Politics is weird

Truer words perhaps have never been spoken on the air. Shep Smith reacting to Romney reacting to Newt's farewell speech.



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Newt won't quit

Gawker wasn't the only one trash talking Fox News this week. In a meeting with some Tea Party leaders, Newt accused Fox of "having been in the tank for Mitt Romney from the beginning of the Republican presidential fight." He also had a few harsh words for George Will. "Gingrich said that Will was among the conservative media figures who harbored 'personal jealousy' against him."


Furthermore, Newt thinks it's still possible for him to win the GOP presidential nomination." He claims his supporters want him to stay in it and figures he'll be able to pick up Santorum's base now that Little Ricky dropped out. So he's not quitting:

Gingrich vowed to campaign until the convention in Tampa, Fla., saying he wants to help the GOP reflect a "21st century conservatism."

Have to give some credit for perseverance I guess but I'm not fishing my favorite conspiracy theory out of the trash bin. Pretty sure Newt is going to come up short well before the convention.

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Newt's snoot

By now you've heard President Obama, after being hounded by the media for days, made a statement about Trayvon Martin's tragic death. So naturally, in a pathetic attempt to save his failing campaign, Newt was compelled to attack President Obama for allegedly "playing the race card." He had to contort pretty hard to get his nose out of joint over that tempered remark. Probably play pretty well with the rubes, but not well enough to save his candidacy.

Somewhat related, since we're speaking of snoots, or more properly snouts, this is my choice for picture of the week. Cries out for a snarky caption, but I'm not good at those. Hard to think of anything that isn't too mean to post in public.

Newt meets his constituents? [Original photo]


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If I had a son

By Capt. Fogg

"You know, if I had a son he would look like Treyvon,"

said the president and I guess that's true to some extent. He'd have dark skin, of course, but I took it to mean that his son would be an ordinary looking, ordinary acting 17 year old and not a shooting gallery target.

Newt Gingrich took it differently because he saw the comment, which was clearly an attempt to show compassion and to suggest that he couldn't avoid putting himself in the place of the grieving father of Treyvon Martin, as an opportunity to launch another Fox-faux outrage. Hasn't the entire Republican reaction to the election of Barack Obama been a collection of phony, trumped up, fabricated and exasperatingly stupid outrages?

" Is the president suggesting that if it had been a white who had been shot that would be ok because it didn't look like him?"

said Newt to Sean Hannity on Fox News. Certainly Fox is the Cape Canaveral; the launch pad of most such desperate grasping at rhetorical straws -- the place where the unscrupulously ambitious launch calumny after slander after blatant lie, not because this president is beyond criticism, but because they, the Republican insiders, are themselves accessories before, during and after the fact of the collapse of our economy, the corruption and outrageous economic policies and the unjustified war that precipitated it and only wild claims can distract the public from remembering. Only wild, unsubstantiated and preferably ridiculous statements can rally the bigotry against honesty and decency.

So is the president suggesting that it was only a tragedy because a black kid was killed? Only a Republican could twist words and facts to make it seem so and only a man of the "I will never apologise for America" persuasion could reflect on the Republican support for segregation, opposition to civil rights for minorities, females and non-Christians and not see the killing as part of a continuum; part of a mentality they've been promoting for at least a century.

The gambit is an old and tired and disreputable one, as much so as is Gingrich himself and the others Fox News gives the megaphone to. "Is George Washington suggesting that he should be king?" In fact he suggested the opposite, but the question suggests that there is indeed a question. Is Newt Gingrich a dishonest, morally unscrupulous, hypocritical liar blinded by an unholy ambition and hunger for power? Does a newt shit in the swamp?

No where to run to

Trying to get back into the posting thing, so starting with a couple of quick takes on what our zany Republicans are up to lately.

Dick Cheney cancels a speaking appearance:

TORONTO — Former U.S. vice-president Dick Cheney has cancelled an April appearance in Toronto citing concerns Canada is too dangerous.

