Shifting Dynamics in the GOP Presidential Race
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-12-13/shifting-dynamics-gop-presidential-race
Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are the current front-runners in the contest to become the Republican candidate for president. It was only months ago that former House speaker Gingrich was written off by many as unelectable. In recent weeks he has surged in the polls. This week Gingrich is seeking gains in New Hampshire, an early primary state where Romney enjoys widespread popularity. Gingrich debated third-tier candidate Jon Huntsman on national security issues. On the sidelines, Gingrich broke his vow to stay positive and traded barbs with Romney. Diane and her guests discuss the shifting dynamics in the race for the GOP presidential nomination.
Guests
Major Garrett
congressional correspondent, National Journal.
Lisa Lerer
politics reporter, Bloomberg News.
Juan Williams
political analyst, Fox News.
Comments
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A living bobble head holding back a Roman ready to accept his unearned glory from a desperate populous seeking leadership, both of which are better than the legend in his own mind Obama. Anyone but B.H.O. is OK with me.
Democracy Now reports this morning Newt Gingrich's tax plan would give the top 10% about $400K more in tax cuts, and the top 1% several millions in additional cuts, while doing nothing for the bottom 20% of earners. A one trillion additional deficit would result during his first year in office. Is he worried about debt? Not hardly. It's down there with climate change. We borrow government shortfalls from the same Oligarchy and pay exorbitant interest to the same crooks who get tax favors.
Meanwhile Rocky Anderson (former mayor of Salt Lake City , Utah) is running for President with the Justice Party, vowing to prosecute financial criminals, tax evaders and big polluters. Anderson asserts the two major parties are really one in their representation of the wealthy class. Pointing to Obama's failure to prosecute crimes and his re-election war chest from financial class contributors and fossil energy interests he argues that without choice between Gingrich/Romney and Obama on major issues the People lack any meaningful alternative. This results in procedural elections where the wealthy aristocracy can't possibly lose and the urgent issues remain unaddressed.
So we'll crash while wrestling over make believe money values and social issues that should have remained private. Only new war or a big scare can deflect criticism now. A tumultuous 11 months lie before us, and probably chaos after that.
Can the TEA Party rally behind such an entrenched Washington insider as Newt Gingrich? Why are staunch Republicans willing to sweep Gingrich's unsavory personal history under the rug but hold other candidates like Cain accountable?
I believe I have watched all of the Republican debates. Huntsman has been one of the brightest light bulbs on the stage. He could take quite a few Dem and Inde votes. Why have the Republicans ignored him?
Also what does it say about the Republican base when Gingrich a cruel, serial adulterer, hypocrite trumps Romney a man who has lived by his faith is a solid family man, a successful business man. Both are part of the 1%.
What is up with the so called religious base of the Republican party
Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, drones...just what the US needs another military confrontation in Iran based on unsubstantiated claims.
Recently Colonel Wilkerson said that if Israel has its way the US and Israel will be in a military confrontation with Iran within 3 years.
Col. Wilkerson: US War w Iran '3 yrs. Away'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbT5XFnhUGw
Congressman Ron Paul has on numerous occasions shared far more moderate views on US foreign policy involving Iran and the Israeli Palestinian conflict. His message and stance resonates with millions of Americans.
Why is it that not one other candidate has noticed this
Obama won Iowa and Edwards came in second.
Americans are still misguided by the Republicans and the Democrats. People need to wake up and realize that neither of these political parties has anything to offer. Washington DC is an arm of Wall Street and the politicians will do exactly what their corporate masters tell them to. Every single politician out there is bought and paid for.
Give up, there is no contest here between the forces of good and the forces of evil....there is only darkness and chaos.
You will only achieve any kind of change when you get rid of money and the politicians purchased by it.
Really not appropriate to include Fox News in this panel. They are using the debates to construct a drumbeat of antiObama sentiment. There is nothing objective or even factual about their views. Remarks of their commentators cannot be trusted.
Hey b23erlin,
Juan Williams is a LIBERAL. He just works for Fox News as do other liberals because they are determined to present a fair and balanced view.
The motto of the left is:
"You are entitled to my opinion"
I find it interesting that a panel of liberal democratic Obama supporters purport to know what the Republican base is thinking about the slate of GOP candidates.
Why is Gingrich' marital life an issue? Have none of you ever made a mistake? I am a Christian and I believe that if Gingrich has asked forgiveness for whatever he has done that is considered sin, then who am I, and who are you people, to judge otherwise?
Like I was once told, "Grace for thee but not me?"
Newt's comment on the Palestinians is irrelevant. Perry and Gingrich had it right at the debate.
If Clinton, FDR, Cleveland, and Kennedy-all Democratic demi-gods can be president and still carry on their extramarital affairs, then a man who was married more than once can certainly be as good a president if not better.
Gingrich once said when talking about job creation that the federal government had nothing to do with the creation of the trans continental railroad. So much for the history proffessor who dosen't know history!
"Republicans are more and more pugnacious"?
"Recent Republican debates...nasty"?
This NPR caller needs to watch something other than the Obama media.
Mitt Romney is not the GOP base frontrunner. Romney is the one the Democrats want.
I think the Republicans are blowing it by supporting Gingrich. Even my 84 year old mother who is a die hard Dem has said she would consider voting for Romney because of his compassionate conservative stance on health care in Massachusetts.
