taking seriously the possibility that his window of opportunity is about to open.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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153 comments Add your comment
saywhat?
November 9th, 2011
6:54 pm
Given the brain trust that is the slate of Republican presidential candidates, I have a modest proposal. Instead of tonight’s usual format Republican presidential primary debate about the economy, how about we give each candidate a fork, and lock them all in a room with a toaster and a bucket of water. We can all watch on camera as they debate whether it makes more economic sense to first stick the fork in the toaster, and then step into the bucket of water, or vice versa. At least we know they will all agree it is best to have the toaster plugged in. If one of them makes it out of the room alive, he or she wins the primary.
MarkV
November 9th, 2011
6:59 pm
As I read through these comments, I am continually reminded that will be a percentage of the comments from people who do not know the meaning of the words they use.
Examples:
“comments that are completely insensate.” Insensate comments?
“Definition: the AJC is a liberal rag, read by liberals. “ Definition of what?
Streetracer
November 9th, 2011
7:02 pm
Some of you have some historical misconceptions.
1). Clinton was not impeached for his affairs, but rather for the felony of perjury in a civil suit.
2). Gingrich (and Congress) did not shut down the government. They passed a budget that Clinton vetoed. It wasn’t a veto proff Congress.
@@
November 9th, 2011
7:06 pm
DAMN, he’s good!!!!
I hate the way the debates are structured. Newt’s proposals are constricted by time limits.
Looks like Karen Kraushaar is a chronic complainer.
Three years after Karen Kraushaar settled her sexual harassment complaint against Herman Cain and quit the trade association where they worked, she filed another complaint at her new job.
Gingrich/Cain, the legislator and the businessman.
joe
November 9th, 2011
7:20 pm
I’d rather see you take a fork and stick steel wool on the end of it, and then shove it where the sun don’t shine, moron.
Gordon
November 9th, 2011
7:22 pm
I wish Tim Palenty had never dropped out.
Gordon
November 9th, 2011
7:23 pm
Pawlenty ^^
MarkV
November 9th, 2011
7:29 pm
Another example of people using words they do not understand:
“Looks like Karen Kraushaar is a chronic complainer.”
Two complaints making a person “a chronic complainer?”
@@
November 9th, 2011
7:38 pm
MarkV:
Have you assumed the role of nitpicker tonight?
@@
November 9th, 2011
7:39 pm
Another question, MarkV…does it pay well?
schnirt
LD
November 9th, 2011
8:05 pm
Mitt or Newt?
Mitt changed from being a Democrat (real taboo to some die-hard GOP) “moderate” (ditto) to being a Republican “conservative” and has kept the same religion (to some, a “cult”).
Newt was already Republican when he became nationally known but…
Newt was committing adultry while condemning hillbilly for doing the same…
Newt converted to a different religion–one that not only believes things different from his upbringing (some would say indoctrination) but one that also has aided and abetted and covered up child molestation since, well–forever–at least since their Pope changed the rules and wouldn’t let their priests be hetrosexual.
Mitt is wealthy. Newt is (if his campaign debts be his, too), arguably, seems pretty close to being both morally and financially bankrupt. Since W already did that to the nation w/tax breaks for the mega rich and off-book wars, we need no more of that ilk.
Obama not my fave but may end up being the lesser of two evils. Suggested reading: Rolling Stones, “How the GOP Became the Party of the Rich.
Hillbilly D
November 9th, 2011
8:14 pm
Newt was committing adultry while condemning hillbilly for doing the same…
If that’s true, Newt owes me an apology. That’s one thing I’ve never been guilty of.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: Thee Magnificent!!! mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
November 9th, 2011
8:18 pm
It’s pretty sad that these Republicans let slide the mealy mouthed comment from the CNBC flaming pinko that Ronald “God Bless His Soul” Reagan raised taxes.
New math, morons?
John
November 9th, 2011
8:22 pm
Seriously who cares about who slept with you are you kidding me. This country is in serious finacial trouble unemployement is through the roof. I dont really care who wins at this point, I dont care what they have done in the past I care about who is more capable of starting us on a path to recovery Obama has had his chance and even though I did not vote for him when he took office I wished him all the luck because anything else would have been wishing for the mess that this country is in. I will be voting for a GOP canidate no matter who it is at this point.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: Thee Magnificent!!! mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
November 9th, 2011
8:23 pm
Kyle Wingfield- Hear the boos when the lib raised the harassment card?
Hear the cheers from the audience over Herman’s response?
When you gonna join We The People?
