Newt Gingrich has made it a campaign policy to rail against the liberal media, the most famous recent example being during the recent CNN South Carolina Primary debate. Newt charged in response to John King's question about the allegations made by Mr. Gingrich's second wife, Marianne Gingrich, that the "[…] elite media [is] protecting Barack Obama by attacking Republicans," but really, how much sense does that make at this point in the campaign?
Gingrich is too mature of a politician to be complaining that the media is treating him unfairly. He should know by now that the media is interested in getting a story out to the public, and everybody loves a good scandal. If a candidate cannot withstand the intense scrutiny of the media, the candidate has no business running for the office of President. The Republican Party is, among other things, the "Family Values" party, and any sort of allegation about a candidate that goes against that image can be damning. Newt is lucky to be as successful as he is in this campaign with his already-proven ethical issues. Attacking the media for reminding the public of it isn't a smart move. And the conservative media noticed.
Newt has upset the entire media establishment, and like it or not, a candidate cannot win election if the media is disapproving of you. The conservative media pays attention to the liberal media, and when the liberal media openly starts wishing for an Obama versus Gingrich ballot, continuing to support Newt would almost certainly ensure the re-election of Obama in November.
Gingrich lost the conservative media by being too conservative, an odd occurrence during the primaries. The majority of the Republican Party realizes that if they continue to be split between the Establishment and the Tea Party, neither will stand a chance in November. Republicans cannot win just with the party base though, the independents and moderates must be with either party to win, and we've seen time and again that moderates and independents do not support the Tea Party. The Republican Party, to have a viable chance of winning in November, must choose Mitt Romney in August. If not, the liberal (and conservative) media is going to have a very easy ten months, pulling Gingrich's record and credibility apart, piece by piece.
Sam,
ReplyDelete"If a candidate cannot withstand the intense scrutiny of the media, the candidate has no business running for the office of President." Amen.
However, is there a reason you're discounting Paul and Santorum so early?
Paul has admitted to being a fringe candidate, and Santorum is even more Tea Party-esque than Gingrich. Also, both flounder between 8-16% and can't seem to gain much more traction. After Super Tuesday, I predict it will be a one- or two-man race, simply because the voters will feel the need to start narrowing down the field.
DeleteBut certainly the two can have profound effects on Gingrich and Romney. That 8-16% can turn tides. A Democracy is said to be made for the majority, but it primarily empowers the minority. If Santorum attracts Tea Partiers that otherwise would have voted for Gingrich, Gingrich can lose a primary because of that. Remember the Election of 1912? Roosevelt literally took the party away from Taft. By splitting a party between conservative and liberal-- modern Tea Party and moderate, 1912 conservative and Progressive-- strength is diminished.
ReplyDeleteThe Tea Partiers certainly will turn to Newt when Santorum drops out (which I see happening shortly after Super Tuesday), the Paul supporters will scatter in every which direction when/if he drops out, but I wholly believe that if there ever comes a point when it appears that Gingrich will get the nomination instead of Romney, the "establishment Republicans" will come out for Romney.
DeleteIn a Obama versus Gingrich election, Obama wins, pretty much regardless of any circumstances leading up to the election. The core of the Republican Party knows that, and they don't want to hand 2012 to Obama on a silver platter. Romney's not their ideal candidate, but he's the one who has the highest chance of being elected President.