Do Mississippi and Alabama represent Newt Gingrich's last stand?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Today's Southern primaries - in Mississippi and Alabama - might be Newt Gingrich's last stand. Or not. But they probably should be. He's not going to be our next president.
The former House Speaker has staked much of his campaign on the South. His only two victories so far were in South Carolina and his home state of Georgia. And he's hoping to deliver two more today.
He should have an advantage in the South. But the polls say he doesn't. They show him virtually tied with Romney in both Alabama and Mississippi.
A piece in The Daily Beast suggests that even if Gingrich wins today it won't matter. Patricia Murphy writes that historically Republicans who won in the South alone were doomed - candidates from Barry Goldwater to Mike Huckabee.
She describes a Southern strategy as a "recipe for disaster... not a path to the nomination."
CNN's Howard Kurtz also writing in The Daily Beast suggests that the media drumbeat for Gingrich's exit is growing louder because we want the race to go on longer. If Gingrich and Rick Santorum keep splitting the conservative vote, Romney is likely to wrap things up sooner, rather than later.
One top Republican, Senator Lindsey Graham, already says the race is "about over." Graham says that it's Romney's to lose due to his commanding delegate lead. CNN estimates that Romney has 459 delegates compared to 203 for Santorum and 118 for Gingrich.
But back to Newt. He says even if he doesn't have a "good day" today, he will stick around until the convention in Tampa. Maybe not.
If Gingrich loses in one or both Southern states today money might become harder to get; and without money, he goes nowhere.
Here’s my question to you: Do Mississippi and Alabama represent Newt Gingrich's last stand?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 4pm to see if Jack reads your answer on air.
And, we love to know where you’re writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.
@jackcafferty on Twitter
If it was any other candidate the Mississippi and Alabama primaries would be their last chance. But Gingrich's over inflated ego and his hatred for Romney probably will not leave him quit. It will take his billionaire friend to say son no more money and it's time to go home.
Newt's narcissistic and will stay in as long as his sugar daddy pours money into his pointless campaign. It all depends on how much his sugar daddy wants to waste.
Newt will find a reason to stay till the end. This is a three ring circus, and the one thing neither the GOP or media want is any attention given to Ron Paul.
I didn't think Newt was really standing at all in the race after South Carolina, Jack.
Hi Jack, is this a trick question? It seems if Romney and Gingrich are tied in Mississippi and Alabama but Santorum is in second place nationally, then 2012 just might be the last stand for the Republican Party.
No, because it isn't really about the election, it's all about Newt.
Here's a twist, Jack. Gingrich knows he can't win the Presidency. He also knows that Santorum would be a "walk" for Obama. He'll stay in as long as he can to split the conservative vote, get Romney nominated, and prevent an inevitable Santorum loss in November. His ego will continue to be served by stauing in the race, but he's really taking one for the team.
Not by a long shot. As long as he has an angel like Sheldon Addleson or some super-pac he will go on until the convention is over. That goes for all four of the candidates. The Republican convention will be the event of the year. And if the 'occupiers' show up it will rival the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago.
Newt had his last stand years ago. He is just sticking around, like you know what, to be someone's veep. Not!
Speaker Gingrich enjoys the limelight and basically, we don't care how long he runs or how many times he runs.... so he and Mitt Romney have something in common ....we can put up with their "whatever", but it comes down to the real thing, both are just waiting for the "time up".
Jack, Why do you ask this? Yes,he is a non-related descendant of "The Boy General",General George Custer,and yes...history does repeat itself. Newt had many triumphs,but this is his last political act,same as Custer had.How do you like that for political mumbo jumbo Jack? (non-related descendant)
Greg M. FL
Newt winning or losing in Mississippi and Alabama is irrelevant. Ultimately whoever will be the GOP
nominee will lose to Pres. Obama – election 2012
I can't see Newt backing out untill after the Texas Primary. Newt will win delegates today, and in Louisianna, and in Texas, which will make it more difficult for Romney to clinch the Nomination before the Convention. If it does go to the convention, then it becomes a contest of who knows the rules better and can twist them in their favor. Romney will have a big lead in delegates, but the expertise of Newt and Rick may cause gridlock at the convention. This is I think, the "Nirvanna", John Sununu refered to in a recent Bostn Globe article, that the Political Junkies are hoping for. So hopefully, Romney won't sweep tonight, robbing us of our dream. Doug, Pepperell, MA.
