Newt, The Tea Party, Palin, Perry, Reform Evangelicals, Etc ...

I understand it's all about Newt vs. Mitt all the time. But I would ask that people think about a the bigger picture. All I'll say briefly about Newt and electability is, if in 2007 someone told me a black man named Barack Hussein Obama would defeat Hillary Clinton in the Dem primary and John McCain in the general election, I would have said they were crazy. So, please stop telling me you know for a fact what result any match up might produce in November of this year.

We may all think we know, leading to a number of different opinions, but no one knows for a fact.

Politics is about coalitions. Whatever nominee we decide upon for 2012 will be the name and face of things, but what they'll represent is the broader coalition behind them that elevates them to power. Newt may be an imperfect vessel, frankly, there is no such thing in politics; however, I do see the potential for two critical coalitions to do battle as we go forward in the primary.

Mitt owns the political and financial establishment that has run Washington post-Reagan and gotten us to where we are today. For all his imperfections, I see the possibility for a coalition to come together around Gingrich with names like Tea Party, Palin, Perry, Jindal, the conservative grassroots and Americans just interested in serious political reform. There is also plenty of room for reform-minded evangelicals and libertarians in that coalition, given the various factions and leaders.

None of those groups has enough clout to make much difference in Washington on their own. But together, they can exert enough power to make a difference if they can come together. And the coalition that elevates a politician will get a seat at the table once they are seated. That's the nature of politics.

At least think about it. Newt may not be your ideal candidate, he's certainly not mine. But I know that if Romney wins, the ideas and people I most believe in will not have a seat at the table. On the other hand, with Newt Gingrich, I believe they will.

I also believe he can win the general election, just as any other candidate has the potential to win, or lose one race. Just ask President Barack Hussein Obama if you don't believe me. The Democrat establishment said he couldn't win in 2008, obviously he did. You're welcome to hold the opinion that Newt Gingrich can't defeat him in 2012; I don't believe Romney can. But please don't defend your opinion to me as fact unless you have a crystal ball - in that case, email me, I want to talk to you about buying some lottery tickets.

Comments

[ljm]

Tea party, Perry, Palin and Jindal - you call that a coalition?

The first 3 combined couldn't get above 50% in their home states.

[EBL]

Anyone who says Mitt will beat Obama and Newt cannot has not had their heart ripped out over watching their favorite team lose. Predictions are only that--predictions. And elections are a lot like sports, there are way too many variables to guarantee anything.

[EBL]

It have been telling to see how certain pundits have reacted. No surprise, but it is refreshing to see things absolutely confirmed.

[Catseye]

Toss Independent Conservatives who neither like, nor trust the Republican Party, into the mix and you might have something. There are a lot of us out here you should understand.

[Ragspierre]

"The first 3 combined couldn't get above 50% in their home states."

What kind of idiot would post something THAT stupid?

Well, a really self-righteous one, for starters...

[rrpjr]

Further, who could have predicted a year ago or even six months ago Newt would be where is now. Too many dynamic elements in politics to make such predictions possible.

[rrpjr]

Tea party, Perry, Palin and Jindal - you call that a coalition?
Posted by: ljm | Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 09:46 PM

Yes, I do. Re: the 2010 midterms.

[ljm]

Look over there, Rags, a hopscotch court just opened up.

[zane]

Dan, Newt can win, even against Obama, if he can do one thing that McCain could not do; energize the base and a lot of the independents. If he can't do that, and he is going to have to get another tactic besides throwing red meat to the choir over the liberal press, then he will lose.

But making statements like this is not going to help:

"The American people feel that they have elites who have been trying for a half century to force us to quit being Americans and to become some kind of other system............."

You see, some of us remember that Gingrich was part of that "elite" for two decades. And you just don't get to wipe the slate clean because it is politically expedient this year. As to the coalition, I don't know if Newt's ego will allow it.

[Ragspierre]

"And you just don't get to wipe the slate clean because it is politically expedient this year."

And you don't get to just address HALF (IF THAT) the record.

What have you done for Conservatism that approaches the first...and last...balanced budget in decades?

We'll wait...

[EBL]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=K9njHHyRI7g#! OUCH!

[EBL]

http://evilbloggerlady.blogspot.com/2012/01/congratulations-ny-giants-and-trooper.html Congratulations Giants fans.

[TexasFred]

Elections are a lot like that old adage in football ... any given Sunday.

Do I want Newt to be the victor among what's left of the GOP/RNC offering? Damn right! But if Romney were to win the nomination, and dear GOD PLEASE don't let that happen, but if it does, Indies, Conservatives and GOP persons will have to back him or we will suffer another 4 years of Barack Hussein Obama.

And I don't know if America can weather that storm.

[jann]

Wow, you're right we would get behind Romney and vote him in, but did you hear Romney's speech last night?? He was nasty and a disaster, that was embarrassing. We are the ones that turn the other cheek, give to the needy, step up to fight their wars, try and keep our small businesses from going under until we can win this thing. What do we get for it, bashed and called racists, they want to ban any sign of Christmas, Easter, or any Jewish holiday, we must fight these freaks every step of the way. Now you want us to be nice? They won't even give us a win without bitching and moaning, Ann's still out there attacking!! For once we are going to fight until we put these people in their place so most of the country can live their lives with some dignity. It's not even about being nice, the problem is, it's up to us to save their butts now!! They HAVE to follow us, because they don't have a choice anymore, that's what they have done to all of us!! enough!