“He felt that in Canada the risk of violent protest was simply too high,” said Ryan Ruppert, president of promotions company Spectre Live Corp., which had booked Mr. Cheney for an April 24 appearance at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Apparently his last trip to Vancouver was a bit unpleasant, what with all the protesters shouting about war criminals outside. Admit I feel a little guilty for taking pleasure in his discomfort, but can't deny I'm glad he's finding it difficult to profiteer from his criminal reign at the White House.

In a completely unrelated development, no matter how hard he tries to channel his inner ordinary guy, Willard just can't hide his wealth. He lobs this gem into an interview.

FINEBAUM: You are a Patriots fan, I know that you’ve had a lot of support from that family. Having said that, the most coveted free agent in NFL history is Peyton Manning. I know you want him somewhere away from New England, where do you think he ought to go?

ROMNEY: Well, you know I’m surprised to hear that Denver’s thinking about him, they’re — I don’t want him in our neck of the woods, lets put it that way, I don’t want him to go to Miami or to the Jets. But I’ve got a lot of good friends, the owner Miami Dolphins, and the New York Jets — both owners are friends of mine. But let’s keep him away from New England, so that Tom Brady has a better shot of picking up a championship for us.

Who among us doesn't have a couple of good friends who own major sports franchises? Though to be fair, at least he knew something about what's going on in football. And it doesn't seem to be hurting him in the current primaries. Polling is showing him with a decent chance to take one of both of the big two in the south tonight.

Which leaves us wondering about what will Newt do if he doesn't pull off at least one win. Last I heard Newt is vowing to stay in all the way to Tampa no matter what happens. Of course, what else would he say? Remains to be seen if Sugar Daddy Sheldon feels the same way about bankrolling him that far.

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The last dance, the last chance

Willard wins the news cycle today with his "y'all" drawl praising of grits (and other things) but I'm more interested in Newt's late night dance party on Wednesday. He and Callista cut the old rug in an empty hotel bar till the wee hours.

More photos at the link, incuding proof they're decent tippers.

Some observers mused that the candidate and his staff seemed to be celebrating being close to the end of their long and winding campaign journey.

Not a bad guess. Unless Newt manages to win both Alabama and Mississippi next week, hard to see how he can go on unless Sheldon wants to bankroll his ego tour just for the hell of it. Don't see what he'd gain by doing it though and he's already said he'd jump on Willard's bandwagon when the time was ripe. The clock is ticking down to last call...

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Rooting for Newt

To no one's surprise, after being trounced in Florida, Newt lost again to Willard in Nevada yesterday. But Newt is no quitter.

“Our goal is to get to Super Tuesday where we are in much more favorable territory,” Gingrich said on NBC's Meet the Press.

I'm rooting for him to win for a number of reasons, not the least of which is I think he's the easiest candidate to beat in November. However, once in a while Newt actually says something I like. I mean, who would expect a Republican to go all anti-spending cuts on the bobblehead shows today?

“First of all, David, I don’t think you’ll ever find me talking about an age of austerity. I don’t think that’s the right solution,” Gingrich said. “I am a pro-growth Republican. I’m a pro-growth conservative." ...

Not sure there is such a thing as a anti-austerity conservative. The entire GOP agenda has been about spending cuts for years. It could be that attitude is why the Tea Party's CEO is badmouthing Newt.

“I don’t think Newt will be able to replicate that magic moment in South Carolina,” said Dick Armey, chairman of the conservative grassroots group FreedomWorks, on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Indeed, Armey isn't happier with Romney, but he has a plan. "Armey said his group would work to elect conservatives to Congress instead of focusing on the presidential race." Liberals and progressives take note. I've been saying for a while we're focusing too much on the presidency. If the last two years have shown us anything, it's the power of Congress and statehouses to force the GOP agenda into reality, even without public support.

Of course, Armey is still going to urge his Tea Party patriots to vote GOP for the presidency regardless:

"We would rather have a Republican president that's not fully the guy we adore wanting our affections than a Democrat president who despises us and covets the affections of our mortal enemies on public policy," he said.

