Horton Hears a Newt

Republican candidate, Newt GingriNch, is employing his usual political tactics of mudslinging and bad-mouthing competition, Mitt Romney, with a flurry of criticism. Newt isn't the only one using this approach but what's interesting is how ineffective he efforts may be in comparison. Mama said if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. She also said that if you're bogged down with a bad reputation, it's probably best to not point out the shortcomings of others. I guess Newt didn't get that memo. In comparison to the accusations he's making about Romney being too liberal and calling him everything but the son of God, the baggage that trails behind Newt is considerably more damaging to his candidacy in the public eye. The media, of course, is not reluctant to hone in on these character flaws.

Americans want a President who is trustworthy, dedicated, has a plan, and who remains cool and collected in their demeanor. There is no doubt that many of those factors weighed heavily in the election of President Barack Obama. Newt, on the other hand, is criticized by the media (quite rightfully) for his economic scandal and his personal life where he has demonstrated that he falls below the mark for the typical family-oriented candidate. According to:

A new telephone survey released Saturday night of 800 registered Florida voters, conducted by MasonDixon Polling & Research from Jan. 24 to 26, the impact of Gingrich's past on his political fortunes was hurting him severely.

While those polling results conclude that Romney and Newt are neck-in-neck with "the male vote," they attribute the 19 point gap to Newt lacking the approval of females. While the validity of these conclusions leaves a little to question, it will be very interesting to sit back and observe how this trend of "missing the female vote" will manifest itself substantively in the polls in the future.

Gingrich's cocky persona, combined with his three marriages and record of infidelity, help account for that gender gap," the Tampa Bay Times wrote.

As the article suggests, it seems that personal character will be a more significant determinant for women when it comes to Gingrich because of issues in his family life.

When asked Sunday morning by a reporter why he thought he trailed so badly among women voters in Florida, Gingrich brushed off the question.

"I have no idea because I haven't seen those numbers before," Gingrich said.

What's also interesting is to note whether this is the main reason Gingrich is lacking the female vote, or is the media just taking a dramatic causation speculation and applying it prematurely.

Lashing out publicly and flying off of the handle across from commentators like John King doesn't help his case or present him as a calm and collected individual either. Reminds me a little of a hot-headed McCain who showed the world his volatile side in debates against Obama, often losing his temper. Whether these outbursts are far and few between or frequent, the media has made sure to be there for every instance of it with a magnifying glass. If Dr. Seuss had his doctorate in political studies rather than children's books, I'm sure he'd say that Horton Hears a Newt, and he's the GreenGrinch of the primaries.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/29/newt-gingrich-florida_n_1240392.html