Death By Another Cut


It was already all over for Newt Gingrich.

The latest surveys of likely caucus-goers in Iowa finds Newt Gingrich a distant fourth, well behind Messrs. Romney, Paul, and Santorum, in whatever order the three of them finish.

Gingrich's popularity among Republicans both in Iowa and nationally already had plunged.      And then, Virginia.

Newt Gingrich- as well as Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, Rick Santorum, and Jon Huntsman- failed to collect enough signatures to qualify for Virginia's primary ballot.      It's bad enough that it puts Gingrich and the others out of the running for gaining any delegates in the state tied for having the eleventh greatest number of any in the GOP nominating process.      It also suggests to primary voters elsewhere that these candidacies are not completely serious, or at least won't end in success.       (All five candidates are joining in a federal lawsuit challenging the state's ballot-access rules.)

But instead of leaving bad enough alone, an aide to the man who once described himself as "the most serious, systematic revolutionary of modern times”  would compare the organizational blunder to the second worse attack ever on the U.S.A.     "Newt and I agreed that the analogy is December 1941," he stated.      "We have experienced an unexpected setback, but we will re-group and re-focus with increased determination, commitment and positive action."

NFL running backs love openings as large as that gave Mitt Romney, who pounced, declaring  "I think it's more like Lucille Ball at the chocolate factory.      You've got to get it organized."





It may not mean much to voters under 50 or 55 years of age but to older baby boomers, the analogy resonated.      And now we have the Des Moines Register's analysis of its latest poll, indicating "the former Massachusetts governor has strengths with older and wealthier Iowans."      The unforced error by the Gingrich campaign won't itself hand a caucus victory to Mitt Romney, but it gave the latter's campaign a chance to shine, and me an excuse to post the classic video.


                                               HAPPY NEW YEAR

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