Newt Gingrich

For months, and continuing today, political supporters of President Obama have pointed to the lack of a dominant Republican Presidential candidate as "evidence" that potential Republican voters are divided, and unsatisfied with the present pool of candidates. The truth is that Republican voters are remarkably united in their desire to have ANYONE other than Barack Obama elected President in 2012, and the lack of a clear frontrunner MAY indicate only that most Republicans would be satisfied with most of the candidates.

Increasingly, however, Newt Gingrich seems to be splitting off from this view, instead embracing the idea that the winner of the 2012 Presidential election should be anyone other than Mitt Romney. I suppose if you came right out and ASKED him directly whether he would prefer Romney to Obama, he would say that he WOULD, but his recent words and actions seem to indicate otherwise.

Unless he knows something about Romney, and something about Obama, that I do NOT know, I find this to be deeply troubling for someone seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Obama next fall. At this point, given the likelihood or at least the possibility that Romney will be the Republican nominee, Gingrich seems to be working more FOR the re-election of President Obama than he is working AGAINST the re-election of President Obama.

Many Americans are working for the re-election of President Obama. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with working for the re-election of President Obama. He might be the best candidate. However, for one of those seeking the Republican nomination for President, it is puzzling and deeply troubling.

There are some, perhaps including Gingrich himself, who argue that even the most vicious personal attacks against Mitt Romney serve to harden and prepare him for the contest against Obama. While there may be a small degree of truth in this, I see it as an unintended consequence of Gingrich's true malice toward Romney.

IF Mitt Romney is the eventual Republican Presidential candidate, and Barack Obama defeats him, then I will believe at least some of the credit or blame should be assigned to Newt Gingrich. I do not know Newt Gingrich, and I cannot claim to know what is in his head, let alone his heart, but I have faith that he is politically experienced and knowledgable, and I cannot understand how HE could be looking at the present situation any differently than I am looking at it. Unless he truly IS working to secure the re-election of President Obama, then his only semi-plausible explanation is that he believes Mitt Romney has absolutely NO chance of defeating Barack Obama, with or without the assistance of Newt Gingrich, and therefore his weakening of Romney's candidacy is insignificant. IF this is his explanation -- and I am NOT saying that it IS -- then he would be guilty of either horrendous judgment, great arrogance, or presumed ability to predict the future ... none of which I particularly desire in a President of the United States.

The situation remains fluid, with three recent wins by Rick Santorum. I do not claim to know who will win the Republican nomination. At this point, Newt Gingrich does not seem to deserve it.