An Update from South Carolina
On the ground and off the plane in sunny, gorgeous, historic Charleston, South Carolina, where things are getting interesting fast. A plane of about 75 percent reporters and TV pundits turns on their phones as the landing gear kachunk, and the beeps drown the silence: Rick Perry has decided to follow Erick Erickson's advice and play kingmaker, endorsing Newt Gingrich. We knew he was getting out, and his remaining fanbase is small, but the timing of the endorsement—a well done one (talking specifically about redemption and the need for bold change)—follows on the news that Rick Santorum actually won Iowa after all, and mutes the news of Gingrich's ex-wife coming out of the woodwork for one more interview. Tonight's debate should be interesting to say the least.
I talked with one South Carolinian friend, a small businessman in the city of my youth, about his intentions. A former Perry backer who has since turned agnostic, he was planning to vote for Gingrich, while his wife (he Episcopal, she a Mormon) planned to go for Romney. He said, over a lunch of fried Okra: "I just think Romney's running a campaign on numbers, not on principles. And to beat Obama in a way that matters, we need someone who's about more than just the bad numbers." Even his wife acknowledges the momentum here is with Gingrich. But will the last debate confirm that, or will it be impossible to top his last performance? Will the ex-wife be news to people, or is it just dry bone scandal? And will Romney's final oppo blitz—in ads and direct mail—halt the former Speaker's second rise?
They don't know, and I can't guess. I can tell you the big question on the media's mind: Could Mitt Romney go from 2-0 to 1-2 in the space of 72 hours?
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Dec '11
Re: An Update from South Carolina
Does Newt's ex-wife suddenly have a fat bank account in the Cayman Islands?
Mar '11
Re: An Update from South Carolina
I find it rather funny, maybe desperate, how the anyone but Romneyites glom onto an incomplete recount in Iowa to declare Romney the loser in what was essentially a tie anyway.
Jul '10
Re: An Update from South Carolina
What I find strange is self-described Christians mocking Newt Gingrich and his infidelities, as if they're not familiar with Jesus' teaching on casting judgement against sinners. (Matthew 7:1-6 and John 8:1-11)
Aug '10
Re: An Update from South Carolina
The Iowa results were processed long ago in political terms. I doubt a change of 40 or 50 votes will matter to Romney or Santorum.
Santorum is a fool if he doesn't go after Gingirch in the debates tonight. If he finishes 4th he's done as he has no money for TV ads in the very expensive FL markets and he'll be a Perry-like afterthought by March.
There's only 1 not-Romney spot available and if Santorum lets Newt take it he may as well pack it in...
Aug '11
Re: An Update from South Carolina
I hate myself for thinking it, but that was my first thought, too. But a little self-loathing is a small price to pay for entertaining deliciously naughty thoughts, eh?
Dec '10
Re: An Update from South Carolina
Frozen Chosen: The Iowa results were processed long ago in political terms. I doubt a change of 40 or 50 votes will matter to Romney or Santorum.
Santorum is a fool if he doesn't go after Gingirch in the debates tonight. If he finishes 4th he's done as he has no money for TV ads in the very expensive FL markets and he'll be a Perry-like afterthought by March.
There's only 1 not-Romney spot available and if Santorum lets Newt take it he may as well pack it in... · Jan 19 at 12:02pm
Well, if Santorum does poorly in the voting on Saturday, then he'll likely have to pack it in. And that will indeed leave Romney, Paul, and a lone not-Romney-not-Paul.
If that happens, Florida will be extremely interesting.
Dec '10
Re: An Update from South Carolina
DrewInWisconsin
I hate myself for thinking it, but that was my first thought, too. But a little self-loathing is a small price to pay for entertaining deliciously naughty thoughts, eh? · Jan 19 at 12:07pm
Oh, come on. She's been dreaming of this opportunity to take her revenge for nearly 20 years now.
Jun '10
Re: An Update from South Carolina
I like Gingrich on the three days each week that he's likeable. The other four days, I like Santorum. Too bad they can't share the office.
May '10
Re: An Update from South Carolina
Jesus' teaching against condemning an adulteress to death does not even tend in the direction of suggesting that we shouldn't consider adultery a serious sin, much less that we shouldn't consider issues of moral character when we are choosing our leaders.
