Romney’s plan? Attack early, eventually Gingrich will go negative…
… and Newt Gingrich doesn’t do well when he has to go negative.
Speculating that since Gingrich had not planned to go negative, the Romney surrogates went hard negative on Gingrich in Iowa (remember all those commercials?) expecting Gingrich would eventually go negative and do damage to his campaign.
Now that people are starting to watch the campaign, they are seeing that Gingrich looks pissed off and attacking, only those in Iowa saw those hard-core attack ads from Romney’s supporters. Their might even be attack ads in the individual primary states, but everyone in the country are not seeing them, a lot of people are watching the debates.
I’ve been watching a bit of the debate tonight and Gingrich looks frustrated. His attacks seem stupid and off target to me. He – even though he was prompted – went after the location of Romney’s investments – in the Caymans and Switzerland. Who gives a crap? Mitt’s answers are good concerning those questions.
Quick comments on tonight’s debate… (updated as long as I can stay with this)
Romney: Spend money on building housing here at home instead of on the Moon? No Mitt, the federal government does not have a mandate to build or fix housing here at home.
Paul: On space – only for national defense. But he thinks it’s just for fun with no real value. National pride has a big value.
Gingrich: Mentioned 90 percent of the space industry should be private.
Paul: Points out the budgets during the four years Gingrich was speaker, were really not balanced since Social Security was not counted … the debt kept going up.
All four candidates: Health Care Insurance for Americans… They seem to agree on somehow getting individuals the same low rates that employers pay, but the problem is employers pay a high rate.
Santorum: Very uncomfortable, almost red-faced going after the health care histories of Gingrich and Romney. Getting mad now…
Santorum knows this is it for him. Going off the rails. (9:10 p.m. ET)
The health care mandate… If Massachusetts wants it, they should be able to do what they want. There is a big difference between the states and the federal government and what they can do. Santorum might not understand that it’s OK for a state to have a socialist medicine system if they want it, but the federal government must stay out of it.
Paul: You think he’s mentioned a non-interventionist policy enough?
OK – it’s 9:20 p.m. and I have to stop. More with Vicevich on the big radio show tomorrow morning.
9 Comments
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In the long run, assuming that Romney becomes the candidate, all of this debate practice will be a huge benefit when he comes up against ?.? That and a good VP pick…..
Newt needed a win and didn’t get it – not even close. That may give Mitt enough to win and not just by a few percentage points. Steve, you’re absolutely right about the states having the right to put in whatever health plan they want. That, not the differences between Romneycare and Obamacare, is what Romney should be saying. In fact, in a previous debate Rick Santorum?said he voted?against a federal right to work law becasue that was what his constituents wanted. Tonight, Romney should have told Santorum that the exact same reasoning is why he went forward with the health plan that Massachusetts residents and elected representatives overwhelmingly wanted.
I’m hoping Rubio comes out for Santorum even tho he’s gone.
Purely as a political scenario. If Romney and Gingrich tear each other apart, and Santorum is still in the race, but quietly in the wings, he could be our nominee.? Honestly, it’s all about messing with the DNC and MSM’s heads. I think of it as a war strategy, subterfuge could work.
I may be a lone voice here but, when I see and/or hear negative ads, I can only think that whoever is putting out the negativity has run out of substantive ideas and can only follow the liberal model: When you are out of ideas or persuasive arguments, call your opponent names.
The underlying operating premise of a negative attack ad is: Hey, it worked in elementary school.
Speaker Gingrich should worry about what he is doing and saying himself. Not whether Romney’s attack ads are going to hurt him. Gingrich is a volatile ?guy. His attempt to bury Gov. Romney in the Freddie/Fannie stock should have given him pause, It did not and that should worry all Republicans. Then trying to talk about debating liars the next day? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
?What is he thinking? This coming from the holier than thou Speaker who couldn’t stop chastising Reporters for their attempts to set up Republicans to fight with one another.This would be Newt calling the kettle black as it were.
Negative ads work, this is a fact. And in this case I believe Newt Gingrich got what he asked for; Gingrich has a reputation for being the smartest guy in any room he walks into, He has recently made that rather arguably untrue. The former Speaker deserves a great deal of credit for his past feats.However, should he want a spot in the next Republican Administration in 2012, he might want to find some of that respect he espoused not long ago. Newt will never be President; He could actually make a fine Secretary of State or Defense, should he choose to reinvent himself and be able to support…
As an avowed Newt supporter, I do see much truth in your comments. The optimist in me sees that the trial by fire of debates and polls mean that Newt can “learn new tricks” and possibly be the next President. I take heart, in the fact, that my first choice, Herman Cain has just announced his support of Newt. While I am not a huge fan of Sarah Palin, she has as well.
Oh I forgot, I heard Bob Mackie, upholder of Tea Party beliefs also express support of Newt on Jim’s show.