Letting the libs pick our candidate, shame on you.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: Thee Magnificent!!! mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
November 9th, 2011
8:30 pm
These libs from CNBC are getting bombed and strafed, if you can’t see how lame the people leading you around by the nose you got stuck in the TV set, you are blind.
Go Republicans!
I Report (-: You Whine )-: Thee Magnificent!!! mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
November 9th, 2011
8:40 pm
Wow, the libs want to reinflate the housing bubble.
Haven’t learned from your mistakes, have you?
Hillbilly D
November 9th, 2011
8:45 pm
Haven’t learned from your mistakes, have you?
There was a big real estate bubble in the Atlanta area, about 1974 or so. As soon as things eased up, they went right back to wide open development. People didn’t learn anything then and I doubt if this time will be much different.
GT/MIT
November 9th, 2011
8:57 pm
MarkV I’m going to assume that your 6:59 comment was directed to me. I would be more than happy to respond if I hand any idea what you are trying to say. But, thanks for helping to demonstrate my point.
GT/MIT
November 9th, 2011
9:03 pm
Oh and by the way MarkV, the meaning of “insensate” is lacking sense or understanding>
I Report (-: You Whine )-: Thee Magnificent!!! mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
November 9th, 2011
9:20 pm
Oh well, so much for Rick Perry.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: Thee Magnificent!!! mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
November 9th, 2011
9:24 pm
Poor Rick Santorum, trying to stay awake.
JDW
November 9th, 2011
9:31 pm
Insensate, interesting word. Seems quite applicable to the Republican Party these days. I believe proper usage runs along these lines…
Generally speaking the solutions offered by the Republican candidates for President are decidedly insensate.
Rock me like a Herman Cain
November 9th, 2011
9:33 pm
jconservative — I salute you!
RW-(the original)
November 9th, 2011
9:36 pm
I just happened to catch a few minutes of that audition some CNBC hacks are having to see who can emerge with a job at a real station. Why are the Republican candidates there?
ragnar danneskjold
November 9th, 2011
9:41 pm
Chairman Ann has a magnificent dissection of the democrats’s campaign of lies against Herman Cain. As she is not particularly a Cain supporter, perhaps even Kyle will now acknowledge that it will end well for Herman. Or maybe Kyle does not care to answer the lies?
On his topic however, I – admittedly a Cain partisan – like Newt, I like Mitt, I like Michelle, I like Rick S, I like Rick P, I like Ron, I even like Jon. If Hugo Chavez got the nomination, I would even like him enough to displace that fellow to Hugo’s left, the present occupier of the office. Especially now that Chairman Ann proves it is a democrat-conspiracy to besmirch Herman.
LD
November 9th, 2011
10:04 pm
no offense intended, Hillbilly D; I meant hillBilly Clinton.
I don’t give a tinkers d… about anyone’s personal sex life; however, that a high-ranking official of the US ( therwise seemingly intelligent) would put himself in a position to be subject to potential blackmail is relevant. Newt has that failing as well.
We can only hope that if the current fella is reelected that he may have learned something in the first four years.
I, for one, will not decide my vote until election day: hope springs eternal that someone will show more intelligence and, more importantly, just plain common sense than the current options appear to have.
LD
November 9th, 2011
10:07 pm
Unless YOU are “filthy” rich, you should read (available via Huff Post link) Rolling Stone’s
“HOW THE GOP BECAME THE PARTY OF THE RICH”
Instapundit » Blog Archive » I TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH MICHAEL BARONE, but all of a sudden new respect for Newt Gingrich seems to …
November 9th, 2011
10:14 pm
[...] TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH MICHAEL BARONE, but all of a sudden new respect for Newt Gingrich seems to be busting out all [...]
GT/MIT
November 9th, 2011
10:29 pm
JDW: You and I could chat about the subtleties of words in the English language and to whom they might be applicable and as a result either or both of us might learn something new. But I strongly suspect that what we would learn is that “ain’t nothin gonna change”, you will still be left leaning and I won’t. So, have a good night sir.
Hillbilly D
November 9th, 2011
10:36 pm
LD @ 10:04
No problem. Just a little levity.
@@
November 9th, 2011
10:38 pm
I guess we’ll be hearing about how Newt beat up Maria Bartiromo.
Hillbilly D
November 9th, 2011
10:39 pm
I, for one, will not decide my vote until election day: hope springs eternal that someone will show more intelligence and, more importantly, just plain common sense than the current options appear to have.
I have a similar reason for never taking part in early voting. I want to give them every possible opportunity to do or say something stupid, before I vote.