We can only "pray"!!
No, they don't represent Newt Gingrich's last stand. His Mid East opinions appeal to many people and they will see to it he continues. I personally always thought of him as a bit of a nut but it is an attribute that has always improved his career. Unfortunately he has never been able to improve his opinions enough to help those of us who pay for people who live better than we do so they can live even better.
Jack,
Who cares?! Either way the Newtster is going back to his digs on K Street and teach more history classes to Freddie & Fannie.
Newt boarded the train late with his positive plan for energy and jobs in America. If he loses either Mississippi or Alabama, the conductor will not be speaking to the speaker when he yells "all aboard". The train ride will be over for Newt.
Newt Gingrich is running in the two states of confusion, where people believe only what they want to believe. Take a whack at Obama's religion and he wins both.
Whether he is officially campaigning or not, he likely won't be able to buy coverage after today. Once state GOP conventions are held and Santorum doesn't get the delegates everyone thinks he will get, he won't be able to buy coverage either. No coverage, no crowds, no campaign.
It ain't the Little Big Horn, and he ain't surrounded by Sitting Bull and warriors on horseback, but yes–you bet–this is where the Newt goes down, colors flying. He and Santorum will split the social-conservative vote tonight, leaving each with half a win and Romney with a bragging margin. Do the math, Newt!
No Jack. This will not be Newt's last stand because the establishment wants Mitt to win and Newt is the perfect Santorum spoiler. Does anyone really view Newt as a viable candidate for president?
Yes, providing Romney gets a majority before convention time.
But if the convention has to vote two or more times, then I am betting on Newt.
Newt's message has been played out and voters in the Republican Party have not listened. TIme for Newt to go home.
I sure hope so. Newt is the poster child for all that is wrong in Congress, and if we are lucky, he is representative of a political machine that is dying a long-deserved death.
The problem with Newt is that even if he wins in the Deep South and picks up all or most of those delegates, he fails to pick up many delegates elsewhere. At least Ron Paul, who has only won one territory, has a delegate hunting strategy potentially putting him just behind Mitt Romney in the actual delegate count. The political views of the Deep South typically do not represent the country as a whole as they tend to be more culturally conservative while the rest of the country tends to be more culturally progressive, making a Deep South favorite unlikely to win in the General Election anyway.
Matthew, Chicago, IL
Newts first stand was his last stand. Only his extremely high opinion of himself and condescending option of the other candidates has kept him going this long. But let him go and keep tearing the party down. All that is left of it is the Tea Party bunch anyway and Obama is going to win in November, so delusional Newt can party on as long as he wants.
Maybe they do Jack but I can think of other stuff that might represent his last stand also. A photo of the titanic maybe, Newt wearing A General Custer facsimile uniform maybe,the movie the Alamo maybe, that painting depicting the charge of the light brigade maybe, A salmon trying to jump over Hoover Dam maybe, A sysmic reading of Newts ego maybe..........if they can find a big enough sysmo measuring thing..........
Gingrich is like a head cold that just won't go away. It lingers around and no one wants it. It is too bad they do not have an inoculation for him. The closest thing to a cure is the mute button on the remote control of the TV set.
For years Newt has been hawking everything from books to endorsements. I can picture him at sometime in the future doing a lemonade stand.
It is my belief that Newt wants to have a brokered convention but he is a lot like General Custer at Little Big Horn and is beating the wrong drum for the GOP. He should step aside and throw all of his support behind Santorum which would make this a very interesting race. But he won't because his ego is too big.
Yes, lest he turn a deaf ear to the fat lady singing.
