# Documenting the downfall of Newt **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 7, 2012, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077 "2012-02-07T15:46:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/21 "2012-02-17T07:32:08Z")
If this isn’t a sign from above of Newt’s downfall, nothing is. [Newt Gets a Flat Tire in West Hollywood, Does Not Have a Gay Old Time.](http://www.dangerousminds.net/comments/newt_gets_a_flat_tire_in_west_hollywood_does_not_have_a_gay_old_time) ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/22 "2012-02-17T19:25:38Z")
At first blush, [this](http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57380147-503544/gingrich-to-get-another-$10-million-from-casino-backer-sources/) would seem like good news for Mr. Gingrich: > [@](#): > > Billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson plans to give another $10 million to the outside group backing the former Georgia lawmaker who is running behind former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, a source close to Adelson told CBS News. However, reports from associates close to Mr. Adelson reveal a [hidden agenda](http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052970204062704577223583032248366-lMyQjAxMTAyMDEwNTExNDUyWj.html): > [@](#): > > In a bit of political chess, Mr. Adelson is ready to not only directly support the former House speaker in the Republican primary, but to use his cash to push Rick Santorum from his position atop the latest national polls, according to people who have discussed the matter with Mr. Adelson… > > Mr. Adelson doesn’t oppose Mr. Santorum, but he doesn’t share the former Pennsylvania senator’s socially conservative positions, including his strong antiabortion views, associates said. Mr. Santorum was one of only two Republicans who didn’t meet with Mr. Adelson in October around the time of a candidates’ debate in Las Vegas, according to a person familiar with the matter. > > Though he isn’t yet switching allegiance, Mr. Adelson is thought to be comfortable with Mr. Romney as the ultimate nominee, friends said. It’s fair to say that, at least in part, Adelson is funding Gingrich in order to keep him in the race long enough that he would split the conservative vote with Santorum, which benefits Romney. Gingrich then is nothing more than a patsy, and I’ll refrain from commenting how easily our elections can be manipulated by the ultra-wealthy. ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/23 "2012-02-20T16:17:59Z")
Feb 19th, 2012: Mr. Gingrich has [enlisted former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain](http://news.yahoo.com/herman-cain-teaches-newt-gingrich-campaign-212258984--abc-news.html) for his campaign. One of the former speaker’s new tactics is to modify Cain’s “9-9-9” mantra to “113-4.2-4”: > [@](#): > > “Something I frankly got from listening to Herman, if you take $1.13 gasoline and 4.2 percent unemployment and a (4 year) balanced federal budget, you realize those things were all facts,” Gingrich said. “That’s a pretty nice contrast to Barack Obama.” > > Though Gingrich has touted low gas prices, the unemployment rate and a balanced budget from when he was speaker of the House in the 1990s on nearly every campaign stop since Iowa, Saturday he changed his “stump” speech to tell the audience he had several numbers he wanted them to remember. > > But it seemed Gingrich had trouble remembering the complicated numbers himself, when at his third stop he recited the numbers again, but with a long pause between 113 and 4.2. The whole article–in which Cain speculates on why Santorum and Romney won’t debate Gingrich, and on what cabinet position he should hold in a Gingrich administration–will make any reader chuckle. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/24 "2012-02-20T16:23:52Z")
> [@CJJ](#): > > Feb 19th, 2012: Mr. Gingrich has [enlisted former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain](http://news.yahoo.com/herman-cain-teaches-newt-gingrich-campaign-212258984--abc-news.html) for his campaign. One of the former speaker’s new tactics is to modify Cain’s “9-9-9” mantra to “113-4.2-4”: > > The whole article–in which Cain speculates on why Santorum and Romney won’t debate Gingrich, and on what cabinet position he should hold in a Gingrich administration–will make any reader chuckle. And don’t forget “3/5ths”–it was once a fact that Herman Cain and his entire family each counted for 3/5ths of a regular American. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/25 "2012-02-20T17:39:23Z")
> [@CJJ](#): > > Feb 19th, 2012: Mr. Gingrich has [enlisted former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain](http://news.yahoo.com/herman-cain-teaches-newt-gingrich-campaign-212258984--abc-news.html) for his campaign. One of the former speaker’s new tactics is to modify Cain’s “9-9-9” mantra to “113-4.2-4”: I’m sneaking into Newt’s house and having a go at his safe: 11 left … 42 right … 24 left. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/26 "2012-02-21T17:22:02Z")
Having nowhere to go in re Teh Crazy Social Agenda, Newt has decided to double-down on The Keeping Our Nation Secure front: [“Defeating Obama is a Duty of National Security!”](http://www.buzzfeed.com/zekejmiller/gingrich-says-defeating-obama-is-a-duty-of-nation) No mention, BTW, of Obama’s successful counterterrorism protocols, well-played support of the Libyan rebellion or taking out Bin Laden. ---
**Author:** ![Ubiquity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a5b964/32.png) [@Ubiquity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ubiquity)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/27 "2012-02-24T02:33:24Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > Having nowhere to go in re Teh Crazy Social Agenda, Newt has decided to double-down on The Keeping Our Nation Secure front: > > [“Defeating Obama is a Duty of National Security!”](http://www.buzzfeed.com/zekejmiller/gingrich-says-defeating-obama-is-a-duty-of-nation) > > No mention, BTW, of Obama’s successful counterterrorism protocols, well-played support of the Libyan rebellion or taking out Bin Laden. Duhh! What about his begging to suck Karzai’s dick after two Americans had been killed over this 4th century piece of literary garbage. Libya! are you kidding? He handed Libya to the Muslim Brotherhood. Think al Zawahiri the operational head of alQaeda is Muslim Brotherhood. Obama has done more to destroy this country in 3 yrs than all the 200 + yrs before him. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/28 "2012-02-24T02:52:28Z")
**Ubiquity** , try to stay on topic and keep your language a little more appropriate for this forum. ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/29 "2012-03-01T05:22:26Z")
On Tuesday Feb 28th, the Gingrich campaign created a new coalition known as ‘Women With Newt,’ chaired by the candidate’s third wife Callista Gingrich. His daughters have released a lovely, Stepford-esque [video supporting their father and begging for donations](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzyRqxTUqYs) (comments are disabled–I wonder why?). ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/30 "2012-03-01T05:25:36Z")