Clearly Micheal support Gingrich type of mean, nasty and hypocritical politics.
I believe Mitt Romney will tap Mark Rubio as his potential VP in the next few days. This will allow him to take Florida and build momentum for New Hampshire and Sourth Carolina. If not Newt will win the nomination.
CR you have a point about who is on the panel. But many of us can not figure out why Republicans would not support a candidate like Romney who has lived by his religious beliefs instead of hiding behind them like Gingrich is now. Romney has solidly been a family values guy. Why go with the serial adulterer who was going after Clinton while he was having affair? Gingrich is a mean cruel opportunist...what do you so called Christians have against some one who has actually lived his faith?
Ms. Rehm, Your panel needs to read Tony Blankley's article in today's Washington Times, "Newt's Past and Future" for a refresher on Newt's work as Speaker.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/dec/12/newts-past-and-future-le...
Gingrich isn't a conservative or a liberal. The positions He's a republican who knows how to play the game in the high school cafeteria atmoshpere of washington, were opposing parties don't even make eye contact with each other.
The GOP debate was an embarrassing display of typical American politics.
The Main Stream Media, freeze out the competent challengers (Ron Paul/Huntsman) and Push these moronic insiders down our throats.....
We have turned into a Fascist country where the media controls the discussion regardless the majority are singing a different tune. OWS
NPR is the New Fox...
Add the number of times Obama has successfully worked with Congress and add the number of times Gingrich successfully worked with Clinton...who accomplished more?
OMG-Obama Must Go!
@ Kathleen,
First of all, you don't know me, so your coinage "so-called" is an insult. So keep your insults to yourself or share them with people who care.
Secondly, Christian or not, it isn't up to me or you to judge a person's private life. If it were, all of the presidents I mentioned would have been tarred and feathered while they were in the Whitehouse.
Thirdly, why would any Republican care who a Democrat wants as the next president.
Off topic -- Major Garrett has not made a single comment without first referencing himself and his recent work. His constant self-promotion is very annoying to the listener and distracts from the disucssion at hand.
Please. It takes both sides. Who are the republicans who have EVER expressed even the slightest includination to work with him for the good of the rest of us? Really. Give me some specific names and examples.
kathleen wrote:
"I think the Republicans are blowing it by supporting Gingrich. Even my 84 year old mother who is a die hard Dem has said she would consider voting for Romney because of his compassionate conservative stance on health care in Massachusetts."
That's at least the second time you've posted that exact comment. Tells me libs don't want Obama facing Gingrich and would rather have Romney.
I'm beginning to doubt you even have an 84 year old mother.
Wow. Major Garrett is a major blowhard.
Does he ever stop lecturing!?
Someone should introduce him to radio and explain how it's different than his National Journal blob.
A near-record level of Americans, 64 percent, say that "big government" is a bigger threat to the country than "big business" or "big labor," according to a new poll.
While nearly two-thirds say big government is the major threat, 26 percent name big business, according to the Gallup survey conducted November 28 - December 1. Just 8 percent name big labor.
Since Gallup starting asking the question in 1965, Americans have typically named big government as the biggest threat; an all-time high of 65 percent named it as the biggest threat in 1999 and 2000.
While "big government" is often cast as a conservative concern, 48 percent of Democrats named it the biggest threat, compared to 44 percent who said big business. Most Democrats, 55 percent, similarly named big government as the biggest threat in 2006; however, that figure plummeted to 32 percent in March 2009, soon after President Obama took office. The opinions of independents and Republicans haven't changed as dramatically.
I would beg to differ with your guests regarding the seminal reason behind the surprising popularity of Gingrich.
A few weeks ago on ABC's "This Week" Nobel economist Paul Krugman best expressed the essence of Gingrich's undeserved popularity when he said:
"Gingrich is what stupid people think a smart guy sounds like".
Best luck and love to Occupy Empire.
Liberty, democracy, justice, and equality
over
violent/Vichy
empire,
Alan MacDonald
Sanford, Maine
kathleen, while Ron Paul has far more rational positions on foreign policy, economic policy, domestic policy, environmental policy, etc., etc., etc. than any of these shills, the most important factor in Paul's favor is that he is the only candidate in EITHER party who is honest with the American public about the fact that our former country has been essentially 'captured' and 'occupied' by a corporate/financial/militarist EMPIRE, which hides behind the facade of its bought and owned Two-Party 'Vichy' sham of faux-democratic and totally illegitimate government --- just as the Nazi Empire attempted to employ a crude single-party 'Vichy' facade of government in its captured territory of France c. 1940.
Paul is overtly, publicly, and openly "Against Empire" [Parenti]. He has committed to expose, confront, and ultimately expunge the Empire that has our country and our world by the throat.
That is the aspect of Dr. Paul's superior and honest campaign and platform which it is so surprising that the American people have not caught onto.
Best luck and love to Occupy Empire.
Liberty, democracy, justice, and equality
over
violent/Vichy
empire,
Alan
Alan MacDonald wrote:
"A few weeks ago on ABC's "This Week" Nobel economist Paul Krugman best expressed the essence of Gingrich's undeserved popularity when he said:"Gingrich is what stupid people think a smart guy sounds like".
Uh ... no ... actually Krugman is what liberals think a smart guy sounds like. Too bad for the arrogant, elitist Krugman that all those "stupid people" as he likes to call them get to vote.