Big Newt Win; GOP In Disarray

22 January 2012 |permalink | email article

GINGRICH, with 53% of South Carolina voters making their decision in the last few days, upset presumed frontrunner Mitt Romney and now rolls on to Florida after his crucial “Meet The Press” appearance Sunday—10 days before the Sunshine State primary on Jan. 31. Romney has far more establishment backing but his win gives the former House speaker access to Super PACs, including Sheldon Adelson, the Las Vegas casino billionaire, who wrote a $5-million check in South Carolina and could easily write a $15-million one. Will Rick Perry’s PAC groups be far behind? Romney, at first, said he would not participate Monday in a Tampa debate moderated by NBC’s Brian Williams. But early Saturday he changed his mind, saying “I’m in.” Given up for dead after his fifth place finish in New Hampshire Gingrich made a stunning comeback in the Palmetto state where exit polls showed his two debate performances last week and concerns about the economy and the desire to defeat President worked to give him a double-digit win. He got the support of men and women alike, evangelical Christians and Roman Catholics, those who support the Tea Party and those who are neutral about it. The reality for the moderate Romney, now set to go hard after Gingrich, is he may be forced to go further to the far right. For thrilled Democrats, with President Obama, perceived as center left; now has a major opportunity to shift to the moderate center and court independents. More good news for the White House is how badly Gingrich polls. NYT has him 13% favorably, 49 percent unfavorably; Fox shows 27% favorable; 56 % unfavorably. Here’s the question: is the Republican establishment prepared to build a firewall to save Romney, in Florida, and beyond?

Quotable

“Callista and I have a wonderful relationship. We knew we’d get beaten up. We knew that we would get lied about…And we decided the country was worth it.”—Gingrich, after ABC’s interview with his second wife about their marriage. NYT columnist Gail Collins’ response: “The country is so grateful for your sacrifice.”

“That was the greatest end of a game I’d ever seen.”—Lawrence Ferlinghetti, 90, an enduring American poet, a leader of the famous Beat generation movement in San Francisco in the 1950s, a champion of writers and sports fan, reclaiming his passion for the 49ers who beat the New Orleans Saints and host the New York Giants in the N.F.C. championship game today in the City.

80