Just a week ago, all the talk was about Mitt Romney being on the verge of winning three straight primaries and locking up the nomination with a likely win in South Carolina.
Now, Romney has had one win taken away and looks to be going down in SC. If Newt Gingrich wins in SC as many polls and pundits are now predicting, this could be the biggest and quickest turnaround in GOP primary history. As Mitt said in NH, “We’ve just made history!” Or maybe he should have said, “We’re now history!”.
Mitt Romney is still the odds on favorite to win the GOP nomination for President but instead of the cakewalk he was expecting just a week ago, it could be an expensive and bruising fight with Newt Gingrich to get there.
Though I’ve made the arguments as to why a quick win for Romney would leave him less prepared to face Obama, a prolonged battle with Newt looks to strip him of his smart executive facade who can handle any situation.
And though some are suggesting a parallel between Obama’s battle with Hillary strengthening Obama, I completely disagree.
Romney’s battle with Gingrich is a fight with a junkyard dog. If Romney becomes more experienced in that kind of fight, it hardly prepares him for a fight that will be far more strategic and powerful than an angry slapping contest.
The polls in South Carolina close tonight at 7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST and you’re invited to join us here to blog about the primary tonight in South Carolina and what it means going forward.
What in the hell was NE thinking? Steven Tyler singing the National Anthem?
More like screaming it!
That was just embarrassing for him.
This is the Newt we’ve all come to know and loathe. Check out this video from “Up”. Newt’s magic starts at 3:49 http://upwithchrishayes.msnbc.msn.com/
When the “white people” are unhappy. the country is going in the wrong direction.
Wow – my understanding is that it’s all about cats.
“When the cat ain’t happy, NOBODY’s happy.”
But it does not mean the cat is correct. Just self-interested and complaining as cats are wont to do.
I don’t give into the cat when she’s wanting something dumb and yowling about it. Why do we cater to cranky white people?
Because they think they are the only ones who deserve anything, especially a White Republican president
My cat is usually wrong about what she wants. So are they. Giving in will just make them spoiled and rotten to live with. Tough love is called for in both cases!!
CL, because cranky white people can’t learn to use the litterbox. So, they keep shitting on everything until they get attention. Personally, I hope they get a hairball!
Sally!!! LOL!!! Incredibly disgusting and terribly funny all at once!
Thanks for a GREAT laugh!
Gingrich
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8e/DisneyCheshireCat.jpg[/img]
Or…
[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3568/3497116434_539c61a9db.jpg[/img]
Okay, you win but everyone on here lately is going for BACON!
The Hammageddon is coming!
Hey that is Charlotte’s web’s Wilbur
It’s Wilbur’s evil brother, Newton.
I can see why no one wrote a book about him! Scary dude!
That kitty is way too cute for Mr. Gangrene.
Escrib, so true but I was just seeing the comparison in the grin. AdLib’s is better in capturing the face.
Escrib, better picture of Gingrich????
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/73/Fat_bastard.jpeg[/img]
OMG. Is this for real? How sad!
Love you, CL! No, it is not for real. It is from the movie Austin Powers and it is a costume. But, your empathy is admirable. Love ya!
Whew! I’ve never seen that movie, so I was TOTALLY suckered – and sad! Have to admit though – even NEWT doesn’t look THAT bad! Quite…
Someone just commented on a FB thread regarding Newt’s win: “He won because, as they used to say, South Carolina is too small to be a country and too big to be an insane asylum. And that was in the 19th century, when they tried to be polite.”
That is one great comment!
Wish I could take credit for it, AdLib!
Wow that is one good comment. When i was down there I noticed the strain in relationships. It almost seemed like there was something bubbling just below the surface and everyone was being super nice in order not to blow completely.
Yes, BFF! That is a great way to describe it.
I was down there about 3 1/2 years ago and, as you say, there was this latent but very real tension everywhere. It was bizarre.
It was really weird. I went to the mall with my cousin and there was a group of AA kids coming toward us, she tensed up I could feel it and they walked all the way around us. It was just creepy. I also sat in(what I did not know was) the AA section of the burger king. this little ole lady came up to me and told me i should sit on my own side because the white people would get upset. She was so sweet, she told me “it is an unwritten rule”.
Disgusting.
How long ago was this?
Those of us who grew up in multiracial places like LA are sadly naive about how racism is so prevalent elsewhere in the US.
It was a rude awakening for me when I spent some extended time in Louisiana.