[Reaganite Republican]

So Gallup has already a hypothetical nominee Newt closed within the margin for error vs BHO, so much for that

[Dave B]

Come on! Don't you know Barrack Obama will HAVE to conduct 7 "Lincoln Douglas" debates with the debater specialist? Then the world will see what a genius Newt is and vote him into office. I bet the Democrats, upon learning that Newt is our candidate, just fold up their tents and go home. The entire country will rally behind him despite his "indescretions" and his own "flipflops" on issues. Nancy Pelosi will make sure that none of the information from his ethics file gets leaked. Women will flock to the adulterer in droves in the general election. Young Independents will look at the portly old white Washington K-Street insider and overwhelmingly pick him over Obama. The MSM will be so cowered by his presence they won't dare mess with him and definitely won't support Obama for fear of his wrath. Providing of course he actually tends to business and gets on all 50 ballots he'll win every single state and the United States of America will thrive once again! Executive experience? We don't need no stinking executive experience or business experience in this election. We have our own messiah now.

[Ragspierre]

Dave, someone who loves you should hide the bus schedule and hide all the sharp objects.

And put you on suicide watch.

[rssg]

Caucasian Americans still acccount for almost 75% of the voting electorate. The key for any GOP candidate in the general is to motivate that base, for McCain refused to do it in '08, this Obama's real, true past, his whole life, one in and around rabid, anti-American radicals, was ignored.

MSM thought the public would rebuke Gingrich on his marital problems. How many Americans know Obama's sperm donor, as a Muslim (and a Communist by the way), had multiple wives and many children? Prez Obama has many half-sisters and half-brothers, in various countries around thw world. How would that knowledge have affected the '08 election? Not in a major way but incrementally, it and many other revelations about Obama may have togther been enough to prevent his victory.

Engergise the base on issues like English as the official language, reducing mass LEGAL immigration, deporting illeghal aliens, implementing a flat low tax rate across the board, drilling for oil, mining for natural gas, building nuclear power plants, do these things and Obama will be "land-slid" this fall.

[A Stephens]

Keeping in mind that self-identified conservatives consistently make up 40% of the populace, I can't comprehend why the "establishment" continues to throw us under the bus in search of "moderate" voters. Unless it's because they take our votes for granted and they know we historically go to the voting booth with Id's and noseplugs in hand.

Seems to me that it would be easier to coalesce the 40% and just work on getting the other 11% based on things like constitutionally mandated smaller federal governance, economic conservatism and free markets, reigning in activist courts, strong national defense, and private property rights. But then that would require the "establishment" to actually believe in those things and implement policy based thereon. Hmm, think I've stumbled onto the problem....

[CharterOakie]

The most crucial name in that coalition is Palin. Without her calling the audibles, as she did on Hannity one week ago, the Tea Party splinters in various directions and its impact is diffused.

Gingrich is smart, articulate and a polemicist with few equals. And he hit a couple out of the park in the debates.

But make no mistake: the Wasilla Warrior could have sent at least 20% from Gingrich's column to Santorum's in SC by just saying the word.

Palin Power is the key.

[Jaynie59]

I'm not thrilled with Newt, either, but I believe if anyone has a chance at winning it's him. But he has to win enough delegates to go to the convention as the clear winner. Never, ever forget the lengths the Establishment was willing to go to make sure Christine O'Donnell was destroyed. Karl Rove trashed her 30 seconds after she won the primary and became the party's nominee. Never mind what a lousy candidate she turned out to be in the end. She lost the night she won the primary because the Rove's would have rather lost the Senate than allow her to win. They'll do the same thing to Newt and then blame it on us.

Unless Newt wins big in every primary and collects enough delegates to go to the convention as the clear winner, Ron Paul may end up being the real power broker who will decide who the nominee is and the establishment will be more than happy to let it happen. Oh, Paul knows it won't be him. So he'll do whatever they want as long as he gets what he wants. And they'll give it to him to get his delegates.

[Johnny_Bailey55]

Question; (and a GOOD Question) To those that point out all of Newt's faults, failings,and sins; if Newt's past behavior is to be considered, why would we vote for him now, and why should we be led to believe Newt 2.0 is ANY different than Newt 1.0?

Answer) Newt IS different this time around, and that's NOT gullibility speaking. The man no longer fights for power, or money, or ego, or name recognition. He has ALL of those things in droves. The change in Newt can be chalked up to something he DIDN'T have his first go around; He's a Grandfather now! Before you laugh that off, consider it! What I see now is a man that fights for Posterity, FOR THE AMERICANS THAT WILL COME BEHIND HIM!!!

Did Newt help create, advertantly or inadvertantly, the mess that is now Washington DC? Yes!

Do I think he now regrets this, even though he will never admit it? YES!

Do i think he now looks upon WHAT WE HAVE BECOME, AND WHAT WE WILL HAND DOWN TO OUR CHILDREN AS OUR LEGACY A COMPLETE ABOMINATION, Whether of his creation or not? YES!!!

Do I think that Newt sees more days behind him than in front of him, and now, in his 4th quarter, wants to set the course of America BACK to what it used to be for not only HIS grandchildren, but YOURS AND MINE AS WELL? YES!

He HAS everything he wants, folks. There's nothing left to fight for, EXCEPT THAT!! Consider this.