Nationally, Newt Gingrich is probably one of the most hated politicians around. His negatives are, as they say, in the tank. Washington insiders detest him because of his bombastic leadership style as Speaker, crazed pseudo-conservative pundits can’t stand his futurist progressive tendencies, and normal people generally view him as an arrogant asshole with too much political baggage. Yet, despite all of this he handedly won the South Carolina primary, defeating the almost presumptive GOP front-runner, Mitt Romney, by thirteen percentage points. And he is slowly and methodically eroding Romney’s national lead as well. How can this be?
It isn’t even arguable that early on Romney was enrolled in the politician protection program. It seemed that with all of his own baggage nothing has been thrown Mitt’s way and all of his foes either stumbled or were mysteriously knee-capped by outside forces. Thusly derailing their campaigns and banishing them back into the obscurity of single digit support. Yet…for a second time, Gingrich has resurrected a campaign that was left for dead on the side of the road through sheer force of will, stubbornness, and determination. In other words, despite his baggage, his arrogance, and even his intelligence, he has “guts” and this is what most South Carolina voters found very appealing.
On Saturday, as Newt Gingrich won a startling victory in the South Carolina Republican primary, many voters chose him for reasons that had little to do with his ideas, his hyper-complex proposals to fix immigration or Social Security.
Many voters said they liked the scrap in the former House speaker’s personality — his willingness to seek confrontations with his GOP rivals and the news media. That, they said, was what the GOP would need in the race against President Obama this fall.
“I think Mitt Romney is a good man,” said Harold Wade, 85, leaving a polling place in this picturesque seaside suburb outside Charleston. “But I think we’ve reached a point where we need someone who’s mean.”
And Gingrich, he said, was the only one mean enough. [...]
I wonder if the GOP and Romney are listening?
*LD Jackson over at Political Realities delves into the subject of Newt’s resurrection.
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You may very well have hit the nail on the head, Mike. Newt Gingrich is a tough politician, if nothing else. He does not shy away from confrontation and anyone who has any reason about them knows full well he would decimate Barack Obama in a one-on-one debate. I wonder if the desire to see that happen is not overriding the baggage he is carrying around.
Hey, LD.
I think you are correct. I am sure you recall that during the 08′ campaign it was crammed down everyone’s throat that Obama was the most intelligent President we have ever had. Regardless of the lack of evidence supporting such a ridiculous claim. Whether true or not Gingrich represents to most Republicans a chance to shine light on Obama’s intellectual lackings. At the podium there will be no media protection, no teleprompter, and no handlers to protect him. It will be “professor” against “professor” and it tends to look like Gingrich would best him. However, this isn’t the sole determinant for electability, nor does it show competency in governance, it’s about partisan ego.
But Gingrich’s toughness is something that is sorely lacking among the GOP political and media establishments, repsectively. Qutie frankly, they are politically correct pussy’s who make my skin crawl. They live in their own distorted view of reality that is separated from the rest of the world. While they aren’t as far gone as the progressive Left, they are certainly deluded none the less. Hopefully Newt’s contribution can be breaking this cycle of political effeminacy that is currently infecting the GOP.
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The biggest and most compelling reason Gingrich is coming on is he, unlike Obama, is not a wanna- be communist, nor is he a plastic faced Obama apologist, The folks that don`t answer the poll phone calls, or give much of a damn about what the polls say, are doing what Americans do – fixing the problem. They see how Obama, Reid, Boehner, etc. have pissed all over the Country and they want someone with the balls to step up and pinch it off – Romney won`t get his hands dirty enough and America senses it in him. The biggest problem is NOT job creation, shut down the marxist and the economy will flourish. We are at our very best when we are strong and unchallenged militarily and economically – if that offends the “it ain`t fair pc crowd, try Cuba or Venezuela – we don`t need or want you. Let the dog off the chain and build a fence so he does`nt get too far off the property.
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