Meanwhile, the other big reason I'm rooting for Newt is colonizing the moon. He's not backing down on that proposal and says it can be done without "massive government spending." I don't care how they pay for it. I want to be a pioneer in the final frontier and live on the moon. I mean who wouldn't want to wake up and see the Earth rise?

[Big thanks to Michael J. W. Stickings for kindly linking in at Crooks and Liars. If you're not reading him at his own blog The Reaction -- well -- you should be.]

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Don't faze me Brokaw

The Romney campaign put out a new ad featuring an old 1997 news clip from a broadcast done by Tom Brokaw about Newt's ethics violations. This made Tom unhappy. Brokaw wants Romney to take the ad down.

“I am extremely uncomfortable with the extended use of my personal image in this political ad,” he said. “I do not want my role as a journalist compromised for political gain by any campaign.”

Fat chance. The Romney camp refuses, claiming fair use. Moreover, they're delighted to get the extra attention. They're pimping the piece on Twitter.



My first thought when I watched it was: "Hey. Tom Brokaw aged pretty well, didn't he?"

My second thought: "Damn. I remember watching that report when it originally aired."

Recall thinking at the time the GOP did the right thing in purging that maniac. Sadly, this sort of housekeeping doesn't happen in the GOP anymore. Even sadder, at this point, Newt isn't even the biggest lunatic pulling the strings in the Republican party.

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Newt won't back down

Willard "Mittens" Romney is feeling all kinds of butch today. He's been out on the campaign trail boasting about his big victory in the debates last night. And to be fair, he did do better than he has recently. Guess all that instruction from Michele Bachmann's former debate coach is paying off. He lied with much more authority. Also expect the current polling in Florida is boosting his confidence.

Newt on the other hand looks a little shaken. After all his blustering about letting the people cheer, because freedom, Willard clearly bested him on the applause-o-meter last night. But never let it be said he won't go down fighting. Hell, he practically invented smear tactics for Pete's sake. Exhibit A, a new attack ad Newt launched on Romney today that pulls no punches.



Have to give his shop credit for a fast turn around. Expect they may have spent more time on the one I saw yesterday from his sugar daddy's SUPER PAC, which was even more brutal.



Don't count him out yet. He still has three days to turn it around. And oddly, as abhorrent as I find the man, I'm kind of rooting for Newt to pull off another upset. It would amuse me on several levels, not the least of which would be witnessing the establishment GOP meltdown.

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No surprise, Newt lied, he has no friends

You'll recall John King opened the South Carolina debate by asking Newt Gingrich about his second wife's claim he asked for an open marriage while he was boinking Callista on the side. Newt reacted with great indignation. Newt pounded the lectern and roared, "Every personal friend I have who knew us in that period says the story is false." Newt further claimed these friends were offered to ABC News and ABC refused to give them air time to refute Marianne Gingrich's allegations.

Well, now comes his campaign spokesmouth who admits, Newt lied. He has no friends who were willing to speak to ABC on his behalf. The only "witnesses" Gingrich proffered were his two daughters, who were duly quoted in the news cycle right along.

Politico calls this confession "(a)n important victory for John King in his ongoing effort to justify last Thursday's confrontation." Wonder what they're smoking over there?

John King still looks like an idiot. He had two shots at Newt. As someone who almost always thinks of a killer comeback an hour after an argument is over, I had some sympathy for his failure to confront Newt the first time. It was an unexpected and aggressive response. But King had another chance with a second interview. When King told Newt that the campaign didn't actually produce any alleged friends willing to testify on his behalf, he allowed Gingrich to call it a bunch of baloney. What kind of victory is that? It's pure journalistic incompetence.

King had plenty of time to prepare for the second round. As I mentioned after the debate, the appropriate response would have been to ask Newt to produce the names of these ignored friends. As it stands the victory goes to CNN for forcing the campaign to finally admit Newt lied.