To be fair, a coalition of his assembled wives and daughters would be a significant voting block. ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/31 "2012-03-04T22:05:36Z")
March 3rd…Tennessee State Senator Stacey Campfield–co-chair of Gingrich’s Tennessee campaign–has switched over to Rick Santorum: > [@](#): > > “I like Newt and I think he’s a great leader. But I don’t think it’s his time, and I think he won’t do what is necessary to win this election,” Campfield said. “There are times in politics when you have to make a decision on what you want and what you can get. I think Rick Santorum is the best chance we can get to have a conservative president.” Campfield also claims that several candidates for Gingrich-committed delegates on the ballot in his congressional district have also switched to Santorum. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/32 "2012-03-07T20:09:03Z")
Hey, a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, right?: [http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-02-27/politics/31103149\_1\_newt-gingrich-ronald-reagan-job](http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-02-27/politics/31103149_1_newt-gingrich-ronald-reagan-job) Western civilization is still here, 30-plus years later, so… thanks, Newt! ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/33 "2012-03-07T20:35:07Z")
Gingrich has only won South Carolina and Georgia and has a chance to win Alabama. He seems to be on his way to becoming the new George Wallace, especially with all of his thinly veiled comments. If Newt really hates Romney and wants him to lose he’ll step aside and let Santorum rain on Mitt’s parade. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/34 "2012-03-07T22:55:37Z")
> [@CJJ](#): > > On Tuesday Feb 28th, the Gingrich campaign created a new coalition known as ‘Women With Newt’ Is it treatable? ---
**Author:** ![IceQube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@IceQube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IceQube)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/35 "2012-03-08T00:53:17Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > He’s losing right now in large part because of his long and checkered career, and that’s not going to go away. Can you substantiate that? I know that Gingrich has been married 3 times, but the subject of Gingrich’s personal life has seldom been broached in debates (or at least in the ones I’ve watched). Just how many people are disenfranchised by Gingrich’s checkered career? ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/36 "2012-03-08T04:28:59Z")
March 6th: Former Alaska govenor Sarah Palin told Fox News host Neil Cavuto that [she voted for Newt Gingrich](http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0312/73705.html) in the Alaska primary that evening, then offered this syntactically-challenged endorsement (?) of the former House speaker: [QUOTE=Sarah Palin] "Who can best bust through that radical left’s kind of dispensation and desire to mistreat those who are defenseless, mistreat those who perhaps have some disadvantages by making them more beholden to government? Who best can contrast themselves from that? I thought who best could do that [and] my own personal opinion is, the cheerful one, is Newt Gingrich. I have appreciated what he has stood for, stood boldly for.” [/quote] If you’re wondering about “cheerful”, recall that this was the answer Gingrich gave during the February 23rd debate in Arizona when John King asked the candidates to describe themselves in one word. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/37 "2012-03-08T21:02:41Z")
> [@](#): > > Can you substantiate that? I know that Gingrich has been married 3 times, but the subject of Gingrich’s personal life has seldom been broached in debates (or at least in the ones I’ve watched). Just how many people are disenfranchised by Gingrich’s checkered career? He said “career”, not “life”. Gingrich resigned from his House seat as a result of investigations into professional ethics violations. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/38 "2012-03-08T21:22:00Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > He said “career”, not “life”. Gingrich resigned from his House seat as a result of investigations into professional ethics violations. Not just investigation – findings and penalties too. ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/39 "2012-03-12T18:19:24Z")
March 11: Fox News reports that there is talk inside the Gingrich campaign of forming a [“dream ticket”](http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2012/03/11/exclusive-gingrich-perry-pre-convention-ticket-works) with Texas Govenor Rick Perry: > [@](#): > > Sources close to the Gingrich campaign say preliminary “what-if” conversations are underway that could lead to a Gingrich-Perry ticket being announced prior to the Republican National Convention at the end of August. In response, Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond [calls the speculation “premature”:](http://news.yahoo.com/gingrich-perry-dream-ticket-deferred-132632934.html) > [@](#): > > “While there’s certainly a lot of people who are great admirers of Rick Perry on our campaign,” Hammond told CBS News/National Journal, “whether or not the campaign has gone as far as to reach out to Governor Perry about a possible VP ticket, any sort of talks along those lines would be premature – it would be something more appropriate for later on in the process.” Although Govenor Perry [endorsed Mr. Gingrich](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/20/us/politics/gingrich-gets-perrys-endorsement-before-ex-wife-interview.html?pagewanted=all) when he dropped out of the race in January, Perry has made only one public appearance with Gingrich since that time (at the Mesa debates). ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077/40 "2012-03-12T18:21:53Z")
Wouldn’t that more properly be called a _nightmare_ ticket? And I mean for both the Republican establishment and the American public. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/documenting-the-downfall-of-newt/612077.md?page=3)