GOPers say Gingrich a favorite uncle, Romney a missing father?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
In a presidential election, a lot of things come into play when determining the outcome.
Our country is beset with countless serious problems. For starters, we're broke, we're not creating jobs the way we need to and congress and Washington are a divided, dysfunctional mess.
So every four years we get to listen to candidates who come forward with ideas about how to make our lives better. Like the candidates themselves, some of the ideas are good and others are not.
But at the end of the day, it's often the likeability or the power of a candidate to connect with voters that makes the difference.
On the Republican side, the choice increasingly looks like it's between Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich.
And one study found some interesting differences between the two men. Democratic pollster Peter Hart has described a focus group of Republican primary voters done for the Annenberg Public Policy Center.
When asked what relative Gingrich reminded them of, several Republicans said a favorite uncle or a grandfather. They described Romney as a "missing father" or a second cousin. Not exactly warm and fuzzy feelings for Romney.
Just one more strike against the one-time presumed nominee.
Meanwhile, Politico reports on the many reasons why Gingrich might win this thing, including:
Romney being forced to play catch-up; Gingrich's message being perfect for the anti-Washington Times; Gingrich rocking the debates, which are drawing huge audiences; the Obama campaign doing much of the anti-Romney work; social conservatives distrusting Romney, and Gingrich has momentum on his side, with the first four states voting in January.
Here's my question to you: What does it mean when Republicans say Newt Gingrich reminds them of a favorite uncle or grandfather, while Mitt Romney reminds them of a missing father or second cousin?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Has the time come for Herman Cain to just go away?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
At this point, it seems like a question not of if Herman Cain will drop out of the race, but when.
But the Republican presidential hopeful insists he's not making any decision until he talks to his wife in person. There's an idea. That happens when Cain goes back home Friday. He says he and his wife have spoken over the phone but not face-to-face since the latest bombshell dropped.
Cain also says he needs to re-evaluate his support and the effect that the latest allegation has had on fundraising.
The latest allegation, of course, is that of a 13-year affair with an Atlanta woman, Ginger White. Cain says White was just a friend whom he helped financially.
This charge of adultery comes after multiple accusations of sexual harassment, which Cain also denied.
Cain's wife, Gloria, rarely appears in public although she did an interview in support of her husband after the harassment allegations surfaced. But we haven't heard a word from her about White's claim of a long-term affair.
Herman Cain, who has been dropping in the polls since all this started to surface, insists he's a victim of character assassination. Nonetheless, he says we can expect a decision in the coming days.
It seems like the decision is pretty clear: Even if Cain stays in the race, it's hard to see how he'd ever win enough votes to be the Republican nominee.
Polls show Cain's support among Republican women going off a cliff. A new CNN-Opinion Research Corporation poll shows Cain gets only 12% support from Republican female voters. You can't win with numbers like that.
The poll also suggests Republican women are less likely to think Cain has the right personality and leadership qualities to be president.
Here’s my question to you: Has the time come for Herman Cain to just go away?
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.
Which GOP candidate – Romney or Gingrich – is more likely to beat Pres. Obama?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
It's a high stakes game the Republican nominees for president are playing. If the election was held today, President Obama would likely lose. At this moment he is vulnerable and then some.
A recent Gallup Poll puts President Obama's approval rating almost three years into his first term lower than any other president in modern history...including Jimmy Carter. That's being vulnerable and then some. Jimmy Carter?
Gallup has President Obama's approval at 43%. The only other president in modern times with an approval rating almost that low was Lyndon Johnson - 44%... and he didn't run for a second term.
Over on the Republican side, Newt Gingrich has to be scaring the hell out of long-time presumed nominee Mitt Romney.
Gingrich has jumped to the top of the pack in national polls - and he's leading in key early voting states like Iowa and South Carolina.
And check out these numbers in the critical swing state of Florida:
A new American Research Group poll shows Gingrich with 50% to Romney's 19%. That's a 39-point jump for Gingrich since last month. If numbers like these hold in a state like Florida, it may be difficult for any of the other candidates to touch Gingrich.
Actually at this point it's probably safe to say the Republican nomination boils down to a race between Romney and Gingrich.
A recent CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll shows 40% of Republicans think Romney has the best chance of beating President Obama. 21% say Gingrich. But maybe this particular poll didn't ask you... so we will.
Here’s my question to you: Which Republican candidate – Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich – is more likely to beat President Obama?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 5pm 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.
Should Ron Paul launch a third party run if he doesn't win the Republican nomination?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Keep your eyes on Ron Paul...
Because the Texas Congressman could have a major effect on the 2012 presidential race - whether or not he's the nominee.
Paul - who probably has the most passionate supporters of all the Republican candidates - is not ruling out a third party run.
He says he has no intention of mounting a third party bid for the White House, but - and it's a big but - he's not ruling it out.
