Saturday, December 10, 2011

Are we There yet, Oops, 2012?: Sid Harth


Romney and Gingrich spar, weather scrutiny from the field

Jeff Haynes / Reuters
Republican presidential candidate former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (L) speaks as former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) looks on during the Republican Party presidential candidates debate at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, December 10, 2011. REUTERS/Jeff Haynes (UNITED STATES - Tags: ELECTIONS POLITICS)
By Michael O'Brien, msnbc.com

Last updated at 10:48 p.m. ET.
The emerging political rivalry between Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney simmered during Saturday night's GOP presidential debate, but at no point boiled over during the two-hour gathering.
The former House speaker and the former Massachusetts governor snipped at each other throughout the debate, seeking to draw contrasts with each other at a debate at Drake University just 24 days before Iowans participate in the state's Jan. 3 caucuses.
The other four presidential hopefuls, meanwhile, took turns piling on Gingrich, the newly-minted frontrunner according to polls, and Romney, the candidate who's been consistently toward the top of the field throughout the campaign, but hasn't been able to seal the deal with conservatives.
The Gingrich-Romney spat was most stark during the first half hour of the debate, when Romney and Gingrich went at each other over their own political backgrounds. Romney stressed his private sector experience versus GIngrich's time in Congress.
RELATED: Gingrich in spotlight in pivotal debate
"Let's be candid: the only reason you didn't become a career politician is because you lost to Teddy Kennedy in 1994," Gingrich said in response, delivering a zinger in Romney's direction. "It's a bit much; you'd have been a 17-year career politician if you'd won."
Romney also lampooned some of Gingrich's more unconventional policy proposals.
"Speaker Gingrich and I have a lot of areas where we disagree," Romney said. "We can start with his idea to have a lunar colony that would mine minerals from the moon."
The two candidates sparred lightly throughout the rest of the debate, all while weathering criticism from the rest of the field.
Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann linked Gingrich and Romney together on the issue of a health insurance mandate, coining a new moniker to tie Romney and Gingrich together. She said the answer for GOP voters "is Michele Bachmann, not 'Newt Romney.'"
The debate had been expected to feature sparring between Gingrich and Romney, each of whom are jockeying for the top spot in the polls. Romney's campaign previewed tonight's showdown by unleashing a wave of criticism of Gingrich the second half of this week.
But the other candidates also sought to use the debate as an opportunity to make a move in the polls, with precious days separating tonight's debate and the beginning of the voting process.
That meant more criticism of Gingrich, who's leapfrogged the pack and to the lead in a variety of state and national polls released this week.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, for instance, made a thinly-veiled reference to Gingrich's three marriages and past infidelity. Perry said that the candidates' personal lives should be an element for consideration by primary voters.
advertisement
"if you cheat on your wife, you'll cheat on your business partner," said Perry, who's been making a play of late for social conservative voters in Iowa. "I think that issue of fidelity is important."
And the moderators added new scrutiny of Gingrich, too. The former Speaker found himself under newfound scrutiny at this debate associated with his ascendancy in the polls. He was pressed, for instance, by moderators about his statement this week calling Palestinians an "invented" people.
Gingrich stood by that characterization, and even went further in his characterization of some Palestinian groups: "These people are terrorists."
Romney faced criticism, too, from Perry — his main opponent in past debates this fall — over the health reform plan he installed as governor. Perry renewed criticism based on a line in an edition of a book written by Romney, prompting the former Massachusetts governor to offer a $10,000 bet with Perry. It was an eyebrow-raising moment, given the optics of a multimillionaire offering to make a hefty bet, considering the Romney campaign's intent focus on the economy and the middle class.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC), which has been dogged in its criticism of Romney during the primary, picked up on the moment, emailing reporters a list of items the average American family could buy with $10,000.
But the emerging Romney-Gingrich feud was the most closely-watched plot line of the debate, the 12th among Republicans during this primary cycle. While their exchanges weren't always the most fiery, another debate in Iowa scheduled for Thursday could further the divide between the two of them.
Romney perhaps best summed up his criticism of Gingrich in a later exchange between the two over Israel: "I'm not a bomb-thrower, rhetorically or literally."
The debate setting has been where Gingrich, whose debt-saddled campaign was left for dead this summer after suffering a mass resignation by senior staff, has thrived. His resurgence has been driven by strong debate showings.
These gatherings have been of unusual influence in the primary, in part due to the fluidity in the polls. A majority of Republicans in key primary states said in a poll this week that they still may change their mind.
The debate was broadcast on ABC and co-sponsored by the Des Moines Register.
Newt Gingrich leads the polls, but he's facing direct attacks from Mitt Romney's allies about a life marred by ethical and personal controversy. NBC's Mike Viqueira reports.
older