Meanwhile, Newt still wins because his fan base doesn't watch CNN and I think it's a safe bet this won't be mentioned on Fox "News." [original image]

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If it ain't brokered, how are they going to fix it?

I was planning to let my favorite conspiracy theory rest but with Newt's big win in South Carolina, the panic among the GOP establishment demands a brief resurrection. This comes up today because Josh at TPM noticed GOP pundits wishing for a savior to emerge from the shadows and rescue their primary from this lunacy. Josh runs the numbers and rightfully notes it's much too late for someone to jump in via the traditional route.

I tweeted Josh to mention the wishful thinking I've seen rests more on a brokered convention. Not making that up. I don't have cable but Angry DougJ saw it on the morning after South Carolina. And I saw a few headlines roll through Memorandum suggesting it as well.

Josh then tweeted: To answer: I think in the 21st century, brokered convention guarantees loss in Nov. & who convinces Newt/Mitt to give up their delegates?

I have an answer to that. It wouldn't fit into a tweet, but let's review my old posts. If you think about it, a draft in August leaves a candidate with only two months of media exposure. Which happens to be about the same length of time every GOP frontrunner who is not Mitt has enjoyed the adoration of the base. I wouldn't bet money that they couldn't win with that strategy.

If the primary battle does continue until the convention, all the candidates will have fatal flaws well exposed. Party is fractured. Not exactly a path to victory either. What do they have to lose with a draft? And my money is still on Chris Christie as the guy they would pick to save them. Sure he's had some exposure as Romney's wingman, but he's said nothing on the campaign trail yet that has hurt him. He's wowed the crowds at every stop. Not impossible for me to envision, if it indeed did come down to Mitt and Newt, that Mitt could be Christie's VP instead of the other way around. Mitt is still young enough to parlay a VP slot into one more future run for top dog in eight years.

And as for Newt, hell, how hard is it to buy him off? They could do it with a straight money bribe. Or they could offer him a high profile slot in the administration where he could parlay his grifting skills into a personal fortune.

Again, not saying I believe it's a plausible theory, but never say never, especially given politics as they're practiced in this age.

That's no dog whistle

Of course, you know by now Newt trounced Willard in South Carolina's primary yesterday. The exit polling showed the voters were most concerned about the state of the economy and many decided on their votes only at the last minute, choosing Newt based on his debate performance. And by that they don't mean that he presented a grand, cohorent plan to repair said worrisome economy.

Hearing a lot of talk about dog whistles this morning. That was no dog whistle that enthralled the true conservatives of the south. Newt pulled out a high powered bullhorn with the volume set on 11. He won their hearts with his sneering putdown of Juan Williams, his self-righteous indignation at the despicable, elite liberal media daring to question his morality and his only slightly more subtle jabs at that uppity usurper in their White House. Visions of a cowed "Nobama" on the debate stage dance in their befuddled heads.

What does it mean going into Florida? Damned if I know. This is weirdest primary ever but I'm thinking not much. For one thing, the twitter tells me turnout was nearly historic. About 100K more turned out than might be expected. I'm also told it was an open primary, meaning Democrats could vote in it. Wondering how many Dems may have decided to help keep the GOP freak show going for the pure entertainment value.

In Florida only Republicans will be voting. And Florida conservatives are not all the sons and daughters of the Confederacy. They include a lot of transplanted Yankees of some means who are less likely to hold Willard's wealth and awkwardness in glad handing the hoi polloi against him.

It's politics, so anything can happen. It's a fool's game to predict the whims of a fickle electorate all too easily swayed by slick campaign ads. My guess is Willard is still looking good for it in the long run. But one thing I know for certain, the "elite" media is delighted with last night's outcome. Judging from my tweet stream, they're very much looking forward to spending some time in sunny Florida.

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Ain't no doubt about it - Updated

If one can believe the latest numbers I saw on the twitter this morning, the winner in South Carolina tonight is a given. Newt was polling at 40% to Willard's 26%, which is good news for me. But that I mean, my creds as a prognosticator are going up again. Somewhere on the tweetie machine, I predicted that SC would not be the race that crowned Willard as the nominee apparent.

