Is This It? Newt Says GOP Choice Will ‘Come Down to Mitt and Me’

Posted on | November 19, 2011 | 105 Comments

Thirty-three months after the first Tea Party rallies, we are presented with a choice between Mr. “It’s His Turn” and Mr. Speaker:

A surging Newt Gingrich said he’s bracing for searing political attacks from all sides now that he’s the latest front-runner in the cutthroat Republican bid for president — and he predicted the GOP nomination will come down to him and Mitt Romney.
“I fully expect the effort will be made over next three weeks by the Obama people, by other people who want the nomination and the news media to scrutinize me,” the former U.S. House speaker told the Herald in an exclusive interview. . . .
“I really see Mitt and I as co-front-runners,” said Gingrich, adding that the nomination battle is “going to come down to Mitt and me.”
“The one consistency is that Mitt has a hard time getting over 24 or 25 percent (in the polls),” he added. “Everyone was looking for the next ‘Not Mitt.’ ”

Really? The next “Not Mitt” is a golden oldie blast from the past? Back to the days of mullets, when MTV played music videos?

(Via Memeorandum.)

RECENTLY:

Oct. 18: Doug Hoffman Forgives Newt Gingrich?
Oct. 16: How Bad Is Newt Gingrich?
Oct. 15: Remembering Newt’s Awfulness
Oct. 14: ‘You Have to Answer for Santino, Carlo’
Oct. 13: Perry Aides Dissing Gingrich Campaign?

Category: Election 2012, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich

Comments

105 Responses to “Is This It? Newt Says GOP Choice Will ‘Come Down to Mitt and Me’”

Ladd Ehlinger Jr.
November 19th, 2011 @ 10:57 am

Don’t worry, I’ll give good odds Mitt will pick Cain as his VP running mate. Cain endorsed Mitt last election, has always been complementary this go-round, and also, Meg Whitman is out because she lost California so badly.
Joe
November 19th, 2011 @ 11:06 am

I wish that were true Ladd, but Mitt has to be concerned that Cain will get savaged like Palin was. Mitt would be wise to pick a strong conservative we all could back. If not Rubio (if he is serious about not being a Veep), then perhaps Ryan?

Wouldn’t the later be a big FU to Newt? Now that would be answering for Doug Hoffman.
Joe
November 19th, 2011 @ 11:07 am

Mitt wouldn’t be stupid enough to pick Wittman would he?
Dcmick
November 19th, 2011 @ 11:12 am

Cain has demonstrated to the nth degree his vast and widespread ignorance.

Romney looks on him with bemusement, and the idea that Romney actually select him for the ticket would make him, privately of course, double over in laughter.

Cain has become a sick joke for just about everybody outside of his narrow, and increasingly narrowing, cult following.
Dcmick
November 19th, 2011 @ 11:14 am

Forget about Doug Hoffman, ——- if he couldn’t win on his own, ————— it’s not worth the while getting all hot and bothered over.

Gingrich’s participating in the final analysis was not decisive, and could never be decisive.
Dcmick
November 19th, 2011 @ 11:15 am

No, he wouldn’t.

If he gets the nomination, Romney would pick somebody that assures Conservatives, and he would pick somebody who would go out there and attack Obama, while Romney could swan about appearing all moderate and measured.
Joe
November 19th, 2011 @ 11:28 am

You are wrong on that Demick. That Hoffman race was that close and Newt fucked it up.
Joe
November 19th, 2011 @ 11:29 am

You would like it over at Dan Riehl’s place.
Joe
November 19th, 2011 @ 11:30 am

I agree with that. Ryan could savage Obama in a way that Obama would have a very hard time combating, with facts and politeness. And imagine a Biden-Ryan debate. Wow.
Liz
November 19th, 2011 @ 11:49 am

Ugh. I hope not.

Even with all the BS about Newt, the most galling part for me is all the people fawning about how intelligent he is.

It’s like with Obama – I see no evidence, and no one is providing any. I don’t care that he’s written lots of books. So has Dan Brown, and he has the same issues with co-authorship as Newt.

So, for someone who is too young to remember him from the last time ’round, and just see a creep, could someone explain it for me? Where is the evidence that he is soopa doopa smart?