If he could somehow create a Gingrinch/Palin/Limbaugh/Coulter primary ticket, that would swing ALL the whackos and loonies to his side, which in the GOP would be enough to get a majority, but failing that he's TOAST, and has been for months already.
Maybe...................maybe not. I don't care.
But before everyone continues their ranting, jeering, and pompous laughter, let's point out just for once Jack that at least the Republicans are offering choices for the American voter, not like the Democrats with their BLIND ALLEGIANCE, worshipping their annointed one like lemmings marching off of a cliff into the sea, not knowing or caring a thing about his idiotic anti-American ideology and agendas.
Can you point this out just ONCE Jack ???
Thank you.
does it really matter, he won't be awake long enough to get to the Presidents office.
Jack,
No.
Newt will hang on and hope to be nominated by affirmation and the convention. No one suggests he is rational but he got himself elected many times and held the 3rd most powerful office in the nation. Stranger things have really happened. Hope and greed spring eternal and block reality very successfully.
I certainly hope so. He's wasting money that could be used for a better cause. Book another Cruise Newt and sail off into the sunset.
No Jack. I think even two close seconds will fan the embers of Mr. Gingrich's vanity enough to keep him in the race. And I hope he does stay in: Every time he or Mr. Santorum open their mouths, the Democratic National Committee has to order more Obama for President stickers to keep up with demand.
Newt Gingrich isn't "running for President". he's in the "running for President" BUSINESS. as long as he can get multi-billionair Casino owner Sheldon Adelson to continue to bankroll him, he will be in it all the way to the convention in Tampa and even start working on 2016.
much like Sarah Palin, keeping his name in the news is how Newt MAKES a LIVING.
Oh... Gingrich is still riding in the clown car?
Stay...go...does it really matter?
No one told him his last stand was months ago. You know Jack I don't like Newt and what his goals for the country are. BUT, I do believe if in his heart he knew Romney was the GOP's solution to Obama he would have stepped aside already? Why are so any Republicans finding it so hard to embrace Romney? I think the GOP needs to figure that out before it iis too late.
As long as he can eat big steak on other people's dime he'll stay in.
C in Ma
Newt's ego wouldn't let him quit. He has 30 year's history of bouncing from one thing to another all focused around the central theme of I'm so wonderful the whole world needs to know about me.
Just like Custer.
Well Jack, even though Gingrich has said he's staying in the race, we heard the same thing from candidates like Herman Cain and Rick Perry, and look at what happened to them. They dropped out of the race. Gingrich says he's the tortoise, but if he doesn't win both Alabama and Mississippi, I don't see him going anywhere, except maybe back in his shell.
No-Gingrich's billionaire benefactor, Sheldon Adelson, holds the key to Gingrich's "last stand." If HE wants Gingrich to stay in the race, tonight's results, as well as any future results, won't matter. If it weren't for Citizens United, he would've been out of the race a long time ago.
For sure Dude. He will stop at nothing to powermonger his way to an ugly desperate lowlife attempt to gain any seats at the convention.HIs spews of Big Ideas dont have the sustainable trade policy element that basically no one including obama, has. Its Our loss when 1 opposition party dominates the censored agenda throughout corporate media.,Giving inflated housing principal a pass while squeezing out those who never got a house and had most of their hardearned money gobbled up by fuedal landlords that get special interest favors from both parties
Jack: Newt Leroy has experienced his last stand--when he was asked or expelled from Congress--nothing stops this energizer newt--but those batteries are about to run out--
Personally, I think my home state of GA was his last stand, and SC was just an added bonus that came out of left field. Of course after viewing video on you tube recently of interviews with people from MS, as well as recent polls of people here in the south who think our President is a Muslim, your guess is as good as mine. Wow, just wow. It's amazing what 2 decades of Fox News and rightwing radio have done to dumb down the electorate. There should be laws against passing lies off as news, for our own sakes if nothing else.
I"d say it was already over. But sadly like most narcissistic people "it ain't over till the fat lady/man sings".
Probably should be, but let him stay in for a while. It keeps the GOP in a mess.
