March 15, 2012--Gingrich--Let's Make A Deal
All along I thought the reason Newt Gingrich was staying in the race was either (1) because he loves being on TV and promoting his and Calista's various money-making schemes; and/or (2) that he so hates Romney after what Romney did to him in Iowa--burying his candidacy in an avalanche of negative ads (which, by the way, only told the truth about Newt)--that he wants to hang around so he can take public shots at Mitt.
But now, after not winning in Alabama or Mississippi and with no plausible path to the nomination, Gingrich continues to vow he will stay in the race until the Republican convention in Tampa in August. This will, of course keep him on TV and will help boost his lecture fee after the contest is over to maybe $75,000 a shot, up from the current $60K. But doesn't his staying in the race actually help the hated Romney by taking conservative votes away from Santorum? Wouldn't getting out of the contest and endorsing Santorum be the best way to derail Romney and expiate Gingrich's hatred for him?
Looking at matters purely from a Newt-self-interest perspective, the only meaningful perspective when it comes to him, how does Gingrich benefit by staying in beyond the PR value of getting invited to Meet the Press?
Even though Romney is faltering and not rolling up victory after victory, he continues to gather delegates (the real name of the game) and will very likely wind up at the convention with nearly enough to win the nomination. He might need only a couple of hundred to put him over the top.
How to garner these? Who to turn to for Help?
Simple--Newt.
All Romney would need to do is offer Gingrich the vice presidency. Unlikly, you say, considering the animosity?
Well, self-interest is about the most powerful force in many people's lives and self-interest, "hatred" aside, would likely propel Newt to accept the deal.
What about making the same deal with Samtorum? Less likely since he will likely have too few votes to be guaranteed the nomination with Gingrich's delegates. And a ticket of two red-meat conservatives is less appealing that one with a moderate (Romney) and a conservative (Newt).
Let's recall who wound up on the ticket with John F. Kennedy. His arch rival, Lyndon Johnson.
In sum--Newt will stay in the race to stop Santorum, not his soon-to-be new best friend, Mitt Romney.
But now, after not winning in Alabama or Mississippi and with no plausible path to the nomination, Gingrich continues to vow he will stay in the race until the Republican convention in Tampa in August. This will, of course keep him on TV and will help boost his lecture fee after the contest is over to maybe $75,000 a shot, up from the current $60K. But doesn't his staying in the race actually help the hated Romney by taking conservative votes away from Santorum? Wouldn't getting out of the contest and endorsing Santorum be the best way to derail Romney and expiate Gingrich's hatred for him?
Looking at matters purely from a Newt-self-interest perspective, the only meaningful perspective when it comes to him, how does Gingrich benefit by staying in beyond the PR value of getting invited to Meet the Press?
Even though Romney is faltering and not rolling up victory after victory, he continues to gather delegates (the real name of the game) and will very likely wind up at the convention with nearly enough to win the nomination. He might need only a couple of hundred to put him over the top.
How to garner these? Who to turn to for Help?
Simple--Newt.
All Romney would need to do is offer Gingrich the vice presidency. Unlikly, you say, considering the animosity?
Well, self-interest is about the most powerful force in many people's lives and self-interest, "hatred" aside, would likely propel Newt to accept the deal.
What about making the same deal with Samtorum? Less likely since he will likely have too few votes to be guaranteed the nomination with Gingrich's delegates. And a ticket of two red-meat conservatives is less appealing that one with a moderate (Romney) and a conservative (Newt).
Let's recall who wound up on the ticket with John F. Kennedy. His arch rival, Lyndon Johnson.
In sum--Newt will stay in the race to stop Santorum, not his soon-to-be new best friend, Mitt Romney.
posted by Steven Zwerling at
5:15 AM
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