Hillbilly D
November 9th, 2011
10:41 pm
@@ 10:38
The dickens you say. (IW&SH)
LD
November 9th, 2011
11:25 pm
They’ve already said many somethings stupid.
LD
November 9th, 2011
11:25 pm
Nite all.
MarkV
November 9th, 2011
11:31 pm
GT/MIT @9:03 pm: “Oh and by the way MarkV, the meaning of “insensate” is lacking sense or understanding>”
It must be a remarkable comment that lacks a sense or understanding. Is a comment a human being or some other life form?
“there will be a percentage of the comments that are completely insensate.” (GT/MIT@6:46 pm)
Robert Hanson
November 9th, 2011
11:41 pm
At the point that Gingrich did that global warming ad, polls showed that 60% of Republicans believed in human caused Global Warming {sic}. Since then, thanks to Climategate, a series of increasingly cold winters, and extensive revelations about the fabricated nature of the AGW “science”, such as Himilayan glaciers not actually melting, etc. many people now either doubt or disblieve in the AGW religion. So Newt too realized that he’d been wrong, but can’t actually say “I was brainwashed by the liberal media”, so he has naturaly pulled back to the agnostic position. Far better than Romney, who was totally wrong to push Obama-care lite, and still refuses to admit he was wrong. Frankly, I admire Newt for saying “the facts I now have make my previous position no longer tenable”.
john werneken
November 10th, 2011
1:42 am
Phoey. Thinking on one’s feet is a talent, especially in bars and live TV; relatively trivial places really. I’d be inclined to sunset the entire public sector and to start over. Let’s see. Treasury, War, State, Attorney General. That’s enough.If people are in a generous mood, they could ask Congress to raise their taxes and to send checks to the less fortunate. If not, no checks. No entitlements. No promises, except security, stable money, stable law.
Since that is the direction Mr. Perry wants to lead, I’m all for him. What does it matter whether it is Education, HUD, EPA, or Energy that is abolished…it would be a great improvement to abolish them all. Or keep them but give them no money, no access to the courts, no regulatory authority. Works for me. Let the liberals hold bake sales.
john werneken
November 10th, 2011
1:44 am
oh dear. i was thinking i was posting on another site lol. sorry.
john werneken
November 10th, 2011
1:46 am
Mr. Gingrich is also a p;uasible President, I wish him well as well.
Highpointer
November 10th, 2011
1:59 am
Newt Gingrich actually lives in Virginia now.
Brian
November 10th, 2011
2:00 am
Cain/Gingrich…Gingrich/Cain…Not exactly what anyone would expect but it would be a powerful ticket.
Frosteetoes
November 10th, 2011
3:34 am
I’ve warmed up to Newt. I want to squeeze his pudgy cheeks if I ever met him. He makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
November 10th, 2011
5:54 am
Republicans quite naturally have the better ideas, now all they need is a candidate who the Obamamedia won’t destroy in support of their Idiot Dear Leader. Wouldn’t want to slow down that “fundamental transformation” of the U.S. into a paleo-fascist soon-to-be-failed European style country.
Rhadagastt
November 10th, 2011
7:45 am
Everyone mocks Newt, but it was his Congress that balanced the budget– not Clinton. He is an ideas guy, and calling him old and stale just shows that you’re not paying attention to what he says. I haven’t seen anybody on this blog provide one bit of substantive disagreement in response to any of his contentions; I suspect it’s because all you Newt haters lack the wit to do so. Those of you who mockingly hope he gets the nomination better be careful for that which you wish, as it is plainly obvious that in a head-to-head debate he will polish the floor with the Teleprompter-In-Chief if he gets the chance.
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
November 10th, 2011
9:05 am
Love Newt, and of course he COULD trounce Idiot Obozo in any debate. The question is, WOULD he, or would he do the equivalent of sitting on the park bench with Pelosi?
Eye of Newt
November 10th, 2011
5:30 pm
Newt is the LAST GAS STATION before entering the DESERT!
I pray it does not happen:
“Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting,
Lizard’s leg, and howlet’s wing,–
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.”
Eye of Newt
November 10th, 2011
5:33 pm
Brian
November 10th, 2011 2:00 am YOU SAY – Cain/Gingrich…Gingrich/Cain…Not exactly what anyone would expect but it would be a powerful ticket.
I SAY – hahahahahahahahahaahahahahahaahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahaaha!
That is sooooo funnnnny!
Dumb and dumber!
Heaven help us!
GOP Crazies
November 10th, 2011
6:18 pm
Last night’s debate was the PLANET OF THE APES…oOOPS I meant eight! It was the clowns at the rodeo.