Hour of Newt

[Geee]

National Review:

South Carolina Republicans delivered what former president George W. Bush once called a “thumpin’” to Mitt Romney. Republicans have too many misgivings about Romney — misgivings we share — to give him a shortcut to the nomination. He will have to earn it, if he can. So far he has been content to deliver lifeless platitudes, apparently under the impression that saying he “believes in America” is the way to clinch an argument rather than begin or summarize one. Instead of projecting strength, he has wilted under challenge. For a while there, his position on releasing tax returns was starting to look as convoluted as the tax code itself. He has done little to persuade conservative voters that he will fight for our priorities.

But attention must now turn to South Carolina’s big winner, Newt Gingrich. If the question before South Carolinians was whether to declare the nomination contest over by choosing Romney, the question before Floridians is whether to make Gingrich the front-runner. Romney is now running a sharply negative campaign in order to capitalize on this distinction. Since neither Gingrich nor Romney can make the case that he is a purebred conservative or a world-beating political talent, both are now essentially relying on a negative argument: The other guy is unreliable and unelectable. There is enough truth in both indictments to explain the continued appeal of other candidates’ joining the race.


Among the present candidates, we continue to prefer Romney and Rick Santorum over Gingrich and Ron Paul. Our opposition to Paul is based on our disagreement with a foreign policy based on what we consider a dangerously naïve and narrow conception of U.S. interests. Our opposition to Gingrich, by contrast, is not based on any philosophical disagreement. Among Gingrich, Romney, and Santorum, we find only minor ideological differences. None has been a consistent small-government conservative in office; all are running on conservative, and similar, platforms this year.
Thus it seems to us that the key question is which candidate can best make that platform a reality by first beating Obama and then governing successfully. Exit polls suggest that South Carolina Republicans considered Gingrich the most electable candidate. He argues that he would make the strongest Republican nominee because he would be able to beat Obama in debates — a claim that his strong performance in the Republican debates so far reinforces.

[Valin]

And if Romney doesn't win Fla. by a large margin?

 

 

[Argyle58]

National Review:

 

South Carolina Republicans delivered what former president George W. Bush once called a “thumpin’” to Mitt Romney.

 

 

Just wanted to point out that this was an "open" primary.....Dimocrats were allowed to vote, also.

[Valin]

The same can be said of NH.

 

I hate open primaries/caucuses!

[Casino67]

The same can be said of NH.

 

I hate open primaries/caucuses!

 

Does the State or the Party determine if the primary will be 'open'? Shouldn't someone be trying to remedy this faulty situation?

[Valin]

The same can be said of NH.

 

I hate open primaries/caucuses!

 

Does the State or the Party determine if the primary will be 'open'? Shouldn't someone be trying to remedy this faulty situation?

 

I don't know, but I suspect the state party. I also wonder how much enthusiasm there is for this in open primaries/caucus states. Might be something to look into.