Gingrich's lose-win proposition
Independence, Iowa (CNN) - Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich is resigned to losing tomorrow's Iowa caucuses but he will consider any outcome a victory.
"I don't think I'm going to win. I think if you look at the numbers, I think that volume of negativity has done enough damage," said Gingrich, referring to the millions spent on advertising by his opponents and third party groups that have gone after the former speaker for his ties to mortgage giant Freddie Mac to his position on climate change.
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After speaking to about a hundred Iowans at the Heartland Acres Agribition Center the former House speaker told reporters, "Whatever I do tomorrow night will be a victory because I'm still standing."
Gingrich has spent the last seven days trying to regain momentum as he campaigns in Iowa. Gingrich has spent $1 million in positive television ads here touting his record and plan to revive the economy.
On Sunday, the former speaker acknowledged he regrets not responding to the negative ads two weeks sooner. His campaign has not countered any of the negative attacks with airtime but Gingrich has indicated he will be drawing much sharper contrasts with rival former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
CNN's Gary Tuchman asked him if he wanted this nomination more than anything. Gingrich said 'anything' is a big term, that he'd want to be with his wife and family, but he's compelled to run out of concern for the country.
"I regard it as a duty, not a pleasure. I regard it as an obligation, not an ambition, and I am prepared to do it and I will do it with everything I've got," Gingrich said in Independence. "But if you said to me, compared to the things we've done over the last 12 years that are fun? This is exciting, it's interesting, it's fascinating. But it's not at the center of my being, it's at the center of my duty."
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Also see:
Gingrich mulls strategy shift after Iowa
Leading Perry backers head to Iowa for final push
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Is this the best America can do? Why can't the Republicans put forward a bright ethical charismatic leader?
Why is there this endless circus, doesn’t anyone of any quality want this job?
What happened America?
there is no larger and more dishonest smear machine than the republican party.
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But the really good news is that Obama has been doing nothing but campaigning and giving speeches for nearly 4 years and there are more than enough sound bites and video clips to nail him to the wall with his own words. ANd for that we all owe him a great big thank you!
Do you honestly think he needs a billion dollars to spread the word of all his successes??? That would take $100 and 10 seconds. He intends to run the biggest smear campaign ever seen on this planet because he can't run on his successes.
No matter whoever "wins" tomorrow, the whole pack will lose by November. This year, the GOP will put forward a token candidate as a placeholder until 2016. Not really a good strategy, since the Dems will when again in 2016 and 2020.
@Jem: "Its RON PAUL or U.S. Bankruptcy, More Wars and Many More Dead Solders."
Learn to punctuate and capitalize properly.
That said, you Ron-bots sure are into black-and-white scenarios. While I support bringing our troops home and reducing the number of bases in foreign countries, Ron Paul's economic policies are disastrous, and his isolationist views are short-sighted and lacking in historical perspective.
He proclaims to be all for "freedom," but is against a woman choosing what to do with her own body. He naively believes that the market will "correct" itself, and everyone will live happily ever after. And while I think we should be spending more on rehabilitation and treatment than incarceration when it comes to illegal drug use, legalization isn't the answer (just ask anyone who knows and addict).
Drill down a little, and you're see that Ron Paul's policies would be terrible for our country.
Typical Newt, I am going to lose but that will be a victory because I have not dropped out. He is so full of manure!
@strat57: "Is this the best America can do? Why can't the Republicans put forward a bright ethical charismatic leader?"
Because Republican philosophy and policy are nonsensical and require people to hang up their brains at the door. Their economic, military and foreign policies are PROVEN FAILURES, and yet none will admit it; in fact, they require absolute "purity" to party ideology, or Karl Rove will "primary" you, effectively ending your political career.
When you have to lie to yourself and other to get and stay in office, the only folks you will attract are those who are comfortable with lying.
Gingrich needs to understand two facts:
1. Negative comments aren't unfair if they are absolutely true – you really did those things Newt!
2. His Political Party is completely comfortable with dishonest "swift boat" politics – just like Gingrich was when he supported these tactics against John Kerry.
Quit whining – these are your people.
@Truth and Nothing ... "Do you honestly think he needs a billion dollars to spread the word of all his successes???"
You can thank Chief Justice John Roberts, lapdog of the Koch brothers, for bringing the Citizens United case before the Supreme Court and ruling in favor of unlimited, unaccountable corporate influence on our elections. BTW, bringing a case before the court is unprecedented; and have you ever stopped to think how many foreign entities – who may not have our best interests at heart – are now influencing our elections? Countries like India and China, and wealthy Russians and Saudis and who all knows whom?
So, yes, it will take a huge amount of money to counter the lies and smears and dirty tricks your party perfected (thanks to Lee Atwater, of Willie Horton fame and mentor to Karl Rove).
You don't like it? You brought this on yourself, Bub.
Newt is a sorry human being that has damaged his country to line his own pockets. Proven slimeball by his own party. 300k in fines as Speaker of the House. Earned millions as an unregistered lobbyist. He agreed to the lineup to sell books and noticed he could run for President... except he didn't have people on the ground because his original team got he was not serious. Newt has never had trouble trashing others, his focus was on not being trashed. The opposing candidates are just telling the truth about Newtie. He will crawl to Callista, or the latest bimbo, and fade back into... lobbying.
Pack your bags Newt, it's time for you to go home and stay there. You had your 15 minutes, twice! There won't be a third time, the American are wise to you now. Now the longer you stay in the more foolish you look. Go home to your home state that won't even let you on the ballot. Why won't they let you on their ballot, oh, now I remember, FRAUD. Go home!
Hows those super PACs workin out for ya Newt?
Job 24:13,15,17 (NIV) "There are those who rebel against the light, who do not know its ways or stay in its paths... The eye of the adulterer watches for dusk; he thinks, 'No eye will see me,' and he keeps his face concealed... For all of them, deep darkness is their morning; they make friends with the terrors of darkness."
Isa 29:15-16 (NIV) Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, "Who sees us? Who will know?" You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay!... Can the pot say of the potter, "He knows nothing?"
Isa 28:15 (NIV) You boast, "... for we have made a lie our refuge, and falsehood our hiding place."
Ps 139:7,11-12 (NIV) Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me..." the night will shine like day....
Jer 23:24 (NIV) "Can anyone hide in the secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the Lord. "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" declares the Lord.
Jer 16:17 (NIV) "My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes."
John 3:19-21 (Phi) "This is the judgment: that light has entered the world, and men have preferred darkness to light because their deeds were evil. Everybody who does wrong hates the light and keeps away from it, for fear his deeds may be exposed. But everybody who is living by the truth will come to the light to make it plain that all he has done has been done through God."
Newt's opponents have only brought truth to light. It was a shock to me that the news media even treated him as flavor of the month, he was the worst candidate on stage... willfully corrupt.
"Brilliant man who was denounced by his party's old crusty leadership but thee only one capable of defeating the enemy among us. No matter what you think of Newt's past, he is the only proven leader with world level experience."
And who is that "enemy among us" exactly? He may have experience but he has a terrible, immoral past that can not be forgotten or condoned
To all you Obama bashers, I'm sure you think the economy would be all roses had only McCain and Pain won in 08. I doubt things would be much different. Perhaps less money would have been spent or spent differently, but there's only so much the government can do regardless of who is in charge.
Anybody of the Republican field will be much better choice than Comrade Obama that has destroyed this nation with his failed economic policies and class warfare.