GOP playing around

CBS had this headline this morning: "Santorum stunner: Sweeps 3 GOP contests". Rick Santorum won Republican primaries in Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado. It is a remarkable turn of events. CBS began it's article with the words:

It took one night for Rick Santorum to become a player again in the Republican presidential race.

I have to agree, Santorum has become a contender, even if for a short time, but it's the GOP voters who are playing around. What is their purpose? Did social conservatives come to the polls to prove their relevance for in the nomination process?

A couple weeks ago, Rick Santorum laid out his case for extreme opposition to abortion, even in the cases of rape: 'Make The Best Out Of A Bad Situation'. If Santorum was to become a nominee (which he won't) this would give Barack Obama the opportunity he needs to win a second term -- by making the election about anything other than Obama's record in the White House. Talking about Roe v. Wade and abortions is one of the favorite subjects of U.S. liberals.

Meanwhile, Ron Paul came in second in one of the three contests and was jubilant: "A strong second place, and it’s going to continue", he said. Continue to what? A strong second place in a general election?

GOP playing around with 'anyone but Romney' may indeed end up with a candidate, like John McCain who couldn't explain the diffidence between his economic policy and that of Obama. 

GOP dilemma: to win or not to win

Romney or Gingrich, that is the question.

Romney does not excite conservatives. He's the slow and slow and steady turtle in the race, without flashiness. Here's how challenges Obama's policies:

The path I lay out is not one paved with ever increasing government checks and cradle-to-grave assurances that government will always be the solution. If this election is a bidding war for who can promise more benefits, then I’m not your President. You have that President today.

Ann Coulter said Romney is the most conservative candidate, based on his policies on immigration and the economy. That may be the case, but Romney doesn't come across as the most conservative candidate. Before Ann Coulter decided to go to the bat for Romney as the most conservative GOP candidate, I wrote that his moderation is his greatest strength. It also makes him more electable.

New Gingrich excites conservatives with his red meat rhetoric. For example he called President Obama a Nazi-Commie and a "threat to our way of life." I happen to agree with this, in essence. However, I prefer to call Obama a collectivist, because his brand of socialism is a little different from either communism or Nazis. As a blogger, I could afford to indulge in this kind of rhetoric, but it comes across as hysterical  is not helpful in making a argument. Unlike yours truly, Newt Gingrich is running for president, yet doesn't realize the counter-productive nature of over-the-top rhetoric. Conservatives desperately want to hear Obama lambasted. Do they prefer to have their 'red meat' and be defeated by Obama? That would lead to another four years of 'starvation' - not recapturing the White House, allowing Obamacare to set in, etc.

In addition, Newt is an opportunist. He peddled myths about anthropogenic global warming with Nancy Pelosi, and called Paul Ryan plan's to privatize Medicare using using vouchers: "right-wing social engineering."

Then, there's his lack of character. After cheating on, then abandoning his first wife when she got cancer, then doing the same thing to his second wife when she got MS, Newt has some explaining to do. Instead, hepassed the buckof responding to charges made by his second wife (of 18 years) to daughters from his first marriage. Considering that Newt cheated on their mother, Newt's daughters aren't exactly impartial on this matter.

Ann Coulter was right on with her characterization of Newt's victory in SC this weekend when she said : "Apparently, South Carolinians would rather have the emotional satisfaction of a snotty remark toward the president than to beat Obama in the fall." Let's hope GOP voters get the need to 'stick it' to Obama rhetorically out of their systems soon, otherwise he may well 'stick it' to the GOP in the fall, by making the election focus on Newt Gingrich, rather than his own record.

So, the real question for Republicans in 2012 is: to win or not to win?

Iowa chooses relevance

Iowa caucuses are less than two weeks away, and Romney is finally pulling ahead of perennial candidate Ron Paul.  Iowa: Romney 25% Paul 20% Gingrich 17% Is this reflecting shifting opinions of the primary voters, or concern that Iowa could lose its clout by nominating Paul, who has no chance to win enough states to clinch the GOP nomination.

Paul has a very small, but dedicated following, and has done well in IA caucuses in the past. Ron Paul could play the role of a spoiler for the GOP nomination, so it would be very useful to minimize his impact in the only state where he has a shot.  A number of commentators have expressed concern what his win would mean for Iowa's coveted first primary. First, Fox News pundit Chris Wallace’s suggested that the Iowa result “won’t count” if Ron Paul wins.

"Mortal” is how Doug Gross, a leading Republican lawyer and Branstad adviser, characterized the severity of the wound of Paul win would for Iowa's role in the primaries.

Even the Iowa governor said If Ron Paul Wins, Ignore It And Look At Who Finishes Second.

Regardless, of the cause for Paul's slide in Iowa's polls, it's is good news for the Republicans. Ron Paul has some great ideas, but he also also has some inane, and zany ideas. He makes a great contribution to opposition whichever party is in charge of the government. No reason to mess up a good thing.

Democrats for Newt Gingrich

Still hoping for my blog to be properly indexed by Google, I came across an article on Tampa Bay website  that echoes my blog about Gingrich's suitability for the VP, but not the presidency.

The author of the article described the potential nomination of Gingrich for the presidency by the GOP as a 'suicide pact':

"Democrats laugh, as if the GOP has lost its collective mind and entered a political suicide pact. The GOP establishment is having a conniption."

The same article quoted the former Florida congressman Joe Scarborough from last week on his Morning Joe when he said of Gingrich: "He will destroy our party. He will re-elect Barack Obama and we'll be ruined." I agree. What makes it difficult, is that I like Newt Gingrich a lot, but not for a GOP nominee in 2012. Liking Newt Gingrich is not inconsistent with rejecting him for the top of the GOP ticket - that's why I wrote the blog 'Center is the new Right' - to analyze and ultimately to reject emotional response to the coming decisive election.