Discuss this post

Jump to discussion page: 1 23

Ok! You asked for my opinion. Good looks will get you a long way in some venues, but not in government. Besides, I think Sarah is quit a looker. Rick is a conservitive radical, much like me, but I don't think radical is prudent right now. Mitt has resorted to attacking Newt's personal situations, that I have a real problem with. I personally married twice, to the same woman, but we could'nt make it work. It happens. The rest of the pack should just get out of the way. We need a president who can influence congress to do the right thing for the country, not just for their friends.
  • Vote for this comment.
  • !
Reply#56- Sat Dec 10, 2011 10:53 PM EST

I bet Newt was neutered at this debate too. Anyone who would vote for that hypocrite must be out of their mind or just desperate. It seems he always sticks his foot in his mouth all the time. I recall when he was Speaker of the House and ended up getting booted by his own party. One would have thought he would have stayed back collecting lobby money but it seems his attention span must have escaped him or the heat was coming down for not registering in DC as a lobbyist. You cannot go on forever lobbying and claiming he was just an ordinary guy giving access to his highness for advice to the Health Industry, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Doesn't anyone find this of interest? I would bet he is being bankrolled by these industries or at least the Health Industry since the other two institutions are being scrutinized. Is it time for a fourth wife?
  • Vote for this comment.
  • !
Reply#57- Sat Dec 10, 2011 10:54 PM EST

whose the white idiot in the glasses, i hate to give it to Obama, but he did get Bin Laden, where the 2 previous presidents failed. I am not Obama fan,but I tell it like I see it. The republicans have no room to run the jaw.
  • 1
    Vote for this comment.
  • !
Reply#58- Sat Dec 10, 2011 10:56 PM EST

This GOP debate, today, in Iowa, reminded me of the children's classic tale, "Alice in Wonderland." Candidates did not leave anything for imagination, Oops, nothing for imagination, Oops, everything for imagination.
Imagine the front runner in the White House, especially in the Oval Room. Better lock that door to the coat closet, from inside and out. Turn off the secret listening devices and cameras cleverly planted in the chandelier.
Have an atom bomb proof secret underground passageway leading to Walhala, just in case the World War over Iran's nuclear (bomb) research by Iran's "Mullahshahi" Farsi for Muslim cleric "owned" (undemocratic) newest empire, strikes back at the Great Satan of the West, while American emperor, Oops, GOP president Newt (two timing) Grinrich is having secret parlays with Monica LewinskY, Oops, Sarah Rah-Rah Palin, while the new President of Russia and old prime minister of China, collectively, take over Euro-zone and start a newest currency replacing Euro to Ruchi.
...and I am Sid Harth@sidileaks.net
  • Vote for this comment.
  • !
Reply#59- Sat Dec 10, 2011 10:58 PM EST
Need to fix anything? You can edit this comment for the next 2:37.

Jump to discussion page: 1 23

You're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead.
                 
 
 
 
 
Start TrackingStart Tracking
Stop TrackingStop Tracking



Chuck Todd
Chuck Todd became NBC News’ political director in March 2007. He also serves as NBC News' on-air political analyst for "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams," "Today," "Meet the Press and MSNBC, including "Hardball with Chris Matthews."

Mark Murray
Mark Murray is NBC News' Deputy Political Director. Since joining the network in 2003, he has reported on and written about political races, trends, and issues -- including the 2003 California recall, the 2004 Bush-Kerry presidential race, the 2006 midterm elections, the 2008 presidential contest, the 2010 midterms, and the upcoming 2012 presidential race.

Domenico Montanaro
Domenico Montanaro is an off-air Political Reporter for NBC News. He writes, reports and edits for First Read, the network's political blog. He occasionally appears on-air, writes feature-length pieces for msnbc.com, reports from Capitol Hill, field produces and provides editorial guidance for correspondents and producers working on Nightly News, the Today show, Meet the Press, MSNBC and affiliates.

Ali Weinberg

Will Springer

Natalie Cucchiara

© 2011 msnbc.com
Posted by at

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)