The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Who the Hell Does Newt Think He Is?

Posted on | January 17, 2012 | 70 Comments

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C.
Monday night in the spin room after the Fox News debate in Myrtle Beach, I had the opportunity to score a brief interview with Rick Santorum’s campaign manager Mike Biundo, which included this exchange:

RSM: A lot of people in the media are trying to play this up as Mitt versus Newt. They’re kind of low-rating your chances here.
BIUNDO: Well, they’ve been doing that all along, haven’t they? And we’re 2-and-0 versus Newt Gingrich right now. You know, you see what happened in Texas this weekend, and conservatives are starting to rally behind Rick’s campaign.

The fact that Santorum beat Gingrich in New Hampshire has been woefully underreported. As the Boston Globe pointed out, it appeared late on primary night and into the next morning that Gingrich had won fourth place. But when the final votes were tallied, Santorum took fourth by a margin of 138 votes, with 23,312 votes to Gingrich’s 23,174.

Meanwhile, as Byron York reported Monday, it is still quite possible that the final official count in Iowa will show that Santorum defeated Mitt Romney there, and Santorum is planning for a long campaign:

“This nomination is not going to be decided in two or three states, it’s going to be decided over a long primary process,” he said. “We’re optimistic that we can pull out a win here and stop this narrative that [Romney’s nomination] is inevitable.”

With that background, then, it is shocking to see what Newt said today during a campaign stop in Florence, S.C. :

A reporter asked the former House speaker if the former Pennsylvania senator should drop out of the race. “Well I would be delighted if he decided to endorse me,” Gingrich said, but added it was Santorum and Perry’s decision to make.
“So I am respectful that Rick has every right to run as long as he feels that’s what he should do, but from the stand point of the conservative movement, consolidating into a Gingrich candidacy would in fact virtually guarantee a victory on Saturday,” Gingrich said in Florence Tuesday. “And I’d be delighted if either Perry or Santorum wanted to do that.”

What the hell kind of talk is that, coming from a guy who placed fourth in Iowa (13%) and fifth in New Hampshire (9%), especially in regard to Santorum, who fought Romney to a standstill in Iowa?

Yesterday, Santorum was endorsed by Penny Nance of Conservative Women for America. Today, Santorum was endorsed by Richard Viguerie, a legendary figure in the conservative movement, and also endorsed by the chairman of the Berkeley County (S.C.) Republican Party.

Newt’s suggestion that Santorum should be “consolidating into a Gingrich candidacy” is preposterous and insulting, and enough to make me want to post this attack ad from Romney’s “super PAC,” just for spite:

Category: Election 2012, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, South Carolina

Comments

70 Responses to “Who the Hell Does Newt Think He Is?”

  1. Bob Belvedere
    January 18th, 2012 @ 7:57 am

    Dianna: ‘…but society’s to blame’.

    Cop: We’ll charge them too.

  2. Bob Belvedere
    January 18th, 2012 @ 7:59 am

    Well then, who is Wallace?

  3. NEWT DESTRUCTA EST!: The Ego Has Landed « The Camp Of The Saints
    January 18th, 2012 @ 8:24 am

    […] Tip of the fedora to Stacy McCain, who is on the ground in South Carolina and comments: What the hell kind of talk is that, coming from a guy who placed fourth in Iowa (13%) and fifth in New Hampshire (9%), especially in regard to Santorum, who fought Romney to a standstill in Iowa? […]

  4. Finrod Felagund
    January 18th, 2012 @ 9:08 am

     To be fair to Newt, he wasn’t the one that brought up the concept of Santorum dropping out and endorsing him.

    I’m sure if Santorum was asked how he’d feel about Gingrich dropping out and endorsing him, that he’d be equally enthusiastic.

  5. Pathfinder's wife
    January 18th, 2012 @ 9:58 am

    I will gladly reserve the right to vote for a “milquetoast” if I think that person, for whatever reason, is a more suitable canidate than another.

    There are worse things than being a milquetoast in this world; in fact, it’s a crying pity some of the more destructive leaders were not a little more milquetoast-y.

  6. Finrod Felagund
    January 18th, 2012 @ 10:11 am

    Yeah, Erick even said a couple days ago that  barring a miracle by the Perry campaign, that Newt has the best chance to stop Romney.

  7. Finrod Felagund
    January 18th, 2012 @ 10:15 am

    Romney supports SOPA?  Iew.  Do you have a link?

