For a few moments on Iowa caucus night, it looked like no more damage could be done to Newton Leroy Gingrich. Mitt Romney and Ron Paul?s assaults had knocked him from first to fourth, made him the state?s least popular Republican and stripped him of his national frontrunner status. Those who knew Gingrich, however, never lost faith: The havoc of others was nothing compared to the ruin he could bring on himself.
Gingrich did not disappoint. With all the warmth and charm of a machete, he slashed his way to New Hampshire to carve slices, not only from Bain Capital, but also from capitalism.
Continue ReadingDisplaying a recklessness and thoughtlessness that chilled even his own admirers, he put GOP orthodoxy on trial, shocked that businesses could fail, investments could be forfeited and capitalism could have a cost. To further his political ambitions, the man who had sat on a couch with then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) now jumped into bed with President Barack Obama. He made clear that he didn?t care who would be the leader of the free world if it couldn?t be him.
Rarely has a campaign been so counterproductive. With his attack from the left, Gingrich did for Romney what he had not been able to do for himself: Distinguish Romney as the conservative.
More important, Gingrich has begun to build the negatives into Romney?s stock price that Obama was saving for the general election. The more they are litigated now, the less shock value they?ll have later. Romney will face White House attacks with more antibodies and more practice. For these gifts, Romney owes Gingrich, who, in anger, picked up the wrong sword.
Gingrich can leave the field disgraced and disqualified ? but proud of two signal accomplishments: One, at a critical moment in campaign 2012, he helped determine the Republican nominee for president. Two, it wasn?t him.
Gingrich?s attacks do cheer the White House. They see Romney?s open wounds and will give them little time to heal. TargetPoint?s Alex Gage and his National Dialogue Monitor track Internet buzz, often a leading indicator of ballot movement. Gage reports it turned slightly negative against Romney after his win in New Hampshire ? because of the assaults on Bain Capital.
Republicans should make no mistake: Though Romney will likely be able to credit Obama with thousands of lost jobs for every worker Romney could not save, similar assaults will play better with independents come November. Obama will take the debate to a different place: Would some of these businesses and jobs have survived if Romney had not pocketed millions?
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