Who cares? Since I already know that Romney will be the nominee, it frees up hours of TV time that I don’t have to watch. This is like having seen the final score and then going back to watch the game you recorded – pointless.
Newt and Rick are Obamas best friends..If they run for the white house it will be the end of the world for the G O P. Romney and Paul are the only ones who can save us. It will not be easy,because Obama has most of the media on his side and a filthy amount of money, most of it from wall street,oil companies, and good old hollywood. It does not matter who wins,because America will lose.
He trys to sound good but I think it's his last crawl, he's one of them that has sat in Congress and allowed this to happen to America.
Last stand?!? After his contract ON America; lashing out at anyone or any organization asking questions about his behavior; his attempt to crucifyBill Clinton for his dalliance while conducting his own affair; maybe it's time for Newt's last coiling, shedding or slither.
Newt, the man who gleefully declared war on America's ill, poor and unemployed through his contract with America, will do anything to try and sidetrack the inevitabilty of Romney's nomination. By doing this and staying in the primary race he, through his massive ego, will ensure Mitt wins. How ironic. How very Newt-like.
Newt is now a pawn. He may have been Mr. Adelson's first choice but Romney is clearly his second. By keeping Newt in the race he has a better bet on Romney, as it keeps Santorum marginalized. Were he to drop Newt and give the same funds to Romney that would free up Newt supporters to split their vote between Romney and Santorum, possibly upsetting Mr. Adelsons goal of owning the white house
Rest assured that a Vegas casino billionaire, under criminal investigation by the DOJ for bribing Chinese foreign officials, knows how to gamble and win.
Only looser with all these richs folks buying the white house is us, but what's new?
If Newt does win, I'll bet you $50 he will grandly proclaim that "this is the single most important primary campaign victory in American history. America will be forever changed by your vote today. You have altered the entire trajectory of history and put my campaign on an unalterable path not merely to win the nomination, but to defeat Barack Obama in November." ....or something like that.
Doesn't Newt's "last stand" really depend on his billionaire benefactors? Americans are not supporting the adulterous former corrupt congressman.
Jenna
Roseville CA
As long as the money comes in, Newt will weather the storm of opposiition. He's an old hand at taking punches and can give a few of his own. Also, if he smells an open convention, his backers will hang in. His payback to these long shot risk takers will be astronomical. But the payback factor is the nature of American politics which has corrupted both parties. I predict a lose – lose for all concerned, especially the American public, whoever the winner.
I'm ok with Newt hanging in even if the only thing he accomplishes is keeping us from having Pope Santorum in the White House.
Newt is simply sticking around in a bid to try and steal Romney's support..so whether he wins Mississippi and Alabama is irrelevant...though as an Alabamian, I would be highly embarrassed should Gingrich win my home state.
No, he's going all the way to the convention just like his financier wants him to do. I feel like we're all caught up in some sick, twisted game among a few billionaires, each one trying to out match the other to win bragging rights that his bought-and-paid-for candidate won the nomination in the ultimate reality show with the grand prize being owning the President. Why not? They already own most of Congress. A pox on all their houses.
If he actually "wins" one, he can still make a case. If he comes close, he's marginal. If he's a poor second or third, he is toast. Whether he actually understands that is another question entirely.
Martha, Rew, PA
Doesn't matter, Jack. He's irrelevant.
Susan
Denver
Some people don't know when the party is over - and if Newt stays in the race, he could damage Romney to the point where the Party, capital P, is severely damaged, costing them not only their shots at the White House and the Senate but at keeping the House of Representatives. Which would be fine with me, because I'm a Democrat. If that happens, I'd love to be a fly on the wall when a time-traveler brings 1995 Newt and 2012 Newt together, so past Newt can vent his fury at present Newt for destroying the remnants of his "revolution."
Its not his last stand in the conventional term. He won't drop out, but his campaign will be dead. He simply won't get very much further if he looses.
I hope so. At least it will be one less candidate for me to be unimpressed by.
