Politics is a tricky game and Newt Gingrich knows how to play the game better than anyone. Despite flirting with the individual mandate, pulling the chapter on man-made global warming from his forth-coming book, describing himself in the past as a “Teddy Roosevelt Republican”, and even claiming to to be a “real-politick Wilsonian”, Newt has seen a surge in popularity – winning South Carolina and commanding a decisive lead in the current Florida polls (for whatever the polls are worth). He’s finding support among many Republicans and oddly enough the Tea Party movement seems to be gravitating in his direction. Meanwhile, the true conservative in the race, Rick Santorum can’t seem to build any steam despite a reversal of his fortunes in Iowa. He finished third in South Carolina and is currently trailing Romney in Florida.
Santorum was solid during the last debate on CNN but of course Newt stole the show with his ovation-inducing slap-down of moderator John King. Many in the mainstream press as well as the conservative media are still pondering whether or not this threw the election in his favor. I think we can at least agree that it certainly didn’t hurt him. Gingrich isn’t specifically out-debating his competition, he’s just saying things in a way that clearly resonates with the American electorate. The way he answers moderator questions and the way he sticks it to the liberal press corps is refreshing. With a Republican party that is afraid of its own shadow and afraid of criticizing the President, people are yearning for a candidate that is not afraid to duke it out with the press and call the President what he truly is – a disaster and a joke. Continue Reading
