Eye of Newt

[Azrael]

I guess the idea of being a running-mate this cycle doesn't appeal to him. I don't think Romney would tolerate him, either.

It's too bad Ron Paul's foreign policy views put him beyond consideration for a vast majority of Republican voters. I actually respect those views. They show some independence and ḥaṣāfah.

[Tinker]

I had a dream last night that Newt won the Republican Nomination.

[Azrael]

Same here. I woke up laughing.

[the glowing carp]

[Tinker]

[Azrael]

[the glowing carp]

[Tinker]

[the glowing carp]

[Azrael]

[Ibrahim]

Newt's surge relative to Romney is the most interesting thing to me, and I think we are finally down to are two main contenders in the primary. Can Newt beat Romeny? Absolutely. But I think that hurts the GOP in the general election, which often tends to have more to do with the "likability" of the candidates and other admittedly shallow but influential considerations.

Obama seems to have led a relatively blameless private life, as has Romney. I think Newt's numerous affairs, dumping the ailing wife for the mistress, etc. could really kill him with women voters, and as a major swing-vote demographic that alone could kill him. Then there is the career as a beltway insider that sours the libertarians and other anti-establishment voters on the right. His general "likability" and charisma is obviously pretty low in the era when this matters more than ever. And so on.

Gingrich banks on being the "smart" candidate, but the historical success of that is mixed. Plus, Obama doesn't come off as particularly dumb, the way that Reagan or Carter did, so its hard to look noticeably "smarter" in contrast.

[Azrael]

[Ibrahim]

[Azrael]

[Colonel Sun]

[Colonel Sun]

[Azrael]

[Ibrahim]

The candidate that launched a thousand political cartoonists. Cue reams of drawings of Newt, mistress on his harm, serving divorce papers to his wife as she dies in bed of cancer. Label wife "American Dream" and the mistress "Lobbyists" for maximum political-cartoon-ish-ness.

[AzariLoveIran]

[the glowing carp]

[Tinker]

[AzariLoveIran]

[Mr. Perfect]

You know I've just finished talking to a whole lot of primary voters about Gingrich and have come to conclude that a lot of people that support him now just weren't following politics when he was speaker. Sad. So the upside is that this is not an indictment on the Party but the downside is we could be getting ready to learn the hard way all over again.

[Captain Murphy]

[Mr. Perfect]