A recent poll shows Paul getting 18% of the vote in a three-way contest against President Obama and Mitt Romney. And most of Paul's support would come at the expense of Mitt Romney.
That's why some Republicans call it a "nightmare scenario." They worry that a Ron Paul run would benefit President Obama - maybe even securing him a second term.
We've seen it before: When Ross Perot ran as a third party candidate in 1992 - the conventional wisdom was he handed Bill Clinton the election. Without Perot in the race, President Bush would have likely won re-election. Ralph Nader has also made several third party runs.
Plus, it's worth pointing out that our electoral system is stacked against a third party ever winning the White House.
Meanwhile - don't count Ron Paul out of the race for the Republican nomination quite yet.
Some say he could be a real threat in the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire.
One poll shows Paul in a virtual four-way tie for first place in Iowa... and he's polling in the top three in New Hampshire.
Some experts say they wouldn't be surprised if Paul wins the Iowa caucuses and then shakes up the race even further in New Hampshire.
Ron Paul has been talking sense for a long time.... with the country now circling the drain, maybe more people are ready to listen.
Here’s my question to you: Should Ron Paul launch a third party run if he doesn't win the Republican nomination?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Is it time for Rick Perry to withdraw from the presidential race?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Not since Sarah Palin sat down with Katie Couric has a candidate for the nation's highest office looked as bad as Rick Perry did Wednesday night.
Here’s what the Texas governor said:
"I will tell you, it is three agencies of government when I get there that are gone. Commerce, Education, and the - what's the third one there? Let's see. OK. Commerce, Education, and the ... "
"EPA?" Mitt Romney offered.
"EPA, there you go," Perry said.
When pressed by the moderator, Perry admitted it wasn't the EPA.
Then he tried again:
"The third agency of government I would – I would do away with Education, the Commerce, and, let's see. I can't. The third one, I can't. Sorry. Oops."
Right after that debate on CNBC, Perry rushed to the spin room where he tried to make light of what he had done.
"I'm glad I had my boots on tonight. I really stepped in it."
Note to Mr. Perry: It's time to go away now. This wasn't the first time you came off as an intellectual lightweight in these debates.
This "aw shucks," grade – school stuff may play in Texas - but I, sir, don't want you anywhere near the nuclear launch codes.
We have a world on the brink of economic collapse and a Middle East on the brink of another war.
There is trouble all around, and you lay claim to being able to run the country with what amounts to half a loaf.
The saying is, "Half a loaf is better than none."
In Rick Perry's case, that's not true. Please just go away.
Here’s my question to you: Is it time for Rick Perry to withdraw from the presidential race?
Tune in to the Situation Room at 5pm 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.
Which GOP candidate benefits most from Gov. Christie's decision not to run for president?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has shut the door on a 2012 presidential run, saying "now is not my time."
Christie says he won't abandon the commitment he made to his state as governor – you know, unlike a certain half-term dropout governor of Alaska.
Christie put it this way: "New Jersey, whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me."
This also means that whether Republican voters like it or not, they are stuck with the current crop of Republican candidates.
Unless, that is, Sarah Palin decides she'll get in. But it's getting a little late for that. Plus, more than two-thirds of Republicans say they don't want Palin to run for president.
So with Christie out, it looks like Republicans will nominate either Mitt Romney or Rick Perry, who's sinking fast in the polls.
A new Washington Post/ABC News poll shows Romney leading the pack at 25%.
Perry is now tied for second place with businessman Herman Cain at 16%.
For Perry, that's a whopping 13 percentage-point drop in this poll.
The Texas governor's stock has been falling after a shaky debate performance and questions about where he stands on Social Security and immigration.
Cain, on the other hand, has been surging in national polls after his surprise win in the Florida straw poll – and a flurry of media attention.
Ron Paul is the only other candidate receiving double-digit support in this survey, at 11%.
With primary season sneaking up on us, it's time for Republicans to pick their poison.
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Should Chris Christie join the Republican race?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has said "no" just about every way imaginable when it comes to a presidential run in 2012.
But with a splintered Republican field and lack of enthusiasm, many GOP donors are hoping that "no" really means "yes."
And this time it might. Former New Jersey Governor Tom Kean tells the National Review that Christie is "very seriously" considering running.
Politico reports that he will decide in about a week.
As Rick Perry seems to be fizzling out, supporters think there's a rare historic opportunity for Christie to jump in.
Here's the thing: Chris Christie is the rare politician who does what he says.
As New Jersey governor, he's made tough budget cuts and taken on teachers unions and other entrenched interests.
Christie is pro-life - but not an ideologue - and he doesn't engage in the more extreme rhetoric of the tea party.
As one top Republican who watched Rick Perry's debate performance put it, Christie "can string a sentence together."
Christie's aides tell the Wall Street Journal that the governor has received a "relentless" stream of calls over the last week urging him to run; but they insist that his answer is still "no."