(And no, being smarter than Obama or leftist debate moderators does not count. That’s not setting the bar low. That’s throwing it in the Grand Canyon.)
Anonymous
November 19th, 2011 @ 11:54 am

Newt was smart enough to get slapped with a $300,000 Ethics Violation fine for funneling money through a children’s charity to his book’s ghost writer.
JeffS
November 19th, 2011 @ 12:00 pm

It might be down to Newt or Mitt?

Color me unenthusiastic. As with John McCain, I’ll hold my nose and vote against Obama. But that choice sounds like “Three steps forward, two and a half steps back.”
HLong
November 19th, 2011 @ 12:08 pm

“Forget about Doug Hoffman, ——- if he couldn’t win on his own, —————”

And Mitt is the LOSER to the LOSER to Oblama – yet here he is being trotted out AGAIN?!?
Dcmick
November 19th, 2011 @ 12:09 pm

It’s not my fault that Cain became a sick joke. He got a hearing; he was asked questions that we’ren’t gotchas, and he didn’t know what to say.

And now the situation is so bad that Cain won’t allow newspaper interviews to be video taped, lest the tape go “viral,” and that stands to reason because question and answer segments with Cain are apt to become comedy gold.

It’s time for him, Huntsman and Paul to disappear.
Give It Up, Stacy: Cain Is Gone, Too. It’s Down to Mittens vs. The Newtster, and Mister Gorilla Will Decide | Daily Pundit
November 19th, 2011 @ 12:10 pm

[…] Give It Up, Stacy: Cain Is Gone, Too. It’s Down to Mittens vs. The Newtster, and Mister Gorilla Will Decide Posted on November 19, 2011 9:10 am by Bill Quick Is This It? Newt Says GOP Choice Will ‘Come Down to Mitt and Me’ : The Other McCain […]
Dcmick
November 19th, 2011 @ 12:13 pm

That was Bull.

What happened was that Democrats started launching weekly “ethics accusations” against Newt so as to create a cloud of corruption around him.

Those accusations were launched by Obey and one other Dem flack on the Hill, {I forget the name, RSM should know it off hand}.

The accusations grew and grew until they became a ridiculous and ludicrous number, {OVER 300 ethics charges}. Which under existing House rules EACH of which had to be investigated.

It was the Dem response to Gingrich having the temerity to disrupt their uninterrupted control of the House.

For a Republican to use that against Newt is simply doing the Dems work for them.
Dcmick
November 19th, 2011 @ 12:15 pm

I have to confess that I’m kinda’ stunned some are STILL on Cain’s bandwagon.

I mean how much ignorance does he get to demonstrate before some of you get wearied of having to defend him.

When is enough, finally and decisively enough?
ThePaganTemple
November 19th, 2011 @ 12:16 pm

The governor of Virginia is probably who he would pick. McDonell or something I think is his name.
Jacob
November 19th, 2011 @ 12:17 pm

I actually think Mitt is going to win the Primary with ease, I don’t see Newt’s numbers holding up. The base’s biggest issue with Romney is the individual mandate (way overblown, imo) and Newt has been on the record consistently supporting the idea of requiring health insurance mandates.

I’m saddened that Cain turned out to be such a joke, I think he really could have been a force to be reckoned with had he hit the books and had competent people around him, but I suspect he went into this just hoping to become a star, not really land the nomination.

Newt just has too much messy personal baggage, a history of talking out of both sides of his mouth, and a penchant for being an ego maniac. He can’t knock Obama off, so he’s a non-starter for me.

I’m voting for Mitt, call me unprincipled, I just want Obama gone. Hopefully next time around the grassroots can field a competent conservative.
ThePaganTemple
November 19th, 2011 @ 12:20 pm

Newt is right on the money. The way things stand now, after Bachmann, my second choice is coming down to a tie between Newt and Romney, with Newt probably barely edging Mitt out. That’s how bad things have gotten. Everybody else, as far as I’m concerned, are quite clearly not ready for prime time. After Perry come out last night on O’Reilly in defense of the #OWS I am completely done with him. What little, slim hope I had that he might overcome his recent difficulties went flying straight out the window with that remark. And Cain? Sorry, nothing to see there except that fucking cooking thermometer no one can bring themselves to pull out of his turkey ass. Too bad, cos he’s “done”.
Rich Vail
November 19th, 2011 @ 12:21 pm