  8. Finrod Felagund
    January 18th, 2012 @ 10:18 am

    Your memory must be different than mine, because I remember Ronald Reagan being absolutely reviled by the media for pretty much the entirety of the 1980s.
     

  9. Mike Rogers
    January 18th, 2012 @ 10:47 am

    Good question.

    Would it be his fellow liberal with the big ears – Obama,
    or would it be the mad scientist of the crew – Gingrich?

    Mike

  10. Finrod Felagund
    January 18th, 2012 @ 11:23 am

    This is also the Newt that’s giving Romney a serious run for his money.

    The Rasmussen national poll taken after the Monday debate:

    Romney 30, Gingrich 27, Santorum 15, Paul 13, Perry 4.  That’s +11 for Newt and -6 for Santorum from two weeks ago.

    Among voters that describe themselves as Very Conservative: Gingrich 35, Romney 25, Santorum 18.

    Among Tea Party voters: Gingrich 39, Romney 21, Santorum 20.

    If Santorum can’t beat Romney among Very Conservative voters or among Tea Party voters, Santorum ain’t gonna beat Romney period.

  11. » Rasmussen — Romney/Newt in virtual tie nationally - Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion
    January 18th, 2012 @ 11:45 am

    […] know some people don’t like to hear that, but it’s the truth. +40      […]

  12. ThePaganTemple
    January 18th, 2012 @ 12:26 pm

    Right here is a pretty good explanation of why it seems so obvious that Fox News is in the tank for Romney-

    Bain Capital Owns Clear Channel

  13. RSM: Gingrich Is A Big Poo-Poo Head, and My Guy Isn’t | Daily Pundit
    January 18th, 2012 @ 12:32 pm

    […] A Big Poo-Poo Head, and My Guy Isn’t Posted on January 18, 2012 9:30 am by Bill Quick Who the Hell Does Newt Think He Is? : The Other McCain Primary 12Permalink ← Imagine a Wikipedia On Strike Two Chances: Slim, and Fat […]

  14. Jamie Timon
    January 18th, 2012 @ 1:38 pm

    “Santorum, who fought Romney to a standstill in Iowa”

    Ha! Santorum didn’t halt Romney. Romney halted Romney. Santorum didn’t halt Newt in Iowa, lies from Pro-Romney SuperPACs did. As far as the whole, “OMG-Santorum-came-in-4th-and-NEWTY-CAME-IN-5th!!” argument, wtf? If the  difference between 4th place and 5th place was a few thousand votes, then maybe there would be some credibility there. But when the difference is 0.59%, who the fuck cares? They tied in New Hampshire. Period.

  15. Jamie Timon
    January 18th, 2012 @ 1:43 pm

    I agree Dan. Someone (i forget who) likened Newt to the “Honey Badger” after this last debate. Here’s video that was referenced: http://youtu.be/4r7wHMg5Yjg

  16. Santorum: No Hoper | Daily Pundit
    January 18th, 2012 @ 3:30 pm

    […] know some people don’t like to hear that, but it’s the […]

  17. William Quick
    January 18th, 2012 @ 10:03 pm

    Actually, they stabbed Newt in the back because, like most congressional “conservative, ” they were gutless cowards buffaloed by the leftist MSM, which, along with the Dems, were terrified of Mitt.

  18. Fear & Loathing: Breakfast of Champions : The Other McCain
    January 19th, 2012 @ 9:34 am

    […] 18: Newt Gingrich Mysteriously Cancels Press Conference at S.C. State CapitolJan. 17: Who the Hell Does Newt Think He Is?Jan. 17: Is Fox News the Problem?Jan. 16: SOUTH CAROLINA GOP DEBATEJan. 16: South Carolina […]

  19. South Carolina Primary Day: Before My Saturday Afternoon Nap in Charleston : The Other McCain
    January 21st, 2012 @ 3:57 pm

    […] 18: Newt Gingrich Mysteriously Cancels Press Conference at S.C. State CapitolJan. 17: Who the Hell Does Newt Think He Is?Jan. 17: Is Fox News the Problem?Jan. 16: SOUTH CAROLINA GOP DEBATEJan. 16: South Carolina […]

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    January 22nd, 2012 @ 10:32 pm

    […] GingrichJan. 18: Newt Gingrich Mysteriously Cancels Press Conference at S.C. State CapitolJan. 17: Who the Hell Does Newt Think He Is?Jan. 17: Is Fox News the Problem?Jan. 16: SOUTH CAROLINA GOP DEBATEJan. 16: South Carolina […]