And to say Romney looks a bit awkward when he's down grossly understates the situation as aptly illustrated by this morning's "Hamgate."

Romney steps into Oliver's grits.

Tommy's Ham House in Greenville is a must stop on the campaign trail. Unfortunately, for Willard, both he and Newt were scheduled to arrive at the same time. Newt suggested an impromptu debate but Willard chickened out. He arrived early and rushed out before Newt got there. But he didn't leave before he stepped into Oliver Knox's breakfast. Let's look at that again, in live action.



Of course, Willard and Newt are both awkward when their numbers are down, albeit in different ways. And they're both obnoxious when they're up. So one thing for certain, if Newt's polling holds up in the results, he's going to be simply insufferable going into Florida.

Update: Seems only fair to offer Oliver's eyewitness account of the "Thrilla in Greenvilla."

Where were you when I needed you

I really could have used this photo Chris Hayes commissioned for his TV show a few weeks ago when I wrote this post on "zany" Newt.

It's exactly as I envisioned it, had I only possessed a photoshop program and the ability to use it. But it's a keeper. Think we'll find a use for it again before this horror show is over. [original photo]

So long Marianne

I fell asleep just before the promised "explosive" interview with the second Mrs. Gringrich aired on Nightline last night. Just as well since having watched the archived video, it's clear we were seriously pwned by ABC. One wonders what about it required such soul searching as to when to air it. Especially since they leaked the "open marriage" punch line early on, giving Newt plenty of time to come up with a defense before John King so lamely lobbed the question first thing at last night's debate.

They couldn't have engineered the narrative more transparently, or any more in Newt's favor. Today's news cycle is all about Newt's indignation at despicably being subjected to questions about his despicable behavior.

Anyone could have predicted this interview would be a bomb. The second wife, who cheated with him on the first wife would have to come up with something better than, gee he wanted an open marriage, to gain any sympathy. And what was with the bit about meeting with the arms dealer in Paris? She looked as smarmy as Newt with that denial.

Besides, everybody knows about Newt's past affairs. The base considers these to be mere peccadilloes. Ancient history that the men secretly admire and the woman accept with resignation because most of them have forgiven their own husbands for such passing lapses of fidelity. Besides, Newt admitted his sins and asked God for forgiveness. That's good enough for them. The only thing that might have resonated with that crowd would have been Newt's refusal to support his past wives and families after the divorce.

The story that should have been hyped was the legal pleadings from Gringrich's first divorce. How he abandoned his first family, leaving them so destitute they had "no lights, no heat, no water, no food in the home." Their church held a food drive for them. Newt didn't give them a dime until the court forced him to honor his obligations.

But the second wife? Of course the reaction is meh. Maybe it's true that Newt has friends who would testify she was overstating the transition to wife three. If so, maybe the media could ask him to produce them. But otherwise, as far as the base is concerned, "It's time that we began, to laugh and cry, and cry and laugh about it all again." Or not.

Newt apologizes for speaking truth to the powerless

Newt apologizes for talking like a Democrat in going after Willard. But that didn't stop the Gingrich campaign from releasing this delicious Web ad today.



They could have taken the script for that straight off TPM's Guide to Mitt-isms. Funny, I was just thinking the night before that it was time to bring back, "Who let the dogs out?"

But the real blockbuster release of the day from Team Newt is the half hour documentary, King of Bain. I was blown away by how well produced it was. Lot of speculation that this kind of oppo is coming out too soon and will lose its effect by November, but I wouldn't be so sure about that. Powerful piece. I think it has staying power.

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Thanks for the oppo Newt

This video will be making the rounds, and is well worth archiving everywhere. Newt Gingrich may be down in the polls, but he's got a bucket of money left and by Gawd, he's going to use it to mess Romney up. This trailer from a longer documentary purchased by Newt's SuperPAC could have produced by a Democratic oppo shop.