And there are several reasons Christie might yet decide to sit this one out:
He has no national fundraising apparatus. He's been governor for less than two years - which limits his record.
Christie himself has said he doesn't feel in his heart that he is "ready"... and Politico reports a source close to Christie says the governor doesn't think he's prepared on all the issues and is "leery of learning on the fly."
Here’s my question to you: Should Chris Christie join the Republican race?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Are Rick Perry's 15 minutes up?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Turns out Rick Perry may be all hat and no cattle.
Opponents lobbed the same criticism at another Texas governor and pretend cowboy, George W. Bush.
Watching Perry's most recent debate performance, it looked like he got his cowboy boot stuck in his mouth.
The Texas governor may be fading out of the Republican race as quickly as he shot to the top of the polls last month.
The signs of trouble are stacking up everywhere around Perry, starting with Mitt Romney closing the gap in the national polls. Although Perry is still at the top of the pack, Romney polls stronger against President Obama.
On the state level, Perry is losing one straw poll race after another:
In Florida, businessman Herman Cain pulled a surprise landslide victory. Cain's 37% win topped Perry and Romney combined. Perry was expected to win the Florida straw poll at the start of the weekend, but his underwhelming debate performance put him a distant second.
In Michigan's straw poll, Perry also finished second, this time to Romney, a native of Michigan.
And last week, Perry placed a distant second to Ron Paul in a California straw poll.
These straw polls are only mock elections and don't necessarily reflect how the primaries will go. But, if you are the Republican front-runner, there is an expectation that you win some of them.
An adviser to Jon Huntsman's campaign suggests it is becoming increasingly clear Perry can't perform, saying he has a case of "electile dysfunction."
Perry's people claim the Florida straw poll is a big loss for Mitt Romney, who has been in the campaign for much longer.
Here’s my question to you: Are Rick Perry's 15 minutes up?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
What does it say that most of the 10 poorest states are Republican?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
As the Republican race for the White House heats up, here's something the GOP can't be too comfortable with:
Most of the 10 poorest states in the country are Republican.
Mississippi is the poorest... followed by Arkansas, Tennessee, West Virginia, Louisiana, Montana, South Carolina, Kentucky, Alabama and North Carolina.
And the list doesn't even include Texas, where Rick Perry is governor and one in five people lives in poverty.
In a piece on CNN.com, Roland Martin writes Republicans expect to win all 10 of these states in 2012, although President Obama won North Carolina by a slim margin in 2008 and West Virginia is usually considered a Democratic state.
Martin points out that despite the red-leanings in these states, you don't hear so much from Republicans about poverty.
In fact the word "poor" has barely come up at the GOP debates thus far. The only exceptions were:
- Rick Santorum discussing welfare reform
- Ron Paul suggesting the U.S. get rid of the minimum wage
- and Mitt Romney using the phrase "energy-poor."
Overall, Republicans believe their economic agenda is the best way to get people back to work - and many in the GOP are quick to blame President Obama for the rise in the poverty rate.
But how about addressing the root causes of poverty more directly - especially when millions of people in these so-called red states are suffering.
The Census Bureau reports a record $46.2 million Americans are living below the poverty line - which translates to about $22,000 a year for a family of four.
Minorities are especially hard hit - with 27% of blacks living in poverty and 26% of Hispanics compared to about 10% of whites.
Here’s my question to you: What does it say that most of the 10 poorest states are Republican?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Does Rick Perry's lavish lifestyle match his country boy image?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Rick Perry would have us believe he's a country boy at heart, a down-home cowboy who can relate to the plight of ordinary Americans.
But there's another side to the Texas governor.
Politico reports that for years, Perry – who makes $150,000 a year as governor – has enjoyed additional lavish perks and travel, mostly funded by wealthy supporters.
Texas donors have paid for the governor and his family to travel around the world, sometimes on private jets; stay in luxury hotels and resorts; vacation in Colorado ski towns; and attend tons of sporting events and concerts.
Perry has also accepted a wide range of expensive gifts over the years, including 22 pairs of cowboy boots, some costing more than $500 a pop. Somebody even pays his cable TV bill.
Also, the taxpayers are paying the rent, at $8,500 a month, for Perry's 4,600-square-foot Austin mansion. The governor and his family have been living in the five-bedroom, seven-bath mansion since 2007 while the governor's mansion undergoes repair. Four years? What kind of repairs are those?
But it's all copacetic in the Lone Star State, which has some of the loosest ethics and campaign rules in the country.
Nonetheless, it's hard to imagine that supporters aren't buying influence when they lavish all these perks on the governor.
Some donors have wound up with appointments to state commissions or million-dollar state grants to businesses they're involved in.
Perry's camp insists that this is all on the up and up. A spokeswoman tells Politico that the governor fully discloses all gifts and travel in his financial disclosure statements.
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
@jackcafferty on Twitter
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