Logos57: A Caring Community
January 23, 2012
2012 – Campaign Chronicles:
Newt’s Florida Game Plan (Updated)
Comment by Paul Evans: The way I see it, the fiscally conservative and rich (traditional) Republicans are basically with Romney. Tea Party types would prefer Gingrich. Socially conservative Republicans in general really don’t have much to choose from between these two candidates. One would think that Gingrich, while supporting socially conservative positions, is somewhat at risk over his own litany of three marriages, infidelity and the ethics violation from his time in the House. However, so long as he talks a good game, he seems to be getting away with the rough spots from his own personal life.
With Gingrich’s somewhat stunning win in South Carolina, Florida seems up for grabs. The South Carolina win to a good extent arises from the ($5 million) backing from one extremely rich supporter via a SuperPac, although if Gingrich wins Florida, you can see the financial backing lining up behind him and abandoning Romney, whom many Republicans consider too moderate. But it does seem to me like the race now boils down to these two candidates, and Florida’s outcome may prove decisive. At this time, Gingrich in fact has a 9 percent lead in the polls in Florida, and a win there could prove decisive for him.
Watch: Heated Charges, Counter-Charges in Fla. Debate, AP YouTube video: 2:18.
Watch: Romney to Gingrich: The Problem Is You Were An Influence Peddler, Talking Points Memo YouTube video: 2:43.
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with Friends and ContactsUPDATE: See Romney’s Tax Returns Show $21.6 Million Income in ’10, NY Times, January 24, 2012, by David Kocieniewski — Paul Evans: O.K. can we all get past the fact that Romney is rich? I mean, the man is a big time Republican businessman. Are we supposed to think differently about him because of his wealth? He is what he is. He has some moderate ideas, as far as the right wing of the Republican Party is concerned, but he still projects the corporate, pro-wealthy identity that Republicans at the national level all basically embody. Still, as the following opinion piece from the NY Times claims, questions about him basically being too “nice” (and too moderate) persist. It should not be overlooked (and it cannot be stressed enough), that Romney may well be the better nominee in a race against Obama, among all voters.
UPDATE Also See Romney Can’t Rumble, NY Times, January 24, 2012, by Charles M. Blow — Paul Evans: This opinion piece appears to me to be pro-Gingrich propaganda. I’ve watched the videos of the latest debate and it appeared to me that Romney held his ground and in fact fairly successfully attacked Newt about his influence peddling. What is curious to me is exactly why a piece like this was featured in the NY Times. Basically, if not all Republicans from the neocon wing of the GOP realize it yet, Gingrich does seem to me like the proper choice between these two candidates (for them). But perhaps this is grasped by those people at a high level and yet not much written about, at least so far. It seems obvious to me, though. Romney seems reasonable (as a Republican), but Newt is a chameleon and an artist with words, and one who so far has successfully dogded questions about his past, as well as his exact postion on important matters. Why is it that nobody really seems to be talking about Gingrich’s positions on critical matters? He certainly has an admirable ability to avoid being pinned down. Attacking him based on his history and personal life is one thing, making him defend his position on important matters seems to be something that hasn’t been tried much yet. It seems to be mainly Gingrich who is attacking Romney on his (Romney’s) positions. Obviously, if Newt is the Republican nominee, both sorts of attacks on him would be fair game. That is why it is still basically valid to ask which of these two Republicans would have a better chance against Obama. Maybe that is a question that Florida voters should be asking themselves, and other voters in the South, as well.