If these two are the choices…then that would explain Ron Paul’s desire to run on a 3rd party ticket. I don’t think any of the current candidates are “it”. I would have like Messer’s Ryan, Christie or Guilianni run…but all three chose to bow out…

I think Mitt would be a terrible candidate as I believe that he’s ObamaLite/RINO (only considered “conservative” in Massachusetts). Newt would make a great VP and a senior advisor to either Perry or Cain…but no way I’ll vote for Mitt…but then I live and vote in Maryland, where my vote doesn’t count.

Rich Vail
Pikesville, Maryland
The Vail Spot dot Blogspot dot Com
William Quick
November 19th, 2011 @ 12:22 pm

Newt is going to be the GOP nominee. I’m guessing he’ll pick Cain as his Veep.
Christy Waters
November 19th, 2011 @ 12:26 pm

Damn, just when I was considering giving up hard liquor.
ThePaganTemple
November 19th, 2011 @ 12:43 pm

You call Romney “ObamaLite/RINO” but you’d be fine with Christie, or Giuliani? Good God those two make Mitt look like Barry Goldwater.
ThePaganTemple
November 19th, 2011 @ 12:45 pm

Cain would be a worse VP than he would President. Cain is used to being in charge, he wouldn’t know what to do with himself sitting around the Senate waiting for the extremely rare tie to break. I don’t think he could go six months before he’d be ripe for a padded cell.
Anonymous
November 19th, 2011 @ 12:53 pm

I’m noticing no one here is mentioning Perry… who’s the only one actually making some tough choices on policy.
Serfer1962
November 19th, 2011 @ 12:57 pm

The best candidate became a 2-time loser by quitting. She will be my write in as the GOP is the closet wing of the Kommiecrat party and none-of-the-above is their preferred choice
Joe
November 19th, 2011 @ 12:59 pm

After Perry come out last night on O’Reilly in defense of the #OWS I am completely done with him.

Do you have a clip of that, Pagan? Because that is messed up.
Joe
November 19th, 2011 @ 1:01 pm

I agree with Pagan. You have to be kidding?

Actually Christie and Giulianni would at least probably be good on fiscal matters and national security issues, respectively, but that is about it. And unfortunately, not enough.
Joe
November 19th, 2011 @ 1:03 pm

Not going to happen. Cain is damaged goods now. Do you think McCain would have picked her if she was beat up preprimary like Cain was (even before a vote was cast). Cain is dropping fast in Iowa and I do not see how he fixes this (and the drop was before the lastest bad news from Wisconsin and New Hampshire). It is almost like Cain is trying to lose…hmmmm

Is this fight fixed?
Charles
November 19th, 2011 @ 1:39 pm

Is Newt really the candidate conservatives want to ride to defeat? Because he is a loser, make no mistake about that.
Tennwriter
November 19th, 2011 @ 1:51 pm

I saw two Rick Perry adds on TV yesterday. He ain’t done yet.

And Santorum is still kicking away, doing the work.
Anonymous
November 19th, 2011 @ 1:54 pm

Short of promising to die or resign after taking office Mitt couldn’t reassure conservatives if he had Coolidge as his running mate.
Anonymous
November 19th, 2011 @ 1:56 pm

Yeah, but was it “rape” rape?
Joe
November 19th, 2011 @ 1:57 pm

I think you are too harsh on Cain, but I agree his screw ups are not your fault. But you would really hit it off with Riehl.
Anonymous
November 19th, 2011 @ 1:57 pm

Two and nine tenths.
Joe
November 19th, 2011 @ 1:58 pm

Newt’s intelligence is way over rated.