Adlib
It was in 1996. I went with my mom to NCarolina and SCarolina. We had relatives in both states. Then we went to NYC for a week. What a change LOL
This picture is on the Yahoo front page and is titled, “Romney Loses”:
[img]http://planetpov.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/romney_loses.jpg[/img]
The picture Yahoo had up first was Gingrich with a Cheshire Cat grin!
Bernie Sanders Takes Down Every Single GOP Presidential Candidate
http://www.politicususa.com/en/bernie-sanders-bill-maher
Bito, Bernie was having a hard time staying in his seat last night. In fact, at a point Bill put a hand on his shoulder and Bernie seemed to say, “Okay, I’ll calm down.”
SallyI saw the same thing you did. I thought he was going to go across the table.
Sally and Sue and Bito, I live and was born here in Vermont. Bernie Sanders has had my vote every time he runs. I know him well and have knowledge that he is real. He cares about you and me ! Bernie is correct on almost 100% of his issues. It is my opinion that Bernie is the best Senator America has.
Nirek, although I don’t live in Vermont, I do feel like Bernie is my senator, too. I am on SSD and I know he is looking out for me. Even when he takes a different side from the President, he is taking a side he feels need heard and not getting that. He supports the President but someone still is needed to point out something that he might be missing and Bernie is that man. There is no better guard for SS and Medicare than Bernie Sanders! Thank you for voting for him and keeping there for all of us.
Bito
I saw this last night (we have not gotten rid of HBO yet) and he was dynamite. He had them all gaping lol.
The other story here is this is the first state where there has been a significantly higher GOP turnout, roughly 10-20% higher than in 2008 which I think shows the base was waiting for the red meat. Because in IA and NH turnout was less than 5% higher in both states and that was with big Ron Paul votes from moderates and even some Dems.
Animals love raw meat.
Newt’s tax return. His individual tax return that is.
http://www.newt.org/sites/newt.org/files/GingrichIncomeTaxReturn.pdf
And his foundation.
http://www.newt.org/sites/newt.org/files/2010FoundationReturn.pdf
Pretty unremarkable except for a big liquidation of assets in April 2010
Mitt will release his too, only for the current year and after they have been swept clean. That should satisfy all the critics!
I got to go with Johnathan Alter here. I think the establishment is underestimating the angry in their party. Not just with Obama but with the GOP establishment. If Gingrich plays this anger right I think he’s got an even chance to be Romney or at least something in the 40-50% range. Gingrich is the quintessential mauler and brawler so at least up to Super Tuesday he is gonna make Romney earn every vote.
Of course this is the exact trait that would make Gingrich just about unelectable in the general against Obama.
As we’ve discussed, this could create a true civil war in the GOP. Rush had his Operation Chaos in trying to create a Dem civil war by pushing Repubs to keep Hilary alive against Obama…but the division in the Dems wasn’t as profound.
The division between GOP Elites and those of the Tea Party is enormous and if each has a candidate, it will be a civil war that will never come together fully.
So, should Dems take a page from the Repub handbook and in open primary states, vote for Gingrich over Romney?
I don’t think it would be worth the effort trying to organize it. Even with big blowhards on the right wing pushing ‘operation chaos’ it just didn’t work.
KQ exactly. I believe they call that a pyrrhic victory
Newt would be the Corporate Stamp of approval President
Patsy, what you say is so true.
If money is speech these corporations are screaming ! NEWT !
I am speaking against Newt and all the other GOPTP candidates, but because I have little money it is but a whisper.
Just the way the Fascists Five of the SCOTUS intended. Those who have more money, get more speech. Those who have no money in a democracy, have no speech.
I think that’s exactly what The Founders intended, don’t you?
As of January 19th: Ohio
Obama 44%
Romney 42%
Obama 52%
Gingrich 38%
he he
OH BOY!
Actually the SC election map was much worse for Romney than it was for the losers in 2008.
2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina_Republican_primary,_2008
2012
http://www.google.com/elections/ed/us/results?gclid=CNDsvoOh4q0CFdGP7QodxCHMTg
Here it is, the districts Newt won are in red, Romney in yellow:
[img]http://planetpov.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/sc-map.png[/img]
I noticed Gingrich changed his tune a little with the Food Stamp thing. He now does not say Obama is the ‘biggest’ or ‘greatest’ FSP but the ‘most effective’ FSP. The bastard is sly as a fox.
Slymy Fox?
Indeed.
Seriously, how can the other elected Republicans in office support Gingrich when they threw him out as the Speaker of the House? Or do they handle it like the Christians and say he has been “forgiven” for his faults?
They bite their tongues and secretly root for Obama to beat him.
AriBerman Ari Berman
Hilarious to watch GOP strategist on cable news practically crap their pants about Newt win tonight
So true!