No it does not represent his last stand. Vegas is financing him and this is all like a game of cards. If he losses and Vegas still finances him, why not stay in?
Westminster, MD
After Newt Lose's, He can crawl back under the rock a Newt comes From!
I hope this is Newt's last stand. As far as I am concerned no Newts is good Newts.
No its represent his only stand. If all he can count on is the south rising again for him then he got as much chance of E.T. becoming president of the moon.
Newt's last stand was the day he divorced his second wife... do you seriously think the Religious Right will tolerate an adultress as First Lady?
Let's face it Jack, it's up to Sheldon Adelson. He's in the gambling business, so it doesn't make sense that he would ever have given Newt any money, but maybe that's why he's rich and I'm not. If I didn't know better, I'd say Gingrich is only in the race to act as Romney's surrogate, taking shots and saying outrageous things about Obama, on Romney's behalf.
People fail to appreciate that Newt thinks he's running for president............of the Confederacy. That's what is really behind his Southern strategy. He's already won Georgia and South Carolina. In his mind if he wins Alabama and Mississippi he's the odds on favorite to win the election. Maybe somebody should tell him America isn't looking to replace Jeff Davis.
Not really. Mitt would be in a whole heap of trouble if votes for Rick weren’t being siphoned off by Newt, or split between Mitt and Rick. By collecting delegates, he can throw a monkey wrench into Mitt’s plans and possibly lead to a brokered (i.e., broken) convention, which will cause chaos for Mitt and the Republican establishment. Newt doesn’t much like Mitt so any stick in the spokes of Mitt’s attempt to win the grueling Tour de America would be sufficient payback for the carpet bombing he endured during the negative ad campaigns against him in several states.
Res, Vancouver BC
He has no reason to leave. He is still getting delegates and no one will have a lock at the convention. He may not win the nomination, but he can get some of him ideas in the platform and that will be good. He has some good ideas. (not a colony on the moon)
Newt should have been gone long time ago. He has no business staying in this race. It's time for him to stop spending other peoples money and go home. All he is doing now is going around making ridiculous and empty promises like $2.50 gas, what a loser. GO HOME MR. BOLD IDEA, your time is up.
No Jack" Still plenty of room in the Clown car.
Michael Largo FL.
Not really. By collecting delegates, he can throw a monkey wrench into Mitt’s plans to clinch the nomination quickly and possibly lead to a brokered (i.e., broken) convention, which will cause chaos for Mitt and the Republican establishment. He doesn’t much like Mitt so any stick in the spokes of Mitt’s attempt to win the grueling Tour de America would be sufficient payback for the carpet bombing he endured during the negative ad campaigns against him in several states.
Res, Vancouver, BC
No, Newt's last stand was back in the 90's. Everything since has been bombast and wishful thinking. He should drop out and throw his support to Santorum So should Ron Paul. After all, records were made to be broken; and Goldwaters has stood long enough.
This is such a farce. Newt wont drop out, why? Its all about the money he gets and keeps no matter the outcome. He is financing the rest of his life. Book tour , movie (watch for the HBO special) called What game change?, Fox news, etc. He wont drop until they turn off the lights at Tampa. Its a hoax dont you get it?
The Gingrich campaign is already dead. It just won't fall over.
Gary in Scottsdale, Arizona
Newts last stand was when he was speaker of the house.
GOP guys are the biggest jokes of the nation and the World too....sad,
It is Newtonian ego, hubris, and vindictiveness that will keep Newt in the race no matter how today's election turns out. Everyone knows that Newt can't win a national election. That's why I voted for Mitt today. Jim Linford, Birmingham, AL
Sure Jack, he has as much chance to do any good as him trying to swim the breast stroke and winning an amphibian race. Go Newt, your not last you just want to see who you want to beat!
Jack....the results tonight are only of secondary importance to Newt. What he really wants is a few days in the Doonesbury comic strip. And the longer he keeps making fantasy filled speeches, the closer he gets..
Newt will hang in there to the bitter end in order to extract as many delegates as possible to be used as bargaining chips at the GOP national convention.
Ed