Some debate at the link over whether Josh rightly characterizes it as SwiftBoatian since technically, swift boating is based on lies and this video pretty much tells the truth. Leaving the semantics aside, I love it. Makes me hope Newt stays in the race for a very long time.

Addendum: Steve M. thinks this will help Willard more than it hurts him. Point well taken that the hard core base inexplicably and fiercely supports the capitalist vultures who are robbing them but not so sure this won't play well with the swing voters. Noticing even among the staunch conservatives that cross my radar, there are grumblings about too much money in politics and politicians who are bought off by the big money boys. It could work to Newt's benefit. And besides, what has he got to lose by trying?

[More posts daily at the Detroit News.]

Let it be Paul

by Capt. Fogg

Ron Paul seems at the moment to be the front runner in Iowa, which to me offers some hope that American Conservative dementia might not progress to the point where that miscreant Gingrich might be selected to run against Barack Obama.

And no, I haven't become a Republican, but I'd far rather see Dr. Paul, whose ideas I sometimes agree with and sometimes don't in a debate than be forced to listen to Newt advocate a nation of "believers" where no one can be trusted who doesn't follow a Gingrich approved God, or God forbid, live in a nation with a president who insists he would arrest a judge whose decisions don't fit the doctrines of Newtonian Theocracy and plutocracy. For someone who makes such a fuss about the constitution's limitations on government power, you'd think he could show us the part advocating for a priest-king or a definition of a separation of powers that is subject to suspension at the whim of the President.

Of course one has to wonder whether the inner Gingrich is connected in any way to the outer, all too visible Gingrich, with strings attached to all sorts of crepuscular but malignant entities. Perhaps his outrageous anti-Americanism is simply bait to attract the creepy-crawly political vermin squirming in the anti-American mud and perhaps he's not really an enemy of democracy, Liberty and the rule of law and the other things most of us wish were core values in civilized countries.

So I have to think that at best, he's a fraud who fully intends to betray anyone foolish enough to think he means what he says, but I have to fear, at worst, that he means it. So yes, I'll take the candidate who I think goes a bit overboard with limiting the power of the Government to the man who would be king.

Pants on fire

By Capt. Fogg

“The judicial power of the United States, shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.”

-Article III of the US Constitution-

“There is no Supreme Court in the American Constitution"

-Newt Gingrich-

Really, Newt? Are you really a history professor? Do you really think we're that stupid?

It's getting hard to tolerate the stench coming out of the pre-caucus Republican cesspool; from Presidential candidates getting government funds -- our tax dollars -- to teach people how to pray away the gay and advocating the use of Federal might to stamp out all forms of pornography frowned on by their frowning religion and to legislate and limit and punish our personal relationships -- while griping about too much government interference and too much spending and too much social engineering. It's getting damned hard to tolerate morally, mentally and ethically bankrupt creeps like Newt Gingrich, who is quite happy to feed the malignant idiocy now consuming the remnants of our Republic by telling us that our constitution does not "mention" much less provide for a supreme court, Article III of the Constitution notwithstanding.

"We now have this entire national elite that wants us to believe that any five lawyers are a Constitutional convention. That is profoundly un-American and profoundly wrong.”

lies the moral multimillionaire elitist with the million dollar line of credit at the jewelry store and a string of illicit mistresses and abused ex-wives. That's profoundly un-American and profoundly wrong and profoundly Republican. But of course anyone who thinks the highest court is an extra-legal ad hoc assembly of five self-appointed members foisted on the public by "elitists" and with no constitutional authority can hardly be considered an elitist of any kind unless there's a ranking of candidates according to their ignorance and mendacity and greed. Perhaps Newt just forgot that the Supreme Court Justices are approved by Congress or perhaps he's just a lying tub of septic scum who thinks he's entitled by birth and party affiliation to feast on the corpse of America.

You can fool some of the people all of the time: you can fool a lot of them in fact. They're called Republicans. They're called perverts, they're called liars, thieves, embezzlers and saboteurs.