The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Newt Takes "Rocky" Road

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Now this is rich. As Real Clear Politics accurately described it, Newt Gingrich yesterday effectively labeled Mitt Romney a Rockefeller Republican -- with the clear intent of subtly distancing Romney further from any conservative support. Of course, what Gingrich doesn't want any of us to remember is that this is like the rock calling the stone a hard object. Gingrich himself quite literally was a Rockefeller Republican, having served as Rockefeller's southern regional director in Rocky's run for the White House in 1968 (while Gingrich was a grad student at Tulane University).

Every once in a while, Gingrich's old, Rocky-like animus against conservatives rears its head, because when he disagrees with conservatives, he can't stop at disagreeing, but, as if indulging a verbal tic, tends to not just disagree with insult us. He insulted conservatives repeatedly during internal wars in the House in 1997 and 1998. He insulted conservatives when explaining his decision to endorse Dede Scozzafava (the lib Republican) in that special election in New York. He insulted conservatives when explaining and re-explaining his statements trashing Paul Ryan's budget this year. It's just a habit of his. He can't seem to help it. It's visceral. In his heart of heart or mind of minds, he thinks we're troglodytes.

But when it suits him, he hangs the Rocky label on his opponent Romney. What a clever, clever man!

View all comments (9) | Leave a comment

Occam's Tool| 10.17.11 @ 1:21PM

I like Cain.

Oldefarte| 10.18.11 @ 1:26PM

Me too, OT. He's a straight shooter and tells the TRUTH!!!!!!!!!

Martin Hutchinson| 10.17.11 @ 1:55PM

Newt's spot-on right, as he is quite often. It's time this was said. Romney's daddy was the quintessential big-spending Rockefeller Republican. There is no reason whatever to suppose that Conservatives would have nay voice in a Romney administration; instead it would pander continually to the left, like GWB did but even more naturally because Romney is even more neurotic about being liked by the media and the Georgetown set.

Oldefarte| 10.17.11 @ 2:45PM

Newt is obviously brilliant, but I'm not sure same translates into governmental administrative abilities. I think he tends to create division with his verbal [extremely partisaned] assaults [ie Obama]. As a Republican operative he's great, but as President I'm not so sure!!!!

Interested Conservative| 10.17.11 @ 3:22PM

Mr. Hillyer, I understand your, uh, concerns about the Speaker, but I'd counsel an unemotional review of just what he said here - namely that Gov. Romney is not conservative. Anybody doubt that? Anybody wonder who is the least conservative candidate in the GOP nomination race?

While I don't have the same concerns about Newt as others, and while he's certainly made plenty of mistakes, his actions in 1968 are pretty far down the list of worries.

As it is, I see this race as Romney holding the 25% bloc which is the liberal/moderate/establishment/eastern wing of the GOP. Newt's correct in observing that he likely won't exceed that as long as it's more than a 3-man race. Once the field narrows to 3, Romney likely jumps above 30%. His problem is winning the 2-man race, hence he's more than happy to keep a crowded field so long as he can win a few states (primary or caucus) with small pluralities and let inertia do its work.

Newt, and all others, goal is to get to the 3 man race and paint Romney into the smallest 1/3 of the vote.

I don't think they'll be able to pull it off.