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17 Jun 2011 11:28

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Politics: Early New Hampshire poll: Romney flying high, Bachmann rising fast

  • The field has a pretty obvious split: Those who like Mitt Romney and those who don’t. But there are some interesting details to note about New Hampshire Republican primary voters. First, Bachmann’s debate performance now has her polling above Sarah Palin, which is kind of a big deal. Second, Newt Gingrich is totally sucking. Third, despite many reasons to love him right now, Jon Huntsman has low polling numbers and low likability, which makes no sense. Finally, Rick Santorum is bringing up the rear — as he should. Either way, with the first big debate now in the rearview, the polling nonetheless is fascinating. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 Jun 2011 11:57

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Politics: Newt Gingrich: “A fundamental strategic difference” with staff

  • There is a fundamental strategic difference between the traditional consulting community and the kind of campaign I want to run. Now we’ll find out over the next year who’s right.
  • Newt Gingrich • Explaining why his staff left him en masse yesterday. He says that despite the setback, he plans to stay in the race. One of the reasons his staffers left was due to what they claimed was the overpowering nature of Newt’s wife, Callista, to which he said, “We make decisions as a couple, I think most couples would find that refreshing, not a problem.” We’re not voting for your wife, Newt. We’re voting for you. Newt’s apparent campaign implosion means that some key staffers are now available for Rick Perry should he choose to run, which it sounds like he’s leaning towards. Newt’s loss? Perry’s gain. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 Jun 2011 15:48

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Politics: Gingrich’s campaign suffers high-level staffer exodus

  • A bad day for big Newt: Want to know what can’t fill your heart with confidence heading into a Presidential primary? When your press secretary tells the AP he’s resigning, and your campaign manager, along with a spate of aides throughout Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina follow suit. Gingrich has said that he will continue to run, undeterred by this “rats fleeing the sinking ship” sort of moment. As it happens, Gingrich wasn’t even in the country a few days ago — he’s on vacation with his wife near the Greek Isles (which, in the midst of a campaign in such crisis, doesn’t make him seem that serious about all this). source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 May 2011 22:54

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Politics: Newt Gingrich, populist

  • I’m not a Washington figure, despite the years I’ve been here.
  • Newt Gingrich • Grasping desperately at the “outsider” mantle. Similarly, we’re not bloggers, despite the fact that we blog. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 May 2011 16:58

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Politics: GOP braces for damage from Gingrich remarks

  • Newt tries to stop the bleeding: There’s a problem that Newt Gingrich created in his criticisms of the Paul Ryan budget that goes very far beyond Newt himself — a rapidly approaching torrent of Democratic ads using his words against any Republican opponent who supported or voted for said budget. This stern denouncement is an attempt to blunt that effect, but will it work? Not on Senator Chuck Schumer, at least: “What Newt seems to realize is that it would be impossible to win the White House if they embrace the Ryan plan. If Republicans make endorsing the Ryan plan the standard in the Republican primary, it will make the nominee unelectable.” source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 May 2011 16:32

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Politics: Newt Gingrich, Beverly Hills Housewife

  • Everything about Newt Gingrich–the operatic temperament, the multiple divorces, the six-figure credit line at Tiffany’s, the ego, the solipsism, the sheer haplessness and capacity for self-delusion–it all summons up the ‘Real House Wives of Beverly Hills.’
  • TNR’s Johnathan Cohn • It may sound like a pithy, superficial comparison, but Cohn backs up his argument effectively: “They’re all aging, camera-hungry divas who used to be something that they can’t seem to let go of…they remain the stars of their own universe, blind to the indifference of the world around them…They’re always causing scenes, having fights, and then apologizing to their “frenemies” but not really meaning it.” Sounds spot-on to us. We’d add one more: Like Gingrich, the Housewives are highly entertaining to watch, but ultimately irrelevant in the 2012 presidential election.   source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 May 2011 10:00

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Politics: Newt Gingrich’s day: From apologies to embarrassing bills to glitter

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

17 May 2011 16:41

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Politics: Gingrich flops cause potent conservative backlash

  • He’s done. He didn’t have a big chance from the beginning, but now it’s over. … Reagan had the 11th commandment. Thou shalt not attack fellow Republicans. This [calling the Ryan budget “social engineering”] is a capital offense against the 11th commandment. He won’t recover.
  • Charles Krauthammer • Speaking on Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign. It’s been a rough few days for Newt, whose fluctuations from one policy position to the next (some of which we highlighted yesterday) have led many conservatives to begin heaping the dirt on his fledgling candidacy. Krauthammer is a venerated voice in the sphere of conservative opinion, and this one hurts. In addition, it calls attention to one of the chief differences between the two major parties. The idea of a Democratic “11th commandment” is utterly non-existent, as Democratic jockeying and infighting has become a staple of Beltway politics, especially in recent years (this is always our favorite example). Maybe Newt could switch parties? “I never said I was a Republican” would be rather in line with his contradictions of late. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

17 May 2011 10:35

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Politics: GOP infighting: Paul Ryan, Newt Gingrich argue over Medicare

  • I just think he’s missing the mark on what our plan actually does. Our plan is one of the most gradual things one could do.
  • Paul Ryan • Taking issue with Newt Gingrich’s representation of his Medicare plan, which he notes will not kick in for over a decade and won’t affect anyone over age 55. Ryan had reason to harp on this (rather than focusing on talk of his possible discarded Senate run) — Newt made his plan sound dangerous. “I don’t think right-wing social engineering is any more desirable than left-wing social engineering,” Newt said on Sunday. “I don’t think imposing radical change from the right or the left is a very good way for a free society to operate.” (He also called the plan “too big a jump,” inferring it was radical change.) Oh, GOP infighting. Why do you never get old? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 May 2011 15:48

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Politics: Newt Gingrich, whatever you want him to be

  • “I oppose the Obamacare mandate”: That quote is very telling, because the truth is, Newt does oppose the Obamacare mandate — because it’s Obama’s. Hearing him musing about the merits of a health insurance mandate just a day before, on Meet The Press, may make you think there’s some sort of hypocrisy, or flip-flop here, but there isn’t. You see, this mandate we’ve got now… it’s Obama’s! Seriously, though — this is nothing new for Newt. You may remember his utter reversal on whether he would intervene in Libya, a clear instance of him espousing policy beliefs simply to appear opposite Obama, rather than having any conviction or integrity behind them. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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