We can be merciful toward his weaknesses--considering that we have plenty of our own--without thinking that they don't have real repercussions in the world.
Dec '10
Re: An Update from South Carolina
Who is Okra, and why were you eating him? And did he taste like fried okra?
As for Newt's debate tonight, he's in his element: the moderators will have their long knives out for him and he relishes that kind of combat.
Dec '10
Re: An Update from South Carolina
katievs
Jesus' teaching against condemning an adulteress to death does not even tend in the direction of suggesting that we shouldn't consider adultery a serious sin, much less that we shouldn't consider issues of moral character when we are choosing our leaders.
We can be merciful toward his weaknesses--considering that we have plenty of our own--without thinking that they don't have real repercussions in the world. · Jan 19 at 12:13pm
Gingrich's repentance of his sin and conversion to Catholicism came after this failing. If repentance and forgiveness mean anything, they should mean that the Newt Gingrich of 2012 is not the same man he was in 1999.
Dec '10
Re: An Update from South Carolina
As the prohibitive front-runner and inevitable nominee, surely Mitt Romney couldn't care less how many not-Romneys are running against him. Right?
Jul '11
Re: An Update from South Carolina
As a Christian man with unique insight in to people who claim piousness at all times I can tell you that many fall short of that claim in some aspects of their private/personal lives. Even the best of humanity falls short of the glory of God however which is why some choose to claim an undeserved but oh so welcome gift.
Aug '10
Re: An Update from South Carolina
Are you gonna give us humourous updates from the hotel bar like Lileks in New Hampshire?
I demand updates on the activities of the ink-stained wretches!
Dec '11
Re: An Update from South Carolina
If employers insisted upon interviewing every candidate's former spouse, our unemployment rate would be 50 percent.
Jul '10
Re: An Update from South Carolina
katievs
Jesus' teaching against condemning an adulteress to death does not even tend in the direction of suggesting that we shouldn't consider adultery a serious sin, much less that we shouldn't consider issues of moral character when we are choosing our leaders.
You point is taken, but I wrote "mocking."
And you skipped right over the Matthew reference.
May '10
Re: An Update from South Carolina
Feel free to keep dreaming, gang. The problem is not that Romney is a dream candidate, it is that every alternative running is a dead duck with multiple fatal flaws. Santorum is the on ly one who isn't a joke, and he would fare only slightly better than George McGovern.
Newt Gingrich? There isn't a sane observer alive with any sense of national elections who doesn't bray with helpless laughter over the idea of Gingrich as the nominee. The left-wing anti-capitalist, anti-markets rhetoric should have gotten them drummed out of the party after the first incident.
Unless a bunch of insiders get together and bribe Jeb or Ryan to change their minds next week, this thing is done, and all of the mud being flung is supporting Obama, not a Republican.
Jul '10
Re: An Update from South Carolina
Are Christians not to serve Jury Duty?
Should Christians not perform criminal background checks on potential employees?
May '10
Re: An Update from South Carolina
Stuart Creque
Gingrich's repentance of his sin and conversion to Catholicism came after this failing. If repentance and forgiveness mean anything, they should mean that the Newt Gingrich of 2012 is not the same man he was in 1999. · Jan 19 at 12:18pm
True, but
1) We have no way of judging the depth and sincerity of his repentance.
2) Sins can be forgiven but their effects on a person's character are not thereby abolished (except in some cases by a special grace.) Gingrich has given us plenty of reason in the last week or two alone for concern that he is still erratic and irascible, for instance.
Re: An Update from South Carolina
I would welcome the surge for Newt Gingrich wholeheartedly if he were not so erratic. When he is good, he is fabulous. And when he is bad . . . well, I was not alone in finding repulsive his attacks on the work done by Romney at Bain Capital.
The former Governor of Massachusetts deserves severe criticism but not for trying to turn around failing companies. In that sphere, his record is not and could not be perfect. But it is awfully good, and a remarkable number of people are employed today solely because of his management skills. If only there were a candidate with Romney's skills and firm conservative principles ready and willing to treat the current crisis as an opportunity for paring back in a serious way the administrative entitlements state!