Intellectually, yes he is smart. Common sense-wise? About the same as a teenage boy. Emotional intelligence? Somwhere between moron and slow.
Joe
November 19th, 2011 @ 1:59 pm

Newt is dead to me. And yes, he has to answer for Hoffman.
Anonymous
November 19th, 2011 @ 2:01 pm

Actually Cain’s limitations are similar to Perry in terms of what they thought they could run on.
Joe
November 19th, 2011 @ 2:01 pm

Dcmick, you aren’t Newt doing some sockpuppetry are you? Here is some puppetry for Newt.
ThePaganTemple
November 19th, 2011 @ 2:12 pm

It just happened last night, but you might be able to find a video at the Fox News website archives.
Anonymous
November 19th, 2011 @ 2:12 pm

They make each other look like one of the others there ain’t enough spinmeisters or plastic surgeons in the world to make Mitt look like Goldwater.
Anonymous
November 19th, 2011 @ 2:15 pm

Definitely a hard time to do that, the last good time to do that was in 85.
Gene
November 19th, 2011 @ 2:15 pm

There’s a critical Presidential Debate taking place in Iowa today but since the group putting it on is conservative it

isn’t getting much press outside of Iowa

http://www.citizenlink.com/2011/11/18/thanksgiving-family-forum-available-worldwide/

http://tinyurl.com/tfforum2011
ThePaganTemple
November 19th, 2011 @ 2:18 pm

After he came out in defense of #OWS on O’Reilly last night he’s at the bottom of the barrel for me now. He’s bought into this MSM and Democrat shit that the troublemakers are a small minority that’s hi-jacked the movement and the majority have good points, yada yada yada. And he’s as dumb as a box of rocks. One of his bright ideas of bringing the deficit under control? Putting the Congress to part time and cutting their salaries in half. Newsflash, he can’t do that to begin with. Something tells me he’s having a problem with the concept of separation of powers which on its own doesn’t bode well as a sign of a persons qualifications for the presidency.
Anonymous
November 19th, 2011 @ 2:19 pm

Perry has cash to stay in it, and Cain is still polling almost equally well to Mitt and Newt. The only diff is Newt had some momentum for a bit there. (Nobody has been as high in the polls as Perry was back when he first jumped in, BTW.)

We have geniuses here telling us who’s out and who’s in, desperately declaring candidates to be stupid, and not even ONE candidate polls much over 23% these days. Mitt is being rejected by around 77% of those polled. Gosh, he must be stupid, too.

Meanwhile polls you don’t see over at the RCP average page, like South Carolina and Iowa-specific polls, are showing Cain and Paul doing very well. Yes, Ron Paul!!1!1! Not only that, but Perry is getting attention with his calls for restructuring things. He’s driving the conversation, while Mitt is evidently hiding somewhere.

You folks claiming Cain is done have to explain why he’s still staying so high in polls–especially the ones conducted in the last few days. Is that what being stupid means?

Meanwhile, I’m curious–which primary election has been held?
Anonymous
November 19th, 2011 @ 2:34 pm

Link? Because the only thing on Fox is that he will be on.

Oh, and proposing ideas has nothing to do with separation of powers… or do you think Cain can implement 9-9-9 by Executive Order?
ThePaganTemple
November 19th, 2011 @ 2:40 pm

Yeah I said Perry was stupid, and I didn’t stutter either. Anybody that defends the OWS while running in a Republican primary can’t be defined with any other word I can think of. As for Cain, I wouldn’t call him stupid so much as I would call him ignorant, and clearly over his head. Paul is too much of a libertarian ideologue to get any appreciable support more than what he’s got now. That leaves two valid, viable candidates in Newt and Mitt. The only other options is for Bachmann or Santorum to have a breakout performance in the Iowa caucuses. If one or the other don’t do something by then, there you have it. Newt or Mitt, get ready to make your choice.
Adjoran
November 19th, 2011 @ 2:51 pm

It’s not so much that Newt endorsed Dede. If he had left it at that, it would be a dumb mistake, but easily forgiven.

The reason we hold a grudge is because he couldn’t leave it at that. Gingrich had to talk trash about conservatives supporting Hoffman.

It’s hardly the first time. His attitude towards his fellow conservatives seems to be one of disgust and condescension whenever he goes off the reservation and we do not blindly follow.
Adjoran
November 19th, 2011 @ 2:54 pm

From the Democrats’ point of view, Newt started it. He used ethics complaints and the banking scandal to bring down the Democratic majority in 1994. They paid him back.

Democrats didn’t remove him from the Speaker’s chair, though. Republicans did that because he was a freaking disaster, a liability.

Some people have short memories.