I watched a rerun of the Iowa Debate to get a read on what is happening in the 2012 GOP field and I didn't like what I saw. It seems that the media is giving us two awful choices to be the GOP nominee: Evil Newt or Phony Mitt.
I'm a Rick Perry supporter, so watching his gaffes in the debates and his subsequent drop in the polls has been upsetting for me. We are just weeks away from the vote in Iowa and I'm not sure Perry can make up that ground...even though he did well in the Iowa debate.
Newt Gingrich is of questionable moral fiber. He's a serial adulterer who will cheat on his wives at the drop of a hat. However, this didn't prevent Bill Clinton from getting into the White House and I don't think it will stop Newt from getting there, either.
Newt has also been guilty of all manner and fashion of "ideological heresy" when it comes to Conservative policies. He sat on the couch with Nancy Pelosi and talked about global warming. He supported the traitorous Dede Scozzafava in the New York Congressional race. He continually spins his way out of troubling questions about big-government policies he has approved or worked on in the past.
For all his failings, Democrats are actually afraid of facing Gingrich in the general election. The reason? They can't do anything in their campaign ads to make him more unlikeable! All of his negatives are already out there for everyone to see.
MSNBC talking head Chris Matthews has a serious fear of Gingrich, saying that Newt is "the type of guy that would come after President Obama with a broken beer bottle."
Indeed, he would.
Gingrich is resonating with voters because of his former status as Speaker of the House of Representatives. He is also doing well because he is saying the things voters want to hear. He says he will destroy Obamacare. He says he will erase Obamas legacy from Washington and undo all the damage created by the 44th President.
Voters like hearing these things.
They didn't like hearing about his squishy views on immigration, or about his $500,000 credit card bill from Tiffanys jewelry store.
They did, however, like hearing his tough talk about solutions for America. His criticisms of the poor not having an established work ethic. For the Democrats, this was cruel commentary from someone whom they view as an evil and heartless man, but it rang true for many voters.
The most telling moment of the night happened when Gingrich and Romney sparred over Israel. Romney accused Gingrich of stirring the pot of violence with his comments about the Palestinians being an "invented" people.
Gingrich stuck the knife in Romney by responding that he considers himself a "Reaganite" and will continue to speak truth to power and call evil "evil"... even if it "confuses the timid".
It was a lethal blow that exposed Romney as a weak, spineless political figure with no true moral core. It only confirmed what voters had suspected all along.
Mark my words. Romney is done. This nomination belongs to Newt if he can avoid blowing up in the next three weeks.
